WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 12/12/99

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Coming up next--
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[VO-NAT]

The death of six firefighters in Massachusettes stirs up memories for one local firefighter-- who almost lost his own life.
And-- a local couple tie the knot in a place few would expect to find love.
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[Sports-Head]

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And coming up in sports, The Skins beat the Cardinals Ron Dayne is the Heisman Trophy winner.
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[VO-NAT]

And Michael Vicks visit to the Big Apple continued today right here on your Hometown Station.
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We are patiently waiting for the rain to arrive. Most of us will be looking at rain on and off for 2 days. The soggy details are coming up. [open]
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((IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY WHETHER THEY WANT TO ADMIT OR NOT BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY))
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[VO-NAT]

As the city of Worcester, Massachusetts mourns the loss of six fire fighters -- local fire firefighters are reminded of the dangers in the line of duty..
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[ANCHOR=Teresa]
Good evening, I'm Teresa Hamilton.

[Firefighters]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
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[TAPE#=99-51 11:53]
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It's been more than a week since six fire fighters went inside a warehouse on fire to search for survivors -- but never made it out.
One local fire fighter knows first hand what it's like to come face to face with death in the line of duty.
Joy Sutton has the story.
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(( As searchers recovered the bodies of the six fire fighters who died in the line duty inside a warehouse in Worcester, Massachusetts-- one local fire fighter was reminded of his own close encounter with death while battling a fire.
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((I REMEMBER THE PORCH FALLING, LANDING ON TOP OF ME, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE GUY WAS BEHIND ME))
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Roanoke fire fighter Robert Early was fighting a fire at this house on Campbell Avenue last year -- when without any warning the porch collapsed trapping him underneath.
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((THERE IS ALWAYS THAT ONE TIME. WHEN NO MATTER HOW CAREFUL YOU'VE BEEN, NO MATTER HOM MANY PEOPLE YOU GOT HELPING YOU TO BE SAFE SOMETHING HAPPENED))
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Early says fellow fire fighters were able to pull him out from the burning debris. And he views himself as fortunate to have suffered a broken back and broken ribs-- considering he could have lost his life.
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((I FEEL LIKE I'M LUCKY EVERYDAY THAT I CAN COME BACK TO WORK))
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But Early says the fire fighters who lost their lives in Massachusetts hits home -- reminding him that it can happen anywhere at anytime.
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((IT'S AN ACCIDENT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DO LIKE THEY'VE DONE FROM OTHER ACCIDENTS TRY TO FIGURE WHAT HAPPENED AND LEARN FROM IT SO IT DON'T HAPPEN TO YOU))
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And as the city of Worcester mourns the death of six fallen heroes -- it's a reminder to Early of the risks he takes serving the city of Roanoke.
Joy Sutton, News 7.))

[VA-Trooper]

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The Virginia state trooper who crashed his patrol car Friday night in Cumberland County has died.
Daniel Lee Williams crashed his vehicle.... while pursuing a motorist who turned to avoid a police checkpoint. Authorities who discovered the wreckage say Williams was pinned beneath his burning vehicle. He was taken to the hospital with third degrees burns. Williams was 38 years old.

[581-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
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Police are still investigating the cause of an accident in Roanoke last night.
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[VO-NAT]
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It happened on 220 south between the Colonial Avenue and Franklin Road exits.
Police found the car propped up on the median with the passenger still inside.
Firefighters removed the man using the jaws of life.
He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Police say the driver of the vehicle was not at the scene.
They did find alcohol in the car, but it's not known if it was a factor in the accident.
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[Execution]

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Starting today, the lights illuminating Rome's Coliseum will change from white to gold for two days whenever someone in the world is spared from execution.
It's part of a campaign against the death penalty sponsored by the Vatican, Amnesty International and others.
A video was played during today's ceremony in which Sister Helen Prejean (pray-ZHAHN), the American nun whose fight to end the death penalty was dramatized in a book, gave the campaign a thumbs up sign.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/February 1;]

Earlier this year-- Prejean came to Virginia to speak at Roanoke College about her views and experiences.
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((I'VE ACCOMPANIED 5 PEOPLE TO EXECUTION, JOSEPH ODELL WAS ONE OF THEM, THIS MAN YOU EXECUTED HERE IN VIRGINIA.))
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Last week, Andre Graham became the 14th death row inmate to be executed in Virginia this year.
That's the most in any year since the state resumed executions in 1982.

[WV-Farmland]

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Economic development is driving up the price of farmland in West Virginia.
From 1992 to 1997, the state lost nearly 276- thousand acres to development.
That leaves just 21- thousand working farms in the state.
In hopes of persuading farmers to hold onto their land, a growing number of farmers are supporting the Farmland Protection Act.
If approved by West Virginia lawmakers, the bill would allow willing farmers to be compensated for the fair market value of maintaining their farms.

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Coming up, find out what Congress is doing to create smaller classrooms.
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[VO-NAT]
And this fox may not be able to return to the wild but a local organization is helping bring the wild to the fox, we'll explain after the break.
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The nation's largest high schools could be shrinking.
Congress' 390- BILLION dollar budget bill sets aside money for school districts to make changes.
Education Department officials say by the end of next year, school districts will be able to apply for grants to redesign space to create smaller "schools within schools.''
Educators say large high schools can reduce safety, hurt student achievement and make students feel isolated.

