[1-News-Head]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
V-Dot cuts the speed limit on parts of Interstate 81.
That tops News 7 at Six tonight.
(------------)
[TALENT=Jean]
And Henry County puts the brakes on its high school consolidation plan.
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=Sports-Head]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In sports, Mike Stevens continues his reports from the NASCAR Media Tour.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And its official Michael Vick is headed to the National Football League.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]
Most of the viewing area hits 50 with the hill city and Roanoke flirting with 60. A different deal tomorrow. We'll explain.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=JEan]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's just one]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=travelled road.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
V-DOT says slow down on parts of Interstate 81.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
Good evening, I'm Jean JAdhon.
[81-Speed]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#00-46 TC1:23:13]
[GRAPHIC=81 Safety]
Beginning next Friday, the speed limit will drop from 65 miles an hour to 60.
(XXXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN MAP]
It's just in some spots though- Drivers will have to slow down between Salem and Cloverdale in Botetourt County.
[Double Boxes=Jean and Kate/Microwave]
Kate Weidaw is near the interstate tonight to explain why V-DOT made the move.
[Live=KAte Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Kate1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: difference going to do. )
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lisa Arthur/Driver; ]
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson;]
[SUPER=01-Danny Stiltner/Driver;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=want a ticket.]
(-------------)
[Live=KAte Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Jean and Kate/Microwave]
[Exit-150]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=bre]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC43:14]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 81]
Exit 150 in Daleville may also go through some changes.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
V-DOT wants to cut back on congestion at the exit by re-routing Routes 11 and 220.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 07:34:52.17]
[IN Q=WE FEEL AS THOUGH]
((PETE SENSABAUGH/VDOT; WE FEEL AS THOUGH THE EXISTING INTERSECTION THERE WITH ROUTE ELEVEN AND ROUTE TWO-TWENTY ALTERNATE WILL NOT FUNCTION, IT WILL OPERATE AT AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL WITH THOSE FUTURE PROJECTIONS OF TRAFFIC AND THE FUTURE PROJECTIONS OF THAT AREA))
[SUPER=01-Pete Sensabaugh/VDOT]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=OF THE AREA]
(---------)
[VO-NAT]
VDOT held an informational meeting today at the Courthouse in Fincastle.
Many voiced concerns about land and business owners getting a say in the final plan.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 07:32:46.19]
[IN Q=WE HAVE ENCOURAGED]
((GERALD BURGESS/BOTETOURT CO. ADMINISTRATOR; WE HAVE ENCOURAGED THEM TO INVOLVE ALL AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS IN ANY PRELIMINARY PLANS THEY COME UP WITH.))
[SUPER=01-Gerald Burgess/Botetourt Co. Administrator]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=COME UP WITH]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
No specific plans have been made yet. V-DOT says it will have a rerouting plan ready for U-S 11 in the next six weeks.
(------------)
[Vick]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#00-41 TC1:54:20]
[GRAPHIC=Vick Going Pro]
Michael Vick confirmed at his news conference today that his Virginia Tech career is over. He's making himself eligible for the N-F-L draft.
[Double Boxes=Jean and Steve/Starlink]
Steve Mason joins us from Newport News where he has been following this story.
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@Steve1;]
[SUPER=06-Newport News;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM STARLINK***]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Michael Vick/Will Enter NFL Draft; :00]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va. Tech Head Coach; :17]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=always support him]
(-------------)
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=06-Newport News;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Jean and Steve/Starlink]
[Air-Cable]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-01 TC10:27]
[GRAPHIC=Air Cable]
Payday arrived for 40 Air Cable workers today. Some of them had not seen paychecks for at least a month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
Paychecks for this pay period did come today -- but the company still owes many of its workers AND its landlord thousands of dollars in back pay.
The local digital cable company services about a thousand customers in the Roanoke Valley.
Air Cable says all of its debts will be taken care of by Friday or Monday.
(------------)
[Henry-Schools]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-48 TC1:12:36]
[GRAPHIC=Henry Co. School Consol.]
Henry County's high schools will not be consolidated, at least for now.
The school board met today and decided to study the issue more.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co./Monday]
This week, hundreds turned out for two public hearings on the plan.
It involves consolidating four of the high schools into two.
But there's a lot of opposition to the plan, including a fear that some kids will be on the school bus for more than an hour.
So Board members plan to actually ride the bus routes to see first-hand if that's true.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[SS=HOLD]
The School board hopes to finish further study on the plan by the end of the school year.
[School-Info]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=School Info]
One school announcement to let you know about
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE SCHOOLWATCH FULL]
Pleasant View Elementary in Amherst County will be closed tomorrow because of problems with its well pump.
(-------------)
[Bedford-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-50 TC46:41]
[GRAPHIC=Brush Fire]
A neighbor burning leaves may have sparked a fire that gutted a garage and threatened two homes in Bedford County this afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]
More than two dozen volunteers from four volunteer fire companies responded to the blaze on Evington Road around three.
This garage was already engulfed in flames when they arrived.
Firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby mobile homes.
