WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 11/17/99

[1-News-Head]

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[V/O-NAT]

The Fort Lewis Mountian Fire roars back to life- -only to subside again.
On NEWS 7 at SIX... we're LIVE with the latest on situation.
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[TALENT=Keith]

And we've got chapter and verse on a local hospital seeking the protection of bankruptcy court.

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports, Tech talks about the importance of the temple tilt, and we'll get Dave Braine's thoughts on the Hokies' rise.
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[VO-NAT]
And Chipper Jones in the National League's most valuable player.
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[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

The sky is filled with things tonight including too much smoke in Roanoke County and shooting stars for just about everyone. It's also cold, so bundle up. [open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 at Six Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Keith1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]
[SUPER=@Robin1;]
[RUNS=:20]

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
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[IN Q=We'll continue]
((We'll continue to watch and wait and be hopeful.))
[RUNS=02]
[OUT Q= and be hopeful]
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[VO-NAT]

The fire on Fort Lewis Mountain comes back to life, burning a thousand acres with residents watching flames creep toward their homes.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[Brush-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=99-40 1:30:33]
[GRAPHIC=Ft. Lewis Mt. Fire]

Firefighters in Roanoke County say it's 90 per cent contained.
They've been at it all day on Fort Lewis Mountain, and if the winds stay as light as they are, they hope to be in complete control by tomorrow.
[Double Boxes=Keith & Scott/Microwave]

Scott Goldberg is in the Hanging Rock area of Roanoke County tonight.
[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]

(rollcue... get worse before it gets better. )
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[SOT]
[IN Q=all eyes are on the sky.]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
[SUPER=01-Chief Rick Burch/Roanoke Co. Fire Dept.;]
[SUPER=01-Chris Thomsen/VA Department of Forestry;]
[SUPER=01-Diane Bowles/Mountain Heights Resident;]
[SUPER=01-Alan Boyce/Mountain Heights Resident;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=anything this close.]
(())

[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
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[Double Boxes=Keith & Scott/Microwave]

[Firefighters]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=99-39 55:54]
[GRAPHIC=Ft. Lewis Mtn. Fire]

Forestry officials now say manpower is a critical issue as firefighting crews lose numbers and energy.
It's now a nationwide effort to put out the fire.
[Double Boxes=Keith & Tina/Microwave]

Tina Tenret is also at the base of Fort Lewis Mountain.
[Live=Tina Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Tina1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]

(ad lib)

(rollcue... wearing the crews down. )
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
[SUPER=01-Lonnie Miles/Forestry Department; :07]
[SUPER=01-Richard Miles/Forestry Department; :43]
[SUPER=01-Richard Burch, Jr./Roanoke Co. Fire Chief; 1:13]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=on them as well.]
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[Live=Tina Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
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[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave]

[First-Wx]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Firefighters finally got some relief from the winds. Let's check with meteorologist Robin Reed to see if any rain is on the way.
[MCU]WEATHER OFFICE
[WXPRO/FULL]WEATHER MAPS
[TOSS BACK TO KEITH]

[B'burg-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-45 46:08]
[GRAPHIC=Explosion]

The Blacksburg man who suffered severe burns in an explosion last night is in critical condition.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Night;]

John Layman suffered burns to his face and hands in the blast-- which happened in the basement of his home.
Layman is a gourmet cook and had a homemade lab in the basement to grow vegetables.
Fire officials say Layman was working with the lab-- and believe the explosion was caused by a propane leak.
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[Adams]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-42 1:01:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Campbell County man's violent criminal past came back to haunt him as he was sentenced today on dozens of drug and gun charges.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rustburg]

Forty nine- year- old Elmer Adams killed his wife in 1975, another man in 1994.. and had threatened to kill police officers who arrested him on drug charges six years ago.
With that in mind, a judge today imposed the jury sentence of 523 years in prison for Adams' most recent crimes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:01:50]
[IN Q=You're also]
((NEIL VENER/CAMPBELL CO. PROSECUTOR: YOU'RE ALSO ENTITLED TO LOOK AT THEIR PRIOR RECORD AND THE JURY WAS ALLOWED TO CONSIDER THE PRIOR RECORD BECAUSE OF THE LAW CHANGES A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT HE'S PROVEN THAT HE'S DANGEROUS, HE'S PROVEN THAT HE CAN'T LIVE AMONG FREE PEOPLE AND I THINK THE COURT HAS DONE THE RIGHT THING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF CAMPBELL COUNTY FROM HIM.))
[SUPER=01-Neil Vener/Campbell Co. Prosecutor]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=from him.]
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[VO-NAT]

