[1-News-Heads]
[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The end of an era at one Furniture Maker-- Employees today say goodbye.
(------------)
While one high tech company in this region is growing.
Plus heat related school announcements.
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
In sports, the Commonwealth games are just a month away, the NBA finals resume tomorrow night, an NBA coach is fired today,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and three express players are in the news today, one for signing, one for hiking and one for pitching, details in sports.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]
Isolated downpours but the rest of the region is hot and dry. It continues in the forecast coming up.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 50:40]
[IN Q=Over the next]
((OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS WE WILL COMPLETE THE TERMINATION OF 300 PEOPLE.))
[RUNS=:04 ]
[OUT Q=300 people.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Lane Furniture employees are bidding farewell to their company.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
Good evening, I'm Jean Jadhon.
[Lane-Furniture]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-07 TC1:59:20]
[GRAPHIC=Layoffs]
[***ANCHOR TAG***]
Employees of what was once the largest employer in Altavista have started to leave.
Two months ago Lane Furniture announced it would let 310 employees go.
That would cut the staff to 600 employees.
Those employees started leaving yesterday.
Surae Chinn tells us how the downsizing is effecting the town.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Ruff/Lane Co. President;]
[SUPER=@Surae1;]
[SUPER=01-Cindy Carter/Cashier;]
[SUPER=01-Joe Kopanko/Store Owner;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=News 7 Altavista]
(( By the end of the month, the Lane Furniture company will have cut more than 300 jobs. That process started this week.
[SOT 52:14]
((JERRY RUFF/LANE FURNITURE CO. PRES.: IT'S A SAD TIME FOR US TO SEE THESE PEOPLE LEAVE THE COMPANY.))
[RUNS:05]
The president of the company, Jerry Ruff says, many have found other work and he's let them leave early to start their new position.
[SOT 52:23]
((JERRY RUFF/LANE FURNITURE CO. PRES.: HALF OF THEM FOUND NEW EMPLOYMENT AND 70 HAVE SIGNED UP TO WORK IN OUR ROCKY MOUNT FACILITY.))
[RUNS:08]
((SURAE CHINN/REPORTING: AND BECAUSE SOME EMPLOYEES HAVE FOUND JOBS ELSEWHERE, BUSINESSES AROUND TOWN HAVE FELT ITS EFFECTS.))
[RUNS:-07]
Cindy Carter works at the One Stop Mart.... a popular lunch spot for Lane employees.
[SOT 1:10:26]
((CINDY CARTER/CASHIER: THEY'VE BEEN REGULAR FOR YEARS AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS THEY ARE REGULARS))
[RUNS:04]
But lunch time is anything but regular at some businesses. Since the company cut a third of its staff, some places have seen a similar drop in business during lunch hours.
[SOT 1:10:02]
((CINDY CARTER/CASHIER: WE ARE BUSY AROUND 11:30 TO 12 WE SEE 20 TO 30 PEOPLE NOW MAY BE 10.))
[RUNS:05]
Another hot spot down the street from the company is also coping with some business loss.
[SOT 1:14:19]
((JOE KOPANKO/STORE OWNER: YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SEE THEM FOR YEARS AND YEARS YOU ARE GOING TO MISS THEM BUT WE'LL HOLD ARE OWN.))
[RUNS: 06]
And so will the Lane company.
[SOT 53:30]
((JEFF RUFF/LANE CO. PRESIDENT: WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT OUR FUTURE IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS ROCKY MOUNT COMMUNITY. LOOKING FORWARD IS LOOKING VERY BRIGHT.))
[RUNS:08]
And the community hopes the future is just as bright as former lane employees are absorbed by other businesses in the area. Surae Chinn News7, Altavista.))
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
The company president says he does not plan to announce any more lay offs.
The company is still willing to transfer people to its Rocky Mount facility.
[Shell-Building]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-05 TC1:56:49]
[GRAPHIC=New Jobs]
A high-tech business started by four Virginia Tech graduates is flourishing.
In fact... A-C-T MicroDevices is growing so fast it's outgrown both of its current operations in the New River Valley.
[Double Boxes=jean and Teresa/newsroom;]
Teresa Hamilton is in our newsroom tonight with more on the company's next move.
