[7-D'Ville-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=99-]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]


Two Danville brothers were shot while walking down a city street last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]


Darryl and Jeffrey Hood said they were walking down North Main Street just before midnight when someone shot at them.
Darryl Hood was hit in the leg-- his brother Jeffrey in the hip-- neither injury is serious.
The two called police, but said they didn't know who fired the shots.
Danville officers say they have no suspects.
(------------)



[7-Danville-Fire]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=99-]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]


Danville firefighters battled to save two homes early this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]


The blaze broke out just before two at this home on North Main Street.
Flames spread to the roof of a neighboring home as well.
Firefighters had to rescue a person from the porch roof of one of the homes.
(------------)



[7-Wind]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=99-51]
[GRAPHIC=Brush Fire]


Brush fires kept firefighters in other parts of our area busy.
Tina Tenret has details.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Fire raged on Jeters Chapel Mountain]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.; :00]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; :34]
[SUPER=01-Capt. Steve Simon/Roanoke Co. Fire Dept.; :41]
[SUPER=@Tina1; :53]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=Tina Tenret News7]

(( Fire raged on Jeters Chapel Mountain -- too dangerous for crews to touch without bulldozers. Watch the domino effect: powerful gusts of wind
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
((nat sot: leaves swirl in gutter on afton-winds tape))
[RUNS= :03]

toppled trees, which blocked roads
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
((nat sot sawing through fallen trees))
[RUNS= :03]

and pushed down power lines. Firefighters say that sparked the Bedford fire.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT ]
((nat sot of bedford fire))
[RUNS= :05]

Brush fed the flames, then wind carried them through at least ten acres.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:26:37]
[IN Q=They are going up?]

((THEY ARE GOING UP? I DON'T THINK THEY'RE LONG ENOUGH TO UP.))
[RUNS= :02]

And even though firefighters do not blame the wind for STARTING this house fire, it did tie their hands.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:36:37]
[IN Q=With these winds]

((CAPT. STEVE SIMON/ROANOKE CO. FIRE: WITH THESE WINDS AND EVERYTHING, IT'S ALMOST LIKE POURING GASOLINE ON A FIRE TO SOME EXTENT. IT JUST FUELED THAT FIRE SO TRAMENDOUSLY, ONCE IT GOT THROUGH THE ROOF ON ONE PORTION OF THE HOUSE, IT JUST RAN THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE.))
[RUNS= :11]
[OUT Q=of the house]
(///// SOT /////)

((TINA TENRET/NEWS7: VIRGINIA FORESTRY OFFICIALS SAY THEY FOUGHT 15-20 FIRES IN THE SALEM AREA ALONE YESTERDAY, INVOLVING 250 ACRES. THEY EXPECT LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS BATTLED ANOTHER 15-20 FIRES, AND THEY SAY FIRE CREWS WILL BE BUSY WITH CLEANUP TODAY. TINA TENRET NEWS7))
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=TT N7]))



[7-Rutigliano]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=sp-60]
[GRAPHIC=Liberty]


It's the end of an era for Liberty football.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]


67-year-old Sam Rutigliano (roo-tig-lee-AH'-noh) has retired after eleven seasons as Liberty's head football coach.
He amassed a 67 and 53 coaching record and was 4 and 7 last season.
Roo-tig-lee-AH-noh became coach of the Cleveland Browns in 1978 and won coach of the year after leading the team to an AFC Central title.
(------------)



[7Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]


Here's a look at your Friday forecast.
Mostly sunny today and not as windy.
Highs in the low to mid 30s.
Tonight partly cloudy with a light breeze.
Lows in the upper teens to low 20s.
The weekend forecast...


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[SUPER=#555; reset]





[45-Roach]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Death Penalty]


Another Virginia death row inmate has been executed.
(+++++++) [TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARD]
Steve Edward Roach died by lethal injection shortly after 9 last night, an hour after Governor Gilmore turned down his clemency request.
It was the second execution this year.
Roach was 17 when he killed 70-year old Mary Ann Hughes in her Greene County home and stole her car.
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=HOLD]


Earlier this week the state put another man to death, who was also a teen killer.

[45-E-Rice]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-48]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


A former high profile politician in West Virginia will spend several years behind bars.
In federal court yesterday Thomas Rice, former aide to West Virginia's Governor, was sentenced to more than five years in prison.
In November he pleaded guilty to child sex charges.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/February, 1999]


Rice had joined a chat room on the Internet and thought he'd found a 13-year old boy in Bedford willing to meet him last February.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:15]
[IN Q=He represents]

((HE REPRESENTS HIMSELF AS BEING A FATHER FIGURE. SO HE WAS CLEARLY TROLLING FOR UNDERAGE MALES. HE WAS LOOKING FOR SEXUALLY INEXPERIENCED MALES. HE WAS GOING TO MENTOR THEM IN THE WAYS OF SEX.))
[SUPER=01-Tony Giorno/Assistant U.S. Attorney]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=ways of sex.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[graphic=HOLD]


His probation officer recommended a sentencing range of 12 to 18 months.
But the court adopted the prosecutor's position... that the nature of the crime called for 63 months in prison.

[45-Huggins]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Huggins Resigning]


Virginia's State Police Superintendent is stepping down.
Wayne Huggins has headed up the State Police for six years, appointed by then-Governor George Allen, and re-appointed by Governor Jim Gilmore.
Huggins wants to return home to northern Virginia and see more of his family.
He'll go to work for a private security firm at the end of the month.

