WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/05/01

[7-School-Info]

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We do have several school announcements...
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[7-Cobb]

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[TAPE#=00-52 TC1:02:33]
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Lee Cobb, Lynchburg's economic developer, says he has no choice but to submit his resignation today and start looking for other work. The resignation stems from an alleged conflict of interest.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]

The reason: Cobb says city council has ignored his warnings about councilman Stewart Hobbs' business relationship with the city.
Hobbs' company.. Virginia Aviation.. is the fixed base operator at the Lynchburg airport.
When he was awarded the contract in 1998, Hobbs was told he could not vote on anything that might appear to be a conflict of interest.
Lee Cobb says Virginia Aviation has not met the terms of the lease, but when he aired his concerns, city council did nothing.
Cobb told News7 last night quote-- "they don't believe me and they do believe Stewart Hobbs".
Hobbs says council investigated all these complaints but decided they were groundless.
We'll have more on this story for you later today on News7.
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[7-Mental-Health]

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[TAPE#=00-41 TC1:44:52]
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Many southside residents don't know whether the state plans to close the Southern Virginia Mental Institute in Danville.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

Nearly three hundred people turned out for a public forum yesterday.
The state's Commissioner of Mental Health told the crowd how the state wants to privatize mental health care.
But he would not say for sure whether the plan involves closing the facility.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:14:27 TAPE 1]
[IN Q=There are very few]
((RICHARD KELLOGG/COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH: THERE ARE VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS THAT CANNOT BE TREATED IN COMMUNITY SERVICES IF THE SERVICE STRUCTURE IS THERE.)) ((JACK BROWN/OPPOSES CLOSING THE HOSPITAL: IT WOULD BE A HARDSHIP ON THE FAMILIES TO GO VISIT THEM AND THE PEOPLE HERE THATS TRYING TO GET WELL WOULD FIND THEMSELVES IN A STRANGE PLACE.))
[SUPER=01-Richard Kellogg/Commissioner of Mental Health; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jack Brown/Opposes Closing; :07]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=strange place]
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[VO-NAT]

Commissioner Kellogg has made a recommendation to the governor.
But until Governor Gilmore decides whether to adopt the plan, Kellogg won't reveal the details of the recommendation.
Whatever plan Gilmore chooses, he must first get the approval of the General Assembly which convenes next week.
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[7-Internet-Porn]

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Charges of sodomy and distributing child pornography have been levied against a Chilhowie funeral home director.
48-year-old Barry Lee Newberry was the director of Newberry Funeral Home.
He was arrested Wednesday and charged with three counts forcible sodomy, bribery, and possessing and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
He's being held in the Smyth County jail without bond.

[7WEATHER]

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Shifting gears now to weather...

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[45-School-Info]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]

We do have several school announcements...
[TAKE SCHOOLWATCH]

[45-Water-Break]

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A water main break is causing problems in Southeast Roanoke.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The break was discovered around seven last night near the intersection of Fifth and Elm.
Authorities say that intersection is closed this morning while crews work on the problem. No word yet on how many homes are affected or when the problem will be fixed.
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[45-Franklin-Murder]

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[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A 14-year-old Albemarle County boy has been charged as an adult in the murder of a Rocky Mount man. The boy was arraigned yesterday for his role in Saturday's murder and robbery of 61-year-old Ralph English. Authorities say English was strangled in his bed and was robbed of about six-thousand-dollars in cash. The victim's son, 22-year-old Charlie English and another suspect 18-year-old Christopher Dorman were arraigned on the same charges earlier this week.

[45-Thomas]

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[TAPE#=500-20 1:25:40]
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His attorneys claim that media coverage ruined his chance for a fair trial in Pulaski County.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]

But that's where Jeffrey Allen Thomas is set to stand trial next month for the capital murder of Radford teen Tara Munsey.
Thomas' attorneys had asked for a change of venue.
Yesterday, the judge said he'd try to seat an impartial jury before he'd consider moving the trial.
Thomas is charged with Munsey's capital murder during what prosecutors call either a rape or attempted rape last January.
Forensic lab reports filed in Circuit Court indicate that his sperm was found on her thigh.
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[45-Train-Station]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
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[TAPE#=00-48 TC1:07:02]
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Lynchburg officials say they'll be asking this year's General Assembly to keep the financing running full steam ahead for expanded passenger rail service.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Meanwhile, the city is spending 3 and a half million dollars to renovate and repair its 85- year- old Kemper Street train station.
The building will eventually house a Greyhound bus terminal and a visitors center.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:39:23]
[IN Q=This is an]
((BOB WHITE/LYNCHBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR THE REVITALIZATION OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND OF THE INNER CITY IN PARTICULAR, AND AS ALWAYS, IT FITS STRONGLY AND FITS WELL WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S REVITALIZATION GOALS.))
[SUPER=01-Bob White/Lynchburg Economic Development; ]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=revitalization goals.]
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[VO-NAT]

Amtrak was the first to benefit from the facelift when it moved its ticket counter into new rooms downstairs.
Rail officials hope the new surroundings will help boost local ridership.
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[45WEATHER]

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An now, your forecast holds...

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[8-School-Info]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]

We do have several school announcements...
[TAKE SCHOOLWATCH]

[8-E-Toys]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=00-50 TC39:47]
[GRAPHIC=E-Toys]
Internet toy retailer E-toys is closing up shop overseas and tightening its belt elsewhere.
700 of its one-thousand E-Toys and BabyCenter employees will be let go-- nearly 400 immediately-- the rest by the end of March, when the company may run out of operating cash.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blairs/File Tape]

Its warehouse operations in Pittsylvania County and Ontario California will remain open, but warehouses in Greensboro, North Carolina and Commerce, California will close in the next 30 to 60 days.
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[8-Bland-Bodies]

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[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]
Two people whose remains were found in Bland County last month were murdered. That's the latest from Bland County authorities who are now trying to figure out if the victims were two missing men from West Virginia. Police say the victims were black men, in their mid-to-late 20s... about 5-feet, 6-inches tall. Two men searching for soda bottles discovered the remains, wrapped in plastic and a blanket.

[8-Allen-Warner]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
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[TAPE#=00-41 TC1:43:22]
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For the first time ever, the U-S Senate is split 50-50 for the first time ever.
That has Trent Lott and Tom Daschle puzzling over power-sharing.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington/Wednesday;]

But it's NOT clear yet just how friendly the 50-50 Senate will be.
Virginia's two Republican Senators say power-sharing is NOT likely.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 37:22]
[IN Q=I think]
((SEN. GEORGE ALLEN/R-VIRGINIA: I THINK PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE WHOLE BALL...NEEDS 60 VOTES.... SIDE OF THE AISLE.))
[sot 39:28 ]
((SEN. JOHN WARNER/R-VIRGINIA: THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF BEING DONE.... MEDICAID SYSTEM.))
[SUPER=@Allen; :00]
[SUPER=@Warner; :22]
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[OUT Q=Medicaid system.]
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[TALENT=Shannon]
[SS=George Allen]

Senator Allen says power-sharing may be more difficult in Washington than it turned out to be in Richmond a few years back.
That's because committee staffs on Capitol Hill are all partisans, hired by the committee chairmen.

[8WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
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And now a look at your forecast.

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