[Live=Teresa Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Teresa1;]
Jean-- A-C-T MicroDevices is planning to consolidate its operations by moving into the Blacksburg Industrial Park.
Right now-- the company employs 70- workers but says within the next three years could employ as many as 300.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Fiber optics]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :11]
[SUPER=01-David Sherrer/Company President; :16]
[SUPER=01-Roger Hedgepeth/Blacksburg Mayor; :52]
[RUNS=1:07]
[OUT Q=of the curve even.]
((
[sot 00:54:46]
[in q= Today]
((TODAY WE SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US GET SO FAR.))
[RNS03]
[OUT q= so far.]
David Sherrer is president of A-C-T MicroDevices... the company moving into the Blacksburg Industrial Park.
A-C-T makes components for the photonics and fiber optics industry.
[sot 01:05:07]
[IN Q= Fiber Optics]
((DAVID SHERRER/COMPANY PRESIDENT: FIBER OPTICS BUSINESSES ARE BOOMING, IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR PHOTONICS...ALL BEING DRIVEN BY THE DEMAND FOR VIDEO AND THE INTERNET.))
[runs08]
[out q= the internet.]
A-C-T was created by four Virginia Tech graduates in 1996.
And while the company could've moved to Pennsylvania-- Sherrer says Blacksburg had more to offer.
[sot 01:04:37]
[IN Q= It has ]
((IT HAS A LOT OF AMENITIES OF A LARGER CITY WITH THE CONVENIENCES AND LIFESTYLE OF A SMALLER TOWN.))
[runs10]
[out q = SMALLER TOWN.]
A-C-T will occupy the Blacksburg shell building... which was constructed in 1998..
[sot 01:01:41]
[in q=We're very ]
(( WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS NORMALLY IT CAN TAKE AS MUCH AS THREE YEARS TO DISPOSE OF A SHELL BUILDING, THIS IS AA REALLY JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS SO WE'RE AHEAD OF THE CURVE EVEN.))
[RUNS15]
[OUT Q= curve even.]))
[Live=Teresa Full/Microwave]
Economic incentives on the state and local level also kept A-C-T MicroDevices in the area.
[Double Boxes=Jean and Teresa/Microwave]
Jean-- the company hopes to move into its new location this fall.
[Tultex]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-13 TC15:04]
[GRAPHIC=Tultex Chapter 11]
Thousands of pieces of Tultex equipment are up for bid.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville;]
Knitting, dyeing, sewing and finishing equipment have gone on the auction block in Martinsville.
The three day bankruptcy auction started this morning. You have one more day in Martinsville to check out the items. Then your last chance to bid is Wednesday in South Boston.
There is also a web site you can bid directly on line or just view the more than two thousand items for sale.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE WEB WATCH ADDRESS FULL]
You can hook on to that site through the webwatch section of our homepage at WDBJ-7-dot-com.
(------------)
[Schools-Heat]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=School Info]
The heat is continuing to affect the schedules at several area schools.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARDS]
Bedford City and County schools will close two hours early for the rest of the week.
In Lynchburg, Sheffield and Dearington elementaries will shut down at 1 P-M tomorrow and Thursday.
And all Pittsylvania County schools will close at 1:00 tomorrow and Thursday.
(-------------)
[TOSS TO ROBIN]
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[SS=NONE]
Students in Lyncburg are enjoying success in the S-O-L's.
That's still ahead on News 7 at Six.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
And two Roanoke County school projects will stay on schedule, while costs are still on the rise.
(----------------)
[WEB-ADDRESS]
(///// SOT /////)
[Web Address Announce]
[Pinnacle 4885ess]
[COMMERCIAL]
[County-Supers]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-08 TC1:52:39]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co.]
The Roanoke County Supervisors took steps this afternoon to keep two school construction projects on schedule.
But they also reignited the debate over the cost.
[Double Boxes=Jean and JoeD/Microwave]
Joe Dashiell is at the County Administration Building tonight with details on this latest controversy.
[Live=JoeE Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@joe1]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.]
Jean... the friction over school construction projects is nothing new... today it boiled over again... as two of the supervisors warned that rising costs will threaten the county's ability to build and operate these and other new schools.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It really bothers me]
[SUPER=01-Bob Johnson/Hollins Supervisor; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Canada/School Board Chairman; :31]
[RUNS=:49]
[OUT Q=pretty much all the time.]
