WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/10/00

[7-11Dan-River]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-11 11:14]
[GRAPHIC=Dan River]
[***ANCHOR TAG***]
After four days of negotiations, union employees have voted to reject Dan River Incorporated's proposals.
Surae Chinn has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Vote no]
[SUPER=01-Reginald McLaughin/Union Worker; :10]
[SUPER=01-Christopher VanNordan/Union Worker; :28]
[SUPER=@Surae1; :34]
[SUPER=01-Michael Kendrick/Union Worker; :48]
[SUPER=01-Donald Cash/Union Leader; 1:03]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=News 7, Danville.]
(((natbreak: 15:32:11 "vote no")
[RUNS= :02]
Many union employees walked out angry and disappointed at their own union and Dan River Incorporated.
[SOT 15:34:13]
((REGINALD MCLAUGHIN/UNION WORKER: THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO OPEN UP OUR CONTRACT AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO VOTE. THE UNION SHOULD HAVE TOLD THEM NO.))
[RUNS= :07]
Workers did send the message to reject the company's offer. The proposed change would force some employees to work more hours and cut down on overtime pay.
Christopher Vannorden says he didn't like those options.
[SOT 15:28:52]
((CHRISTOPHER VANNORDEN/UNION WORKER: IN AROUND ABOUT WAY WE WERE TOLD IF WE DON'T GIVE IN WE'LL LOSE OUR JOBS.))
[RUNS= :07]
[SOT: 15:48:37]
((SURAE CHINN/REPORTING: UNION EMPLOYEES VOTED AGAINST THE COMPANY'S OFFER TO RENOGOTIATE THE CURRENT CONTRACT. THEIR MAIN CONCERN? GIVING DAN RIVER MILLS THE OPTION OF REQUIRING SOME EMPLOYEES TO WORK 7 STRAIGHT 12 HOUR DAYS.))
[RUNS= :11]
[SOT 15:36:00]
((MICHAEL KENDRICK/UNION WORKER:I'M GOING TO BE WORKING MORE TIME FOR LESS MONEY THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.))
[RUNS= :05]

Union leader Donald Cash says the vote was a chance to respond to the company's desires to expand the home fashions division, a more successful part of the plant, in Danville.
[SOT 15:43:45]
((DONALD CASH/UNION LEADER: APPARENTLY THE VOTE SHOWS AT THE EXPENSE OF A 12 HOURS DAY THEY DON'T WANT THE EXPANSION IN DANVILLE.))
[RUNS= :09]

Now Dan River Mills must decide, despite the vote down, if they will go ahead and expand and keep more jobs in Danville. The company would not comment on the vote until Monday. Surae Chinn News 7, Danville.))
(---------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=hold]

There are still 21 months left on the current contract.
For now that contract stays in effect.

[7-11Textile-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=EQU]
[TAPE#=99-59 1:28:37]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]

It took until last night's midnight deadline for Governor Gilmore to complete work on bills passed during this year's legislative session.
In what's sure to be a new battleground over the fate of the laid off textile workers, the Governor has amended the Assembly's work.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Lawmakers wrote seven million dollars into the budget for emergency health insurance benefits for laid off workers in Martinsville and Henry County.
Gilmore has taken that money and created what he calls the Economic Crisis Recovery Grant program.
(--------)
[Anchor=Melanie]
[ss=none]
Instead of direct payments to workers, the new plan lets localities decide how to use the money. Gilmore said the change offers short-term aid plus long-term economic development.
Eight more localities would now qualify and could use their portion of the funds for any unemployment relief they choose. Legislators may try to restore the original plan at the April 19th veto override session.

[7Weather]

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

Taking a look at your back to work forecast.
Mostly sunny today with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s.
Tonight increasing clouds with lows in the lower 40s.
The extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly/Sunny/65-70/Increasing/Clouds/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[45-11Antique-Appraise]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-03 1:35:10]
[GRAPHIC=none]

One of the hosts of the hit show the Antique Road Show is Pulaski native Ken Farmer.
Over the weekend he put his skills to work locally, appraising some antiques in Blacksburg.
Joy Sutton has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's a really good]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;:07]
[SUPER=01-Ken Farmer/Antique Appraiser;18]
[SUPER=07-Linda Pfeiffer;1:19]
[SUPER=07-Nancy Smith;1:31]
[SUPER=@Joy1;1:42]
[RUNS=1:57]
[OUT Q=n7 blacksburg]
(((///// SOT /////)
[NAT SOT 15:19:06]
[IN Q=It's really good]
((NAT SOT: IT'S A REALLY GOOD PIECE... so you say 2500, WELL YEAH))
[RUNS= 6]
[OUT Q=well yeah]

Ken Farmer's fans lined up behind his table -- each waiting to hear how much their antique item was worth --and to meet the man who is known nationwide as an appraiser on the Antique Road Show on P-B-S.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:10:47]
[IN Q=I think the PBS]
((KEN FARMER: I THINK THE PBS AND OPRAH THING, I CONSIDER THAT A FOUND TREASURE. IT'S LIKE WHAT IS THIS GUY WHO GREW UP IN PULASKI, VIRGINIA AND IS HALF A HILL BILLY DOING ON NATIONAL TELEVISION))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=national television]

