THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 4, 1996 TAG: 9604040049
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
LOCAL NEWS and notes to ponder while you decide if 76-year-old Andy (``I want your opinion'') Rooney of ``60 Minutes'' should retire or go on:
Unsolved mystery - The new Tuesday night series on UPN, ``The Paranormal: Borderline,'' recently asked three psychics to help find the murderer of Joan Schoppaul of Virginia Beach, whose body was found in a dumpster near a supermarket off Baxter Road six years ago.
When the psychics tapped into their subconscious, they saw images of Joan, who was 17 at the time of her death, with a handyman driving a beat-up truck. One of the psychics said she saw paint on the man's clothing - and the image of a grocery store.
Virginia Beach Detective Alan G. Ball, who also appeared on UPN, confirmed that a suspect was indeed a man in his 40s who drove an old truck and did odd jobs, including painting. ``You give me goose bumps,'' said Ball as details came pouring out of the psychics.
``Today, she would be in a very special time of her life,'' said Joan's mother. The Schoppauls live in Green Run.
While acknowledging that the TV psychics ``did a very good job,'' Mrs. Schoppaul said she doubts the murder will be solved. The prime suspect died recently.
The Schoppauls spent two days in Los Angeles taping ``Borderline.''
They're off and running at the Oceanfront - Come May 14 and 29, ESPN will show highlights of the Shamrock Sportfest and Shamrock Marathon, held in Virginia Beach last month. See Brad Hawthorne of Oklahoma City win the men's marathon in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds flat. Anna Brook from the Ukraine finished first among the women (2:51:08).
And I thought TV news was show business - Not long ago, I wrote a column about former WAVY anchorwoman Diana Morgan, who quit TV news to pursue acting in Hollywood. Today, I'll introduce you to Lake Taylor High grad (class of 1984) Rhonda Overby, who has a similar story.
She was a reporter and anchor for WBAL in Baltimore when she recently gave up TV news to act in films and TV. In the two roles she's had (TV's ``Homicide: Life on the Street'' and the movie ``Up Close and Personal'') she was typecast. Overby, 25, played a TV reporter. She's commuting to the West Coast from Baltimore.
Morgan and Overby have something else in common. They were not happy working in TV news. ``I want to move my life in a new direction,'' said Overby.
Think of us as Hollywood East - If Overby looks hard enough, she will find work in films and TV right here in Virginia. Last year, 67 feature films, TV movies, documentaries and commercials were filmed in Virginia by companies that spent $27.4 million.
The Virginia Film Office says 110 locations, including several in Southside Hampton Roads, were considered by filmmakers, including one from France and the United Kingdom. Production is up 29 percent in Virginia.
If you don't give, they'll just have more telethons - Am I the only one who thought that WHRO's Spring Membership Television Pledge Drive was more annoying, more relentless than usual? It must not have bothered the 2,569 viewers who called in with pledges worth $253,000.
One telecast, ``Les Miserables in Concert,'' raised $87,177. Nationally, the Public Broadcasting Service reports that 583,000 viewers - no doubt fans of Glenn Miller, Victor Borge and Peter, Paul and Mary - kicked in with $49 million, up 11 percent from last year.
You have my vote, Andy - Maybe Rooney is an old fuddy-duddy, as suggested by an Associated Press writer last week, but I want him to continue on ``60 Minutes'' until he drops. He's the best thing on CBS. Rooney put his future in the viewers' hands last Sunday, suggesting they call the AP to vote if he should quit or continue. by CNB