(([SOT 19:36]
[IN Q=It really bothers me]
[RUNS= :15]
[OUT Q=how we're going to get there.]
At issue were bids on site development for the new South County High School and for the renovations at Glenvar Middle School.
The supervisors ultimately voted to advance the necessary funds, but not before a heated debate over the rising cost of the two projects.
[SOT 01:25:44]
[IN Q=I think this is just]
[RUNS= :20]
[OUT Q=pretty much all the time.] ))
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[Live=JoeD Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.]
(ad lib)
[Double Boxes=JoeD and Jean/Microwave]
[L'burg-SOL]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-14 TC1:08:30]
[GRAPHIC=SOL's]
The results are NOT yet official, but Lynchburg educators say they're pleased with how their students did in the recent round of S-O-L testing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
Half the city's elementary schools are provisionally accredited and meet state standards.. another five are accredited but need improvement, and one was accredited with warning.
All three middle schools meet the new standards for this year, and so does one of the two high schools.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:08:42]
[IN Q=The tests have]
((JAMES MCCORMICK/LYNCHBURG SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: THE TESTS HAVE TOLD US THAT TEACHERS CONTINUE TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD.. THE TEACHERS HAVE SET VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE STUDENTS, THEY'VE SET VERY, VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THEMSELVES TOO, AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS APPRECIATIVE OF THAT FACT. THEY TELL US HAVE SOME WEAKNESSES, THEY TELL YS WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF STRENGTHS THOUGH TOO.))
[SUPER=01-James McCormick/Lynchburg School Superintendent]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=strengths though too.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The school board is getting its first look at those numbers tonight.
The final state scores won't be released until August.
(------------)
[Fulcher]
[ANCHOR=jean]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-10 TC1:55:20]
[GRAPHIC=Mike Fulcher]
He is a Former federal informant. Now Michael Fulcher is fighting an eight-year-old conviction for theft.
A petition filed in Roanoke's federal court says Fulcher was illegally prosecuted for stealing a couple of riding lawn mowers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./April 1999;]
Fulcher's attorney says the only witness against him in Bedford County circuit court later recanted her testimony.
Another witness, after the trial, said an investigator offered her money for her testimony.
Fulcher wants a federal judge to set aside his conviction and sentence.
He's currently in a state prison in Buckingham County.
(------------)
[Hale-NAACP]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-12 TC1:13:11]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Two years after a controversial election, the Roanoke branch of the N- Double- A- C- P will choose new officers in November.
Today, the first candidates stepped forward.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
A group calling itself, The Election Committee for New Leadership, announced a full slate at a morning news conference.
Brenda Hale is running for President.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 59:39]
[IN Q=Today as we stand up]
((BRENDA HALE/CANDIDATE FOR NAACP PRES.: TODAY AS WE STAND UP, OUR REPUTATIONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND THE THINGS AND THE WORKS THAT WE WILL DO WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE CREDIBILITY BEHIND THEM. WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS OF ALWAYS TRYING TO DO THE BEST FOR THE CHAPTER, AND FOR THE MEMBERS AND WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.))
[SUPER=01-Brenda Hale/Candidate for NAACP Pres.]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=good for the community.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Hale ran for Chapter President in 1998, and narrowly won the first election. But the vote was contested, and Martin Jeffrey won when a second election was held a few months later.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
The markets recovered from yesterday's drops.
[TAKE DOW, NASDAQ & BLOOMBERG PAGE ]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/57.63/10621.84/x/83.16/3851.07/x/1.57/114.35;]
The DOW gained 58-points while NASDAQ climbed 83.
The Bloomberg News 7 Index gained about a point and a half.
[SUPER=431-u/35b/u/34/ig/55r/h1c/55$/ib/24;]
[SUPER=432-ia/2g/u/44d/ia/30c/i#/38c/h1#/51@;]
[SUPER=433-h6f/28#/he/19/i@/17d/i3f/32f/ib/27b;]
[SUPER=434-u/13/if/59!/hr/47*/h1/70c/h2e/55;]
[Promo]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Richmond is getting ready for its first taste of John Rocker.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The controversial pitcher may take the mound tonight.
