WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 07/12/00

[7-11Inmate-Escape]

[ANCHOR=Denise]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-17 TC1:23:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Montgomery County jail inmate who briefly tasted freedom after an escape is back behind bars this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Deputies say 22-year-old Melvin Leftwich Junior fled down a shaft for a food service elevator at the jail.
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]

He was a trustee assigned to clean up in the area.
Authorities believe someone met up with him outside the jail.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:19 - :31]
[IN Q=Outside the kitchen]
((CAPT. ROBERT HALL: OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN, WE FOUND THE ORANGE PRISONER UNIFORMS STUFFED UP UNDER A GENERATOR, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS HE HAD CHANGED CLOTHES OUTSIDE THE JAIL.))
[SUPER=01-Robert Hall/Chief Correctional Officer;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=outside the jail..]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Deputies found Leftwich asleep in an abandoned firetower in the Plum Creek section of the county.
He was recaptured without incident.
Leftwich was serving a two-year sentence for violating probation on a grand larceny conviction.
(------------)

[7-11Pruitt]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-21 TC1:02:36]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A Danville man wanted for murder died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A six-day search for 40-year old Clyde Scott Pruitt led police to the Overby and Scales Street area of Danville.
[SUPER=03-Danville]

After a house-to-house search, police found Pruitt in the backroom of a friend's house. Police say Pruitt shot himself in the head as they approached.
Pruitt was listed in critical condition at Danville Regional Medical Center before he died.
(------------)

[7-11L'burg-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-22 TC50:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A man died yesterday shortly after he apparently fell from a moving pick-up truck.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

It happened around 2:30 in the 400 block of Coffee Road in Lynchburg.
41-year old Curtis Fitzgerald was riding in the back of a truck when he fell out and his head hit the pavement.
He died a short while later at Lynchburg General Hospital.
(------------)

[7-11Bees]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-28 TC19:44]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In Alleghany County, experts from Virginia Tech destroyed hives of bees that killed a goat.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The pet goat belonged to James Downey... who was also stung some 40 times by the bees.
[SUPER=03-Alleghany Co./Monday Night;]

The bees made their home in several vacant hives in Downey's backyard.
The U-S Department of Agriculture is trying to determine the type of bee that killed the animal.
Experts think the bees are European honey bees... and NOT Africanized killer bees.
Scientists with the U-S-D-A hope to have their research complete today.
(------------)

[7Abortion]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Abortion]
TheVirginia law banning "partial birth" abortion is holding support from Attorney General Mark Early.
That's despite the U-S Supreme Court's decision last month to strike down a similar law in Nebraska.
Earley filed papers yesterday with a federal appeals court - saying Virginia's law differs enough from Nebraska's that it can still stand despite the Supreme Court ruling.
In light of the High Court's decision - abortion rights advocates in Virginia asked the appeals court to rescind its order allowing enforcement of the law.

[7Weather]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

In your local forecast, it looks like we'll have a wet morning, but it should clear out later, look for a high in the mid-to-upper 70's. Tonight, the skies will be partly cloudy with a little wind. The low in the low 60's. Taking a look at the extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Morning Showers,/Then Partly Sunny/75-79/Partly Cloudy/Calm Wind/60-64;ECAST]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[45-11City-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Education]
The Superintendent of Roanoke City Schools says the S-O-L scores are in, and they are outstanding.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

During Doctor Wayne Harris's State of the School Address last night he said Raleigh Court Elementary School and James Madison Middle School passed all of their S-O-L exams.
Harris says the leadership from the teachers is one reason for the high marks.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:53:26]
[IN Q=I WAS]
((DR. WAYNE HARRIS: I WAS EXPECTING OUR TEACHERS TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND DO THE THINGS WE NEEDED TO DO WE STILL HAVE SOME NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS NOT ALL SCHOOLS DID AS WELL AS WE HOPED BUT THE MOMENTUM WILL PULL US THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Wayne Harris/Roanoke Superintendent]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=another year.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Harris also says students are taking more college courses, attendance is up, and classes to prepare students for the workforce are becoming more popular.
(------------)

[45-11Scrap-theft]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Thieves have now targeted a Roanoke scrap yard.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

