[7-E-Radford-Explosion]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-09 49:24]
[GRAPHIC=NR Castings Explosion]
Authorities say they're getting close to finding the two women presumed dead in Sunday's explosion at New River Castings.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearm's national response team sifted through some of the wreckage today.
Team members believe they've found where the two women are buried -- in the basement of the plant under several layers of debris.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:02:50]
[IN Q=We're down now]
((ROBERT GRAHAM/ATF SUPERVISOR: WE'RE DOWN NOW TO THE BASEMENT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE BASEMENT IS FILLED WITH SOMETHING LIKE 20 FEET OF SLUDGE ... WATER, SOLUTION THAT'S VERY TOXIC.))
[SUPER=01-Robert Graham/ATF Supervisor;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=that's very toxic.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Authorities hope to be able to remove the women from the wreckage by tonight.
(------------)
[7-Vigil]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-49 1:58:31]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Last night, the Radford community held a candle light vigil at New River Castings to pray for the missing women.
Kate Weidaw has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :10]
[SUPER=01-Donald Yates/Attended Vigil; :22]
[SUPER=01-Wanda Shepard/Attended Vigil; :34]
[SUPER=01-Casey Harris/Attended Vigil; :45]
[super=01-Edward Anderson/Victim's Father; 1:04]
[SUPER=@Kate1;1:22]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=kw news7 Radford.]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]
[7-E-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-03 49:09]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford]
Shortly after 7 last night - fire broke out at the plant.
The cause is not known, but fire crews already on the scene extinguished the blaze in about 20 minutes.
Officials say this is one example of how dangerous the structure is.
(------------)
[7Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=nothing]
Here's a look at your Thursday forecast.
Partly cloudy and windy today.
High temperatures again in the upper 70s and low 80s.
Tonight, clouds remain but the winds decrease.
Lows around 50s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds SW 15-25/78-83/Partly Cloudy/Diminishing Winds/48-52;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[45-Flag]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=State Capitol]
A resolution requesting the Minnesota Historical Society to return a bloodstained Civil War battle flag to Virgi
nia is headed to Governor Gilmore's desk.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/February 7;]
Yesterday, the house of Delegates passed the resolution by at 94 to 2 vote.
It seeks the return of a flag captured by Minnesota troops at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.
A Roanoke based Civil War re-enactment group has tried for years to get the flag back -- but the Minnesota Histo
rical Society has refused.
(------------)
[45-E-Armenian-Bill]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-02 1:04:47]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Virginia lawmakers are also focusing on INTERNATIONAL history.
Yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution declaring April 24th "Armenian Martyr's Day."
The resolution went on to cite the genocide of up to a million and a half Armenians, at the hands of the Turkish Ottoman Empire during World War One.
The problem is that some Virginians of Turkish descent deny the slaughter happened.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 05:26:47]
[IN Q=This kind]
((SEN. EMILY COURIC/D-CHARLOTTESVILLE: THIS KIND OF STATEMENT IS OUTSIDE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS BODY. PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY CITIZENS THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW WE VOTE ARE GOING TO BE DEEPLY OFFENDED.))
[SOT 05:09:22]
((SEN. STEVE MARTIN/R-CHESTERFIELD: YEAH, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO DENY HISTORY, JUST AS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO DENY THE HOLOCAUST. BUT QUITE FRANKLY, WE ARE NOT ALL KNOWLEDGEABLE HERE... WE DON'T HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT.))
[SOT 05:32:46]
((SEN. DICK SASLAW/R-SPRINGFIELD: THOSE PEOPLE DID NOT COMMIT SUICIDE. THEY WERE KILLED.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Emily Couric/(D) Charlottesville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Steve Martin/(R) Chesterfield; :13 ]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Dick Saslaw/(R) Springfield; :26 QUICK]
[RUNS=:29]
[OUT Q=were killed.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Armenian resolution was one of the most hotly debated issues of the day.
It goes next to Governor Jim Gilmore.
(------------)
[45-5-Super-Drunk]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=500-1 33:28]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
In other news from Richmond, state lawmakers are going after drunken drivers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
The House has passed a bill that mandates five days' jail time for driving with a "point two" blood alcohol level... more than twice the legal limit.
(-------------)
[TALENT=Mel]
[SS=HOLD]
65-percent of all drunk driving fatalities in Virginia in 1998 were caused by drivers with blood alcohol levels of almost twice the legal limit.
