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SCRIPT FOR EYEWITNESS NEWS NEWSCAST
Thursday, February 2, 2012.from Eyewitness News Online Note: Because breaking news happens fast, you may find typographic errors within news scripts. Odd punctuation, visual cues, anchor and producer notes may also appear with the scripts since these are the actual files that the news anchors present to you on Eyewitness News.
11 COLD OPEN
WHAT THESE PEOPLE WANT TO DO TO THE NEW CHARLESTON WEST SIDE ELEMENTARY. GOOD EVENING, I'M RICK LORD... AND I'M ELIZABETH NOREIKA... THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS. WE'LL GET TO THAT STORY IN JUST A MOMENT... BUT FIRST. 
Return to Story Index HOTEL CO INVESTIGATION
"IT'S MY ASSUMPTION THAT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN ANYWAY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TRAGEDY" A TRAGEDY THAT KILLED ONE MAN AND SICKENED MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHERS ... EYEWITNESS NEWS HAS LEARNED THAT STEVE COMBS ... THE MANAGER AT BARBOURSVILLE BASED PREMIER POOLS.....DID SOME WORK ON THE POOL JUST AFTER CHRISTMAS... A POOL WHOSE HEATING PUMP ULTIMATELY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO LEAK FROM A PIPE ON THE HOTEL'S FOURTH FLOOR. COMBS SAYS THE HOTEL CALLED HIM IN TO FINISH WORK THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD ALREADY STARTED. 4:42 "I WAS THERE AND I DID SOME WORK THERE...I DID NOT SELL THE HEATER......AND I DID NOT INSTALL THE HEATER OTHER THAN RUNNING THE WATER LINES TO IT....EVERYTHING ELSE WAS ALREADY THERE" COMBS HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS....... ACCORDING TO HIS COMPANIES WEBSITE THEY .....PROVIDE SERVICES FROM POOL CONSTRUCTION TO REPAIRS. COMBS SAYS HE IS TORN UP ABOUT THE TRAGEDY AND SAYS WHILE HE DIDN'T INSTALL THE GAS LINES...HE FEELS HIS WORK ON THE POOL HEATING UNIT WOULDN'T HAVE MUCH BEARING ON IT MALFUNCTIONING. "I HATE THAT I'M EVEN INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL OBVIOUSLY." THE LEAK HAPPENED WHEN A PIPE MEANT TO VENTILATE THE HEATER TO THE ROOF SOMEHOW DISCONNECTED AT THE HOTEL'S FOURTH FLOOR.....POURING DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING. 44 YEAR OLD WILLIAM MORAN OF RHODE ISLAND DIED FROM EXPOSURE.....AND 17 OTHERS WERE SENT TO THE HOSPITAL. IT'S AN INCIDENT CITY LEADERS SAY MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE AVOIDED. TAPE 2 31:33 "THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PERMIT AND THEIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN INSPECTION." SOUTH CHARLESTON MAYOR FRANK MULLENS SAYS THE HOTEL DID NOT GET A BUILDING PERMIT TO HAVE THAT HEATING UNIT INSTALLED. THEREFORE CITY LEADERS COULD NOT INSPECT THE JOB TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN WORKING ORDER. 24:25 ' I DONT KNOW THAT ANYBODY DID ANYTHING WRONG IN THIS SITUATION BUT AN INSPECTION CERTAINLY MAY HAVE REVEALED A PROBLEM THAT WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED." 25:12 "THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT HAPPENED.....IT'S A SHAME IT HAPPENED BUT NOW IS TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO PONY UP AND SAY LOOK......HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED AND LETS LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY." A PROBLEM THAT COMBS SAYS WHILE HE HATES THAT IT HAPPENED.....HE HAS NOTHING TO HIDE. 6:00 AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THERE IS NOTHING I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THAT." THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS'S CORPORATE OFFICE ISSUED THIS STATEMENT SAYING QUOTE....OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE GUEST'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS DURING THIS TIME. THE HOTEL WILL CONTINUE TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THEIR INVESTIGATION." END QUOTE.
