WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/10/01

[7-Vick]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=sp-90 tc 33:40]
[GRAPHIC=michael vick]
Bad football news for Virginia Tech, as it appears Michael Vick is jumping ship.
Nothing official has been released but we know Vick was on campus yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/This Season]

Sources at Tech say Vick, his mother and an older white gentleman wearing a suit, stopped on campus briefly to pick up his college transcripts.
The transcripts are needed to file paperwork to enter the upcoming NFL draft.
His teammates wish him well.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I know]
(())
[SUPER=01-Lee Suggs/Va. Tech Talback;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=luck in the world you know]
(------------------)
[Anchor=]
[ss=hold]

Vick would be one of the top picks in the draft, earning millions in signing bonuses and a possible 50 million plus for six or seven years.
Sources say an official announcement will be made at a press conference is on Thursday in Newport News.[7-Mental-H

ealth]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-47 TC55:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]

When the 2001 Virginia General Assembly convenes today, they will have to decide the future of Southern Virginia Mental Institute in Danville.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

This week, the Governor announced his intentions to close the facility in 2002.
Under the plan, the state would move away from publicly funded care to more community based care.
And that has many fearing the worst- including residents, hospitals and community services providers.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT :00:00:38, :00:00:47]
[IN Q=Our behavorial health system]
((CHRIS MORGAN/DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER: OUR BEHAVORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM CAN ACCOMODATE ABOUT ANOTHER 17 OR 18 PATIENTS SO WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE PATIENTS.)) ((REV. LARRY HILL/RUNS HOMELESS SHELTER: IF THEY DONT HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM THEN THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO STAY HERE OR WE ARE GOING TO FIND ARRANGEMENTS OURSELVES AND THATS REALLY GOING TO HURT US IN A LOT OF AREAS.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Morgan/Danville Regional Medical Center; :00]
[SUPER=01-Rev. Larry Hill/Runs Homeless Shelter; :09]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=in a lot of areas]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The state promises to keep Southern Virginia Mental Institute open until the community based services are in place.
The General Assembly has final say on the plan to close the institute.
(------------)

[7-Air-Cable]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-51 TC57:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A local digital cable company is still beaming a signal to its customers, but its employees have not been paid in a month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

Air Cable employs 40 people Salem and Roanoke.
It uses wireless technology to provide digital quality television.
Employees say their last several paychecks bounced and the company owes them thousands in back pay.
Air Cable says the payroll mishap was a clerical error and employees will "most likely" be paid on Friday.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

The company says customer service has not been affected by the payroll mishap.
The company hasn't paid the State Corporation Commission either -- that means Air Cable is no longer legally allowed to operate in Virginia.

[7WEATHER]

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

Taking a break from the news now to check the forecast--
Sunny and warmer today, finally--
Expect high temperatures in the low to mid 50s.

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[45-Rowe-layoff]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=bre]
[TAPE#=00-45 TC1:09:57]
[GRAPHIC=Rowe Furniture]

Rowe Furniture, a company with plants in Salem and Elliston, announced 130 lay-offs on Friday.
Company officials say the layoffs were a result of poor retails sales in the furniture industry.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Elliston/May 11, 1999]

Everything seemed fine for Rowe when it broke ground on the new plant in Elliston. In fact, work was completed there just four months ago.
But officials say the layoffs are indefinite.
A spokesman for Rowe, says the company was building hoping for a stronger economy.
(------------)

[45-Gilmore-Address]

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

Governor Gilmore will deliver his fourth State of the Commonwealth address tonight. Gilmore will use his address to outline his spending plans for the coming year.
(+++++++)
[Take State of the Commonwealth FS 1011]
News 7 will carry the governor's speech live from the state capitol. Our coverage begins at 7 PM.

(--------------)[45-L'burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-44 TC03:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Lynchburg gay rights activist says he wants his local police force better trained to deal with hate crimes and their victims.
Steve Smallshaw has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=On September]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/September 23; :00]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :11]
[SUPER=01-Bill Connelly/Gay Rights Activist; :15]
[SUPER=01-Col. Charles Bennett/Lynchburg Police Chief; 1:03]
[SUPER=@ssm2; 1:23]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]
(( On September 23rd of last year, a man walked into a Roanoke gay bar and opened fire.. leaving one person dead, six others wounded.
It was a crime that made headlines nationwide and left some local residents wondering whether it could have been prevented.
[SOT 00:49:37]
((BILL CONNELLY/GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST: ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS MIGHT HAVE HAD DIFFERENT OUTCOMES HAD THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT OPPRESSION OF GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.))
[RUNS= 08]
[OUT Q=not be tolerated.]

