!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/loose.dtd"> WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 08/15/00

[7-11Carroll-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Summer vacation will last an extra week for Carroll County schools.
Five elementary schools in the county are still under construction. Parents convinced the school board to delay the start date for safety reasons.
The first day for all students has been pushed back from this Thursday, August 17, to next Thursday, the 24th.

[7-11FOI-Law]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-22 TC1:35:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Virginia's first "sunshine office" is up and running. There you can get information and advice on how to keep tabs on your state and local governments.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]


A legislative commission headed up by Roanoke Delegate Chip Woodrum recommended the new Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council Office.
Its new director has some basic goals.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:10:08]
[IN Q=When somebody calls]

((MARIA EVERETT/VIRGINIA FOI COUNCIL DIRECTOR: WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS, WHEN THEY HANG UP THE PHONE, THEY THINK GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR ME. THEY GET A POSITIVE IMPRESSION OF GOVERNMENT. AND SO I THINK IF PEOPLE JUST CALL ME AND ASK THEIR QUESTIONS OF HOW DO I GET THIS, WHETHER IT'S AN ACCESS TO A MEETING QUESTION OR CAN I RECORD A MEETING... THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS OFFICE. AND WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING A WEBSITE.))
[SUPER=01-Maria Everett/Virginia FOI Council Director;]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=a website.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Kimberly]
[SS=NOne]


Everett conducted an "F-O-I-A" road show at community colleges last year.
From that, she decided there are NO "bad actors" working for Virginia government ... just public employees who don't understand the law, or fear for their jobs if they give the public controversial information.
(-------------)


[7-11Tobacco-Market]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-25 TC57:22]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco]

Farmers say they're pleased about opening day tobacco prices.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]


The Danville Tobacco Market officially started with opening ceremonies at Holland's Warehouse yesterday morning.

The golden leaf sold at an average of a dollar-90 a pound.
That's up 13 cents from last year.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 5:28:49]
[IN Q=I hope it's a trend]

((LARRY SPELL/TOBACCO FARMER: I HOPE IT'S A TREND TO LET THESE FARMERS SEE THAT THEY ARE STILL NEEDED WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS SO CALLED INDUSTRY.))
[SOT 16:13]

((REP. VIRGIL GOODE/(I) 5TH DISTRICT: I THINK THE AROMA OF THIS TOBACCO CANNOT BE TOPPED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. IT'S THE BEST IN OUR GLOBE. IT'S TOBACCO IN SOUTHSIDE RIGHT HERE.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Spell/Tobacco Farmer; :00]
[SUPER=@Goode; :12]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=right here.]
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT]


The tobacco sold yesterday was left over from last year.
(---------------)



[7WEATHER]


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


Taking a break from the news to check the forecast...
Partly sunny and a bit warmer today with highs pushing near 90.
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[SUPER=314-Partly/Sunny/88-92/Partly/Cloudy/65-69;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]


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


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-29 TC43:24]
[GRAPHIC=Celanese]

Giles county's largest employer and union workers have averted a strike again.
Celanese and union negotiators say they'll go back to the bargaining table this week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Narrows/Friday;]


Last week, union members at the plant voted down Celco's second contract offer by a margin of almost two-to-one.
Both sides hope the mediated session Thursday will resolve the two-month contract dispute.
Union members are pushing for better pensions and less mandatory overtime.
(------------)



[45-11Danville-Economy]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-26 TC1:01:06]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A local organization wants to change the course of the troubled Southside economy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]


The group calls itself the "Future of the Piedmont Foundation."
Organizers say Danville and Pittsylvania County are facing an economic crisis.
The organization hired a consultant to research ways to improve job opportunities, increase the population and education.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 47:40]
[IN Q=We hope that]

((LINWOOD WRIGHT/FOUNDATION PRES.: WE HOPE THAT THE POPULOUS OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WILL RECOGNIZE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS IN FRONT OF US AND WE WILL SET OUT A CONCENTRATED AND I MIGHT SAY A PASSIONATE EFFORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.))
[SUPER=01-Linwood Wright/Foundation President; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=make it happen.]
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT]


The report is called "Learning, Working, Winning." The full report will be released in the next two days.
(-----------------)



[45-6Tattoo-Lawsuit]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-28 TC34:08]
[GRAPHIC=Lawsuit]

A feud has erupted between local tattoo artists over advertising on the internet.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/February;]