Adams also was fined a total of 240- thousand dollars.
He'll be eligible for parole when he turns 65.
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[Health-Department]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=99-38 1:10:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Roanoke health officials are surveying a provisional site for a health department until repairs are made on the Vinton office.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton; ]
The roof collapsed Monday on the Roanoke County Health Department on Pollard Street. A former Vinton elementary school will substitute. Crews are preparing the now vacant Roland E-Cook elementary school, but in the meantime, doctors are looking for other locations.
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[SOT tc 21:20:30]
[IN Q=If we can]
((DR. MOLLY RUTLEDGE/PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR: IF WE CAN GET OUR CHECKS, WE'LL BE DOING WIC CHECKUP AT VINTON BAPTIST CHURCH ON FRIDAY AND WE WILL NOT BE HAVING CLINICS IN VINTON THIS WEEK.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Molly Rutledge/Public Health Director; ]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=this week.]
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[VO-NAT]
An employee at the Roanoke County office went back inside today to rescue her pet fish Big Boy. The goldfish is doing swimmingly.
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[Tease#1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]

A rural hospital files for bankruptcy protection. The details are still ahead on News 7 at 6.
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[VO-NAT]

And sights like this may not be too far off. A look at how V-DOT's snow-fighting plans are getting more scientific.
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[ANCHOR=Robin]
[wx ad lib] [Roll] [Lake Level] [MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM#1]

[Patrick-Hospital]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Patrick County's Community Hospital is deep in debt.
But staff and local residents hope that filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy will help get the hospital back in stable condition.
Marya Jones reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Patrick County's only hospital]
[SUPER=03-Patrick Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01- Dr. Ralph Kramer/Patrick Community Hospital; QUICK! :12]
[SUPER=01-Chip Magee/Hospital Attorney; :27]
[SUPER=01-Bill Walker/Area Resident; :58]
[SUPER=@Marya1; 1:06]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=MJN7, Patrick Co.]

Patrick County's only hospital hopes today marks the beginning of its road to recovery from grave financial illness.
It's a move that's providing some relief to area residents and medical staff.
[SOT 15:44:14 - :17]
((DR. RALPH KRAMER: I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. ))
[RUNS=:03]

Chapter 11 bankruptcy would allow the hospital protection from creditors, while it comes up with a plan of how to repay them.
The hospital has a debt of more than five million dollars ... and, in recent weeks, has even struggled to pay its 240 employees.
[sot 16:13:05]
((CHIP MAGEE: MAKING PAYROLL IS TOUGH THIS WEEK. .... IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MEET DEBT SERVICE.))
[runs=:08]

But the hospital says better finances are ahead.
The key is getting back on track by billing patients and insurance companies for hundreds of thousands of dollars that were never even billed.
[sot 16:12:45]
((CHIP MAGEE: WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS WE NEED TO RECONCILE.....NOBOBY'S BALANCED THE CHECKBOOK IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.)) [RUNS-:06]
Area residents who rely on the hospital for medical care say its money problems haven't affected the quality of patient care.
[SOT 15:43:00 - :06]
((BILL WALKER/AREA RESIDENT: THEY SEEM TO BE CONCERNED. SOMETIMES A BIG HOSPITAL IS NOT AS CONCERNED AS A PLACE LIKE THIS. ))
[RUNS=:06]
[SU 15:51:48 - :55] ((MARYA JONES/NEWS 7: AND THOUGH THEY'RE PUTTING UP A BRAVE FRONT, EVEN THOSE WHO WORK AT THE HOSPITAL SAY THEY HAVE SERIOUS DOUBTS THAT IT CAN RIDE OUT THIS FINANCIAL CRISIS.))
[RUNS=:07]
[SOT 15:46:17 - :27]
((DR. RALPH KRAMER/PATRICK COMMUNITY HOSP.: I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT. LOTS OF SMALL HOSPITALS HAVE GONE UNDER, GONE BANKRUPT. I HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT ONE.))
[RUNS=:10]

