WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/20/01

[7-State-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]
Despite tonight's deadline, House and Senate negotiators went home late last night without an agreement on the State's budget. The Senate wants to move Governor Gilmore's car tax cut to 50-percent this year and 70-percent next year because of the slowing economy. But the House supports Gilmore's insistence on keeping the car tax phaseout on schedule with a 70-percent cut this year ... and with full repeal occurring next year.

[7-Open-Container]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Open Containers]
A legislative committee has killed a proposal to prohibit passengers from carrying open containers of alcohol in their cars.
The House Militia and Police Committee shot down the bill yesterday.
The state will lose nearly six million dollars in federal highway money this year and twice that much next year for failing to enact an open container ban.
[SS=Seat Belts]

The Committee also killed a bill that would have allowed police to pull over and ticket anyone they see not wearing a seat belt.
Under current law, police can write a ticket for a seat belt violation only if the driver was stopped for something else.

[7-God-Trust]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC43:18]
[GRAPHIC=In God We Trust]
Virginia's classrooms won't be required to post "In God We Trust" this year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

The bill mandating its posting in public schools was amended, re-referred, and effectively killed for the year today in a Senate committee.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:56:16]
[IN Q=I don't fell]
((SEN. DICK SASLAW/D-SPRINGFIELD: I DON'T FEEL THAT WE SHOULD IMPOSE ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, WHEN NO OTHER STATE HAS, ANYTHING THAT THE U-S CONGRESS BY LAW IS NOT WILLING TO REQUIRE IN EACH OF THE FEDERAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Dick Saslaw/(D) Springfield;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=federal government throughout this country.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Senator Saslaw had the bill re-referred to the Senate Finance committee to study the cost of "In God We Trust" banners or signs.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:59:52]
[IN Q=I just wish that he would]
((DEL. BOB MARSHALL/R-PRINCE WILLIAM CO.: I JUST WISH THAT HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS, AND VOTED UP OR DOWN THIS PROPOSITION, RATHER THAN HIDING BEHIND THIS EFFORT TO GET ANOTHER COMMITTEE, LIKE PONTIUS PILATE, TO DO HIS DIRTY WORK.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Bob Marshall/(R) Prince William Co.;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=to do his dirty work.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=]
[SS=none]

The concept's NOT completely dead.
Another resolution, urging but NOT requiring schools to post "In God We Trust," made it out of Senate Rules.

[7-Teen-Drivers]

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

Virginia's teens could face new driving restrictions. The Senate has passed a bill that would raise the age for getting a learners permit from 15 to 15-and-a-half ... and for a drivers license from 16 to 16-and-three-months. Also, the bill would prohibit driving from midnight to 4 a.m. by drivers younger than 18 ... but police would have to stop the driver for another offense before issuing a ticket for breaking the curfew. The legislation now heads back to the House for approval of the Senate amendments.

[45-Salem-Arson]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-47 TC1:45:24]
[GRAPHIC=Arson Arrest]
A Salem woman faces charges that she set fire to a mobile home.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

Police arrested 38-year-old Karen Bennett after the fire at Ramey's Trailer park yesterday morning.
Bennett is accused of starting a fire around the outside of a mobile home at about 4 yesterday morning.
Authorities say the trailer was occupied at the time, but no one was hurt.
(------------)

[45-XGR-Earnhardt]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC1:16:42]
[GRAPHIC=Earnhardt Obit]

Virginia's House of Delegates honored the memory of Dale Earnhardt.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

Martinsville Delegate Ward Armstrong made the motion yesterday.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:13:17]
[IN Q=Few of us can]
((DEL. WARD ARMSTRONG/D-MARTINSVILLE: FEW OF US CAN LIVE LIFE AND ENGAGE IN OUR PROFESSION WITH SUCH ENTHUSIASM. HIS PRESENCE IN THE RACING COMMUNITY WILL BE MISSED. HIS PRESENCE IN THE MOTORSPORTS WORLD WILL BE GREATLY, GREATLY MISSED. MR. SPEAKER, IT WOULD BE MY DESIRE THAT WHEN THE HOUSE ADJOUN TODAY, IT ADJOURN IN HONOR OF DALE EARNHARDT, THE INTIMIDATOR.))
[SUPER=@Armstrong;]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=the Intimidator.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This is NOT the first time the House has adjourned in honor of a NASCAR legend.
Last February 23rd, it adjourned in honor of the late Wendell Scott of Danville -- the only African-American to ever win a NASCAR race.
(------------)

[45-Wood-Brother]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-54 TC1:01:57]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD Earnhardt]

