WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 07/27/00

[7-11Celanese-Agreement]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-18 1:39:08]
[GRAPHIC=Celanese]
More than a month after their contract expired, Celanese and its workers' union say they've reached a "tentative" contract agreement
They aren't saying much more though.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co./June;]

The proposed three-year contract follows two days of mediated negotiations between union and Celanese bargaining teams.
Celanese, which makes acetate used in cigarette filters and clothing, is the New River Valley's eighth largest employer.
It has more than 12-hundred workers.
Workers rejected the contract offered by Celco last month after negotiations broke down.
The tentative contract deal will go before union members for a vote in the next few weeks.
(------------)

[7-11NS-Earnings]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi/sbu]
[TAPE#=net N]
[GRAPHIC=Norfolk Southern]

Norfolk Southern got some good financial news..
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
[TAPE#=00-16 47:07]

Second quarter earnings rose 10 cents a share.
The company has had its share of financial trouble following the merger with Conrail in 1997.
Officials announced the layoffs of its Roanoke car shop in May, hoping to cut some operating expenses.
Norfolk Southern operates rail lines in 22 states.
(------------)
[anchor=Kim]
[graphic=Hold]

N-S still plans a round of layoffs next Friday.

[7-11Power-Plant]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-13 1:57:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A proposed facility by a power plant corporation could land in Henry County

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]

The Henry County board of supervisors approved a development agreement to have Cogentrix build a new power plant near the Axton substation.
The project would create 40 jobs with salaries of 50-thousand dollars.
In addition 500 temporary jobs would be needed to construct the plant.
The corporation would invest millions of dollars in the county which would mean millions in tax revenues.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 8:00:25]
[IN Q=]
((SID CLOWER/CO. ADMINISTRATOR: WHICH WE ESTIMATE TO BE ABOUT 2. 4 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR BASED ON ASSESSMENT AND ABOUT 11 YEARS IN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.))
[SOT 8:12:50]
((JEF FREEMAN/COGENTRIX: THOSE THAT ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD EMBRACE A PLANT LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT TRULY REPRESENTS THE BEST WAY OF PRODUCING ELECTRICITY. WE'VE PUT EVERYTHING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.))

[SUPER=01-Sid Clower/County Administrator;]
[SUPER=01-Jef Freeman/Cogentrix; :12]
[RUNS=:27]
[OUT Q=reduce emmissions.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The corporation still needs to meet state and federal regulations. It hopes to start construction by the end of next year.
(----------------)

[7-11HUD-Grant]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-25 37:22]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a grant to Danville.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]

The announcement came as local leaders and housing authority officials listened to a phone conference by the HUD Secretary yesterday afternoon.
Danville will receive 20 million dollars to tear down the 232 apartments at Liberty View and replace them with single family homes.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:00:57]
[IN Q=Libert View, it]
((DARYL DALTON/ :LIBERTY VIEW, IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE A YEAR BUT WE WILL IMMEDIATELY THIN LIBERTY VIEW OUT AND WE WON'T HOUSE ANY NEW PEOPLE. IN A YEAR'S TIME LIBERTY VIEW WILL BE DEMOLISHED.))
[SUPER=01-Daryl Dalton/Danville Housing Authority;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=will be demolished.]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

The local housing authority has been applying for this grant for five years.
HUD also awarded Norfolk with a grant of 35 million dollars.
(---------------)

[7WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Time now to check out your Thursday forecast...

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[SUPER=314-Morning Fog/Afternoon Sun/80-85/Clear/Skies/63-68;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[ESS C] (EXTENDED)[45-11Broughman]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte/sbu]
[TAPE#=00-16 2:00:08]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A Botetourt County man may now plead guilty to killing his brother.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
[TAPE#=00-26 32:29]
Roger (Bruff-man) Broughman is expected to take the rap for voluntary manslaughter on August 10 rather than face a second trial. He was charged with murder -- but last month a jury could not agree whether he was guilty.
[Super=04-File Tape]
Broughman claims he killed his brother because Rocky was reaching for his gun. He could spend up to 10 years in prison and pay up to 25-hundred-dollars in fines.
(------------)

[45-11Pledge]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu/sbu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Pledge]

Roanoke Patrolman Frederick Pledge - accused of helping drug dealers- hasn't managed to post the 100-thousand dollar property bond yet that a judge set for him yesterday.
The attorney for the 29-year old police officer submitted 38 statements from family, friends and co-workers in support of Pledge's release.
Once he gets out, he'll be subject to a 10:30 curfew, in addition to the usual conditions of remaining free of drugs and firearms.
Officer Pledge is charged with racketeering and drug trafficking.
The government expects to present a superseding indictment next month. That may name additional suspects and criminal counts.
Pledge remains in the New River Regional Jail.

