WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 10/27/00

[7-Campbell-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-46]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]
Campbell County authorities are looking for whoever robbed and murdered a convenience store owner last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co./Last Night]

It happened around 9 at the Giles Deli and Convenience on Route 460, east of Lynchburg.
Authorities say the wife of 75- year- old Melvin Giles was in the back of the store when she heard a commotion and at least one gunshot.
She came out front to find her husband lying behind the front counter.
Police say they have little information about a possible suspect.
Anyone who was in the area last night and may have seen something suspicious is asked to call the Campbell County sheriff's office.
(------------)

[7-L'burg-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-43 TC09:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Should Lynchburg raise its local sales tax to pay for school improvements or find another way without increasing the tax on residents?
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Lynchburg]

That was the topic of a political forum in the Hill City last night.
School officials figure they need about one hundred million dollars over the next ten years to fix up the city's aging school buildings.
Voters can approve a referendum next month that would be the first step toward that goal.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT 19:11:27]
((TRACEY SHAW/SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN: A 'YES' VOTE IS A SIGNAL TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT THE PEOPLE OF LYNCHBURG VALUE THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ARE WILLING TO INCREASE THE SALES TAX TO MEET THE NEED FOR MAJOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS.)) ((JIM WHITAKER/CITIZENS FOR FAIR TAXATION: THIS IS JUST ANOTHER UNIQUE WAY FOR US TO GET INTO THOSE POCKETS. THE QUESTION THAT HAS TO BE ANSWERED IS WHEN IS ENOUGH TAX ENOUGH?))
[SUPER=201-Tracey Shaw/School Board Chairman; :00]
[SUPER=201-Jim Whitaker/Citizens for Fair Taxation; :11]
[RUNS=23]
[OUT Q=tax enough?]
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]

Even if the referendum passes, it must still be approved by the General Assembly.
GOP leaders there say the bill doesn't stand a chance.
(-------------)

[7-Gilmore-SOLs]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-40 TC42:34]
[GRAPHIC=SOL's]

Governor Jim Gilmore is pumping more than a million dollars immediately into the 189 schools with the lowest SOL scores, a day after the results were announced.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Gilmore says he wants to help pay for at least 150 extra hours of instruction for the schools that got "warning" level scores in math and or English.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14:16:46]
[IN Q=It would]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: IT WOULD BE EASY TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND TALK ABOUT JUST THE SUCCESSES. BUT TO DO SO REALLY WOULD BE A DISSERVICE, TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL WORKING AND STRUGGLING TO REACH THE HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SET FOR THEM.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=for them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The schools could pay teachers extra for tutoring students before or after school.
The schools could also hire new teaching aides.
Or the Governor says they can spend the money however they think will help.
(------------)

[7WEATHER]

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

Let's take a moment now to check the Friday forecast--
Partly sunny and unseasonably warm today with highs reaching the upper 70s..
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[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/and Warm/73-77/Partly/Cloudy/50-54;]
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[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[45-Cropp]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-36 TC1:19:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Board of Medicine committee will allow a Wytheville doctor to continue his practice following accusations that he hishandled 13 cases.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The allegations against Doctor Craig S. Cropp ranged from mistakes while delivering babies to losing pieces of equipment inside a patient.
Yesterday, an informal conference committee, made up of three Virginia Board of Medicine members decided not to make a determination about the violations.
Instead, Cropp will be under observation for a year -- at which point a decision will be made whether further proceedings are necessary.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT1:08:06]
[IN Q=It means that the people that he]
((DENNIS BRUMBERG/CROPP'S ATTORNEY: IT MEANT THAT THE PEOPLE HE PRACTICES WITH IN PULASKI AND IN HIS OWN PRACTICE WILL KEEP THE BOARD ADVISED ON HIS MEDICAL OUTCOMES AND MEDICAL PROCEDURES, SO THAT THEY CAN MONITOR. WHICH I THINK GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES IS A RATIONAL APPROACH))
[SUPER=01-Dennis Brumberg/Cropp's Attorney]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=rational approach]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Brumberg says Cropp is relieved and vindicated by the decision.
But for now he still can not practice at Wythe County Community Hospital or the New River Valley Medical Center.
They have both suspended his clinical privileges.
(------------)

[45-Mason-Dixon]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#00-32 TC1:51:35]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]
The race for senate is becoming a tight race according to the latest polls.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This week's NEWS-7 Mason-Dixon polls show 47 percent of likely voters say they support George Allen.
44 percent support Democrat Chuck Robb.
That leaves nine percent still undecided.
One month ago, Allen had a more comfortable 48 to 41 lead over Robb in our poll -- with 11 percent undecided.
The shift seems to be coming almost exclusively from WOMEN voters, 51% are lining up behind Robb... 40% behind Allen.
That's an expansion of Robb's 46 to 40 advantage in September.
And it's a significant change from July, when Allen and Robb were neck and neck with women voters, both polling 43 percent support.
(------------)
[TALENT=Shannon]
[SS=none]

Not to confuse matters, but another poll released yesterday, conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, shows George Allen with a much more commanding lead.
The Commonwealth Poll gives Allen a 15 point lead, compared to the three point lead in our Mason-Dixon poll.

