ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702030064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
Virginia joins lawsuit over atomic waste
RICHMOND - Virginia has joined 33 states and the nuclear power industry in a lawsuit seeking to force the federal government to dispose of nuclear waste piling up at many reactors.
Virginia Attorney General Jim Gilmore filed papers Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, alleging the U.S. Department of Energy has shirked its duty.
``Virginia ratepayers, through Virginia Power, have paid more than $345 million for radioactive waste disposal by DOE,'' Gilmore said. ``It has failed to meet its obligation.''
Nationwide, utilities have paid $12 billion into the Energy Department's nuclear waste fund.
- Associated Press
Police say robbers probably knew area
RICHMOND - The two robbers who shot and killed a 23-year-old teller and wounded three others in a bank holdup were probably familiar with the area, police said Friday.
Based on the crime itself and the information they have gathered, police have determined that the suspects were familiar with the area surrounding the NationsBank branch they riddled with bullets Thursday morning, said police spokeswoman Brenda Hughes.
``It wasn't just a random hit,'' Hughes said.
So many shots were fired that police were still collecting casings Friday night, Hughes said.
- Associated Press
Pilot in hospital after ditching plane
HAMPTON - A pilot trying to land at Langley Air Force Base crashed his private plane Friday in the Chesapeake Bay just short of the base, Air Force officials said.
The pilot was attempting to land the single-engine Grumman AA5 about 5 p.m. when it went into the water, Senior Airman Casey Bryant said. Bryant didn't immediately know what caused the crash.
The pilot was pulled from the water by a Langley Air Force base rescue team.
Bryant said the pilot was taken to a base hospital. Air Force officials did not know the pilot's condition but said he was expected to survive. His name was not released.
No other passengers were on board.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines KEYWORDS: FATALITYby CNB