WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 11/17/99

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=Heads]
[GRAPHIC=None]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Coming up next on News 7 at 5, firefighters make progress in containing a fire that has consumed a thousand acres of Fort Lewis Mountain. More help is on the way.
(------------)
and life of crime earns a local man over 500 years in prison. [Weather-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

Temperatures are falling, Hurricanes are intensifying and meteors are flying. All part of the weather story tonight.

[Medical-Head]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#med heads]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
A Southern Virginia hospital looks for a remedy to it's money problems.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
And a survivor is found in the roof collapse of the Roanoke County Health Department in Vinton.
(----------------)
[2-SHOT]
[open]
[SUPER=#4063; Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Jean1;]
[SUPER=@Tonya1;]
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[SUPER=@robin1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#video open]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Another long day battling fires on Fort Lewis Mountain- Tonight the Virginia Department of Forestry says better weather is helping them contain a 1000-acre forest fire.
(----------------)

[5-Brush-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=599-10 1:43:41]
[GRAPHIC=Ft Lewis Mt Fire]

Depsite today's progress, firefighters say their work is far from over.
[Double Boxes=Jean/Scott Microwave]

Scott Goldberg is in the Hanging Rock section of Roanoke County and he has the latest.
[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]

(rollcue...finally win this battle )
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
[SUPER=01-Betty Jean McDonald/Mt. Heights Resident;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=get the upper hand.]
(())

[Live=Scott Full]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=Jean/Scott]

[5-Egyptair]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Egyptair Crash]

The investigation of the Egypt Air Crash is now centered on exactly who was flying the plane- Meanwhile family members of the flight's co-pilot are outraged- They spoke with reporters today.
Lee Cowan brings us up to date.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-James Hall/NTSB Chairman;]
[Super=01-Nabil Fahmi/Egyptian Ambassador to U.S.;]
[Super=01-Walid El Batouty/Nephew of Co-Pilot;]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/CBS News]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS WASHINGTON]
((The refocused investigation has officials in Cairo worried.
Egypts government wants to make sure ITS experts agree that a crime may have been committed before allowing the case to be turned over to the FBI.
As such, its dispatched additional personnel to the NTSBs lab in Washington to help decipher what could turn out to be damning evidence in the crash of EgyptAir flight 990.
Without any known mechanical or weather problems, attention remains focused on a cryptic prayer believed to have been spoken by one of the flights co-pilots Gamil AL-Batouty seen here in a home video.
Although not scheduled to be flying the plane at the time, investigators believe somewhere between the autopilot being disconnected, and the beginning of the fatal dive, El Batouty utters: I have made my decision. I put my fate in Gods hands.
Although the timing seems ominous, analysts point out the prayer could mean almost anything.
JAMES HALL, NTSB CHAIRMAN We have not chosen to characterize it because there is still some differences in some of the cultural interpretations of the Arabic language that is spoken on the cockpit voice recorder.
Egypts ambassador asked for the opportunity for a more extensive review of the evidence, trying to diffuse any perception that the U-S was rushing to judgment. NABIL FAHMI, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE US : One can easily draw conclusions, but they will not be based on any factual objective and scientific assessment of the facts. To do that we have to wait until we finish the investigation.
But in Cairo, El Batoutys family is outraged, accusing the US of a cover up. WALID EL BATOUTY, NEPHEW OF CO-PILOT We will not accept this. If they want to slander my uncle, well never accept this and were going to come back after them COWAN: Starting tomorrow, the NTSB will be turning control of the salvage operation over to the Navy who has been instructed to begin bringing pieces of the Boeing 767 to the surface as soon as possible. Investigators would like to start by finding whats left of the cockpit. Lee Cowan, CBS News, Washington.))