Return to Story IndexCO LOTTERY BUILDING
AN AMBULANCE CREW HAD TO CHECK A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE WHO GOT DIZZY. TURNS OUT... HE HAD AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN HIS SYSTEM. THEY FOUND NO TRACE OF C-O IN THE LOTTERY BUILDING BUT FIREFIGHTERS WERE ASKED TO CHECK OUT HIS HOME. THE WORKER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, NO WORD ON HIS CONDITION. THE CITY OF CHARLESTON TAKES THE ON-GOING PROTEST OF FIREFIGHTER WAGES TO FEDERAL COURT. CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN BREWING FOR A FEW MONTHS OVER WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO CALCULATE HOURLY, OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY WAGES. NOW THE CITY IS ASKING A FEDERAL JUDGE TO LOOK AT THE CASE TO DETERMINE WHAT FORMULA IS CORRECT FOR PAYING CHARLESTON FIREFIGHTERS. THE CITY SAYS OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS IT HAS UNNCESSARILY PAID IN EXCESS OF 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS IN OVERTIME. MAYOR DANNY JONES SAYS IT COMES DOWN TO ONE THING.. PENSIONS... AND IF THECITY CONTINUED PAYING ON THE FAULTY FORMULA, IT WOULD GO BROKE. CHARLESTON FIRE CHIEF CHUCK OVERSTREET SAYS HE THINKS IT'S GOOD THAT THE MATTER WILL BE LOOKED AT IN FEDERAL COURT. MEANWHILE, TEN OPEN POSITIONS ON THE CHARLESTON POLICE FORCE WILL NOT BE FILLED MAYOR DANNY JONES SAYS THERE ARE CURRENTLY 163 OFFICERS ON THE PAYROLL... WITH 11 UNFILLED SPOTS... 10 OF THOSE WILL NOT BE FILLED AND TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET. POLICE CHIEF BRENT WEBSTER WANTS TO STRESS THAT THIS IN NO WAY WILL AFFECT CHARLESTON'S SAFETY, AND NO OFFICERS WILL BE LOSING THEIR JOBS OR TAKEN OFF THE STREETS.
Return to Story IndexLINCOLN CORRUPTION
THE COUNTY CLERK AND SHERIFF HAVE ADMITTED THEIR ROLES IN TRYING TO STUFF THE BALLOT BOX IN THE 2010 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. NOW, EYEWITNESS NEWS HAS LEARNED AN ACCOMPLICE IN LINCOLN COUNTY IS COMMISSIONER THOMAS RAMEY. SOURCES TELL EYEWITNESS NEWS THAT RAMEY IS THE QUOTE, "KNOWN PERSON" COUNTY CLERK DONALD WHITTEN PROVIDED ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO. THE KNOWN PERSON... RAMEY... THEN ALLEGEDLY HAND-DELIVERED THOSE BALLOTS TO VOTERS. RAMEY ATTENDED TONIGHT'S COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING OVER THE PHONE, CHOOSING NOT TO APPEAR IN PERSON. ONCE WHITTEN AND SHERIFF JERRY BOWMAN TENDER THEIR RESIGNATIONS, RAMEY AND HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NAMING THEIR REPLACEMENTS. IN A 2010 INTERVIEW WITH EYEWITNESS NEWS DURING A CANVASS OF THE LINCOLN COUNTY VOTE, RAMEY TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WENT AFTER ABSENTEE BALLOTS. RAMEY HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW.
Return to Story IndexLINCOLN COMMISSION MTG
FROM WASTEWATER DISPOSAL TO INSURANCE TO FAMILY ESTATES. BUT AS EYEWITNESS NEWS LEAD POLITICAL REPORTER KENNIE BASS TELLS US...THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WAS ELECTION FRAUD...AND NOT MUCH WAS SAID ABOUT THAT. Kennie Bass/Eyewitness News: Lincoln County's commissioners tackle business during their regularly scheduled meeting...but with only two of three in attendance. Commissioner Thomas Ramey called in to participate. Eyewitness News has learned Ramey is the quote "known person" named in the information which accuses County Clerk Donald Whitten and Sheriff Jerry Bowman of election fraud and lying to investigators. Some in attendance expressed their displeasure at the alleged corruption. NAT SOT NAT SOT Kennie Bass/Eyewitness News: The commission president says if Ramey is involved in election fraud...he should step down. Charles McCann/Lincoln Co. Commission: Kennie Bass/Eyewitness News: Despite federal investigators saying they've admitted to their crimes surrounding the 2010 democratic primary, Whitten and Bowman are still in office..and still on the public payroll. Charles Vance/Lincoln Co. Commission: Kennie Bass/Eyewitness News: Regardless of when the other show will drop...the commissioners say it will be difficult restoring voter confidence. Charles McCann/Lincoln Co. Commission: In Hamlin, Kennie Bass, Eyewitness News. THEIR PLEA AGREEMENTS STIPULATE THEY MUST RESIGN FROM THEIR OFFICES BEFORE THEN.
Return to Story IndexI 11 MARY SNOW MEETING
EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER LESLIE RUBIN WAS THERE AND IS LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH A LOOK INSIDE THE SOMETIMES HEATED MEETING BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY... MANY ARE STILL TRYING TO URGE THE BOARD TO CHANGE THE SCHOOL'S NAME TO HONOR MARY C. SNOW...A WOMAN REMEMBERED AS AN EDUCATION PIONEER... MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE SPOKE IN FAVOR OF CHANGING WEST SIDE ELEMETARY'S NAME TO HONOR SNOW, THE FIRST BLACK PRINCIPAL IN KANAWHA COUNTY AFTER INTEGRATION. IN DECEMBER, THE BOARD VOTED 3-2 TO KEEP THE NAME THE SAME, BUT HELD A FORUM TONIGHT TO HEAR FROM THOSE STILL PUSHING FOR CHANGE. THE SCHOOL ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT SURVEY'S THEY SENT HOME CAME BACK THAT 70% OF PARENTS, 65% OF STUDENTS, AND 90% OF FACULTY WANT TO KEEP THE NAME THE SAME. BUT OTHERS SAY THE VOTING PROCESS HAS BEEN FLAWED SINCE THE BEGINNING... THE BOARD MADE NO DECISION ON THE NAME CHANGE AND HAVE NOT EVEN SAID IF THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT AFTER HEARING TONIGHT'S COMMENTS. REPORTING LIVE IN THE STUDIO, LESLIE RUBIN, EYEWITNESS NEWS.
Return to Story IndexBOONE MINE SHUT DOWN
THE MINE, LOCATED IN PRENTER HOLLOW, IS IN BOONE COUNTY. IT WAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS AT MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT. WE'RE TOLD MORE THAN A HUNDRED MINERS ARE WITHOUT JOBS AT THIS MINE ALONE.
Return to Story IndexCOAL SYMPOSIUM
AT TODAY'S SESSION GOVERNOR EARL RAY TOMBLIN TALKED ABOUT SAFETY LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE STATE OF THE STATE. AND SENATOR JOE MANCHIN DISCUSSED THE OUTLOOK FOR THE ONGOING CHALLENGES WITH THE E-P-A'S PERMITTING PROCESS. THE SYMPOSIUM PROVIDES INDUSTRY AND REGULATORY OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS A CHANCE TO DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES.
Return to Story IndexGAZETTE HEADLINE
AN ALPHA RESOURCES CONTRACTOR IS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN PRISON PLUS...LOCAL SUSAN G. KOMEN AND PLANNED PARENTHOOD LEADERS TALK ABOUT A NATIONAL SPLIT AND...DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT MIKE SMITH LEAVES WVU TO RETURN TO THE JETS YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THESE STORIES AND MORE IN FRIDAY'S EDITION OF THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE.
Return to Story IndexFULL WEATHER
JIM PITCHES TO WEATHER GRAPHICS Join Jim Barach and the entire Storm Team at the Weather Center Online for the only regional web site that provides live, local updates, 24 hours a day!
Return to Story IndexMCDOWELL SWEEPS 11
BUT DESPITE IT'S SMALL POPULATION..IT HAS SOME BIG PROBLEMS. EYEWITNESS NEWS ANCHOR DEBORAH LINZ JOINS US WITH MORE... IN A SPECIAL REPORT. THE PROBLEM WITH EDUCATION IN MCDOWELL COUNTY STARTS WITH ITS TERRAIN...IT'S A VERY LARGE COUNTY AND VERY MOUNTAINOUS... THERE USE TO BE FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS HERE...NOW'S THERE'S ONLY TWO.. 'BITE ..it's real tough to bring kids to two locations... CONSEQUENTLY... SOME KIDS SIT ON SCHOOL BUSES TWO HOURS EVERY DAY. THE COUNTY IS ALSO VERY POOR... THE EIGHTH POOREST IN THE UNITED STATES... 50 YEARS AGO... MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE LIVED HERE.. NOW ONLY 22-THOUSAND... 70 THOUSAND MINING JOBS HAVE EVAPORATED SINCE THE 1980'S... there's really no job opportunities around around here voice over SADLY 72% OF STUDENTS LIVE IN HOMES WITHOUT GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. (GRX) BITE..DAN... ABSENTEE PARENTS. (voice over) HALF THE CHILDREN IN MCDOWELL COUNTY LIVE IN POVERTY... AND AT LEAST 46 PERCENT DON'T LIVE WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS. (GRX) AT LEAST 78 ARE HOMELESS...(ask Jim) MCDOWELL COUNTY RANKS LAST IN EDUCTION IN WEST VIRGINIA.... 26 PERCENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS LAST YEAR DROPPED OUT... THE AVERAGE THREE YEAR OLD IN THE U.S. SPEAKS 12-THOUSAND WORDS.. IN MCDOWELL THEY SPEAK ONLY FIVE THOUSAND. AND MCDOWELL LEADS THE NATION PER CAPITA IN OVERDOSE DEATHS FROM NARCOTIC PAIN MEDICATIONS... (GRX) ON AVERAGE NINE PEOPLE DIE EVERY MONTH. (ask Jim) DEB SU (The lack of jobs has created a loss of hope..turned into despair...has many people turning to drugs as an escape from their apparent abysmal reality) "How bad drug problem... it's bad...really bad." 12:21:45 "I would say 85 percent of the parents on are on dope." SUPT My daddies in jail. OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDE A VERY HIGH RATE OF OBESITY, INFANT MORTALITY AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY.. AND THERE ARE MORE CHALLENGES...IT'S VERY HARD TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS...... Trey... sub..??? 10:16:55-:00 "A real strong student can recover from one year bad instruction... an at risk student doesn't" FOR TEACHERS... FINDING DECENT MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. BITE WITH HEIDI... 11:00:55-:01 "Most of the kids I have really do want to try... really do want to learn." "They just have a lot more challenges than kids in other parts of the country." VO HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR REAGAN STAFFORD'S MOM HAD A DRUG PROBLEM AND SPENT FIVE YEARS IN PRISON... SHE NEVER KNEW HER FATHER... 10:28:28-:36 "I had to take care of myself and little sister...it was very stressful growing up... but made me a better person." FORTUNATLY REAGAN HAS SUPPORTIVE GRANDPARENTS AND IS NOW AN HONOR STUDENT AND WANTS TO GO TO COLLEGE AND BECOME A PEDIATRICIAN. 10:35:52-:55 "I love working with kids...and helping them.. that's my goal." THE STATE TOOK CONTROL OF MCDOWELL COUNTY SCHOOLS IN 2001 BUT THERE'S BEEN LITTLE SUCCESS IN TURNING AROUND THE FAILING SCHOOL SYSTEM....UNTIL SUPERINDENDANT JIM BROWN WAS APPOINTED IN THE FALL OF 2010. LAST YEAR ACT SCORES WERE THE HIGHEST THEY'VE BEEN IN FIVE YEARS.. AND WEST TEST SCORES IN READING AND MATH IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY. 10:14:58-:02 "We're still below the state and national average... but see something we can build on." BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS IN MCDOWELL... THE INITIATIVE "RECONNECTING MCDOWELL" WAS CREATED. NATS FROM MEETING. ..SUPT ...DRUGS ...BANDWITH IT'S AN UNPRECENDENTED COMPREHENSIVE FIVE-YEAR PLAN... LED BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND FORMER WEST VIRGINIA FIRST LADY GAYLE MANCHIN. "we have a real opportunity" IT INCLUDES 40 PARTNERS WHO HAVE SIGNED A COVENANT TO HELP REVERSE MCDOWELL COUNTY'S FAILING SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SEEK SOLUTIONS TO IT'S TROUBLING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES. bite with gayle and randi NATS.... THERE ARE NO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO ALL THESE COMPLEX PROBLEMS... BUT ALL INVOLVED AGREE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HELP THE KIDS AND COMMUNITY OF MCDOWELL COUNTY SUCCEED. WHILE MANY RESIDENTS HAVE LEFT THE COUNTY FOR GOOD...REAGAN SAYS AFTER SHE HOPEFULLY BECOMES A DOCTOR...SHE PLANS TO RETURN TO HER ROOTS HERE AND GIVE BACK. 10:36:49-:55 "You were given an opportunity to make something of self...now it time to help others...that's the way I feel about it." 10:20:51 "The children in this county deserve and opportunity for success just like any other child in WV or in America...and failure is not an option."