[45-Ingram]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Danville judge with 23 years on the bench is retiring.
Circuit Court Judge James Ingram has told the state bar that he'll step down at the end of January.
Ingram says he is willing to work as a substitute judge once he retires.

[45WEATHER]

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

Time again to check out that gorgeous Friday forecast...
Expect partly sunny skies and very mild temperatures reaching the mid and upper 70s...

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[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/and Warm/73-77/Partly/Cloudy/50-54;]
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[8-Campbell-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-46]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

A manhunt is on for the suspect in last night's murder and robbery of a Campbell county convenience store owner.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co./Last Night]

It happened around 9 at the Giles Deli and Convenience on Route 460, east of Lynchburg.
Authorities say the wife of 75- year- old Melvin Giles was in the back of the store when she heard a commotion and at least one gunshot.
She came out front to find her husband lying behind the front counter.
Police say they have little information about a possible suspect.
Anyone who was in the area last night and may have seen something suspicious is asked to call the Campbell County sheriff's office.
(------------)

[8-540]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=540]
The State Corporation Commission is considering a plan to split Virginia's 5-4-0 area code into three, giving Southwest Virginia and the Roanoke Valley new area codes.
5-4-0 is expected to run out of remaining numbers by October 2002.

[8-Tanglewood]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-33 TC1:05:15]
[GRAPHIC=Tanglewood mall]

Tanglewood Mall is shopping around for more stores.
Its new management is hoping to fill up the empty spaces in the mall.
Jennifer Miele has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It impacted us in]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Wendell/John Norman Clothing; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :07]
[SUPER=01-Lynda McNutt/McNutt & Assoc. President; :37]
[SUPER=@Jennifer1; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=News 7, Roanoke County.]
(([SOT]
[tC: 00:23:32]
[IN Q=It impacted us]

((JEFF WENDELL/JOHN NORMAN CLOTHING: IT IMPACTED US IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC, PEOPLE WALKING BY AND SAYING OH, LOOK AT THAT, MAYBE I'LL GO IN.)) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=I'll go in.]

Jeff Wendell has owned John Norman Clothing for nearly 30 years. He says bad mall management is responsible for the high number of vacancies at Tanglewood Mall.
[SOT]
[tc: 00:23:59]
[IN Q=Good competition will]
((JEFF WENDELL/JOHN NORMAN CLOTHING: GOOD COMPETITION WILL BE FINE. BECAUSE IT WILL JUST SIMPLY BRING MORE PEOPLE TO THE DOOR.))
[OUT Q=people to the door.]
[RUNS04]
Tanglewood's owners agree. That's why they turned management over to Urban Retail Properties.
Since then, the mall is being re-painted, and its parking lots are being repaired.
Urban Retail Properties is also taking suggestions for new stores to fill the mall's vacancies.
[SOT]
[TC:00:14:44]
[IN Q=What the leasing]
((LYNDA MCNUTT/MCNUTT AND ASSOC.: WHAT THE LEASING COMPANY HAS ASKED US TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO START A NEW PROGRAM AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER VERY QUICKLY, IS TO HAVE A DRAWING EVERY MONTH, AND HAVE CUSTOMERS SAY WE'D LIKE TO SEE X-Y-Z.))
[OUT Q=we'd like to see X-Y-Z]
[RUNS14]
Wendell says he welcomes the leasing changes.
[SOT]
[tc:00:24:35]
[IN Q=It's an item]
((JEFF WENDELL: IT'S AN ITEM THAT YOU JUST CAN'T LET GO. YOU'VE GOT TO CONCENTRATE ON IT ALL THE TIME NO MATTER WHAT THE REST OF THE MALL LOOKS LIKE. THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF, VIRTUALLY, IF THE LEASING IS THERE. AND THESE PEOPLE APPARENTLY ARE SPECIALISTS IN LEASING.)) [RUNS13]
[OUT Q=specialists in leasing.]
[STAND UP]
[IN Q=]
((JENNIFER MIELE/REPORTING: URBAN RETAIL PROPERTIES MANAGES 60 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SHOPPING CENTER ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE COMPANY HOPES TO HAVE MOST OF THIS MALL FILLED BY SOME TIME NEXT YEAR. JENNIFER MIELE, NEWS 7, ROANOKE COUNTY.))
[RUNS12]
[OUT Q=Roanoke County.]))

[8WEATHER]

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

Turning our focus now to weather--
Partly sunny and warm with highs pushing to near 80...
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/and Warm/73-77/Partly/Cloudy/50-54;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)