[School-Info]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School info]


We do have a school delay to tell you about, Bath County Schools will be opening 2 hours late today.

[7-I-73]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-50]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 73]


The public debates over Interstate 73 concluded in Roanoke during the fourth and final public hearing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Hundreds came out last night to look at maps that outline where the proposed road may go, what property it may cut through, and the environmental impact it will have.
Folks have three options to choose from, one is to do nothing, the second is to make improvements to 220, the third- build I-73.
VDOT says feedback from the last three meetings has been varied.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:18]
[IN Q= people have]

((LAURA BULLOCK/VDOT SPOKESPERSON: PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS FROM DO NOTHING TO BUILD A WHOLE OTHER ROAD AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS STUDY IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE DECISION MAKERS TO MAKE A SELECTION FOR I-73.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=for I-73.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


V-DOT will continue to take written comments through January 12-th.
After that, the feedback will be go to the Transportation Board. It's expected to make a decision sometime this Spring.
(------------)



[7-Wetlands]


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


The Department of Environmental Quality wants to overhaul the way the state regulates wetlands.
D-E-Q would -- for the first time -- protect isolated wetlands, such as: bogs and spring-fed ponds, and would limit the draining of low- lying, often wooded, areas ...considered non- tidal wetlands.
A state permit would be required to fill or drain such places and other wetlands would have to be created to compensate for the ones destroyed.

[7-Halifax-Suspect]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-46 TC47:57]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A 13-year-old Pennsylvania boy may have solved a decade old double murder in Halifax County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The boy matched Raymond Pin to a picture he had seen on America's Most Wanted. Pin was working at a Chinese restaurant in Pennsylvania under an assumed name.
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co./1989;]

Sheriff's deputies had been searching for him for 11 years, saying he left clues that he stabbed Frank (Sid-nor) Sydnor and his step-daughter in 1989.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:26:43]
[IN Q=There was a laceration]

((THERE WAS A LACERATION TO THE HAND. ALSO MR. PIN'S AUTOMOBILE HAD BEEN TOWED FROM THE RESTAURANT AT THE TIME OF THE MURDER BECAUSE OF THE SOFT EARTH.))
[SUPER=01-John Greenbacker/Commonwealth's Atty.;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=soft earth.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Investigators say Pin murdered Sydnor and his step-daughter over a game of cards. They plan to bring him back to Virginia as soon as possible.
(------------)



[7WEATHER]


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


Turning our attention now to weather--
Partly cloudy with highs in the mid and upper 40s today.


[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds 5-10 MPH/43-48/Rain/Freezing Rain/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[School-Info]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School info]


We do have a school delay to tell you about, Bath County Schools will be opening 2 hours late today.

[45-Road-Projects]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Highway Improvements]


The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved nearly 70 million dollars for 52 projects statewide.
(XXXXXXX)

[TAKE MAP FULL]
The board approved 14 million dollars for work in Danville, including repairs to the bridge over the Dan River.
The single biggest project is the Route 58 Stuart Bypass.
That will cost the state 15 million dollars.
(-------------)




[45-Xmas-Trees]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-47 TC25:26]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas]


Most people only think about Christmas trees this time of year, but for many farmers it's a year around business.


Marya Jones takes a look at one tree farmer whose green thumb helps him cash in on the holiday spirit.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Christmas tree farmer]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill Larsen/Tree Farmer; :25]
[SUPER=@Marya1; :54]
[SUPER=01-Kelly Reed/Customer; 1:21]
[RUNS=1:42]
[OUT Q=MJN7, Montgomery Co.]

(( Christmas tree farmer Bill Larsen talks about his trees the way a father talks about his children.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 49:07 - :11]

((BILL LARSEN/TREE FARMER: I PLANTED EVERY ONE OF THEM CRITTERS OUT THERE. AND SHAPED EVERY ONE MORE OR LESS.))
[RUNS= :04]


The 64-year-old former Radford history professor has been selling 13 varieties of trees on his Montgomery County farm since 1975.
About 2-thousand families visit Larsen's farm every year to choose and cut their tree.
He sells another thousand to wholesale buyers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 49:35 - :47]

((BILL LARSEN: THERE IS A CERTAIN POIGNANCY ABOUT THEM LEAVING HERE OR CUTTING THEM OFF IN THEIR PRIME, YEAH, I FEEL THAT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SHAPED FOR.))
[RUNS= :12]


Larsen is one of about 15-hundred growers in Virginia who make their living off the trees.
It's big business in Southwest Virginia, where the terrain and climate are well-suited for growing pines, firs and spruce trees.
Experts estimate the state is the nation's 8th-largest Christmas tree producer.
(///// SOT /////)

