WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/24/00

[7-11Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

A shooting outside a Martinsville restaurant leaves one person dead and another injured.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]

It happened last night at an Applebee's restaurant last night on Commonwealth boulevard.
Authorities found a 28 year old hispanic male lying on the pavement behind the restaurant suffering from gun shot wounds.
He was taken to Martinsville Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A female was was also wounded and taken to the hospital.
There is not word yet on her condition or on a motive for the shooting.
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[7-M'Ville-Murder]

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

Martinsville Police are investigating another murder that happened over the weekend.
Shortly before 11 Saturday night authorties received a call that a black male was lying on the ground near 600 Fourth Street.
When officers arrived they found the man who has been identified as 27 year old Sidney Lloyd Jones of Martinsville.
Jones was pronounced dead at the hospital

[7-11Fatal-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-10 33:10]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A head on collision in Franklin County claimed the life of a Callaway woman.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

Authorities say around three yesterday afternoon 67-year old Norma Miller was driving on Bethlehem Road in Boones Mill when she attempted to pass a pickup truck.
A Bronco coming from the other direction collided with Miller's Subaru. Miller died at the scene.
The driver and passenger in the Bronco were taken to Roanoke Memorial by EMS -- officials say their injuries were not life threatening.
The road was closed down for two hours but has since reopened.
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[7-11Car-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-08 41:19]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Amd a car accident in Salem sent five people to the hospital.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

It happened at around 11 -yesterday morning on West Main Street.
A car turning off of Fort Lewis Boulevard pulled out in front of another vehicle traveling west.
The two cars collided. Authorities say none of the injuries appears life threatening.
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[7-11General-Assembly]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-05 58:45]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia]

Turning to state politics, some members of the state's general assembly say they need more time to vote on bills.

(-------------)
[VO-NAT 00-07 1:02:47]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/File Tape;]

During this years 60 day session 32-hundred bills were introduced -- that's 50 percent more than just ten years ago.
Some lawmakers claim they sometimes don't even know what they're voting on.
In an effort to find a solution to the problem some have recommended fewer committees.
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[7-11Criminal-Justice]

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

A Civil Rights commission claims Virginia's criminal justice system is harsher on blacks than other racial group.

After looking at state police records, the 15 member group determined that blacks are charged with crimes at disproportional rates.
The formal report will be issued this week.
The commission serves as an advisory board to President Clinton on civil-rights issues.

[7Weather]

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

Here's a look at your Monday forecast...
Clouds thicken today with rain moving in by this afternoon.
Highs today in the upper 50s to 60.
Tonight, heavy rain at times with lows in the upper 40s.
The extended forecast...

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[45-11Gas-Station]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=00-01 2:04;03]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

A gas station located on a busy Roanoke road has seen a drop in business.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The Save X Gas Station on Route 220 in Roanoke used to be open all night, but not anymore.
When the new Lowes went up across the street the sales here went down.
That's because the state put in a new cement divider. People heading southbound can turn into the station, but they can't get back out going South.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:41]
[IN Q=]
((GRISELL ROBINETTE/SAVE X CLERK: OUR SALES, OUR BUSINESS HAS GONE DOWN, A LOT OF CARS CAN'T GET IN HERE.))
[SUPER=01-Grisell Robinette/Save-X Clerk]
[RUNS=07]
[OUT Q=can't get in here.]
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[VO-NAT]

The store used to bring in between five and six hundred dollars between midnight and six A-M. That dropped to around 150 a night- so now the store is closed during those hours.
Southbound truckers- who made up a big portion of sales- just keep rolling by.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:18]
[IN Q=]
((WELL GOING SOUTH WE JUST IN TROUBLE, CANT' TURN UP IN THERE. REPORTER: WHAT DO YOU DO? JUST KEEP STRAIGHT ON DOWN TO THE NEXT TRUCK STOP.)) [Butt to 6:08] ((EUGENE SMALLEY/TRUCKER: GOING NORTH WE USUALLY STOP BUT COMING HOME WE USUALLY STOP IN TROUTVILLE. WE CAN'T STOP, WE CAN'T GET IN THERE AT ALL.))
[SUPER=01-Roosevelt Lucas/Trucker;00]
[Super=01-Eugene Smalley/Trucker; 15]
[RUNS=24]
[OUT Q=IN THERE AT ALL.]
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[VO-NAT]