[5-Lenny]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Hurricane Lenny is strong and getting stronger.
(---------)
[Vo-Nat]
[Super=03-Puerto Rico;]

The storm is blasting St. Croix in the U-S Virgin Islands with winds of 150 miles an hour.
The storm is already a category four and close to beoming the most powerful kind- a category five.
Lenny cut off out water and power to tens of thousands on Puerto Rico. The storm has knocked down most communications on St. Croix and there are widespread reports of flooding and damage.
There is also severe flooding on St. Kitts.
This is an unusual storm because it is going from West to East. It's also unusual because it intensified so quickly this afternoon.
(------------)
[(toss to R)]
(toss to Robin)
[Robin-Tease] [11/17/1999]
[SS=NONE]ROBIN IN WX-CENTER
[WXPRO/FULL] HURRICANE UPDATE TOMORROW FORECAST FIVE DAY FORECAST

[SS=NONE]ROBIN TOSS BACK[Tease#1 ]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=Tease 1]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A long criminal history earns a local man over a half millenium in prison. We'll have the details after this break,

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and we'll see what different tactics the Department of Transportation will use this year to fight off Old Man Winter.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=TONYA]
On Health check, we'll tell you why the timing of a surgery can make a big difference in the long term survival rates for breast cancer patients.
[ANCHOR=Jean]
and we'll catch up with Patrick Evans who is chillin' out with some furry friends.
[COMM-#1]

[5-Adams]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=599-18 48:51 ]
[GRAPHIC=None]

He killed his wife in 1975.. then killed a friend and burned the body in 1994.
In between, Elmer Adams was busy buying and selling drugs, and threatening the lives of police officers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rustburg]

All that came into play at Adams' sentencing today on two dozen drug and firearms charges.
After hearing about the 49-year-old's criminal history, Campbell County judge Michael Gamble sentenced the Naruna man to 523 years in prison.. a prison term prosecutors say was LONG overdue.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:01:24]
[IN Q=He didn't change]
((NEIL VENER/CAMPBELL CO. PROSECUTOR: HE DIDN'T CHANGE HIS WAYS, HE WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO KILL PEOPLE AS YOU HEARD FROM THE TESTIMONY TODAY, SO I THINK THE JUDGE, BY HIS VERDICT, HAS ASSURED THAT IT'S UNLIKELY HE'LL EVER GET A CHANCE TO HURT ANOTHER INNOCENT PERSON AGAIN.))
[SUPER=01-Neil Vener/Campbell Co. Prosecutor]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=innocent person again.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Adams was also fined 240-thousand dollars.
He could be eligible for parole at the age of 65.
(------------)

[5-VDOT]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=598-42 1:59:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]

You may not be thinking about snow just yet, but the Virginia Department of Transportation is prepared for whatever Old Man winter may bring.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]

The state has set aside more than 47 and a half million dollars for snow removal.
And the money is already being doled out-- getting equipment ready and ordering chemicals.
For years, salt has been commonly used to treat roads but it doesn't work well below 20-degrees.
However, calcium chloride applied to the salt before it hits the road is effective to zero degrees.
(///////SOT///// 11:21:55)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We didn't]
((DAN BRUGH/VDOT RESIDENT ENGINEER: WE DIDN'T GET TO EXPERIMENT WITH IT LAST YEAR BUT WE DID GET TO USE IT ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO USE IT ON 81 AND TO SOME OF THE PRIMARY ROADS, AS WELL.))
[SUPER=01-Dan Brugh/VDOT Resident Engineer; :00]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=as well.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Getting up to date information on road conditions is now as easy as logging onto the internet.
We'll have more on that tonight on NEWS 7 at six.
(------------)

[Tease#2]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5p]
[WRITER=PEV]
[TAPE#=Tease 2]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Patrick Evans is learning some valuble lessons tonight and answering some questions- starting with how do you get to Sesame Street?
(/////////////SOT///////////////////////)
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT-Q=News 7 at 5]

[STOCKS]

[5-SESAME-STREET]

[ANCHOR=JEAN]
[NEWSCAST=FIVE]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=599-12 1:44:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A childhood classic is coming to the Salem Civic Center, and it features some of your favorite characters from Christmases Past.
Most especially Elmo!
Patrick Evans has all the details.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=@Patrick1; :00]
[SUPER=03-Salem;]
[SUPER=07-"Professor Art"; :26]
[RUNS=1:55]
[OUT Q=News 7 at 5]

