WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/04/00

[7-11Amherst-Murder]

[ANCHOR=melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm/nkr]
[TAPE#=00-05 TC34:40]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A weekend murder in Amherst County first spawned a confession from a 16-year-old.
Now another teenager has been charged in connection with the murder.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]

Authorities say 17- year- old Jeremy Brandon Wright of Lynchburg gunned down 24- year- old James Franklin Junior in Madison Heights early Saturday.
Police say a 16- year- old male who originally confessed to the crime recanted his story after learning the victim had died.
(------------)

[7-11Barnes]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmc/nkr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Almost 17 years after a fatal stabbing, Henry County authorities charge a man with murder.
In June of 1983, Randy Lee Beaver was stabbed at his sister's home in Ridgeway.
Yesterday, a 57-year-old prison inmate John Monroe Barnes was indicted for murder.

[7-11Hit-Run]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=00-12 TC05:46]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Roanoke police officers witnessed a hit and run accident last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Police were working an accident at 11th Street and Orange Avenue at about 7-30 when they saw a Grand-Am run a stop light and hit a car.
Police chased the car until the driver abandoned it on Gilmer Avenue.
He has been identified as Timothy Bowman of Roanoke.
Police arrested him about a block away.
He's charged with D-U-I, and felony hit and run.
No one was injured.
(------------)

[7-11Floyd-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-02]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]

Authorities believe a fatal Floyd County fire may have smoldered for at least a couple of hours before it broke through the home's roof.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Floyd Co.]

The house where Christopher and Kimberly Johnson lived was fully involved by the time neighbors noticed it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 52:45]
[IN Q=About 9:30]
((ABOUT 9:30, WE WERE GETTING READY TO GO TO BED. MY DAUGHTER WENT INTO HER BEDROOM AND SAW ORANGE FLASHES ON THE WINDOWS.))
[SUPER=01-Freddie DeWeese/Neighbor]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=on the windows.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

DeWeese says the lights flickered and dimmed around seven o'clock, but he didn't think much of it at the time.
Investigators believe that may have been the first indication of trouble. Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Dalton thinks a "major electrical short" was what started the fire. They still haven't confirmed the name of the young man who died in the blaze.
(------------)

[7-11Foxridge-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo/nkr]
[TAPE#=00-04 TC1:02:42]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Invest.]

Firefighters and insurance investigators are at odds over what started a fire at a Blacksburg apartment complex.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/February 21;]

The February blaze gutted the 29-hundred building of Foxridge Apartments and left 28 people homeless.
Firefighters say the cause of the fire was an overloaded electrical outlet.
But a recent insurance company report says it was a resident's cigarette.
Both causes are accidental, but firefighters' finding would allow residents to sue for damages.
(------------)

[7Weather]

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

Here's a look at your Tuesday forecast.
Another rainy day ahead with winds.
Highs in the low 50s.
Tonight, gradual clearing, but windy and cold.
Lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.
The extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Rain Continues/Winds 10-30 MPH/50-55/Gradual Clearing/Windy & Cold/35-40;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[45-11Bedford]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-13]
[GRAPHIC=Budget]

The issue of school funding for the Bedford County school system has some residents upset.
Kate Weidaw has more from last night's public hearing before the county board of supervisors.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Marvin Hicks/Concerned Resident;:00]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;:15]
[SUPER=01-Jess Tucker/Teacher;:34]
[SUPER=01-Adam Hunter/Jefferson Forest Senior;:55]
[SUPER=@Kate2;1:10]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=News 7, Bedford County.]
(([SOT 15:15:10]
[INQ=]
((MARVIN HICKS/CONCERNED RESIDENT: IF WE CAN NOT PAY FOR TECHNOLOGY, BOOKS OR GIVE TEACHERS A DECENT LIVING WAGE MAYBE NO ONE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE RAISES THEY GOT THIS YEAR.)) [OUTQ] [RUNS10]
Dozens of teachers cheered on folks who support a larger school budget. The county supervisors have proposed a budget of 64 point 1 million dollars -- that's 14 percent more than last year. However teachers say that's not enough -- they're receiving a 3 percent raise and salaries that rank below surrounding areas like Roanoke, Salem, and Lynchburg.

[SOT 15:23:44]
[INQ=]
((JESS TUCKER/TEACHER: OUR AVERAGE SALARY IS ALMOST FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS THEN THOSE SURROUNDING COUNTIES AROUND US.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS06]
Some blame the lack of funding on poor budget planning for the two new elementary schools that are under construction as well as proposed renovations at Liberty and Jefferson Forest High Schools.
Students say they're fed up.

[SOT 15:26:48]
[INQ=]
((ADAM HUNTER/JEFFERSON FOREST SENIOR: AS A STUDENT I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE AN UP TO DATE LAB THEN SKY LIGHTS IN THE LGI ROOM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TECHNOLOGY PLAN IMPLEMENTED THEN A PLAN THAT'S ALWAYS BEING WORKED ON.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS12]
School advocates say Bedford County has the lowest spending per student in the state. And with a budget and tax rate that continue to climb it's time for a change. Supervisors say they will use the communities concerns as they work on the budget. Kate Weidaw News 7 Bedford County.))