While the state built the divider for safety- the Save X manager Charlie Gremore says there are alternatives that could have kept the store accessible without jeopardizing safety.
He says the Save X owner tried to talk to the state but it didn't do any good.
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[45-11Prices-Fuel]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Gas Prices Down]
Gas prices are dropping. So far the average cost has gone down nearly four cents a gallon in the past two weeks. Officials attribute the lower cost to increased oil production and a greater supply of gasoline. Still prices are not where they were last year at this time -- the average price of gas is one dollar 53-cents a gallon.

[45-Otte-Court]

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

A court hearing is scheduled today in the case of the New Kent County woman accused of killing her baby in a microwave oven.
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[VO-NAT]

The court is expected to hear about the progress of pyschological testing on Elizabeth Otte.
[SUPER=03-New Kent/File Tape]

The 20-year-old woman faces a first-degree murder charge in the death last September of the baby, Joseph Lewis Martinez.
Authorities are trying to determine whether Otte, who takes medication for epilepsy, could have suffered a seizure that left her so disoriented that she put the baby in the microwave and didn't realize it.
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[45-11General-Assembly]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-05 58:45]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia]

Some members of the state's general assembly say they need more time to vote on bills.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT 00-07 1:02:47]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/File Tape;]
During this years 60 day session 32-hundred bills were introduced -- that's 50 percent more than just ten years ago.

Some lawmakers claim they sometimes don't even know what they're voting on. In an effort to find a solution to the problem some have recommended fewer committees.
(------------)

[45Weather]

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

Let's check out the Easter Monday forecast...
Thickening clouds throughout the day with rain developing by afternoon.
Highs around 60.
The rain could be heavy overnight, with lows in the mid and uppper 40s.
Looking ahead to the next five days.... staying damp and cool...then warming up toward the end of the week.

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[8-11Shooting]

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

One person is dead and another injured after a shooting outside a Martinsville restaurant.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]

It happened at the Applebee's restaurant last night on Commonwealth boulevard.
Authorities found a 28 year old hispanic male lying on the pavement behind the restaurant suffering from gun shot wounds.
He was taken to Martinsville Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A female was also wounded and taken to the hospital.
There is not word yet on her condition or on a motive for the shooting.
Police are also not saying whether they're are looking for a suspect.
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[8-M'Ville-Murder]

[8-Otte-Court]

[8-11Fatal-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-10 33:10]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A head on collision in Franklin County claimed the life of a Callaway woman.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]
Authorities say around three yesterday afternoon 67-year old Norma Miller was driving on Bethlehem Road in Boones Mill when she attempted to pass a pickup truck. A Bronco coming from the other direction collided with Miller's Subaru. Miller died at the scene. The driver and passenger in the Bronco were taken to Roanoke Memorial by EMS -- officials say their injuries were not life threatening. The road was closed down for two hours but has since reopened.
(------------)

[8-11Car-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-08 41:19]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]
Five people were sent to the hospital after a car accident in Salem.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

It happened around 11 -yesterday morning on West Main Street. A car turning off of Fort Lewis Boulevard pulled out in front of another vehicle traveling west.
The two cars collided. Authorities say none of the injuries appears life threatening.
(------------)

[8-11-64-Ax]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

An accident closed part of Interstate 64 for about an hour yesterday.
It happened around 4:15 when a tractor trailor ran off the road and into a ravine at mile marker 1-0-3.
No one was injured.
Cars were detoured though to Route 250 while crews cleared up the wreckage.. Tractor trailers were allowed through because they can't travel on route 250.

[8Weather]

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

Let's check out the forecast once more this morning...
Look for clouds to build up today..with rain likely this afternoon.
Highs near 60.
Heavy rain is possible at times tonight, with lows in the upper 40s.
Looking ahead to the next five days.... staying damp and cool...then warming up toward the end of the week.

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