[45-11Corporal-Punishment]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A controversial regulation that would have allowed foster parents to use corporal punishment is making state officials have second thoughts.
The guidelines were scheduled to take effect in November, but the Department of Social Services now says it will hold a public hearing in Richmond in early September before implementing the foster care regulations.
The new guidelines would allow foster parents to hit, shake or pinch children as long as the action is not "abusive." Many child advocacy groups oppose the regulations.

[45-Floyd-Currency]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Floyd County group wants some new cash to be added to resident's wallets. It's called "scrip" - a form of currency that can be used only in a localized area.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Example]
Scrip is used in several towns and cities nationwide .. Usually, the currency is broken up into "Hours" - each "hour" note represents the value of one-hour's work.
[SUPER=03-Floyd]
The "Floyd Scrip Study Group" is looking into implementing the currency system into the community. They say using the money can strengthen the local economy by keeping cash flow confined to an area.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's not...]
[SUPER=01-Dawn Shiner/Floyd Scrip Study Group]
((DAWN SHINER/"FLOYD SCRIP STUDY GROUP": IT'S NOT IN ANY WAY ELIMINATING FEDERAL RESERVE NOTES - IT'S TOTALLY WORKING ALONG SIDE - IT'S JUST SAYING, HERE'S THIS VALUE, RIGHT HERE IN FLOYD - LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SPEND OUR MONEY HERE, BEFORE WE HAVE TO SPEND IT OUTSIDE.))
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=spend it outside.]
(---------------)
[NAT-VO] The study group says nothing is final at this point .. But, members say they've contacted several local businesses interested in taking part in this new economy.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]

They say they'll name the currency, "Floydian Scrip." [45WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Taking a break from the news to look at today's weather---

Expect the morning clouds and fog to give way to sunshine...

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[SUPER=314-Morning Fog/Afternoon Sun/80-85/Clear/Skies/63-68;]
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[ESS C] (EXTENDED)[8-11Celanese-Agreement]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-18 1:39:08]
[GRAPHIC=Celanese]

More than a month after the previous contract expired, Celanese and its employees' union say they've reached a
new "tentative" contract agreement.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co./June;]

The proposed three-year contract follows two days of mediated negotiations between union and Celanese bargaining teams.
Celanese, which makes acetate used in cigarette filters and clothing, is the New River Valley's eighth largest employer.
It has more than 12-hundred workers.
Workers rejected the contract offered by Celco last month after negotiations broke down.
The tentative contract deal will go before union members for a vote in the next few weeks.
(------------)

[8-11Pledge]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu/sbu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Pledge]

A 100- thousand- dollar property bond is keeping Roanoke police officer Frederick Pledge behind bars.
Pledge is charged with racketeering and drug trafficking.
The attorney for the 29-year old officer submitted 38 statements from family, friends and co-workers in support of Pledge's release.
Once he gets out, he'll be subject to a 10:30 curfew, in addition to the usual conditions of remaining free of drugs and firearms.
The government expects to present a superseding indictment next month. That may name additional suspects and criminal counts.
Pledge remains in the New River Regional Jail.

[8-11Tech-Grant]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-22 1:09:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Virginia Tech's College of Human Resources and Education received a three-quarter-million- dollar grant from the U-S Army.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]

Shelly Nickols-Richardson is just one of the researchers who will work on a study to determine ways to prevent stress fractures in women who begin military training.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT4:05:10]
[IN Q=The U-S army]
((SHELLY NICKOLS-RICHARDSON/ASST. PROFESSOR HUMAN Nutrition THE U-S ARMY HAS FUNDED A GRANT FOR US AT ABOUT 740-THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT'S A TWO YEAR PROJECT IN WHICH WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING OR ENGAGING WOMEN IN A SPECIAL TYPE OF RESISTANCE TRAINING TO HELP BUILD THEIR BONE STRENGTH AND LOOK AT PROPERTIES THAT CHANGE IN THE BONE))
[SUPER=01-Shelly Nickols-Richardson/Assistant Professor]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=the bone]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Nickols-Richardson says up to 30 percent of women in the military experience some type of stress fracture.
(------------)

[8-11Broughman]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte/sbu]
[TAPE#=00-16 2:00:08]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Botetourt county man may plead guilty to killing his brother.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
[TAPE#=00-26 32:29]
Roger (Bruff-man) Broughman is expected to take the rap for voluntary manslaughter on August 10 rather than face a second trial. He was charged with murder -- but last month a jury could not agree whether he was guilty.
[Super=04-File Tape]
Broughman claims he killed his brother because Rocky was reaching for his gun. He could spend up to 10 years in prison and pay up to 25-hundred-dollars in fines.
(------------)

[8WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Shifting gears now to weather--
Expect some morning fog, then lots of sun by afternoon...

[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Morning Fog/Afternoon Sun/80-85/Clear/Skies/63-68;]
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