WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/01/01

[7-Morning-After]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=500-6 1:49:20]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Abortion proponants and detractors have argued for years about when life begins... Virginia's house of delegates got
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

into that question yesterday- debating a bill that would make it easier for women to obtain the so-called "morning after" pill.
Abortion rights advocates say it could prevent more than a million and half un-intended pregnancies and 800- thousand abortions a year.
Abortion opponents still consider the pill an abortion, since it keeps a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
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[SOT 52:11]
[IN Q=Would not]
((DEL. HARVEY MORGAN: WOULD NOT A PREGNANCY BE FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE TAKING OF THIS MEDICATION?))07
[sot 01:16:01]
((DEL. DICK BLACK/R-LOUDOUN CO.: LOOK AROUND YOU. THERE'S NOT A PERSON IN HERE WHO CAME INTO THIS WORLD IF HE DIDN'T COME THROUGH A PREGNANCY. I MEAN, ISN'T THAT THE MOST ABSURD ARGUMENT ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH TO TALK ABOUT PREGNANCY-- I MEAN THAT'S LIKE SAYING BREATHING IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU MIGHT CHOKE ON AN EGG WHEN YOU'RE EATING.))22
[SUPER=01-Del. Harvey Morgan/(R) Gloucester; :00]
[SUPER=01-Del. Dick Black/(R) Loudoun Co.; :08]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=you're eating.]
[TALENT=Jean]
[SS=Abortion]

That bill is still being debated in the House.
Meanwhile, a Senate committee has reported out another controversial bill- That bill would make women wait 24 hours before getting an abortion.
That means the bill's moving forward- In the past it's never made it past the Senate committee level- By the way- The Governor supports the bill.

[7-Hager]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC1:00:27]
[GRAPHIC=John Hager]

Lieutenant Governor John Hager says he WILL continue his race for Governor, despite pressure from the current Governor.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Hager actually called a news conference yesterday to tell Capitol reporters he would remain in the contest for governor.
That's despite the fact Governor Jim Gilmore's staff has lobbied him to run again for the number TWO spot.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well you know]
((LT. GOV. JOHN HAGER/R-CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR: WELL YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S HIS PREROGATIVE. ... WOKE PEOPLE UP TO REFLECT ON THE CONTEST.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Gov. John Hager/(R) Candidate for Governor;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=the contest.]
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[VO-NAT]

Governor Jim Gilmore would only publicly say he was pushing for EITHER Hager or Attorney General Mark Earley to run again for their current posts.
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[7-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC14:19]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A man was rescued from underneath a bridge which spans the Roanoke river in Salem.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
Traffic was backed up while authorities brought the man to safety. Right now, it's unclear if the man jumped from the bridge. Authorities say he was injured and appeared to have been there since yesterday morning. A resident in the area notified Salem police when they discovered the man under the bridge yesterday evening..
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[45-L'burg-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-53 TC44:46]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A man wanted in connection with Lynchburg's first murder of the year is behind bars. He turned himself in to police yesterday.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

51- year- old Jessie Lee Gray was stabbed to death during a fight inside this apartment building on Rivermont Avenue Tuesday night.
Police identified 40- year- old James Andrew Burley as a suspect in Gray's murder.
Officers arrested Burley after he came to the police department to be served with a warrant on an unrelated charge of forging a public document.
He's being held without bond.
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[45-Roanoke-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-50 TC1:15:19]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]
A shooting at Lucy Addison Middle School has police looking for suspects.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

A fight broke out Tuesday night in the parking lot after a Parks and Recreation league basketball game.
The fight ended in gunfire-- a 22-year-old Roanoke man was hit in the hand.
Nathaniel Martin says he doesn't know who fired the shots.
Police say no Addison students were involved... the participants were high school students and adults.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=none]

They've questioned two teenage boys, but no one has been charged.