The owner of Alex's New Tattoo has filed a 250-thousand dollar lawsuit in federal court.
Joe Hegarty wants to use the name of his business as the address for a website.
But it turns out that another tattoo firm has the rights to the name right now.
[SUPER=04-August 1999;]


Hegarty says Danny Fowler registered "alex's new tattoo-dot-com" with an Internet agency last year.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=none]


These two have tangled before. Fowler sued Hegarty three years ago in circuit court over the use of the name. That

case was dismissed. [45-11Sky-Caps]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-33 TC11:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Roanoke Regional Airport hopes to lighten the load of travelling with a new Sky Cap service.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


After years of independent Sky Caps, the four major airlines that service Roanoke Regional have opted to contract out the work to International Total Services.
Managers say this is another step toward improving the level of service at Roanoke Regional.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=In the past]

((EFREN GONZALEZ/ROANOKE REGIONAL AIRPORT: IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD INDEPENDENT OPERATORS OUT HERE AND ITS BEEN HIT OR MISS AS TO WHEN THEY SHOW UP OR NOT SHOW UP. THE LEVEL OF SERVICE HASN'T BEEN AT THE LEVEL WE'D LIKE, SO THE AIRLINES STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND DECIDED TO TAKE THAT ON AGAIN.))
[SUPER=01-Efren Gonzalez/Roanoke Regional Airport]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=that on again.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


A minimum of two Sky Caps will be on hand from five a-m until eleven thirty p-m daily to help passengers with baggage and wheelchair service.
(------------)



[45WEATHER]


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


Turning your attention now to weather...
Anothe day with sunshine...and expect warmer tempertures too..
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly/Sunny/88-92/Partly/Cloudy/65-69;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]


[ESS C] (EXTENDED)[8-11VMI]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-23 TC1:18:00]
[GRAPHIC=VMI Seal]


The Class of 2004 arrived at the Virginia Military Institute yesterday. The new cadets will join the rat line tomorrow.
The start of the new school year is another milestone for the college, and its court-ordered effort to assimilate women into the corps of cadets.
Joe Dashiell has more from Lexington.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Like thousand of cadets]
[SUPER=03-Lexington; :00]
[SUPER=01-Nicole Ford/VMI Cadet; :20]
[SUPER=01-Sean Collins/VMI Cadet Captain; :44]
[SUPER=@Joe1; 1:03]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=Joe Dashiell News 7 Lexington]

((Like thousands of cadets before them, [NAT SOUND]
VMI's newest recruits marched into barracks to begin their new life in Lexington.
But the 162nd class to matriculate here faces a different landscape, a VMI in which all four classes include women.
[SOT]
[IN Q=This will be the first year.]

[RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=should be good.]


Forced by the Supreme Court to admit women, VMI will have about 70 female cadets this school year, and while many of the male cadets still oppose the court's decision, they have had a few years to become accustomed to the presence of women on post.
[SOT]
[IN Q=I think as best can be expected]

[RUNS:19]
[OUT Q=for the betterment of the corps.]

[STAND-UP CLOSE]
VMI's newest cadets will join the rat line on Wednesday. Classes start next Tuesday... completing the cycle that began four years ago with the arrival of the first female cadets.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Lexington))

[8-11Church-Fire]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-20 TC2:00:55]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Cleanup continues at a Danville fire-damaged church.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/Yesterday;]


Yesterday, firefighters volunteered to save 42 pews from the Bethel Holiness Church on Grove Street.
The church does not have enough insurance to cover the inside of the 70 year old building.
Each pew costs about three thousand dollars.
[SUPER=04-Sunday Night;]


The fire broke out about 10:30 Sunday night.
20 firefighters tried to save the building but could not.
(------------)



[8-6Taylor]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-35 TC02:19]
[GRAPHIC=Whitey Taylor]

The owner of the Franklin County Speedway will see trial later this month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./October;]
[TAPE#=99-31 1:49:52]

Whitey Taylor already faced a charge of holding a carnival without a permit.
Then he missed his court appearance last week. The judge ordered Taylor arrested, but Taylor turned himself in. Now he faces an additional charge of failure to appear in court. His trial is set for August 23rd.
(------------)



[8WEATHER]


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


Once more...let's take a look at the forecast.
Partly sunny with highs near 90.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly/Sunny/88-92/Partly/Cloudy/65-69;]

[ESS C] (EXTENDED)[SUPER=#555;RESET]
by SS