So much metal has been stolen from Virginia Scrap Iron and Metal... the owner is offering a 500 dollar reward for information about the thefts.
It's an odd case, because scrap metal is not an easy thing to re-sell quietly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:21:25]
[IN Q=Sometimes it shows]
((SOMETIMES IT SHOWS UP AT THE OTHER SCRAP YARDS, AND THEY COOPERATE OF COURSE. BUT LOTS OF TIMES IT JUST NEVER SHOWS UP ANYWHERE. IT'S LIKE IF LEFT HERE AND VANISHED.))
[SUPER=01-Dave Abbott/Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal Co.]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=here and vanished.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Abbott figures it's either going out of the area or is being stolen to fill the needs of a particular individual.
He points to a stack of computer- room floor pieces. Not long ago, someone came in and stole a stack of pieces like this... all numbered and ready to be shipped.
(------------)

[45-11Gilmore-VDOT]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The state is investigating the Virginia Department of Transportation.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-VDOT]

But now, the probe into cost overruns and road construction issues comes from a Republican majority-- launching an investigation the Republican governor tried hard to avoid.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well, I don't]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: WELL I DON'T FEEL AS MUCH HEARTBURN...CHANGE WITHIN VDOT.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=change within VDOT.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Democrats had sought a legislative investigation last week-- which Governor Gilmore ridiculed as partisan.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 08:41:33]
[IN Q=When that]
((DEL. BILLY ROBINSON/(D) NORFOLK: WHEN THAT BI-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION...PROTECT SOMEONE'S CAMPAIGN.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Billy Robinson/(D) Norfolk;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=someone's campaign.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Kim]
[SS=None]

A previous study by this same commission cited former Governor George Allen's downsizing of the state work force as draining the institutional knowledge at V-DOT.
Allen is now running for the U-S Senate.

[45Weather]

[8-11Pruitt]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-21 TC1:02:36]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A Danville man wanted for murder died after apparently shooting himself in the head yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A six-day search for 40-year old Clyde Scott Pruitt led police to the Overby and Scales Street area of Danville.
[SUPER=03-Danville]

After a house-to-house search, police found Pruitt in the backroom of a friend's house. Police say Pruitt shot himself in the head as they approached.
Pruitt had been listed in critical condition at Danville Regional Medical Center before he died.
(------------)

[8-11Inmate-Escape]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-17 TC1:23:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]
After fleeing a Montgomery County jail, a clever escape artists couldn't elude authorities.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Deputies say 22-year-old Melvin Leftwich Junior fled down a shaft for a food service elevator at the jail.
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]

He was a trustee assigned to clean up in the area.
Authorities believe someone met up with him outside the jail.
Deputies found Leftwich asleep in an abandoned firetower in the Plum Creek section of the county.
He was recaptured without incident.
Leftwich was serving a two-year sentence for violating probation on a grand larceny conviction.
(------------)

[8-11L'burg-Ax]

[8-11VMI-Ad]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-30 TC27:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]
You might see some familiar faces on TV next month, Coca Cola will air a new commercial featuring hundreds of local actors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington;]
A California film company shot the ad at V-M-I yesterday - it has a graduation theme. Coke officials would not let us talk to the extras or watch the filming. But they let us inside for a few minutes when everyone was out to lunch. The actors fill this building, which has no air conditioning, with smoke as a special effect. Union actors from Los Angeles -- already on strike nationwide -- held a silent protest.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:03:10]
[IN Q=We have a photograph]
((WE HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THEM TAKING FROM A TRASH CAN, DUMPING THE WATER FOR THESE PEOPLE TO DRINK. WE DON'T THINK THAT'S VERY SANITARY EITHER.))
[SUPER=01-Michael Brennan/Actor on Strike;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=very sanitary either]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

But extras walked by with a Coke and a smile. From their dorm rooms, V-M-I students protested the picketers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:17:00]
[IN Q=We're getting]
((WE'RE GETTING REALLY TIRESOME OF IT. WE'RE SITTING HERE JUST TRYING TO GET AN EDUCATION AND HERE THEY ARE, PICKETING COCA-COLA.))
[SUPER=01-Corey Stavinoha/VMI Student; QUICK!]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=picketing Coca-Cola]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The casting director says Coke chose the area for its many NON-union actors, but a Coke spokesperson says they came for the controlled environment of V-M-I.
(------------)