For now, the hospital and community are hoping Chapter 11 bankruptcy will be a prescription for good financial hea

lth for a hospital in serious condition. Marya Jones, News 7, Patrick County.[VDOT]

[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-36 1:58:58]
[GRAPHIC=Getting Ready]

It's coming sooner or later ... the first snows of winter.
V-DOT's snow removal plans are becoming an increasingly scientific endeavor.
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[VO-NAT]

The agency is testing a combination of chemicals that works better than just plain salt.
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg/March 9;]

Sensors embedded in the pavement in various locations help by detecting the temperature above and below ground, as well as the amount of salt on the pavement.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=It's not ]
((DAN BRUGH/VDOT RESIDENT ENGINEER: IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS, IT ISN'T LETS GET IN THE TRUCK AND GO PLOW THE SNOW OFF THE ROAD, THAT'S MUCH TOO SIMPLIFIED, IT'S A HARD TASK AND WE CERTAINLY USE EVERY AVAILABLE TECHNIQUE WE CAN TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN. ))
[SUPER=01-Dan Brugh/VDOT Resident Engineer; :00]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=we can.]
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[VO-NAT]

You can now check road conditions on the Internet.
(+++++++)
[TAKE FS Graphic]
For a direct link to the V-DOT road condition page, you can log on to WDBJ7-dot-com, and click "Webwatch". [Next Page]
You can access the same information by calling VDOT's Highway Helpline at 1-800-367- ROAD.

(+++++++) [Highway-Commissioner]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Governor Jim Gilmore has picked a new highways chief.
Gilmore today named Chip Nottingham as the new Commission of V-DOT.
Nottingham is a former Assistant Secretary of Transportation and has served as acting V-DOT commissioner since David Gehr (GEAR) was dismissed in August over two environmental mishaps.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

A down day on Wall Street today in profit-taking that followed yesterday's rally. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE ]
[RUNS=:25]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-y/49.24/10883.09/y/23.68/3269.37;]

The Dow lost 49 points.
Nasdaq fell 24.
[SUPER=431-ib/33b/ie/47e/i*/66%/hg/65@/hr/27a;]
[SUPER=432-i1/26g/ia/3&/h#/48%/i1c/41#/i$/48!;]
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[SUPER=434-ie/15e/i1r/72b/h$/29c/ie/83r/i1/58d;]

[Tobacco-Money]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-43 1:00:42]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco Settlement]

Virginia is due to get more than four BILLION dollars over the next 25 years from the Master Settlement Agreement with tobacco companies.
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[VO-NAT]

Of that, ten percent is set aside to help stop smoking.
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

Today, a new coalition was announced to lobby the Governor and General Assembly for a bigger piece of the pie to be spent on health- related issues.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:11:40]
[IN Q=If you look]
((DR. DAVID ELLINGTON/SPEND TOBACCO $$$ ON PEOPLE: IF YOU LOOK AT THIS AS MONEY COMING TO VIRGINIA, AN UNEXPECTED WINDFALL, AND YOU WANT TO CALL IT A FREE LUNCH, TEN PERCENT IS A MIGHTY POOR APPETIZER.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. David Ellington/Spend Tobacco $$$ On People; :00]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=poor appetizer.]
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[VO-NAT]

Fifty percent of the tobacco money's already promised to tobacco-dependent communities.
Governor Gilmore has proposed that the other 40-percent be spent building new roads in Virginia.
(------------)
[TALENT=Keith]
[SS=Hold]

The coalition also unveiled survey results done by Virginia Commonwealth University.
They show that 86-percent of Virginians surveyed favor using the money to prevent children from smoking.