Farmer was just one of several appraisers participating in the 2nd annual Antique Appraisal Day. Folks wanting an item appraised paid 10 dollars per piece.
(///// SOT /////)
[NAT SOT4:14:57]
[IN Q=The leopard head]
((NAT SOT: THE LEOPARD HEAD THAT'S A HALL MARK, THAT NOTES VICTORIAN PERIOD))
[RUNS= 3]
[OUT Q=victorian period]

Farmer, who owns an auction house in Radford, says every object is different -- and that's what makes this job so exciting -- not to mention letting people know how valuable their piece of history is.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT4:10:04]
[IN Q=To me it's our job]
((KEN FARMER: TO ME IT'S OUR JOB TO PRESERVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS))
[RUNS= 5]
[OUT Q=future generations]

Carl and Linda Pfeiffer brought in a book written in Latin from the 1500's -- and a civil war sword.
The sword was valued at around 15-hundred dollars -- Farmer wasn't too sure about the book -- but told the couple it was a unique item.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT15:22:43]
[IN Q=We enjoy having them]
((LINDA PFEIFFER: WE ENJOY HAVING THEM AND OUR KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO APPRECIATE THEM. IT'S JUST AN INTERESTING HOBBY))

[RUNS= 06]
[OUT Q=hobby]

Nancy Smith brought in a piece of colonial silver -- that was valued between 10 and 50 thousand dollars.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT15:27:43]
[IN Q=It's just been handed down]
((NANCY SMITH: IT HAS JUST BEEN HANDED DOWN FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS AND MY OWN THREE GRAND CHILDREN WERE CHRISTENED WITH THIS BOWL))
[RUNS= 7]
[OUT Q=this bowl]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:06:40]
[IN Q=All of the proceeds]
(( JOY SUTTON/REPORTER: ALL OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT WILL GO TO BENEFIT THE HISTORIC SMITHFIELD PLANTATION HOUSE BUILT IN 1773. WHICH IS NOW A MUSEUM AND A LIVING DOCUMENT OF HISTORY. THE LAST HOME OF COLONEL WILLIAM PRESTON, A FRONTIER LEADER, AND NOTED SURVEYOR WHO FOSTERED THE SETTLEMENT OF WESTERN LANDS. JOY SUTTON, NEWS 7, BLACKSBURG))
[RUNS= 19]
[OUT Q=n7 blacksburg]))

[45-Robb-VEA]

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

Senator Chuck Robb is calling a plan by G-O-P challenger George Allen a back-door effort to underwrite private school tuition.
Allen proposed federal tax credits for buying educational supplies.
But Robb said after a weekend speech to the Virginia Education Association that the proposal amounts to vouchers for tuition without calling them vouchers.

[45Weather]

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

Taking a look at your Monday forecast.
Mostly sunny today with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s.
Tonight increasing clouds with lows in the lower 40s.
The extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly/Sunny/65-70/Increasing/Clouds/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[8-Dan-River]

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

Union employess have voted against Dan River Incorporated's offer to renegotiate their current contracts.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]

Workers sent the message to reject the company's offer.
The proposed contract changes would cut down on overtime pay and require some exployees to work seven straight 12 hour days.
Union leader Donald Cash says the vote was a chance to respond to Dan River's hopes to expand the home fashion's division, which is a more successful part of the Danville plant.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Apparently]
[SUPER=01-Donald Cash/Union Leader;]
((DONALD CASH/UNION LEADER: APPARENTLY THE VOTE SHOWS AT THE EXPENSE OF A 12 HOUR DAY, THEY DON'T WANT THE EXPANSION IN DANVILLE.))
[RUNS=9]
[OUT Q=in Danville.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Twenty one months remain on the workers current contracts.
Dan River must now decide if they will expand and keep more jobs in Danville.
The company is expected to comment on the vote today.
(------------)

[8-11Textile-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=EQU]
[TAPE#=99-59 1:28:37]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]

This year's legislative session left a number of bills for Governor Gilmore to sign or veto, including relief for laid off textile workers.
In what's sure to be a new battleground over the fate of the workers, the Governor has amended the Assembly's work.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Lawmakers wrote seven million dollars into the budget for emergency health insurance benefits for laid off workers in Martinsville and Henry County.
Gilmore has taken that money and created what he calls the Economic Crisis Recovery Grant program.
(--------)
[Anchor=Melanie]
[ss=none]
Instead of direct payments to workers, the new plan lets localities decide how to use the money. Gilmore said the change offers short-term aid plus long-term economic development.
Eight more localities would now qualify and could use their portion of the funds for any unemployment relief they choose. Legislators may try to restore the original plan at the April 19th veto override session.

[8-11Fugitives]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-16 :11]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The two suspects involved in last week's standoff in Wythe County are now behind bars. [TAKE PINNICAL]
(xxxxxxxx)

Dennis Lewis was released from an area hospital yesterday.
Angela Tanner was released Saturday.
Both are being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co./Thursday;]

The pair had apparently consumed large amounts of Valium during the standoff.
They surrendered Thursday night following a crime spree that started in Tennessee and ended in Wythe County.
(----------)

[8-Suspended-Students]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Eight Danville middle school students were suspended for a week for using Kool-Aid in a way that imitated the use of illegal drugs.
Superintendent Andy Overstreet said some of the students were even sniffing the Kool-Aid.
The seventh- and eighth-graders could have been suspended for a full year for using a look-alike drug.
Instead, they received a lesser punishment under a statute that forbids the possession of contraband on school grounds.
The suspensions occurred last month.