[45-EEOC-Suit]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-44 TC1:55:52]
[GRAPHIC=Lawsuit]
After allegedly disclosing medical information about a former employee, a Roanoke trucking company is being sued.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says Overnite Transportation violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The agency is suing on behalf of Paul Newton who worked for Overnite for 13- years before leaving for another job.
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[ANCHOR=]
[SS=none]
According to the E-E-O-C, when Overnite was contacted for a job reference the company disclosed confidential medical information without Newton's permission. Overnite plans to fight the lawsuit. A spokesman says disclosing such information is against Overnite's policy.

[45-Falwell]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-48 TC1:31:20]
[GRAPHIC=Jerry Falwell]

The Reverend Jerry Falwell's attorneys hope the new Presidential administration will be freer with information than the last.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Falwell's lawsuit claims the Clinton White House conspired with the F-B-I to create a secret database on anti-abortion activists like himself.
The Justice Department says it has given Falwell all the documents he requested under the Freedom of Information Act.
But Falwell says not everything has been turned over.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:39:55]
[IN Q=We're very confident]
((LARRY KLAYMAN/JUDICIAL WATCH: WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT "A", WE'LL GET COOPERATION FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT EVEN IF WE DON'T, THAT THIS COURT WILL RULE IN OUR FAVOR AND ULTIMATELY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE FACTS AND ALL THE DOCUMENTS.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Klayman/Judicial Watch]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=all the documents.]
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[VO-NAT]

A federal judge heard arguments yesterday and is deciding whether to dismiss Falwell's lawsuit or let it proceed.

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[8-SOL'S]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-52 TC1:30:22]
[GRAPHIC=SOL's]

Some POTENTIAL legislation would lessen the importance of Standards of Learning Tests in determining a school's performance.
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[SOT caputo tape 11:22:40]
[IN Q=Right now]
((DEL. TOM JACKSON/D-HILLSVILLE: RIGHT NOW, A SCHOOL IS JUDGED TO BE A FAILURE OR NOT BASED ON ONE THING. THAT'S HOW THE STUDENTS PERFORM ON SOL TESTS.))
[SUPER=@Jackson;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=SOL tests.]
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[VO-NAT]

Jackson sponsored the bill, which would make S-O-L tests only half of what a school is accredited on.
That's instead of the 100 percent that takes effect in 2007.
The Governor came just short of saying he'd veto the bill.
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[SOT 13:14:50]
[IN Q=The national]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: THE NATIONAL SITUATION IS MOVING EVEN FOR TOUGHER STANDARDS AND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY....NOT THE TIME FOR VIRGINIA TO FLINCH...IN EDUCATION.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=in education.]
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[TALENT=Jean]
[SS=HOLD]

The S-O-L bill now heads to the full House.

[8-Accident-Report]

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

Starting today, Roanoke police will have a little less paper work to do when handling traffic accidents. They'll continue to respond to all accidents. But beginning today, police won't necessarily investigate and file a report. Under the new policy... if damage to a vehicle is less than one thousand dollars, no one's hurt and there are no extenuating circumstances, the accident won't be reported. The officer will, however, give the two parties a form to complete and exchange their insurance information. The officer will also keep a copy.

[8-War-Reunion]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=01-01 TC34:27]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A decade has passed since the Gulf War--
Now local veterans are organizing a reunion.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
In December of 1990, 120- men left the Roanoke Valley to serve in the Persian Gulf. The troops returned in April- many had forged close friendships with each other. About 15 members of the unit are now organizing a ten year reunion- They hope they'll see commrades they haven't talked with in years.
[sot 00:18:54]
(////sot/////)
[in q=We're talking]
((JIMMY GOAD/GULF WAR VETERAN: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN A WAR TYPE SITUATION, AND WE SLEPT TOGETHER, WE ATE TOGETHER YOU KNOW WE WERE FRIENDS TOGETHER YOU KNOW, WE HAD A REAL CLOSE RELATIONSHIP.))
[SUPER=01-Jimmy Goad/Gulf War Veteran;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=close relationship.]
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[VO-NAT]
The reunion is planned for June but a location has not been selected. Right now... organizers are looking for sponsors to help with costs. They're also trying to contact local Gulf War vets. So far, they've only been in contact with about 20 veterans. Anyone who wants more information is asked to call the Marine Reserve Center in Roanoke. (------------)