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports, Chipper is the MVP, the UVa men pick their hoop captain for this season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And their Tech and their allegiance have both changed - but the Braines are still keeping tabs on the Hokies - and their run for the top.
(------------)

[S-Chipper]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-54]
[GRAPHIC=BRAVES]

The Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones has been through his share of adversity the past couple of years in his personal life.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA/This Afternoon; :00]
But today he added a personal honor to help ease some of the pain from his broken marriage. Jones was named the National League's player of the year this afternoon. He hit 319 with 45 homers and knocked in 110 runs. Jeff Bagwell was second in the voting.
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[S-Women]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-52]
[GRAPHIC=TECH]

The Virginia Tech women's basketball team is getting set for tonight's second round game in the preseason NIT. Tech beat Liberty by 15 on Monday night,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
but tonight the stakes and the competition level start to rise. The Georgia Bulldogs are at the Cassell tonight. Georgia played in the final four last season and won its opening round game in the NIT by a point of Alabama Birmingham. We'll have highlights of this game for you tonight on News at 11.
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[S-Temple]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-57]
[GRAPHIC=BIG EAST]

Saturday's Big East battle with the Temple Owls is much more than just a revenge game for the Tech players and coaches. It's a chance for redemption.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/October 17, 1998; :00]
The entire team played poorly against the lowly Owls last year, but most folks remember the catch that could have been. Ricky Hall's dropped touchdown pass in the final minute. For that reason and many others Saturday's rematch is huge.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Well, I think...]
((FRANK BEAMER:))
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va. Tech Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=...a lot of us."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT con't]
While folks remember Hall's catch - the play that really sticks in the players' and coaches' crawl is the Temple TD the Tech defense gave up right before halftime.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
((CORY BIRD:))
[SUPER=01-Cory Bird/Va. Tech Rover; :10]
[RUNS=:25]
[OUT Q=...accomplish that."]
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[S-Braine]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-49 58:20]
[GRAPHIC=Georgia Tech]

While Tech's upset loss to Temple hurt last year, the Tech powerhouse in Atlanta felt the sting in a shocker November sixth when Virginia beat the Yellow Jackets 45-38.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :00]

Former Virginia Tech athletic director Dave Braine, who now holds the same post in Atlanta, attended that game along with his wife and daughter. While his efforts are focused on Georgia Tech, the Hokies are always a topic of conversation.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I]
((DAVE BRAINE/GEORGIA TECH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR:))
[SUPER=01-Dave Braine/Georgia Tech Athletic Director; :00]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=...be lucky"]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

Georgia Tech's Mike Stamus joins Jack Williams and Doug Barton as three former Hokies now on the Yellow Jackets media relations staff.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="we]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=....blacksburg south"]
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[S-WDBJ]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
(---------------)
[wipe to pinnacle 7501]
And folks we want to once again remind you that Saturday afternoon you will want to check out Your Hometown Station as the Florida State Seminoles take on the Florida Gators.
You can watch the battle for points in the BCS right here on WDBJ-7 Saturday at 3.
(--------------)

[S-Stuff]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-46 11119tc]
[GRAPHIC=UVA]

This is a busy week for the UVa men's basketball team. The Cavs open the season Friday night at Elon and then play VMI at University Hall on Sunday night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :00]
This afternoon the team members elected Donald Hand has one of their captains for the upcoming season. The 5-11 guard who started all 30 games last season was also a captain last year. His co-captain is Willie Dersch, the only senior on the Cavaliers' roster. Dersch averaged 10 points a game last year.
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[6PM WEATHER] [11/17/1999] [SS NONE] [ENG/FULL] LOCAL WEATHER VIDEO [ADD CHYRON/ENG/FULL] HIGHS & LOWS CURRENT STATS [CHYRON/FULL] WXSCHOOL QUESTION [MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL] [CK/CHYRON/VIEWERNET] [CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [CK/CHYRON/5 PAGES] FORECASTS [ESS/FULL] EXTENDED FORECAST [CHYRON/FULL]WXSCHOOL QUESTION WXSCHOOL ANSWER[Forecasts]
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[SUPER=X5001; Clears FX][Close]

[ANCHOR=]
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(Weekday 6 only)
[SUPER=x4032; e-mail/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS]
SUPER=x4033; Fax/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
(Weekend 6 only)
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[Monty-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Giles County woman died this afternoon when the pickup she was riding in struck a bank and overturned several times.
It happened on Route 460 in Montgomery County, near the Giles County line. No names are being released at this time. The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital.