Number one in Southern California, Channel 7 Eyewitness News.
With Harold Green and Angela Black, Dallas Raines has weather, and Rick Lozano with sports.
Now, the Southland's leading news, Eyewitness News at 11.
Debbie Thomas finds herself at wit's end, but her friends rally to her support.
Good evening, it's now 11.20 on this Saturday night, and Debbie Thomas's dream of Olympic gold turned into bronze tonight
as East Germany's Katarina Witt won her second straight Olympic championship.
Canadian Elizabeth Manley took home the silver.
While the top two skaters in the world staged a shootout to music from Carmen,
Manley was so sensational in the freestyle that she finished first with seven judges tonight, good enough for second overall.
Witt, a three-time world champion, became the first repeat singles champion since Dick Button and Sonja Haney of Norway.
Thomas, the 1986 world champion, skated poorly tonight after doing well earlier in the games.
We joined some of Debbie's friends watching tonight's ABC telecast.
Virginia Vale is a national judge of figure skating, while Tom Zepko is a director of the LA Figure Skating Club.
16-year-old Cindy Bortz, the 1987 world figure skating champ, sat with her mom and felt the disappointment shared by millions of Americans.
I think that it's very sad, but she's still to us a champion.
We've seen her skate many times terrifically, and just because she was nervous and didn't skate great, she's still the greatest to us.
Well, she had very tough luck on a triple loop and a triple fowl cowl.
Those two were the main things, and anyone can see that they were not well done. Oh, that's too bad.
The program at Nationals was just so solid, so secure all the way through. It gave you a great sense of confidence watching it, and this one didn't really pull that off.
Well, Debbie summed it up best, perhaps, when she said, I tried.
At least she did, and she did okay. There was a lot of excitement here at home, too. It's been quite a day for the royal couple.
As their 10-day tour of the Southland got underway with a full schedule of appearances, our Maggie Cooper was there today.
It was a warm California welcome at City Hall today for Andy and Fergie, the Duke and Duchess of York.
They're here in Los Angeles to promote the LA-UK Festival of British Arts, Culture, and Exports.
And we hope that UK-LA will both celebrate and strengthen the very strong ties which have grown up steadily between the United Kingdom and Southern California,
and that there will be many more opportunities in the future to reaffirm the strong bonds of friendship between us.
It was a busy schedule for the royal couple on their first full day in the Southland. After the official welcome, it was on to Chinatown for a bit of Asian culture.
And then they visited with schoolchildren at the 32nd Street Magnet School. Students here had the rare opportunity of asking the Duke and Duchess questions about royal life.
Very good old-fashioned blues, but they actually write really well. The old-fashioned ones are pulling out. You don't flush, you just pull it down underneath.
And finally, a majestic end to a very full day. The Royal Marine Band performed the Beat Retreat Ceremony for the royals and their guests aboard Her Majesty's yacht, Britannia.
At Long Beach Naval Shipyard, this is Maggie Cooper, Channel 7 Eyewitness News.
And there's more. At the Biltmore Hotel, final preparations are underway for tomorrow night's big royal banquet.
800 guests will join the royal couple in a gala celebration of the United Kingdom Cultural Festival that's taking place in Los Angeles.
The hotel's executive chef and a staff of 30 are preparing a customized menu with elaborate dishes created especially for tomorrow night's four-course dinner.
They're paying so much attention to detail that the food had to be approved by a tasting committee.
Angeles on 200, Los Angeles police officers mustered in South Central Los Angeles tonight, ready to make another sweep of the area to curb gang activity.
But as Rich Rodriguez reports now, it didn't happen.
This was supposed to be night two of the gang sweeps in South Central Los Angeles, but at 610, the task force was sent home. Mission scrubbed.
Obviously, the people that are on the street creating the problems, standing on the corner with their drive-bys,
instead of not blatantly out in the street and stopping cars and all those kind of things won't occur because it's raining on them.
They're not going to be out there, be inside their houses.
And this kind of a task force obviously cannot be extremely successful when the people we deal with, we have to see them on the street doing things wrong.
Last night, some 200 officers made nearly 93 arrests of suspected gang members.
58 vehicles were impounded.
Eight firearms were confiscated, along with small amounts of cocaine and marijuana.
One LAPD task force member said anyone breaking the law went to jail.
Tonight, the weather went out, but authorities promise they'll be back.
We're going to have things like this going on for the entire year.
As I said last night, we also have done some department changes in our cracking in South Bureau and starting effective this week.
Citizens will see a noticeable increase in gang enforcement officers on the street anyway.
LAPD has waged war on gang activity in South Central Los Angeles.
Once the weather clears, they vow their black and white will be more visible.
In South Central Los Angeles, Rich Rodriguez, Channel 7, eyewitness news.
A six-year-old child was killed and eight other people hurt in a fiery accident on the Harbor Freeway tonight.
Five cars were involved in the accident, three of them caught fire.
Six people, three men, two women, and a child were taken to hospitals.
Three are reported to be in serious condition at this hour.
All northbound lanes of the freeway were closed for a time at Manchester.
The cause of that accident is still under investigation.
And elsewhere, Harold, there are unconfirmed news reports that the governing body of the Assemblies of God Church has ordered a one-year suspension for Jimmy Swaggart.
The National Board met this week and ordered state officials to reconsider Swaggart's three-month suspension, but no public comment has been made beyond that.
Presidential candidate Pat Robertson stopped off in Baton Rouge tonight, saying he spoke with Swaggart on telephone.
Robertson says he believes God has forgiven Swaggart, and he hopes he'll be back in the pulpit soon.
Still to come right here, Dallas rains has the complete rainy forecast, but up next, a special report on women bodybuilders pumping iron for the beauty of the bulge.
On a moonlit California desert, a kit fox senses a prowling coyote.
Caught in the dangerous open, she speeds to the edge of an oil field, toward one of these curious mounds specially made for her by the people who work there.
She shoots through a pipe too small for the coyote and into a cozy den that keeps her snug and safe.
Do people really do these things just to help an endangered species make it through the night? People do.
It's the Lincoln-McGeeley Cavalcade of Savings! Californians save on sable!
We just flew out to California and our daughter said that she would meet us here in her sable.
I'm thinking a sable coat!
Surprise! A sable car!
An American car!
Very nice car!
Yeah, a sable coat would have been nice too!
Buy a sable now and save $1610. Enough for a decent coat!
I'm getting a good one!
You're getting pneumonia!
Combine a factory cash bonus with an option package discount and save at Lincoln-Mercury.
Imagine a Disneyland as big as the city of San Francisco.
A Disney World with a surprise around every corner.
43 square miles of tropical paradise, championship golf courses, and the incredible Epcot Center.
Imagine yourself here. Walt Disney World in Florida.
As big as imagination gets.
For a free color magazine, call 1-800-55-EPCOT.
Don't miss Stakeout on videocassette.
A Sizzler, one of the funniest and most exciting action thrillers in years, says sneak previews.
I thought it was a great movie.
Got it all.
A Smash, says USA Today.
Richard Dreyfus, Emilia Westaves, Stakeout. Ask for it now.
Here are the winning numbers picked tonight for the California Lottery's twice-weekly Lotto 649 game.
Those numbers are 46, 41, 8, 37, 17, 22, and the bonus number 23.
Again, it's 46, 41, 8, 37, 17, 22, and the bonus number 23.
The next drawing will be next Wednesday of next week.
Angela, as you know, there's an increase in the number of Southern California women who pump ire.
And those who do say there's nothing unladylike in the lifestyle.
Joe McMahon now reports in this, the second in his series of women working out.
Men only? Not anymore.
These are women bodybuilders. LA's Golden Girls, 88.
Push it good. Push it real good.
At the world famous Gold's Gym in Venice, women bodybuilders push it to different levels.
In the past, pumping ire meant to some folks a loss of femininity.
Guys were intimidated by women with bulging biceps and quivering quadriceps.
But nowadays, bodybuilders say you can be muscular and still look feminine.
It's all in how far you push it.
Push it.
Well, there's different levels at which you can pursue this.
You can take yourself to the point of heavy duty competition, the national and professional level.
Or you can just do it to stay in shape.
I say to them, you know, try it. You know, you can't knock it until you try it.
See how far, you know, you can take it yourself.
And just make your decisions as you go along as to how much bigger you want to get.
Or how much more toned, how much weight you want to lose or gain.
My physique is very small, so I can only put on so much muscle size a year.
I don't want to be massive, but I would like to be more muscular than I am now.
And that just takes time.
Twenty-year-old Lisa Lund, Miss Teenage National Bodybuilding Champion.
A former high school swimmer, Lund originally started lifting weights to strengthen herself for swimming competition.
Then she got hooked, hooked on bodybuilding.
At first, her friends didn't understand.
They didn't know how to react.
They would always like squeeze my arms and, you know, flex for me, flex for me.
And, you know, I would just be like, oh, I'm going to be like this.
And, you know, flex for me, flex for me.
And, you know, I'd end up at, you know, we'd be going out before the night.
And everybody would be putting on their makeup and they'd be asking me to flex, you know.
Bodybuilding, you can improve specific parts, you know, for women, the tush and the abs.
And it can be done through bodybuilding.
While these women bodybuilders pump iron for fun, they also pump it for profit.
We'll find out about that angle tomorrow.
Joe McMahon, Channel 7 Eyewitness News.
Up next, Dallas Raines has the complete wet weather forecast.
And he'll tell us what's in store for tomorrow.
More rain or maybe a little sunshine.
Maybe. We'll see.
Celebrate quality.
GMC Truck has been building it for over 75 years.
This new Sierra has a 73% galvanized steel body and a box that will take a 4x8 size cargo load.
Equipped with an option value package, this Sierra can save you up to $800.
Plus, get $500 cash back, a total savings of up to $1,300.
That's the Celebration Cash In.
GMC Truck, its quality and value you can work with.
It's not just a truck anymore.
Go to most banks for a home loan and you can easily get lost in all the confusion.
But, at Home Federal, we'll start you out with this straightforward guide.
It spells out your basic choices, guides you through the numbers, and helps you find the loan that's best for you.
All about home loans is free at any home fed office.
Don't make a move without it.
With the most sweeping tax changes in history, everyone's asking questions.
Can I still continue to take my IRA?
What's deductible?
That's confusing.
Here's where you'll get all your answers, because our people know the new tax laws.
They'll save you every dollar possible, so you'll get the biggest refund you have coming.
H&R Block, I know that'd be there.
That'd be there to put their hands over my shoulder and put me at ease.
If there's ever a time for H&R Block, it's now.
Don't face the new tax laws alone.
Good morning. Well, it's a great day if you're into traffic.
Introducing the all-new Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
Once you've driven it, everything else is just traffic.
Tonight's rain...
Tonight's rainfall caused some minor problems around the Southland.
At about 8.30 or 9 tonight, around 800 homes were without power in Beverly Hills, north of Sunset, right by Coldwater Canyon.
The DWP tells us that a circuit went out because of the rain and the wind, and they had some crews move into that area quickly.
They repaired the damage.
The lights have now gone back on, so things are A-OK for the time being in the Beverly Hills area.
Well, we are glad that they were able to clear that up so quickly tonight.
And perhaps we've been able to clear up this rain quickly today, and there'll be no more in Dallas. Please.
Did I say that?
I think you said it's going to rain tomorrow, but one can't hope.
Yeah, well, we can, and I think we may see a little bit of sunshine tomorrow, but that band of showers that moved through here in Southern California earlier tonight did cause some thunder showers.
There's some reports up in the local mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, of some thunder showers.
You'll see on our satellite picture in just a minute there's still some out there, and we're going to have to deal with it tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening, and then maybe again on Tuesday.
So we're in store for kind of a rainy pattern for a while. Let's go outside and see what's going on right now.
We have scattered showers around Los Angeles, but most of them have moved north of us now.
They came sweeping through out of the south earlier today, 62 degrees, now 95 percent humidity.
Our wind out of the southeast at 12 gusts to 18 gusty winds out there.
Days high 71, 58 this morning. So there you can see the rainfall total for today.
So far it's been 1500 some minutes downtown, but that has been heavier in some areas of Southern California, especially along the foothill areas where the winds come in and lift into the mountains and produce some pretty heavy rain.
Take a look at satellite view. Here's the main storm we're dealing with tonight that's west of us a good ways.
And then another one developing coming north of the Hawaiian Islands.
This one will be the one that will sweep in for Tuesday night, causing this even heavier rain and colder temperatures.
So we're going to have to watch that one on for the first of next week.
Here's a close in satellite view tonight. You can see what happened.
There's the center of the storm right there. Here we are in Los Angeles and this band of clouds and showers move northward tonight over the area.
And the circulation around this low will bring another chance of showers in this area tomorrow as the storm gets a little closer.
But it looks to me for a while with this band moving northward up through Ventura County and up to the hatch piece.
We should be in for a little break for a while until tomorrow. And then the showers will start again.
Here's our forecast weather map for tomorrow. All of California in the cloudy skies,
thundershowers at San Francisco all the way down to Los Angeles developing tomorrow afternoon.
So here's our forecast then for tonight. And it's kind of a wet one.
Mostly cloudy this evening, showers off and on throughout the evening.
The snow level though is way up there. Don't expect any snow at all from this storm system.
It's just too warm tonight, so 58 and snow level tomorrow at 8500 feet.
We'll have a mixture of clouds and a tad of sunshine there, Angela, just a tad.
And a chance of showers, of course, all day long. Better chance during the afternoon tomorrow.
Temperatures will be mild in the low 70s for the most part through all areas tomorrow, including the beaches.
And in the mountain areas, look for 3758. If you're going to local mountains, don't worry about too much snow.
You should be able to drive, but there will be some showers around. Here's the five day forecast.
We have another chance of rain coming in for Tuesday night and into Wednesday. We have some snow there in cooler temperatures.
I really think that that will be the storm that will produce the most weather really here in Southern California if it wasn't enough tonight.
Well, we've been overdue though. We have. We need to make up some deficits.
Thanks, Dallas. Up next, Delmer Dills with a special report tonight on the Santa Inez Valley.
He'll show us all the best places to eat and getting a way to solve that.
Hi. Have you seen the paper yet? Today is a really good day to buy a new Ford.
Look at this.
The big story is Escort and a discount of $760 on a special package of options.
Popular options you'd want anyway, like AM, FM stereo radio and power steering.
Plus $400 cash back directly from Ford.
Told you it was a good day.
Is your mouth big enough for the new Super Taco from Taco Bell? Is it big enough for a bigger taco with more lettuce, more cheese, ground beef and beans?
Is your mouth big enough? Well, right now you can find out for only 99 cents.
So what are you waiting for? Take a big step over to Taco Bell today and fill up with the new Super Taco and hurry.
It's a big deal, but only for a little time.
Hello Taco Bell.
It's an emergency. You're going to need blood. Blood you can trust.
That's why DuPont worked to create a highly accurate method of testing to help protect our blood supply from the deadly AIDS virus.
Their system enables us to have more confidence that the blood we need to live won't be hazardous to our health.
Your husband's gonna make it.
DuPont, we make the things that make a difference.
Better things for better living.
Another 30 seconds of common sense.
Shop around and you'll find that the average price of a used car today is almost $6,000.
Lots of money for a car you know nothing about from someone you'll probably never see again.
Especially when you can buy this brand new Hyundai Accel for just $53.95 or this Ford for just $59.95.
Ever think you'd see the day when a new car would become a sensible alternative to a used car? Think about it.
Test drive an Accel at your Southern California Hyundai dealer. We sell cars that make sense.
Elmer Dills continues his tour of the Santa Inez Valley tonight with a look at some of the nicer restaurants in Saldang and Builton.
Here's Elmer.
Now if you think the Napa Valley is too far away you should try the nearby Santa Inez Valley.
It's closer, much less crowded and less expensive too.
In Saldang and for Danish food the best is the venerable Danish Inn.
Both at lunch and dinner they serve the traditional Danish Morgisport.
You absolutely won't leave here hungry and I found the quality a cut above the others.
Also in Saldang a new restaurant, Masimi, a small intimate establishment serving Italian fare as good as the best in LA.
Owner Chef Masimiliano Masimi or Max has worked in kitchens around the world and he's very good.
He does a nice job with lamb chops.
Langostinos and sea scallops with linguini and a sweet pepper and red bell pepper sauce, another good idea.
Also a fine osso buco.
Prices are fair. Make reservations as soon as you hit town. It's popular.
The new hitching post, the original is still open in Cosmely by the way, is in Builton.
The specialty here, hearty ribs and chicken and such grilled over oak from the surrounding hills that's been cured for six months.
They do great ribs, chicken and steaks. Fresh seafood is also available. A specialty, quail.
Come here hungry. Hey, it's not a dress-off place. Roll up your sleeves and dig in.
Definitely one of my strong recommendations when you're in the area.
About a half an hour out of town is the Cold Spring Tavern, a former stagecoach stop with a hundred year old history.
Grab a table by one of the fireplaces and you couldn't ask for a cosier, romantic atmosphere.
The specialty here is wild game and you might find marinated rabbit on the menu or venison.
Fresh locally caught swordfish is a very popular dish at the tavern.
I like the pork ribs. They have a good wine list, a number of wines by the glass.
Again, get that table by the fireplace, sip your wine and you have an unusual setting for a romantic evening.
There's even an old world at your jukebox if you want music with your rabbit.
We have a brand new Soul Van Guide, bed and breakfast, dining ideas and much more.
To get your free copy, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Soul Van Guide, Box A, Hollywood 90027.
Coming up next right here, Gene Washington will have sports.
Rick Lozano has a live report from Calgary on tonight's exciting figure skating finale.
There's good news for all of you who have ever dreamed of owning a Chevy Camaro.
First, from now until April 30th, 1988, you can get $1,000 factory cash back. $1,000.
Second, the Camaro is backed by the GM 6-year, 60,000 mile warranty and quality commitment plan.
There is a wide selection of Camaros to choose from at your Chevrolet dealers.