So long-time gay rights advocate Bill Connelly is speaking out again.
Connelly wants the Lynchburg police force to undergo FBI training to help them recognize and deal with hate crimes, in particular crimes where gay citizens are the target.
Connelly says the training could help prevent gay crime victims from being mistreated by cops who might be inclined to look the other way.
[SOT 00:55:15]
((CONNELLY: SOMETIMES IN AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT, YOU GET 'BOYS WILL BE BOYS' AND IT INTERFERES WITH THEM BEING EFFECTIVE WITH A GAY MAN OR PERHAPS A LESBIAN, THAT THEY MIGHT FIND HUMOROUS, SO THIS KIND OF TRAINING IS A PREVENTATIVE THING.))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q=preventative thing.]

But police chief Charles Bennett says he's not sure the need is there.
[SOT 00:51:16]
((COL.CHARLES BENNETT/LYNCHBURG POLICE CHIEF: ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, RELIGION OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE ARE PROTECTED BY THE EXISTING LAWS, AND THE INSTANCE IN PARTICULAR IN ROANOKE THAT WAS MENTIONED, THE PERPETRATOR WAS CAUGHT, ARRESTED AND IS GOING TO BE TRIED UNDER THE LAW. I'M JUST NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT ELSE COULD OCCUR.))
[RUNS= 19]
[OUT Q=else could occur.]

Bennett says he'll look into Connelly's request.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))

[45WEATHER]

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

Turning our attention now to weather--
Lots of sunshine and warmer with highs in the 50s..

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[8-Vick]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=sp-90 tc 33:40]
[GRAPHIC=michael vick]

It appears the N-F-L has won the tug-of-war for Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.
It's not official yet-- but we know Vick was on campus yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/This Season]

Sources at Tech say Vick, his mother and an older gentleman wearing a suit, stopped on campus briefly to pick up his college transcripts.
The transcripts are needed to file paperwork to enter the upcoming NFL draft.
His teammates wish him well.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I know]
(())
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=luck in the world you know]
(------------------)
[Anchor=Kimberly]
[ss=hold]

Vick would be one of the top picks in the draft, earning millions in signing bonuses and a possible 50 million plus for six or seven years.
Sources say an official announcement will be made at a press conference is on Thursday in Newport News.[8-Pyramid-

Scheme]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-48 TC1:10:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The "Winning Team" pyramid scheme is falling apart in Pittsylvania county--
26 more participants are under arrest.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Authorities say each person invested 2-thousand dollars.
They expected to get rich by persuading more people to get involved.
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.]

The Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Department says many of the participants did not realize they were breaking the law.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:30:34]
[IN Q=Ignorance of the law]
((MAJOR GARY GOODSON/CHIEF DEPUTY: IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE AND SO EACH PERSON COMMITTED THE OFFENSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE CONSQUENCES.))
[SUPER=01-Maj. Gary Goodson/Pittsylvania Co. Sheriff's Office]
[RUNS=07]
[OUT Q=Pay the consquences]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Sheriff's Department expects more arrests later this week.
Two weeks ago, thirteen defendants in Danville pled guilty to taking part in this same pyramid scheme.
The Danville Police Department and the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Department have been working together on this investigation.
(------------)

[8-Radford-Street]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-49 TC46:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The main road running through Radford will get a new name.
But some Radford business owners say they'll have to pay a hefty price for the name change.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]

City Council voted last month to rename the main thoroughfare "Main Street."
The street goes by "Norwood Street" in East Radford ... and "First Street" in West Radford.
Local business owner Linton Leary says the change will cost him money and customers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 32:54 - 33:01]
[IN Q=Nothing like this]
((LINTON LEARY/RADFORD BUSINESS OWNER: NOTHING LIKE THIS WILL HELP BUSINESS. IT IS AN ADDED EXPENSE. OBVIOUSLY I'LL HAVE TO PASS IT ON TO MY CUSTOMERS.))
[SUPER=01-Linton Leary/Business Owner;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=to my customers.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Leary's equipment and tool rental business has been on First Street for 30 years.
But he says he'd rather move it out of Radford than pay to re-letter trucks and notify thousands of customers and suppliers.
City Council members said renaming Main Street would unify the area and make the street more recognizable.
The change is set to occur in January 2002.
(------------)

[8WEATHER]

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

Let's look at the mid- week forecast once again--
Sunny, breezy, and warmer today with highs this afternoon reaching the low to mid 50s...

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