[Stats] [11/17/1999] [CK/ESS]FIVE BACKGROUND [CK/WXPRO] [CK/VIEWERNET] [COMMERCIAL] [CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [CK/CHYRON/5 PAGES]REGIONAL FORECASTS [ESS/FULL]EXTENDED FORECAST [ESS/FULL]WX SPONSOR [AUDIO CART] [WALK OVER FOR 3 SHOT] [Forecasts]
[SUPER=#577]
[SUPER=X5000]
[SUPER=330-Mostly Clear/Light Winds/23-26/Sunny And/Milder/62-64]
[SUPER=331-Clear/Quite Cold/22-26/Sunny And/Milder/60-63]
[SUPER=332-Clear With/Light Winds/18-20/Mostly Sunny/Wind SW-10/58-62]
[SUPER=333-Clear And/Cold/22-24/Mostly/Sunny/60-62]
[SUPER=334-Clear With/Light Winds/16-18/Mostly Sunny/And Milder/58-60]
[SUPER=X5001][tease#3]

[health music under]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#tease 3]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Coming up in Sports, Steve Mason will have this week's edition of Hometown Hoops Weekly.
[ANCHOR=Tonya]
In medical news, researchers discover some important information that could raise the survival rates for breast cancer patients by 30 percent.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
And public health officials are checking out a short-term replacement for the Vinton Health Department.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 21:18:44]
[IN Q=We're probably]
((WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO USE THIS FLOOR AND THEN STORE UP AND DOWN, THERE A HUGE COMMUNITY ROOM, WE WERE BRAINSTORMING MAYBE WE'RE JUST GOING TO STAY HERE, LAUGHS.))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=stay here, laughs]
[health bump]
[Comm Break#3]

[5-Patrick-Hospital]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=599-15 53:24]
[GRAPHIC=Health check]

Patrick County's only hospital is hoping that Chapter 11 bankruptcy will be the cure for its ailing financial health.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Patrick Co.;]

Patrick Community Hospital is running a debt of more than five million dollars.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy would allow it protection from its creditors for four months while it figures out how to repay them.
The hospital has about 240 employees and treats more than 20-thousand patients a year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:42:06 - :22]
[IN Q=It's very important to]
[SUPER=01-Bill Walker/Area Resident;]
((BILL WALKER/AREA RESIDENT: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS HOSPITAL HERE. THE PEOPLE NEED IT. THE EMPLOYEES NEED IT. IT'LL BE A VERY SAD THING FOR THIS HOSPITAL TO CLOSE DOWN. WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO KEEP THIS HOSPITAL OPEN. ))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=keep this hospital open.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

On News 7 at 6, we'll tell you what area residents and hospital staff are saying about the struggling hospital... and about it's prognosis for recovery.
(------------)

[5-Health-Department]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=599-14 53:23]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
An old elementary school is serving as a temporary health department while repairs are completed on the Roanoke County office in Vinton. Part of the roof collapsed Monday as a new air conditioning unit was installed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton; ]
The vacant Roland (Roe-land) E-Cook Elementary school will provide temporary quarters until the roof is fixed and the structure is sound. Right now crews are clearing space at the school to get it ready for business.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 21:20:17]
[IN Q=We've got]
((DR. MOLLY RUTLEDGE/PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR: WE'VE GOT SOME TEMPORARY PLAN FOR SPECIFIC CLINICAL SERVICES AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR THE NEXT WEEK UNTIL THANKSGIVING. I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE SEEING PATIENTS HERE BEFORE THANKSGIVING OBVIOUSLY.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Molly Rutledge/Public Health Director; ]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=Thanksgiving, obviously.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
(**************TONYA ON CART********************)
Meantime one of the health department staff braved the construction at the roof cave in and went back to check out something fishy inside.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 21:24:10]
[IN Q=Yay!]
((YAY! WATCH ME FALL OVER SOMETHING HERE.))
[RUNS=:03]
[OUT Q=something here.]
(****************TONYA ON CART*******************)
Pat Adkins left Big Boy in the rush to get out of the building Monday, but she rescued him today.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 21:24:47]
[IN Q=I have really]
((PAT ADKINS/VINTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT: I HAVE REALLY BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT MY BABY, BUT HE LOOKS IN REAL GOOD SHAPE.))
[SUPER=01-Pat Adkins/Vinton Health Department; ]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=real good shape.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Doctor Rutledge estimates the Vinton Health Department will not be up and running for at least three to six months.
(------------)

[5-Breast-cancer]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=599-11 2:00:50]
[GRAPHIC=Breast Cancer]