[45-11Pitts-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Pittsylvania County residents could be looking at higher property taxes.
The County Board of Supervisors has proposed an increase of more than 50 percent.
The board says the 28-cent increase is necessary to cover all departmental requests.
Most of the money will go to schools.
A public hearing is scheduled for April 19. The budget must be approved by May first.

[45-11Dan-River]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=500-08 TC31:27]
[GRAPHIC=Dan River]

Dan River's C-E-0 is trying to set the record straight concerning recent rumors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Joseph Lanier (La-near) wrote a letter to union employees.
The letter states "We do not have any plans to move Home Fashions jobs to Mexico."
And no additional jobs will be sent abroad besides the 488 jobs announced several months ago.
As for the rumors of 12 hour shifts, the chairman writes: " ...We do not have plans to convert ALL Danville plants to 12 hour shifts."
A spokesperson for the company explained why the chairman wrote the letter.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:06:38]
[IN Q= The process]
((JOE BOUKNIGHT/DAN RIVER INC.: THE PROCESS OF SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH UNION NEGOTIATIONS IS IMPORTANT TO THE EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY TO THE COMPANY. THE MISINFORMATION COULD HURT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.))
[SUPER=01-Joe Bouknight/Dan River Inc.]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=entire process]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

Negotiations begin tomorrow in Danville.
(------------)

[45Weather]

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

Taking another look at your Tuesday forecast.
Another rainy day ahead with winds.
Highs in the low 50s.
Tonight, gradual clearing, but windy and cold.
Lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.
The extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Rain Continues/Winds 10-30 MPH/50-55/Gradual Clearing/Windy & Cold/35-40;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[8-11Shaskan]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-03 TC1:25:56]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

The race for Lynchburg City Council is beginning to heat up.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Paul Shaskan is trying to unseat Robert Garber in Lynchburg's Ward Three.
Shaskan kicked off his campaign yesterday by blasting Garber for not understanding the issues families face.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:04:15]
[IN Q=It's not his]
((PAUL SHASKAN/LYNCHBURG COUNCIL CANDIDATE: IT'S NOT HIS FAULT. HE CANNOT FATHOM THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY OF WORKING AND PARENTING IN TODAY'S WORLD, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T.))
[SUPER=01-Paul Shaskan/(I) Lynchburg Council Candidate]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=because he doesn't.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Garber.. who is not married.. says economic issues affect EVERYONE.. married and unmarried.
Shaskan is a Bedford County school teacher who describes himself as "a true moderate".
(------------)

[8-11City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-11 TC3:10:04]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Logo]

A more responsive city government is the goal of a reorganization plan developed by Roanoke City Manager Darlene Burcham.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Burcham described her plan to members of city council, who must approve some of the changes.
The plan will consolidate some departments, and reorganize them under three assistant city managers.
No one will be laid off, but the plan will eventually reduce the total number of city employees.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:59:41]
[IN Q=This particular reorganization]
((THIS PARTICULAR REORGANIZATION IS NOT INTENDED TO MEAN THAT WHAT HAS BEEN HERE IN THE PAST HAS BEEN UNSATISFACTORY AT ALL, BUT WHAT IT DOES SAY IS YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO CHANGE WITH CHANGE AND THAT'S WHAT THE REORGANIZATION IS ALL ABOUT.))
[SUPER=01-Darlene Burcham/Roanoke City Manager]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=is all about.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Also, City Council announced that Roanoke's call for voluntary water conservation will be lifted tomorrow, one year after the restrictions were imposed.
(------------)

[8-11Lewis-Gale]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-08 TC25:33]
[GRAPHIC=Departing Docs]

Some doctors at odds with Lewis Gale Clinic have found a way to continue working in their communities.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; quick!]

Eleven doctors resigned from the clinic in January.
The family care physicians announced yesterday they've reached an agreement with the clinic that will allow them to establish their own group practice.
The deal also allows the doctors to keep their patients' medical records and to continue working at both Salem offices as well as in Floyd and Fincastle, for one year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 03:35:15]
[IN Q=The thought]
((DR. EDWIN POLVERINO/FAMILY PHYSICIAN: THE THOUGHT OF GOING TO A NEW COMMUNITY AND STARTING OVER WITH PATIENTS I DIDN'T KNOW AFTER I'D BEEN HERE SO LONG WAS JUST NOT DOING, I COULDN'T DO IT.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Edwin Polverino/Family Physician; :00]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=couldn't do it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The doctors say one of their main objectives is to recruit more family physicians to fill the void left by the other doctors who've left the area.
(--------------------)

[8-11Steak&Ale]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=nkr]
[TAPE#=99-56 TC1:52:12]
[GRAPHIC=Steak and Ale]

Roanoke's Steak and Ale has re-opened.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The number of cars at the restaurant was small last night, but management was pleased.
The Health Department okayed the restaurant's opening after the entire staff was trained in food safety over the weekend.
The health department should know tomorrow what caused last month's outbreak of food poisoning.
(-------------)