[45-E-Victory-Stadium]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-59]
[GRAPHIC=Victory Stadium]
The future of Victory staduim is still on the minds of city officials, and now they have a plan of action.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
They are removing the stadium from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and transferring its management to the Roanoke Civic Center.
The stadium will be included in a civic center study that's now under way, and manager Jim Evans says all options remain on the table.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=An economic feasibility study]
((JIM EVANS/CIVIC CENTER MANAGER: AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL BE ATTACHED TO THIS THAT WILL EVALUATE, WELL WHAT IF YOU DID THIS, IS IT GOING TO BE USEFUL TO THE PUBLIC OR IS IT GOING TO BE WELL SUPPORTED, OR IS IT JUST SPENDING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. AND WE NEED TO KNOW THESE ANSWERS AS WELL BEFORE WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Evans/Civic Center Manager]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=make our recommendations.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Evans says the consultant's study should be completed in six to eight weeks.
(------------)
[45Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=nothing]
Shifting your attention now to weather...
Partly cloudy and breezy today, with highs near 80.
Staying partly cloudy overnight with lows near 50.
Over the next five days, we'll see some changes. Sunny and mild again tomorrow.. with showers and cooler temperatures likely over the weekend.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds SW 15-25/78-83/Partly Cloudy/Diminishing Winds/48-52;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[8-S-Blackburn]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-57 1:10:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]
He was convicted of assault and battery against a female co-worker, but Radford police officer Gather Blackburn will not lose his job.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford/November 10;]
The incident happened last fall at a party in Floyd County.
The woman said she fell asleep by herself and that when she woke up she found Blackburn's hand in her shorts.
He was demoted from Lieutenant to Sergeant but, as of yesterday, is officially back on the job.
The decision was made by the police chief and approved by the city manager.
Blackburn had been on administrative leave, WITH pay, during the investigation.
(------------)
[8-Bomb-Threats]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Bomb Threat Charges]
Police in Rocky Mount say a 15 year old has been charged with making a bomb threat.
The charges are a class 5 felony.
Authorities believe the teen called in two bomb threats to Franklin County High School - one yesterday morning - the other yesterday afternoon.
The teen is being held in the Culpeper Juvenile Detention Center.
[8-E-Blacksburg-High]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-58 1:10:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A local high school gets a good grade from a national magazine.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The latest issue of Newsweek Magazine ranks Blacksburg High school among the top 100 high schools in the country.
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
The school received the rating for its advanced placement programs... which give students an opportunity to earn college credit.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:40:38]
[IN Q=We've been]
[SUPER=01-Karen Coston/Teacher;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=pushed us ahead.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The high school was ranked 91st and was the only high school in southwest Virginia to be listed.
(------------)
[8-E-Salvation-Army]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=99-56 1:21:32]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Displaced textile workers are getting some help from some Southside students in a food drive.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville;]
The Martinsville Salvation Army has asked Henry County and Martinsville City Schools to collect basic items. The Salvation Army has run out of food such as canned meat, pasta as well as toiletries.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:43:18]
[IN Q=The Christmas supply]
((CAROL NICKELL/SALVATION ARMY: THE CHRISTMAS SUPPLY IS DEPLETED SO WE'VE HAD TO ASK ALL SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE. AND WE NEEDED THE MORE EXPENSIVE ITEMS THAN THE VEGETABLES.))
[SUPER=01-Carol Nickell/Salvation Army]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=the vegetables.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The food drive continues through Friday. If you would like to help out you can call the Salvation Army.
(------------)
[8-E-Christian-Rock]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=00-04 35:07]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The pews were rocking at Parkway Wesleyan Church in Roanoke County last night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nats music up full]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=nats up full]
(--------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
That's PAX (packs) 2-17.
It's a Christian rock band that sang to some 200 people at tonight's concert.
Around 17 churches took part in putting together last night's show.
Christian Band Plank-eye took the stage after PAX 2-17.
The bands are touring together. Their next stop is in Norfolk.
(--------------------)
[8Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=nothing]
Checking your Thursday weather outlook...
Partly cloudy with record highs likely again today.
Temperatures reaching the low 80s.
Partly cloudy overnight with lows near 50.
Over the next five days, we'll see some changes. Sunny and mild again tomorrow.. with showers and cooler temperatures likely over the weekend.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds SW 15-25/78-83/Partly Cloudy/Diminishing Winds/48-52;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
by SS