The old saying "timing is everything," is proving true for women who have surgery for breast cancer.
A new study in the official journal of the American Cancer Society suggests that the time of a woman's menstrual cycle has a large impact on her future survival chances.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Researchers found that young women who had surgery during the first half of their cycle had a ten year survival rate of 45 percent.
For women in the second half of their cycle, the rate jumped to 75 percent.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:01:13 CBS 9pm]
[IN Q=The survival numbers]
(( THE SURVIVAL NUMBERS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THE DIFFERENCE IS REALLY QUITE STRIKING.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Michael Racenstein/Oncologist;]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=qutie striking.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Researchers believe the difference comes from the varying levels of estrogen in the women's blood stream. At the first half of the cycle, there is more estrogen which stimulates cancer cells. During surgery, they're more likely to spread.
The evidence appears so convincing, the researchers are calling on all surgeons to carefully time the operations of their breast cancer patients.
At least one doctor says that may not be practical.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't think]
((I DON'T THINK PATIENTS ARE GOING TO WANNA WAIT. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST WOMEN WANT IT OUT YESTERDAY WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE SOMETHING THERE.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=something there.]
[ANCHOR=TONYA]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

Some doctors are afraid patients will switch surgeons rather than wait.
Still the hospital where the study was done now routinely schedules all breast surgery during the second half of the patient's cycle.
Researchers say this also applies to post menopausal women as well since there are still monthly variations in their hormones as well.

[S5-Hoops]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-50]
[GRAPHIC=two minute ticker]

The middle of the week means our two minute ticker.
[graphic=hometown hoops weekly]

Steve Mason has more on a major court case that has little to do with three pointers or rebounding.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :00]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :27]
[SUPER=01-James Johnson/VHSL Lawyer; :39]
[SUPER=03-Salem/August; :51]
[SUPER=03-Vinton; :59]
[SUPER=01-Jane Layman/VHSL Expert Witness; 1:09]
[RUNS=2:18]
[OUT Q=...Hometown Hoops Weekly"]
(-----------)
((STEVE MASON:IN ALSTON VS. THE VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, THE PLAINTIFF'S LAW SUIT IS A TITLE IX SEX DISCRIMINATION CASE. NANSEMOND RIVER AND LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOLS MOVED FROM DOUBLE A TO TRIPLE A A FEW YEARS BACK, WHICH FORCED SEVERAL FEMALE ATHLETES AT THOSE SCHOOLS TO GIVE UP A SPORT THEY PREVIOUSLY PLAYED BECAUSE THE GIRLS SEASONS CONFLICT. THE PLAINTIFF SAYS THE BOYS SEASONS DO NOT CONFLICT AND THAT IS NOT EQUAL AND THERE FOR SEX DISCRIMINATION.))
((The VHSL asked the University of Virginia to conduct a scientific survey to see when the girls wanted to play. The results indicated the vast majority wanted to leave the sports in the seasons they were in. ((VHSL ATTORNEY:))
Wake Forest women's basketball coach Charlene Curtis, who spoke at Salem earlier this year, is a VHSL expert witness, as is William Byrd athletic director Jane Layman, who uses girls single and double A basketball, which is played in the fall, as an example as to why she feels the seasons should stay where they are. ((JANE LAYMAN:))
The plaintiff says, regardless of exposure the fact that girls and boys seasons are not aligned equally violates Title IX. ((ALSTON:)) ((THE OCTOBER 18TH TRIAL HAS BEEN POSTPONED IN AN IRONIC TWIST OF EVENTS. OF THE 13 JURORS SELECTED THE ACLU, REPRESENTING THE PLAINTIFF, SCRATCHED THE ONLY THREE MEN.)) ((VHSL ATTORNEY:)) a new trial date has not been set, but the VHSL is pushing for January because it is the least busiest championship mon

th of the year, Steve Mason Hometown Hoops Weekly.))[5-Schulz]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

The man who created the characters of the Peanuts comic strip is recovering in a California hospital following emergency surgery.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]

Charles Schulz was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital yesterday after complaining he wasn't feeling well.
Doctors found he had a blocked artery in his abdomen.
Surgery corrected the problem and his wife reports the 76-year old cartoonist is doing well. He is expected to stay in the hospital about a week. The cartoonist's secretary says the comic strip probably won't be interrupted, because Schulz draws them in advance.
The Peanuts strip appears in 26 hundred newspapers. It brings in over a billion dollars a year.
(------------)
[Close-ID] [5pm] SUPER=x4035; fax/copyright [SUPER=x4034;email/copyright]