WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 11/14/00

[7-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Rescue crews have responded to a head on collision in Roanoke County.
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[TAKE FS MAP]
It happened on Route 311 around 6:45 this morning. Authorities say two vehicles were involved. There's no word yet of any injuries.
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[Anchor=Kim]
[ss=hold]

We'll pass along additional information as soon as it becomes available.

[7-Boucher]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-35 TC1:39:58]
[GRAPHIC=Rick Boucher]
A Virginia Congressman says the confusion surrounding the election is proof the electoral college needs to be scrapped.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=703-Christiansburg;]

Democrat Rick Boucher says he'll introduce such legislation in January.
It requires a constitutional amendment, passed by two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of state legislatures.

Opponents say it will encourage candidates to ignore small states.
But Boucher says it will make candidates chase the popular vote.
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[SOT 19:21 - :40]
[IN Q=About half the states]
((REP. RICK BOUCHER/(D) 9th DISTRICT: ABOUT HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION ARE TOTALLY IGNORED, SO THAT MEANS THAT THE BENEFITS THAT ATTEND FOCUS BY THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ARE LOST IN THOSE STATES -- ARE LOST HERE IN VIRGINIA -- I THINK THAT BY MOVING TO A POPULAR VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENCY, WE COULD MAKE THOSE STATES IMPORTANT ONCE AGAIN.))
[SUPER=701-Rep. Rick Boucher/(D) 9th District;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=important once again.]
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[VO-NAT]

Boucher made the remarks after presenting 300-thousand dollars in federal funds to help renovate the Christiansburg Institute.
It was Southwest Virginia's first high school for African-American students.
The school closed in 1966, after 100 years.
Alumni of the school plan to reopen it as a museum and community learning center.
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[7-Homeless]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-42]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Homelessness is a problem in many cities, including Roanoke.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Yesterday, the results of a survey were released during a press conference at the TRUST homeless shelter.
It found there were more than 300- homeless in the Roanoke Valley in July.
The survey was conducted to give the city a better idea of what services are lacking for the homeless.
Transportation and health care were among the problems identified.
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[SOT 00:17:10]
[IN Q=Remember]
((CAROL WRIGHT/ROANOKE HUMAN SERVICES COORDINATOR: REMEMBER THAT THIS COULD BE YOU AT ANY MOMENT, IT TAKES JUST A SMALL UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT FOR SOME OF OUR CLIENTS THAT ARE HOMELESS AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE, IT'S JUST THE SITUATION THEY ARE IN.))
[SUPER=01-Carol Wright/Human Services Coordinator; ]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=are in.]
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[VO-NAT]

City officials say the number of homeless in the area is most likely higher because the homeless are difficult to track.
The people included in the survey were living in shelters, temporary housing, local jails and recovery centers.
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[7-Pitts-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=00-52 TC00:57]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robbery]
Authorites have arrested two people for the armed robbery of a Pittsylvania County bank.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Bank Photos;]

The county Sheriff's office say 20 year old Kion Davis of Chatham .. and a 17 year old .. held up the American National Bank's Chatham office November first.
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co./November 1;]

Both are charged with robbery .. and weapons counts.
Still no word on how much money was taken.
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[7WEATHER]

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

Checking your Tuesday forecast now--
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain...Cool highs today in the 50s..

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[45-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Rescue crews have responded to a head on collision in Roanoke County.
(-------------)
[TAKE FS MAP]
It happened on Route 311 around 6:45 this morning. Authorities say two vehicles were involved. There's no word yet of any injuries.
(-------------)
[Anchor=Kim]
[ss=hold]

We'll pass along additional information as soon as it becomes available.

[45-Round-Hill]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=00-54]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[**ANCHOR TAG**] Southwest Virginia's first public Montessori school has been officially dedicated. A multi-million dollar grant from the U-S Department of Education helped Round Hill begin the transition to Montessori school two years ago. Meredyth Censullo reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;:00]
[SUPER=01-Teresa Potter/Teacher;:39]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Sandra Clemmer/Round Hill Principal;1:03]
[SUPER=@Meredyth2;1:24]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=News 7, Roanoke.]
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[NAT SOT @ 18:18:39 - 18:18:41]
[IN Q=OK, I]
((OK I WANT YOU TO CHECK THIS LAST ONE...))
[RUNS= :03]
[OUT Q=last one.]

It's called "Hands-on Learning for a hands-on World." Southwest Virginia's only public Montessori school is teaching its 300-plus three-to-seven year olds everything from diagramming sentences -

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[IN Q=OK lets look]
((OK LETS LOOK FOR THE NOUNS .. SLOP THAT'S DEFINITELY A NOUN.))
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[OUT Q=a noun.]