[45-S-Trigon]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Trigon]


Some insurance workers in the Roanoke area may not be looking for new jobs afterall.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-October 1999]


In October, Trigon announced it would lay off about 200 people from its Mid-South Insurance company subsidiary.
Now Trigon says its overall business is growing enough to keep more than 100 workers from the Mid-South staff, and transfer them to other positions within Trigon.
As for Mid-South, Trigon announced yesterday it is selling the company to a Nebraska-based carrier.
(------------)



[45-Flu-Clinic]


[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Flu]


If you haven't been sick yet this winter with the flu and you want to keep it that way, it's still not too late for a flu shot. (XXXXXXXX) [TAKE Pinnacle Board]
The Roanoke City Health Department is holding a special flu shot clinic today at the office at 515 Eighth Street in downtown Roanoke.
Vaccinations will be given from 2:00 until 4:30 this afternoon.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]


No appointment is necessary -- just show up.
There is a seven dollar fee, but if you bring proof of Medicare Part B or Medicaid -- it's free.

[45Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]


Taking a break from the news to check the forecast..
Mostly sunny and not as breezy today, with highs near 35.
Partly cloudy tonight, with lows near 20.
Looking ahead to the weekend and beyond....a mix of clouds and sunshine, with gradually warmer high temperatures in the 40s and 50s.

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
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[8-E-Rubatex]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-46 1:23:06]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex Strike]


At week eighteen of the ongoing strike, Rubatex says production is at 100-percent of pre-strike levels despite having half as many workers.
But the striking union says that's not the case.
Scott Goldberg has more on the continuing dispute at Bedford's biggest employer.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Bedford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jim Laurin/Rubatex Negotiator; :17]
[SUPER=01-Larry Brookshier/Rubatex Plant Manager; :35]
[SUPER=01-Richard Walker/USWA Local 240 President; :57]
[SUPER=@Scott2;]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=N7 Bedford.]
(///// SOT /////)
(([SOT natsound -- tape 2]
[IN Q=]

((QUICK NATS INSIDE PLANT.))
[RUNS= 02]
[OUT Q=]


They say they can't prove it.
But managers at Bedford's Rubatex plant insist 200 replacement workers are rolling out as much foam rubber as more than 400 union workers did before they went on strike.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:22:02 TAPE 1]
[IN Q=what it tells me]

((JIM LAURIN/RUBATEX NEGOTIATOR: WHAT IT TELLS ME IS I HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INEFFICIENCIES IN THE PLANT AS A RESULT OF UNION CONTRACTUAL ITEMS.))
[RUNS= 08]
[OUT Q=contractural items]


Still ... the company's chief negotiator and its plant manager refused to make public their shipping records proving production IS at 100 percent.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:20:33 TAPE 1]
[IN Q=i don't mean]

((LARRY BROOKSHIER/PLANT MANAGER: I DON'T MEAN TO BE SHORT WITH YOU, BUT WE GIVE YOU TRUTHFUL INFORMATION. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE OUR OBLIGATION TO SATISFY YOU ON THAT.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=ON THAT]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT TAPE 2]
[IN Q=NATSOUND]

((QUICK!!! NATS INSIDE PLANT))
[RUNS= 01]
[OUT Q=]


The union charges it's all a scare tactic.
That saying it can get by with half as many workers is the company's ploy to make the union accept a contract it doesn't like.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:15:06]
[IN Q=you see it]

((RICHARD WALKER/UNION PRESIDENT: YOU SEE IT ALL THE TIME. THEY WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOBS -- IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK NOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM. BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, IF WE WAS TO GO BACK THERE TODAY, THEY'D BE GLAD TO HAVE EVERY ONE OF US BACK.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=every one of us back]


The strike at Bedford's biggest employer is now four months old.
The two sides say they go back and forth exchanging written information ... but they're not talking face-to-face...
Nor are they expecting the back-and-forth to bounce back to the bargaining table anytime soon.
Scott Goldberg, News-7, Bedford.))

[8-E-Job-Fair]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=99-47]
[GRAPHIC=None]


The recent layoffs and plant closings in the area have left hundreds of people unemployed.
Martinsville City officials are hoping to help those displaced workers back into the work force.
That was the goal of...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]

a job fair held yesterday at the Martinsville National Guard Armory.
Sixty prospective employers from all across Virginia and North Carolina were on hand to accept applications and conduct interviews.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:11:04]
[IN Q=I think what]

((WILL WHITE/FORMER BASSETT MIRROR EMPLOYEE: I THINK WHAT THEY'RE HAVING HERE TODAY IS VERY GOOD. NOT ONLY FOR ME BUT FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DID LOSE THEIR JOBS, DUE TO TULTEX AND OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE SHUT DOWN))
[SUPER=01-Will White/Former Bassett Mirror Employee;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=have shutdown]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


About one thousand people came out in search of employment.
Martinsville City Officials hope the job fair will help reduce the city's unemployment rate -- which is currently at 20 percent.
(------------)



[8Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]


Let's take one more look at the Friday forecast...
Mostly sunny and not as windy, with highs around 35.
Turning partly cloudy tonight, with lows around 20.
Looking ahead to the weekend and beyond....a mix of clouds and sunshine, with gradually warmer high temperatures in the 40s and 50s.

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NW 10-20/32-36/Partly Cloudy/Light Breeze/18-22;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]


by SS