[SU 1:01:50 - 1:02:07] ((MARYA JONES/NEWS-7: VIRGINIA FARMERS GROW MORE THAN 2 MILLION TREES EVERY YEAR AND VIRGINIANS BUY MORE THAN 3 MILLION. IT'S A CLASSIC CASE OF DEMAND OUTWEIGHING SUPPLY. BUT STILL NOT A GOOD REASON TO GET INTO GROWING THE TREES, EXPERTS SAY. THAT'S BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE 7 TO 10 YEARS FOR A FARMER TO GROW HIS FIRST CROP.))
[RUNS= :17]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 52:13 - :16]

((THERE'S NO GETTING AROUND IT. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND DO IT BY HAND.))
[RUNS= :03]


Larsen says all the work pays off when he sees the same customers return year after year.
Kelly Reed is one of them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 41:18 - :30]

((KELLY REED/CUSTOMER: IT'S A FAMILY TRADITION. WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL. EVER SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD. AND EVERY YEAR WE COME OUT AND CUT OUR OWN TREE. MEANS MORE TO US THEN GOING TO A FARM THAT'S ALREADY CUT THEM DOWN. ))
[RUNS= :12]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 55:59 - 56:11]

((BILL LARSEN/TREE FARMER: 11 MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHEN I'M A LONE RANGER, I'M TALKING TO MY TREES. THEN, ONE MONTH OF THE YEAR WHEN I SEE THE PUBLIC ENJOY THEM, IT IS REWARDING.))
[RUNS= :12]


Marya Jones, News-7, Montgomery County.))


[45WEATHER]


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


Taking a break from the news now to check the Friday forecast--
Partly cloudy and breezy today with afternoon highs climbing through the 40s.

[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds 5-10 MPH/43-48/Rain/Freezing Rain/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[School-Info]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School info]


We do have a school delay to tell you about, Bath County Schools will be opening 2 hours late today.

[8-I-73]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-50]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 73]


The final public hearing on the fate of Interstate 73 was held in Roanoke last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Hundreds came out last night to look at maps that outline where the proposed road may go, what property it may cut through, and the environmental impact it will have.
Folks have three options to choose from, one is to do nothing, the second is to make improvements to 220, the third- build I-73.
VDOT says feedback from the last three meetings has been varied.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:18]
[IN Q= people have]

((LAURA BULLOCK/VDOT SPOKESPERSON: PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS FROM DO NOTHING TO BUILD A WHOLE OTHER ROAD AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS STUDY IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE DECISION MAKERS TO MAKE A SELECTION FOR I-73.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=for I-73.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


V-DOT will continue to take written comments through January 12-th.
After that, the feedback will be go to the Transportation Board. It's expected to make a decision sometime this Spring.
(------------)



[8-Gun-Bills]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-41 TC1:12:33]
[GRAPHIC=Gun Laws]


A general assembly committee shot down legislation that would have kept guns out of the hands of stalkers and domestic abusers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]


The bill would have banned gun possession for five years from anyone convicted of stalking, attempted or actual sexual battery, or domestic assault.
One woman testified she'd been raped at gunpoint, and subsequently stalked for three years.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=When I tried]
[sot tape TWO 14:58:31 ]

((JILL ATER/STALKING VICTIM: WHEN I TRIED TO END THE RELATIONSHIP, HE TOOK ME AT GUNPOINT TO A REMOTE AREA, WHERE HE SAID HE WOULD KILL ME.))
[SUPER=01-Jill Ater/Stalking Victim;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=would kill me.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


But gun rights advocates say it's already illegal to own a firearm if you've been convicted of a felony.
And in Virginia's stalking and domestic assaults are considered misdemeanors.
And some say, victims should have the right to bear arms.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I've had]
[sot tape TWO 15:27:07 ]

((PAUL MOOG/VA. CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE: I'VE HAD SEVERAL WOMEN CONTACT ME AND SAY I WENT TO BUY A GUN. MY EX-HUSBAND AND I HAD BEEN IN A VIOLENT RELATIONSHIP FOR YEARS... AND NOW, MY GUN RIGHTS ARE GONE AND I CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF AGAINST HIM.))
[SUPER=01-Paul Moog/Va. Citizens Defense League;]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=against him.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The gun ban died on a 7 to 12 vote.
(------------)
[TALENT=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]


A bill to ban hunting on school property had better success.
Also yesterday- a bill to tighten up the law that bans guns from school property died in the same committee.

[8WEATHER]


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


Let's look at the forecast once again--
Partly cloudy with highs in the 40s today...but tonight we could see some areas of freezing rain.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Partly Cloudy/Winds 5-10 MPH/43-48/Rain/Freezing Rain/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[ESS C] (EXTENDED)
by SS