Some of Earnhardt's biggest fans were his colleagues.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Wood Brothers of Stuart knew and worked with Earnhardt over the years.
They describe Earnhardt as a fierce competitor who loved to race from start to finish.
Eddie Wood says the racing world lost not only a great racer but also a friend.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:57:44]
[IN Q=He was the best of the best]
((EDDIE WOOD/WOOD BROTHERS RACING TEAM: HE WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST. HE WILL BE CONSIDERED, OR SAID TO BE THE GREATEST RACECAR DRIVER IN THE HISTORY OF NASCAR, FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HISTORY OF RACING ITSELF.))
[SUPER=01-Eddie Wood/Wood Brothers Racing]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=history of racing itself]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Wood Brothers witnessed the accident but didn't realize how the bad the crash was.
They heard the news of Earnhardt's death on their way home to Patrick County late Sunday night.
(------------)

[45-Condolences]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Earnhardt]

If you would like to send condolences directly to Dale Earnhardt's family and co-workers, we have several addresses for you.
(+++++++)
[TAKE FS Pinnacle]
Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated, is located at 16-75 Coddle Creek Highway, Mooresville, North Carolina 28-1-1-5. [NEXT PAGE]
Earnhardt drove for Richard Childress racing. That address 236 Industrial Drive, Welcome, North Carolina, 2-7-3-7-4. [TAKE NEXT PAGE]
The Earnhardt family has also asked that in "lieu" of flowers please send donations to:
The Carolinas Foundation, In Honor of Dale Earnhardt. The address-- P-O Box 3-4-7-6-9, Charlotte, North Carolina 2-8-2-3-4 4-7-6-9.
(--------------)

[8-Floyd-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-01 TC1:00:40]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Bullets from sheriff's deputies are what took the life of a man in Floyd county Saturday night.
That was confirmed by state police.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Floyd Co./Sunday]

Roger Lee Whitlock was shot twice in the chest.
It is UN-clear whether a woman found dead at the scene was killed by Whitlock, or if she could have been struck by a sheriff's deputy's bullet.
Darlene Yoders was hit in the face, but the autopsy was inconclusive on the source of that round. The F-B-I lab will examine some bullet fragments to see if that can be determined.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=none]

Sheriff's deputies were called to the Yoders home to check out a domestic dispute.
Whitlock shot at the deputies... who then returned fire.
Darlene Yoders' husband and their five children were home at the time, but were NOT hurt.

[8-God-Trust]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC43:18]
[GRAPHIC=In God We Trust]

Not EVERY student in the Commonwealth will see the words "In God We Trust" this year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

The bill mandating its posting in public schools was amended, re-referred, and effectively killed for the year today in a Senate committee.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:56:16]
[IN Q=I don't fell]
((SEN. DICK SASLAW/D-SPRINGFIELD: I DON'T FEEL THAT WE SHOULD IMPOSE ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, WHEN NO OTHER STATE HAS, ANYTHING THAT THE U-S CONGRESS BY LAW IS NOT WILLING TO REQUIRE IN EACH OF THE FEDERAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Dick Saslaw/(D) Springfield;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=federal government throughout this country.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Senator Saslaw had the bill re-referred to the Senate Finance committee to study the cost of "In God We Trust" banners or signs.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:59:52]
[IN Q=I just wish that he would]
((DEL. BOB MARSHALL/R-PRINCE WILLIAM CO.: I JUST WISH THAT HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS, AND VOTED UP OR DOWN THIS PROPOSITION, RATHER THAN HIDING BEHIND THIS EFFORT TO GET ANOTHER COMMITTEE, LIKE PONTIUS PILATE, TO DO HIS DIRTY WORK.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Bob Marshall/(R) Prince William Co.;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=to do his dirty work.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=]
[SS=none]

The concept's NOT completely dead.
Another resolution, urging but NOT requiring schools to post "In God We Trust," made it out of Senate Rules.

[8-Collectors]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-50 TC1:44:28]
[GRAPHIC=Earnhardt]

In the wake of Dale Earnhardt's death, memorabilia bearing his name or likeness is going up in value.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

The Oreo car is going for more than three-hundred dollars on e-bay.
Autographs are priced at three thousand.
While Earnhardt's death overshadowed the victory of Michael Waltrip -- that's not the case in the stores.
Waltrip collectibles are even harder to find. [tc:01:20:58]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Once they find out]
((RICH FOLEY/THE WINNER'S CIRCLE: ONCE THEY FIND OUT HE WAS DRIVING FOR DALE EARNHARDT, HIS SALES PROBABLY TRIPLED. THEN WINNING THE RACE ON TOP OF THAT, THE PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING OFF THE HOOK FOR THEM ALL MORNING.))
[SUPER=01-Rich Foley/"The Winner's Circle";]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=them all morning.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Store owners say most shoppers out yesterday were just looking for something to remember the race. (------------)