[Wildlife]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
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A fox has a new den thanks to an area business.
But you may ask, since when do businesses get into the animal den building business?
...when the Roanoke Wildlife Rescue is also involved.
Denise Allen has the story.
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((
Grayson will never romp in the woods again. Dorothy Runion says to turn him lose would be a death sentence.
Grayson was raised by a woman after his mother was killed and was imprinted, something Dorothy says can't be reversed.
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Now the little fox has a new place to call home. This ribbon cutting is the product of fund raising efforts of the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op.
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Grayson's job at Roanoke Wildlife Rescue includes traveling with Dorothy when she gives educational talks to the public.
His new den will allow him to exercise his now chubby physique. And there are other benefits as well.
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Grayson may never romp in the wild again, but now thanks to a few of his human friends his new home comes close.
Denise Allen News 7.))

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It's not a typical place for a wedding.
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[VO-NAT]
Coming up next on News 7, find out why this local couple decided to exchange vows at a weiner stand, the story after the break.
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People lined the streets Friday night for Roanoke City's Christmas Parade.
The parade had a Victorian theme to tie in with Downtown Roanoke Incorporated's "Dickens Of A Christmas". In the spirit of the season, today's Virginia Newsreel looks back at some parades from Christmas Past.
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))

[Weiner-Wedding]

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It's an usual place for a wedding -- but for one local couple it was just what they ordered.
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[VO-NAT]
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Standing right below the menu board at Roanoke Weiner Stand -- Gus Chackness and Beth Carter exchanged their vows of love.
And for this couple -- this tiny restaurant was the ideal place to gather family and friends for the holy ceremony.

The two first met at the Weiner Stand four years ago -- when Beth came to the restaurant to buy a coke. And ever since then the two have been inseparable.
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((BETH IS THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT LIKES UNUSUAL THINGS. IT'S THE FIRST TIME A WEDDING HAS EVER BEEN HELD HERE AND IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT))
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[VO-NAT]

The newlyweds are headed to Cancun for their honeymoon.
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[S-Skins]

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The Washington Redskins continue to hold on to the lead in the N-F-C East beating Arizona today 28 to 3.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Landover, MD/FOX SPORTS; :]

Norv Turner giving the team a play from the sideline.
Washington got off to the good start Stephen Davis takes the handoff from Brad Johnson goes through the hole and scores on the 50 yard T-D run his 17-th of the season Washington led 7 to nothing.
Arizona added a field goal but Washington answered when Johnson hits Irvan Fryer on the quick hitter over the middle for the 8 yard T-D and the Skins led 14 to 3.
Rookie Champ Bailey continued to play well. On this play he intercepts the Jake Plummer pass after the Cardinals moved the ball to the Redskin 9 yard line.
The Skins would score just before the half Johnson hitting Michael Westbrook on the 25 yard touchdown to make the score 21 to 3 at the half.
[SUPER=30-Washington/28/Arizona/3/;]

Then Darrell Green picks off this Plummer pass in the fourth quarter his 50-th career interception and the Skins beat the Cardinals 28 to 3.
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[S-Panthers]

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Panther quarterback Steve Beuerlein scored on a quarterback draw at the buzzer to lead Carolina to a 33 to 31 win over Green Bay.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Green Bay, WI/FOX SPORTS; :]

George Seifert walking the Panther sideline.
Carolina trailed 7 to 3 after one than Beuerlein goes to the air and hits former U-V-A receiver Patrick Jeffers on the 35 yard T-D pass to make it 10 to 3.
But Brett Favre rallied the Packers. He hits former Tech receiver Antonio Freeman on this 19 yard T-D to make the score 14 to 10 Pack.
[SUPER=30-Carolina/33/Green Bay/31/;]

In the third quarter Beuerlein hooks up with Jeffers on this 38 yard strike and the Panthers beat the Packers 33 to 31.
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[S-NFL]

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A busy afternoon in the National Football League lets check the latest scores.
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[S-Heisman]

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Last night in New York, Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne ran away with the Heisman Trophy.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/ESPN; :]

Dayne, The all time rushing leader in college football, won the award by a 2 to one margin receiving over 2-thousand votes.
He ran for 18-hundred and 34 yards and scored 19 touchdowns breaking the record of 1998 Heisman winner Ricky Williams.
Viriginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick finished third in the voting and he should be a strong candidate along with Purdue quaterback Drew Brees for next years award.
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Virginia running back Thomas Jones was 8-th in the voting.

[S-Vick]

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The visit to New York city continued for Michael Vick today he was the guest of C-B-S during halftime of the Colts Patriots game.
He talked with host Jim Nance about the Heisman experience.
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Vick will return to Blacksburg today and begin Exams tomorrow.

[S-Impact]

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The Big East Athletic Conference is enoying Virginia Tech's football success.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Yesterday;]

Yesterday the Big East Coach of the Year and Championship Trophies were awarded to Frank Beamer and the team.
Tech's 11 and oh record not only puts the Hokies in the spotlight but the conference is also getting more attention.
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[VO-NAT]

And while Tech is the team getting a shot at the national championship the other schools are benefiting from the media fallout.
Weaver says that could mean even better players coming into the conference.
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