To spelling success on their p-c's

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[NATS @ 18:20:35 - 18:20:39]
[IN Q=N??]
((N??? ))
[RUNS= :04]

The program is also teaching teachers. They've all had to undergo extensive certified Montessori training.

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[SOT @ 18:31:29 - 18:31:44]
[IN Q=I totally..]
((TERESA POTTER: I TOTALLY CHANGED FROM A TRADITIONAL TEACHER TO SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW SO IT WAS LIKE I WAS STARTING OVER - BUT ITS SO MUCH FUN TO SEE THEM ABSORBING SO MUCH SO QUICKLY AND BUILDING ON ONE THING AND JUST CONTINUING AT THEIR OWN SPEED.))
[RUNS= :15]
[OUT Q=own speed.]

Educators say the Montessori approach allows kids to work at their own pace, and that it's tailored to help boost Standards of Learning test scores.

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[SOT @ 41:18 - 41:29]
[IN Q=You will...]
((SANDRA CLEMMER: YOU WILL HAVE A LANGUAGE ARTS CENTER, A MATH CENTER, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE CENTER ...EVERY LESSON WE TEACH IN MONTESSORI IS ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS OF LEARNING.))
[RUNS= :11]
[OUT Q=standards of learning.]

Clemmer says SOL scores at Virginia's other public Montessori school - in Portsmouth - have gone up, but says its too soon to tell if that's the case at Round Hill. The school is still in the process of implementing the program, but they say, so far, things are just ducky. Meredyth Censullo, News7, Roanoke.))
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Round Hill is also a magnet school. It provides a free education to students who live in the attendance zone - and other Roanoke children who apply and are selected through a weighted lottery.

[45WEATHER]

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

Taking a break from the news to check the forecast...
Mostly cloudy today with a chance of rain....look for a high of 50 to 55.

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[8-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Several people were taken to the hosptial following a head on collision in Roanoke County. [TAKE FS MAP]
It happened on Route 311 around 6:45 this morning. Authorities say three vehicles were involved.
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[VO-NAT]
[Super=03-Roanoke Co.]
A car was rearended sending one of the vehicles into oncoming traffic causing a head on collision. Officials say travel conditions contributed to the accident.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=There is a large]
(())
[SUPER=01-Richard Crosier/Roanoke Co. Police]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=obey the posted speed limits]
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[Anchor=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
Three people were taken to the hospital. Officials say charges are pending.

[8-NS-Layoffs]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-33 TC1:57:53]
[GRAPHIC=NS Layoffs]

Another blow to workers at Norfolk Southern--
Company officials say they're laying off fourteen workers and closing the foundry in January.
This comes on the heels of last week's announcement that 13 car shop employees would be let go-
Jennifer Miele has more on the furloughs.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=In its glory days]
[SUPER=04-Norfolk Southern; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :51]
[SUPER=@JENNIFER1; 1:02]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q= News 7, Roanoke.]

(( In its glory days, Norfolk Southern's foundry was an integral part of rail car part production.
But over the past few years, the company found it to be much more cost efficient to buy parts from outside manufacturers.
That, along with a decrease in rail car traffic has forced Norfolk Southern to close the foundry, and furlough 14 employees.
But this isn't the first of the N-S cutbacks. [PRE-PRO page 1]
On January 26, the company offered 1,200 of its employees an early retirement. Three days later, NS cut 550 union workers system-wide.
Then in April, 400 more employees were let go. [PRE-PRO page 2]
On August 8, Norfolk Southern fired 228 Roanoke Car Shop workers.
And just ten days later, the company offered another non-union buyout.
Finally, back in September, 215 rail team members furloughed, many of which live in Roanoke. [END Pre-pro]
To date, 2,844 workers have been let go system wide.
That means the company has reduced its workforce by just under 10% since January. [JEN'S STANDUP] [TC:01:12:04] [RUNS15] ((JENNIFER MIELE/REPORTING: IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY THESE LAYOFFS ARE HAPPENING, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. THE COMPANY SAYS THEY ARE A RESULT OF A DECREASE IN COAL EXPORTS, BUT UNION LEADERS WE TALKED TO SAY THE FURLOUGHS ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CONRAIL MERGER.
JENNIFER MIELE, NEWS 7, ROANOKE.))))

[8WEATHER]

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

Let's turn to the forecast once more--
Mostly cloudy with some rain possible....highs in the 50s.

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