The garage owner says her neighbor was burning leaves when the wind picked up and the fire got out of hand.
Authorities are investigating.
(------------)
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[SS=NONE]
A new man's in charge of revitalizing Danville's Downtown.
We'll meet him when News 7 returns.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
And a brush with fame for the General Assembly-- as it honors a "Survivor."
(----------------)
[XGR]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-47 TC1:01:14]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]
Virginia's Republican-dominated Senate Finance Committee has pulled the rug out from under Governor Jim Gilmore's budget... on only day two of this year's legislative session.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Southside Senator Charles Hawkins carried the bill for the Governor that would take tobacco settlement money up front in a one-time payment.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17:17:59]
[IN Q=At least]
(( ))
[SUPER=@Hawkins;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=care part.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
But the lump sum would shrink the overall tobacco payout.
The committee voted 15 to 1 to kill the bill-- which could freeze the Governor's car tax cut for a year.
And the Senators were shocked to hear revenue growth is at a measly 1-point-5 percent.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17;41:32]
[IN Q=Even if you froze]
(( ))
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Chichester/(R) Stafford Co.; ]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=not swept.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Jean]
[SS=None]
The Governor's tobacco borrowing scheme is still alive in the House... but would face the same Senate committee.
[Rudy]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-49 TC47:34]
[GRAPHIC=None]
He was already a legend as the longest serving Navy SEAL.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
That may have made up for coming in third on that island, on that CBS TV show.
Today, Virginia's General Assembly honored the Commonwealth's most famous "Survivor."
So what kind of honor is it for a man who's won a Bronze Star and the Defense Superior Service Medal?
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:15:33]
[IN Q=Uh, pretty high.]
((RUDY BOESCH/"SURVIVOR": UH PRETTY HIGH. I NEVER EXPECTED THIS. ... BUT I'M HONORED.))
[SOT 12:09;05]
((BRUCE JAMERSON/HOUSE CLERK: RESOLVED FURTHER THAT THE CLEARK OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES PREPARE A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION... BEST WISHES.))
[SUPER=01-Rudy Boesch/"Survivor"; :00 ]
[SUPER=02-Bruce Jamerson/House Clerk; :14 ]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=best wishes.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Before heading home to Virginia Beach, Rudy Boesch (BOSH) even signed a few autographs and urged Michael Vick to stay in school.
(------------)
[Danville-Downtown]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-45 TC1:11:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Shopping in Downtown Danville is not what it used to be.
People stopped coming... and businesses closed up shop.
Owners of the businesses that were left formed a Downtown Association to help bring the area back to life again.
That was more than a year ago.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Jean and Justin/Danville Bureau]
Justin McLeod joins us now live from downtown Danville, what's next for downtown?
[LIVE=Justin Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Justin1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville]
Jean, the Downtown Assocation has just hired a new executive director.
Her job is to work on fixing downtown on a full-time basis.
And already, major changes are in the works.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT :05:42:33]
[IN Q=NAT SOUND OF CARS]
[SUPER=01-Sylvia Key/Business Owner; :08]
[SUPER=01-Helen Walker/Shopper; :26]
[SUPER=01-Scott Burton/Downtown Association; :38]
[RUNS=1:11]
[OUT Q=Of the city center]
((((NAT SOUND FULL OF CARS DRIVING BY))
In places, downtown Danville looks and feels more like a ghost town.
[SOT 5:35:31]
[IN Q=We have good days]
((SYLVIA KEY/BUSINESS OWNER: WE HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS. IT WOULD BE NICE IF PEOPLE WOULD CATER MORE TO DOWNTOWN DANVILLE AND EVERYONE DOWN HERE.))
[Runs07]
[OUT Q=Everyone down here]
It will take some time to turn downtown completely around.
Several store fronts remain empty.
Many buildings need to be cleaned up.
And there's one big problem thats no walk in the park.
[SOT 5:48:55]
[IN Q=We need places]
((HELEN WALKER/SHOPPER: WE NEED PLACES TO PARK DOWN HERE. THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK.))
[Runs05]
[OUT Q=place to park]
To fix those problems, Danville's Downtown Association has hired a full-time executive director who starts Monday.
[SOT 05:27:40]
[IN Q=I'm absolutely certain]
((SCOTT BURTON/DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION: I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IN 12 TO 24 MONTHS YOU ARE GOING TO SEE SOME STARTLING CHANGES FOR THE BETTER IN DOWNTOWN.))
[Runs06]
[OUT Q=better in downtown]
One change is already in the works....that's the proposed Riverside Mills Project.
The owner wants to locate restaurants, condo's, and dot.com companies in the empty Dan River Mills site located across the river.
The developer believes this project is the key to revitalizing downtown.
[SOT 5:29:03]
[IN Q=Its natural that the population]
((SCOTT BURTON/DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION: ITS NATURAL THAT THE POPULATION ON THAT SIDE OF THE RIVER IS GOING TO MIGRATE ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND HELP THIS PART OF THE CITY CENTER.))
[Runs09]
[OUT Q=of the city center]))
(-------------)
[LIVE=Justin Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=05-Danville]
Scott Burton wants to locate Virginia Tech's new high tech institute in the mills site.
But that first needs City Council approval.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Jean and Justin/Danville Bureau]
We're live in Downtown Danville tonight, Jean, back to you.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Tech stocks powered higher- That set the stage for the Nasdaq composite's first three-day winning streak since Labor Day.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-x/5.28/10609.55/x/116.39/2640.57;]
The DOW gained five points.
NASDAQ climbed 116.
(-------------)
[VO]
[SUPER=271-i/1.81/39.81/h/0.13/23.25/h/0.88/49.44/h/0.88/17.69//Unchg/5.50;]
[SUPER=272-i/2.31/56.44/i/0.06/31.56/i/0.13/47.00/h/1.88/46.56/h/0.55/38.99;]
[SUPER=273-h/0.06/23.25/i/0.06/15.81/h/0.44/13.31/i/2.50/41.63/h/0.19/10.44;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.31/62.31/i/1.56/64.06/i/0.44/55.75/h/0.50/64.50/h/0.25/51.94;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Tech-Embezzlement]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-43 TC1:39:22]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A former Virginia Tech professor admitted today he embezzled 34-thousand dollars from the university using his state-issued credit card.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
58-year-old George (Ly-bee) Libey was a professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Prosecutors say he charged personal expenses on his Tech credit card and submitted false invoices to the university.
The purchases ranged from a ladies' ring to upgrades for his van.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Under a plea agreement, Libey received 10 years' probation.
He'll have to repay the money.
[Lewis-Gale]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-44 TC1:23:53]
[GRAPHIC=Lawsuit]
Lewis Gale Clinic is taking a firm stand against two of its former doctors.
It's filed a lawsuit against them for violating the "no compete" clause in their contracts.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
But today judge Jonathan Apgar denied the clinic's request to keep the doctors from practicing in the area.
After leaving the Clinic in November, doctors Preston Waldrop and Gregory (Ree-bul) opened Virginia Orthopaedics in Salem.
Lewis Gale says the new practice is in direct competition with the clinic.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT6:33:02]
[IN Q=These are the only two physicians]
((JON NESS/CEO LEWIS GALE CLINIC: THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO PHYSICIANS THAT THERE HAS BEEN QUESTIONS WITH WE THINK THE CONTRACT IS EXTREMELY CLEAR.))
[SUPER=01-Jon Ness/CEO Lewis Gale Clinic;]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=extremely clear]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The doctors' attorney says the judge's ruling is good news for his clients.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT6:36:40]
[IN Q=The doctors are concerned]
((MIKE URBANSKI/DOCTORS' ATTORNEY: THE DOCTORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEIR PATIENTS. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.))
[SUPER=01-Mike Urbanski/Doctors' Attorney]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=they do]
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]
The clinic has 15 days to appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court.
The clinic's board will make the decision of whether to appeal.
(-----------------------)
[Downs]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The president of Virginia Western Community College is leaving.
Charles Downs says he will retire this July.
He's been the head man at the Roanoke school since 1981.
During his tenure, enrollment at V-W-C-C has grown from just under 6-thousand to more than 8-thousand students.
[Sports Tease]
[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=Sports Tease]
[GRAPHIC=None]
And coming up in sports, Michael Vick will enter the 2001 N-F-L draft.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Mike Stevens spent the day with Dale Earnhardt, Little E and Michael Waltrip in Mooresville today.
(------------)
[S-Vick]
[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=Michael Vick]
In the Gym where he played as a young boy, Michael Vick said goodbye to Virginia Tech saying he will enter the N-F-L draft April 21-st.
[Double Boxes=Roy and Steve/Starlink]
Steve Mason is in Newport News and has more on Vick, who's projected to be the number one pick in the Draft.
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@Steve1;]
[SUPER=06-Newport News;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM STARLINK***]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Michael Vick/Possible #1 Draft Pick; ]
[SUPER=03-Newport News;]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va. Tech Head Coach;]
[SUPER=01-Jim Cavanaugh/Recruited Vick for V.T.;]
[SUPER=01-Brenda Boddie/Vick's Mother; Quick!]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=......]
(-------------)
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=06-Newport News;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Roy and Steve/Starlink]
[S-Dale]
[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-91 ( )]
[GRAPHIC=NASCAR Logo]
Tonight out NASCAR media report takes us to Mooresville, North Carolina the home of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.
Mike Stevens fills us in on what has been a busy off season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=First audio...]
[SUPER=03-Mooresville, NC; :00]
[SUPER=04-Last Season; :16]
[SUPER=01-Dale Earnhardt, Jr./3 Wins in 2000; :30]
[SUPER=@Mike1; 1:17]
[SUPER=01-Michael Waltrip/NAPA Chevy Driver; 1:28]
[SUPER=01-Dale Earnhardt/Second in 2000 Points; 1:54]
[RUNS=2:15]
[OUT Q=....news 7 sports."]
(----------------)
by SS