It's his first home game since he was sent down to the Richmond Braves last week.
A news 7 crew will be at the game and we'll have a full report tonight on News 7 at Eleven.
(------------)
[Sports tease]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
The Express signs a player, we will tell you who that is, the Commonwealth Games committee talks about some new sports this summer,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the NBA finals resume tomorrow as a team NOT competing fires it's head coach today.
(------------)
[S-Express]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-75]
[GRAPHIC=Express]
The Roanoke Express season might be over but new coach Perry Florio has been working hard securing his roster. Today Florio announced the signing of defenseman Travis Smith.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="i'm happy]
[SUPER=01-Travis Smith/Express Defenseman; :00]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=....real happy"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
Smith registered 14 points and 133 penalty minutes this past season and lead the team in plus-minus at plus 16. The Express has now signed nine players.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="it's good]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=.....alot easier"]
(------------)
[S-Gates]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-76]
[GRAPHIC=express]
A couple of other Express players are making headlines this off season as well. Aaron Gates is hiking acrosse the continent and Rob Sweyer is trying his hand at baseball.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
Gates, an Express defenseman is a noted out doorsman. In about two weeks he will complete a hike from Massachusetts to Canada and back. The hike is between 700 and 8-00 miles and he is doing most of it alone. He is hiking 20 miles a day and eats rice and snickers bars.
Forward Rob Sweyer tried outt for the Canadien Olympic baseball team this summer and was one of the fianl cuts. Sweyer one heck of a pitcher accroding to the the Express play-by playt announcer Randy Sominski.
(------------)
[S-Games]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-68 47:09]
[GRAPHIC=commonwealth games]
The Commonwealth Games return to the Roanoke Valley July 14th through the 16th. This is the 11th year of Virginia's Olympics and fans can competitors can expect some news sports in this summers games.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="we have]
[SUPER=01-Pete Lampman/Va. Amateur Sports Pres.; :00]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=.....game"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
Virginia Amateur Sports held a news conference today to promote the games. The commonwealth games committee is expecting to almost double it's number of athletes since the state Olympics began a decade ago.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I came]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=.....grown"]
(--------)[S-Compton]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-69]
[GRAPHIC=South Boston]
The South Boston Speedway's Busch series textilease Midque 300 is in the books at a track that always remembers the stars that have moved on.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Boston; :00]
Recently, the speedway erected the Stacy Compton tower in honor of the former South Boston star who is now competing in Winston Cup.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="he's]
[SUPER=01-Cathy Rice/South Boston Speedway GM; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=....south boston speedway"]
(---------)
[S-Ford]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-71 2957TC]
[GRAPHIC=THOMAS JONES]
Former UVa star Thomas Jones begins training camp for the Arizona Cardinals later this summer. On Sunday, the tailback was signing autograps in Richmond at the Tuff Stuff Summer Classic sports card show.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
Jones has become the early darling of collectors from all around the country.
Many think he is the odds on favorite to win rookie of the year honors, and almost all of the experts consider him a can't miss prospect in the NFL.
Local card dealers think he's can't miss profit.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=IN MY OPINION...]
[SUPER=01-Ronnie Leftwich/A & R Card Shop Owner; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill Bryant/The Wax Box Owner; :14]
[RUNS=:30]
[OUT Q=THERE THIS TIME."]
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[S-Carter]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-61]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(------------)
[VO-NAT wipe to #eng]
[SUPER=04-NBA; :00]
One NBA note. The Toronto Raptors will have a new head coach
next season. Despite reaching the N-B-A playoffs for the first time
in their history this year, they've fired Butch Carter following a
series of off-court distractions. The Raptors won under 20 games two years ago and then this past season, with Vince Carter, Toronto over 4 games.
(------------)
[Tredegar-Center]
[ANCHOR=jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-15 TC48:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]
This weekend, Richmond's Tredegar Iron works takes on a new identity rooted in the old.
Ellen Qualls reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=April third]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=01-Cynthia MacLeod/Park Superintendent;]
[SUPER=@Ellen1;]
[RUNS=1:53]
[OUT Q=advance tours.]
by SS