Return to Story IndexKITCHEN DOOR
HERE'S EYEWITNESS NEWS ANCHOR PATRICK MCMURTRY WITH A LOOK AT THIS WEEK'S BEHIND THE KITCHEN DOOR. This is a great Groundhog Day, I'd take six more weeks of this winter, and I'd take six more weeks of good kitchen inspections, unfortunately, that's not what Kanawha Charleston inspectors found here at Chucky Cheese in South Ridge. Inspectors found a total of eight violations, including four critical. There were a couple of repeat violations, including a toxic chemical being stored above the food and there was mold in the ice machine. Inspectors also found a dirty can opener blade. I talked to Brandon, he's a manager here at Chucky Cheese and he says it's against corporate policy to comment on the report, but he did say the toxic chemical above the food was actually perfume and he said he just missed a spot when he was cleaning the ice machine. That's it for this week, we don't have any clean kitchens to tell you about.
Return to Story IndexSPORTS TEASE
ON EYEWITNESS NEWS...
Return to Story IndexWVU TECH MEN
--BOB WILLIAMS AND HIS TEAM... --EDDIE HAYDEN 3... --ST. CATHARINE...INSIDE TO TRAVIS WILKINS... --DONALD ROBINSON OFF THE STUTTER STEP... --ROBINSON PULLS UP FOR 3... --BRANDON BURGRAFF FOR 3... --IN THE OPEN FLOOR... JOSH PROCTOR THROWS IT DOWN... --STUDEN SECTION WITH THEIR CHESTS PAINTED AND LOVIN' IT.. --RASHON TABB FROM THE OUTSIDE... --ON THE BREAK AGAIN.. THIS TIME IT'S TERRALE CLARK WITH THE DUNK... TECH WINS 78-69....
Return to Story IndexWVU TECH WOMEN
--TECH GOES INSIDE TO AMY GARDNER... --GARDNER AGAIN... THIS TIME THE AND 1... --NIA NOLAN WITH THE SCOOPING LAYUP... --ST. CATHARINE TOO MUCH... NICE PASSING LEAVES JANAE HOWARD WITH THE BUCKET.... TECH FALLS 68-64...
Return to Story IndexWVU FOOTBALL
Return to Story IndexDAN HOSE
HOSE HAD SERVED AS SPORTS EDITOR OF THE PARKERSBURG NEWS AND MARIETTA TIMES IN THE EARLY 50S...FOLLOWING THE SERVICE, HE WENT TO WORK FOR THE CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL IN 1957 AND WAS THERE UNTIL JOINING UPI...HOSE WAS STILL VERY VISIBLE FOLLOWING RETIREMENT IN 1990, HELPING OUT WITH THE ANNUAL STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND THE WV SPORTSWRITERS ASSOCIATION VICTORY AWARDS DINNER...HE WAS THE WINNER OF THE SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR IN 1981...HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, A SON, AND THREE DAUGHTERS...ONE OF THE NICEST GUYS ONE COULD EVER MEET, DAN HOSE WAS 78...
Return to Story IndexWAKE UP WEATHER
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