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

[7-Body-found]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Roanoke police say a man they found dead at the Lincoln Terrace Apartment Complex Saturday night died from a blunt force trauma to the head.
The man has been identified but police are not releasing his name until his family is notified.
He is said to be a white man in his fifties.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARD]
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call Roanoke Police or Crime Line at 344-8500.
(-------------)

[7-Colby]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A Vinton woman faces charges that she conspired to kill her husband to keep him from getting custody of their five- year old daughter.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN PICTURE]
Exie Diane Colby was charged with child neglect, after her little girl was found locked in the trunk of a car last June. As that case was about to come up in August, Colby allegedly arranged to have her husband, Scott, killed before the hearing.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=HOLD]

State Police recorded telephone conversations between Exie Colby and Jonathan Conner in which they agreed to say it was all a joke, if they got caught.
Bond was set yesterday at 20-thousand dollars for her. Conner is being held without bond. The Colby's custody hearing is today.

[7-Radford-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-48 TC41:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Long hours, low pay, low morale, a case overload and a chief who rarely shows his face plague the Radford police department.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]

Those were the findings last night from a blue ribbon committee appointed by City Council to investigate high turnover at the police department.
The committee spent months researching and interviewing former and current officers.
The department had a 40 percent turnover in the last three years.
They say its cost the city more than three-quarters of a million dollars.
Many of the committee's comments were directed at the Police Chief A.C. Earles for lack of leadership and visibility.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:19:56 - :22]
[IN Q=For some reason]
((DICK DAVIS/COMMITTEE MEMBER: FOR SOME REASON, HE HAS SEEN FIT TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER TOWN THAT THEY DON'T KNOW CHIEF EARLES. HE'S HERE TONIGHT, BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE TWO OR THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DON'T KNOW CHIEF EARLES. A CHIEF NEEDS TO BE OPEN, HE NEEDS TO BE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE HIM. ))
[SUPER=01-Dick Davis/Committee Member;]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=can see him.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

City Council says it will take action after the first of the year.
(------------)

[7WEATHER]

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

Taking a moment now to check the Tuesday forecast--
Partly sunny and very windy today...temperatures in the mid and upper 30s this afternoon.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Winds 30-40 MPH/33-38/Cloudy/& Cold/20-25;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[school-info]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=schoolinfo]
We do have one school announcement, Pocohontas schools will be opening 2 hours late.

[45-NS-shops]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Norfolk Southern]
Two Norfolk Southern locomotive shops will be closed for two weeks starting next Monday.
150 Roanoke employees will be on temporary furlough including machinists, boilermakers, electricians and clerks.
In an effort to reduce operating expenses, Norfolk Southern is also cutting 250 jobs system wide. Those employees may be called back to work depending on the needs of service.

[45-I-73]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=00-44]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 73]
[**ANCHOR TAG**] Last night, Southside got a chance to chime in concerning Interstate 73 at a Virginia Department of Transportation public forum. Meredyth Censullo reports a majority of residents there favor the project, saying "good roads make good economics."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Dupont...]
[SUPER=01-George Goreman/I-73 Supporter; :00 quick!]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :15]
[SUPER=01-Tim Hall/Henry Co. Spokesperson; :38]
[SUPER=01-Warren Robertson/I-73 Supporter; 1:08]
[SUPER=@Meredyth1;1:15]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=News 7, Martinsville]

(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT tape #2 - 27:27 - 27:31]
[IN Q=Dupont...]
((DUPONT...GORMATEX...SARA LEE SEWING...MARTINSVILLE NOVELTY...)) [RUNS:04]
[OUT Q=Martinsville Novelty]

One man called it a "Corporate Obituary." Businesses that have gone under or downsized in the past 7 years. Southside residents say I-73 could stimulate their recovering economy.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT Tape #2 - 32:53 - 32:58]
[IN Q=This is...]
((THIS IS OUR LIFELINE - THIS IS NOT A LUXURY, THIS IS A NECESSITY.)) [RUNS:05]
[OUT Q=a necessity.]

Henry and Pittsylvania County governments support I-73, favoring the proposed Eastern route which runs between Martinsville and Danville. But they say they'll take it where they can get it.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT #2 33:30 - 33:43]
[IN Q=Given the...]
((GIVEN THE SEASON, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO ASK FOR A WISHLIST - THIS IS OUR WISHLIST - I-73 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WILL GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE.)) [RUNS:13]
[OUT Q=to be.]