There has never been a better time to buy a Chevy Camaro.
They grow up to be con artists, child abusers, psychopaths, even mass murderers.
And they can be found in our boardrooms, in politics, even in our pulpits.
On the next Oprah Winfrey Show, the startling results of studies that show the first three months of a child's life
may well be the breeding period for trust bandits, children who grow up without a conscience, who cannot love or trust.
We'll talk about it on the next Oprah Winfrey Show.
There's lots to talk about Monday at 3, only on 7.
I'm Christina Ferrari.
And I'm Steve Edwards. The stars come out in the morning all this week on AM Los Angeles.
John Ritter and his wife Nancy will be here.
Get ready for funnymen Gary Shandling and Bronson Pinchot.
Also Rob Weller and Lisa Gibbons.
Jack Scalia and Parker Stevenson.
Plus Tony Melendez, the young man with no arms who played music so beautifully for the Pope during his visit.
And an exclusive interview with Fergie's father.
That's all this week on AM Los Angeles.
See you right here.
Well if you were watching the Winter Olympics tonight, and we're sure you were,
Gene Washington is here now to tell us the outcome, the sad results of the Dueling Commons.
Did Katerina look like a winner before she took the ice?
Well, it's a matter of opinion.
She looked very confident, very confident.
Somehow it just doesn't figure.
The Olympian battle between Katerina Witt and Debbie Thomas didn't develop as expected tonight.
And our Rick Lozano standing by live in Calgary with a report on a night of history and a night of heartbreak.
Rick?
That's right Gene, the U.S. medal count grew by one here in Calgary tonight.
And while that is encouraging, it still was not the medal most of us were expecting.
San Jose's Debbie Thomas needed only to skate a clean program to capture the gold medal in women's figure skating,
but she came up short.
The gold medal was there for the taking for Debbie Thomas.
Skating last, she knew exactly what scores she needed to dethrone defending Olympic gold medalist Katerina Witt.
But this would not be Debbie Thomas' night.
She slipped twice and ended up with a bronze medal.
I don't think the pressure got to me.
I didn't really feel nervous.
I just felt not comfortable with myself before I went out to skate.
And that's one of the hardest things to deal with I think.
I didn't feel like I could do it.
And once I hadn't hit the first jump, I didn't want to do it.
I really wanted to perform well here and I didn't and I'll just have to deal with it.
But I'm not nearly as disappointed as I thought I was going to be.
Canada's Elizabeth Manley outskated everyone in the long program.
Her exceptional performance earned her the silver medal.
The gold medal went once again to East Germany's Katerina Witt.
I did everything very well, so I was happy about the gold medal and I think it's fair that I got the medal.
At Nukiska, Italy's Alberto Tomba won his second gold medal in three days taking the slalom.
And in women's 1500 meter speed skating, Ivana Van Genep of the Netherlands grabbed the gold.
Bonnie Blair of the U.S. finished fourth.
And by the way, Katerina Witt becomes the first woman figure skater to repeat as gold medalist in Sonia Henney.
That's it for tonight. The final day of the Olympics coming up tomorrow.
We'll be here for it and bring you all the highlights.
Jane, back to you now in Los Angeles.
Okay Rick, we'll see you tomorrow.
In college basketball, the nation's longest winning streak is alive and well.
19th regular olymp Marymount won number 21 tonight and capped a perfect conference season by outrunning UC San Diego 141 to 126.
UCLA continued its run at second place in the Pac-10 today.
The Bruins staged a second half comeback at Washington State to overcome the Cougars 62 to 55.
In pro ball, the Clippers had that cavalier feeling against Cleveland tonight as LA overcame a 15 point deficit to take a one point win and snap a seven game losing streak.
In hockey, call it the Philadelphia story.
The Flyers found success and an empty goal in Inglewood tonight, scoring twice in the last 15 seconds to defeat the Kings 8 to 6.
And in golf, Chip Beck is 18 holes away from his first ever PGA win.
Beck scorched the Riviera course for a 65 today to take a three stroke lead after three rounds of the LA Open.
That's it for sports and we'll see you right here tomorrow. Harold, man George?
You said it. Debbie Thomas didn't look like she had that fire in her eyes when she came out tonight.
I've seen it on the football field before and I saw it in her face tonight. She just wasn't confident.
Her heart wasn't in it.
But you know what? I think she will do well in the World Championships. She has nothing to lose. I think she'll still skate free and confident in that competition.
Thank you, Gene. That's it for us. We will have the closing ceremonies beginning at seven o'clock right here tomorrow night. For now, have a nice night all.
Number one in Southern California.