[7-Radford-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-09]
[GRAPHIC=Explosion]


It may be days until the bodies of the two missing employees of New River Castings Plant are recovered.
Kate Weidaw has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lee Simpkins/Radford Fire Chief; :18]
[SUPER=01-Max Horton/Survivor; :52]
[SUPER=01-Perry Millikin/Plant Worker; 1:04]
[SUPER=@Kate2; 1:18]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=kw news7 radford.]



[7-5-Safety-Record]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=599-15 1:44:48]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]


The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated New River Castings several times last year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The first was in March.
OSHA found the company in violation of federal electrical and wiring standards, which cost the company 812-dollars in fines.
[SUPER=04-September 1999]


Last summer ... 29-year-old David Gravely (GRAV-lee) almost died when a 900-pound machine fell on top of him.
That's part of another investigation, launched last June.
It involves five possible violations and could cost New River Castings nearly 200-THOUSAND dollars.
A third investigation ... opened last fall ... could result in another 12-thousand dollars in fines.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]


The parent company ... called Intermet ... has not commented on the plant's safety record.

[7-E-Gravely]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-58 1:05:56]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]


Gravely is friends with the family of Karen Hamilton and was with them last night at the accident scene.
He says he never thought an accident like this would happen.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I can't believe]
[SUPER=01-David Gravely/Injured in 1999]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=happen to them]
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=None]


Gravely said he hopes the plant treats the family better than his family was treated... and says so far the plant hasn't lived up to some of its promises.

[7Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Now for a look ahead. Temperatures might break record highs today. It will be mostly sunny...close to 80 degrees. Tonight, cloudy with light winds and a low of 45 degrees. The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/75-80/Partly Cloudy/Light W Winds/45-50;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]




[45-Gray]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


A five year prison sentence has been handed down to a man who conspired to kill his girlfriend's husband.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./April 1999]


Thomas ``Butch'' Gray will also be placed on five years probation after serving the term imposed by a Botetourt County judge yesterday.
Gray was arrested after trying to hire Sheriff Reed Kelly as a hit man.
(------------)



[45-Porterfield]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]


A member of a prominent Abingdon family has pled guilty to transmitting child pornography on the Internet.
Jay Payne Porterfield of Glade Spring was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of minors.
In court yesterday morning he admitted to trading images on-line with a computer in Maryland.
As part of his deal with the government, Porterfield will forfeit his computer.
37-year old JAY Porterfield is the adopted son of Barter Theater founder ROBERT Porterfield.

[45-E-Area-Code]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-51]
[GRAPHIC=None]


It looks like the 8-0-4 area code is filling up.
State officials are now looking into ways of solving the problem.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte Court House]


Five different plans are being considered.. four of them would split the current area code and give part of Virginia a new code.
They're also considering an overlay, which would allow existing 8-0-4 numbers to stay the same, but assign new listings a new area code.
But residents yesterday said that system would be too complicated, especially for the elderly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:37:42]
[IN Q=Lest we forget]

((REV. RICHARD LOWE/CHARLOTTE CO. RESIDENT: LEST WE FORGET THAT THE SENIOR CITIZENS COMMUNITY IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST AND MOST VOCAL POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXISTS AT THIS TIME AND THEY DO VOTE.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Richard Lowe/Charlotte Co. Resident]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=they do vote.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


More public hearings are scheduled for later this month in Richmond.
A decision is not expected until late summer.
(------------)



[45-E-Trout]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-49]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]


Two Roanoke City council members plan to seek re-election as Independents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Yesterday, Jim Trout filed the necessary petitions to put his name on the May 2nd ballot.
After February's mass meeting, Trout initially said he would support the Democratic ticket.
But since then, he says a groundswell of support has changed his mind.
(////////SOT////////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=In the grocery store]

((JIM TROUT: IN THE GROCERY STORE AND PICKING UP MY DRY CLEANING. AT THE HEALTH CLUB AND THE BANK LOBBY, PEOPLE SAID JIM WHY DON'T YOU RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT. WE NEED A CHOICE IT WAS OVERWHELMING.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Trout/(I) Candidate for City Council;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=it was overwhelming.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]


Meanwhile, fellow Democrat Carroll Swain is also gathering signatures for an Independent campaign.
He's expected to file today.
(-----------------)



[45Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Taking a break from the news to check the forecast...
Mostly sunny with near record highs in the upper 70s.
Turning partly cloudy with lows in the upper 40s.
The five day forecast stays sunny and warm tomorrow...then a cold front will likely bring cooler weather and showers on Thursday.



[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/75-80/Partly Cloudy/Light W Winds/45-50;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]




[8-Blast-Search]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Explosion]


The search for the two missing women at New River Castings plant may take days.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford]


Search dogs appear to have located the area where the remaining two victims are, but it will take time to remove the rubble.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]

[00-09 29:43]
[IN Q=We've got a ]
[SUPER=01-Lee Simpkins/Radford Fire Chief; :02]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=drawn out process.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The explosion killed one man, 29-year-old Curtis Groomes, and sent seven others to hospitals.
The blast caused an estimated 30 million dollars damage.
Company officials say they don't know the cause but hope to salvage what's left.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are on the scene.
(------------)



[8-Family-Reax]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-06 TC12:15]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]


The past two days have been difficult for the family of the missing women, who have kept a constant vigil at the accident site -- hoping their loved ones will be found soon.
Teresa Hamilton has more on that side of the story.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Family members]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Edward Ramsey/Local Union President; :47]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; :57]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=news 7, Radford.]



[8-E-Gravely]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-58 1:05:56]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]


The man injured at New River Castings last year says he never thought this would happen.
David Gravely is a friend of Karen Hamilton and was with her family last night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I can't believe]
[SUPER=01-David Gravely/Injured in 1999]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=happen to them]
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=None]


Gravely says he hopes the plant treats the family better than his family was treated... and says so far the plant hasn't lived up to its promises.

[8Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Let's take one more look at your Tuesday forecast...
Mostly sunny with near record heat today.
Highs nearing 80.
Tonight should be partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s.
The five day forecast stays sunny and warm tomorrow...then a cold front will likely bring cooler weather and showers on Thursday.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/75-80/Partly Cloudy/Light W Winds/45-50;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

by SS