((BUTT BUTT BUTT))

[NAT SOT @ TAPE #2 11:25]
((YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF WHERE WE WERE GONNA BUILD OUR HOUSE...WE WERE GONNA PUT A HOME...)) [RUNS:04]
All of the routes V-DOT is considering would uproot homes and businesses .. But these folks say they're willing to make sacrifices to get the economy back on track.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT Tape #1: 1:04:07 - 04:14]
[IN Q=I think it...]
((I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO GET THIS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS..THERE WILL BE A PLACE FOR THEM.)) [RUNS:07]
[OUT Q=there for them.]

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT Tape #2 14:16:44 - 17:03]
[IN Q=VDOT plans...]
((VDOT PLANS....THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR. MEREDYTH CENSULLO, NEWS7, MARTINSVILLE.)) [RUNS:19]
[OUT Q=News7, Martinsville.]))
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
VDOT will hear from Franklin County residents from 2 until 9 today at Benjamin Franklin Middle school in Rocky Mount.

Roanoke County residents will get their say later this week.

[45WEATHER]

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

Shifting gears now to weather--
Look for some sunshine through the clouds-- with windy conditions.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Winds 30-40 MPH/33-38/Cloudy/& Cold/20-25;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[8-County-Retirement]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-45]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co. Schools]

Hundreds of retirees are awaiting next week's final decision by the Roanoke County School board.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./Last Night;]
The school board is expected to alter to the county's Early Retirement Incentive plan. Last night-- hundreds of retirees gathered to urge the board to leave the retirement plan as it is. The changes include a REDUCTION in salary and health insurance benefits.
(////SOT///)
[sot 02:21: ]
[IN Q=I think]
((HOMER DUFF: I THINK YOU DO ME A PERSONAL INJUSTICE AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING ALL OF US AN INJUSTICE IF YOU NOW MAKE A DECISION TO CHANCE SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US ENTERED IN GOOD FAITH.))
[SOT 02:14:07 ]
((DENNIS SEMONES: I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HONOR OUR COMMITMENT TO THESE RETIREES AND PROVIDE FOR THEM EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE OF US WHO MAY RETIRE IN THE FUTURE.))
[SUPER=07-Homer Duff; :00]
[SUPER=07-Dennis Semones; :10 ]
[runs=21]
[out q= in the future.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The board says the changes are necessary in order to comply with the E-E-O-C. School board members are expected to make their final decision next Monday.
(------------)

[8-South-Name]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co. Schools]

Also in Roanoke County, they're mulling over some potential names for the new high school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./Last Night;]
Possible names for the new south county high school were unveiled at last night's Roanoke County school board meeting. An advisory committee has come up with four possibilities.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:06:10]
[IN Q=Hidden valley]
((MARTY ROBISON/ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: HIDDEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, WOODSEND HIGH SCHOOL, NOTTINGHAM HILLS HIGH SCHOOL AND SPRING VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.))
[SUPER=01-Marty Robison/Advisory Committee Chairman; :00]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q= high school.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The advisory group met for several months to come up with the names-- the board is expected to pick one of them in January.
(------------)

[8-State-Workers]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]

Governor Jim Gilmore is being conservative in his proposal for state worker salaries, now that he's facing a possible 480- million- dollar shortfall.
The Governor's office sais last night he will propose 3-and half percent pay raises for full-time workers.
But those pay raises won't come until November of next year.
There's also five million dollars for some performance bonuses.
Teachers will see NO new state money in the Governor's budget.
The Governor believes localities can fund four percent raises themselves, with money saved on Virginia Retirement System contributions-- because the stock market did well this past year.

[8-Melrose-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-53 TC05:46]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robbery]

Instead of BRINGING GIFTS, a man disguised as Santa Claus stole money from a Roanoke bank.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Roanoke police say a man wearing a Santa hat and sunglasses walked into the First Union Bank on Melrose yesterday.

He handed a teller a note, demanding money and brandished a handgun.
Police aren't sure how much money the shamming Saint Nick got away with.
(------------)

[8WEATHER]

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

Let's take another look at your Tuesday forecast--
Partly sunny and very windy out there...up to 40 miles an hour.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Winds 30-40 MPH/33-38/Cloudy/& Cold/20-25;]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED) [SUPER=#555;RESET]