WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/15/01

[7-11I-73]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-11 TC23:27]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 73]
Officials are hoping to make a decision on the fate of Interstate 73 in the next couple of months.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP HERE]
Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board saw all four alternative routes yesterday for the 70-plus mile stretch from I-81 to the North Carolina line.
V-DOT has NOT yet picked a route to recommend.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:40:47]
[IN Q=We still have to look]
((PATSY NAPIER/VDOT ENGINEER: WE STILL HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME COMMENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AGENCIES, AND FINALIZE THAT EFFORT, AND HERE AGAIN, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WE NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE. IF WE HAVE TO TAKE AN EXTRA -- WE'D LIKE TO DO IT IN APRIL BECAUSE THIS DECISION HAS BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IF WE CAN'T DO IT IN APRIL, WE'LL CERTAINLY DO IT IN MAY.))
[SUPER=01-Patsy Napier/VDOT Engineer;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=certainly do it in May.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Board also got a summary of the 87-hundred public comments received in December and January.
The comments were almost evenly divided among building an interstate, just fixing Route 220 without the economic development advantage of an Interstate, and NOT building anything new at all.
(------------)

[7-11Hairston]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=01-10 TC07:42]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
The fate of a man accused of killing his girlfriend and her daughter is now in the hands of the jury.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/March 2000]
Michael Hairston is on trial for capital murder and first degree murder in the death of Evonne Hairston and her 16-year-old daughter Melveena. Defense attorneys conceded in their closing arguments that Hairston fired the gun... but said it was NOT premeditated.
PROSECUTORS though claim Hairston intentionally shot both the victims because at one point he allegedly left the home and returned with a gun.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=]
[SS=none]
Jurors deliberated for about an hour before calling it quits for the night. They'll start again this morning at 9.

[7-11Rubatex]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-17 TC00:13]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex Agreement]
The labor dispute at Rubatex may end - if all parties agree on a new on a new contract now on the table.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

The Local 240 Union presented the information to its members at the union hall yesterday afternoon.
No details have been released, but both sides agree they "gave in a little" on their demands.
Union workers went on strike in September, 1999 in a dispute over forced overtime, hourly wages and retiree benefits.
Rubatex's parent corporation-- R-B-X Incorporated-- filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last December.
Officials say the union may ask the bankruptcy judge to look over the new contract before members vote on it.
(------------)

[45-11ARC-Campaign]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-18 TC00:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The ARC of Central Virginia is expanding in order to serve more of Lynchburg's mentally handicapped residents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Officials figure it will cost them about a million dollars to build an 85- hundred square foot addition to their current facility.
The center currently provides day-time activities for 70 mentally retarded adults, but more people are waiting to be accepted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:43:00]
[IN Q=We've had an]
((TIM SHEPHERD/ARC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF TWENTY PERCENT, JUST THE INDIVIDUALS WHO COME HERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, AND WE PROJECT THAT BY THE YEAR 2005, WE'LL HAVE NEARLY A FIFTY PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED HERE AT THE CENTER.))
[SUPER=01-Tim Shepherd/ARC Executive Director]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=here at the center.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Shepherd says they've already raised about a half million dollars.. they hope to break ground this summer.
(------------)

[45-11County-Investment]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-15 TC04:21]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Trouble for a California utility means a million dollar investment for Roanoke County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The county invested in Pacific Gas and Electric before the recent power crisis sent the company's finances into a nosedive.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./File Tape]

On Monday, Treasurer Fred Anderson told the Board of Supervisors the county has recovered the entire investment, along with interest of more than 55-hundred dollars.
(--------------)

[45-11Stolen-Fund]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC1:41:12]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A fund to help a little girl with leukemia was stolen - and now the public is chipping in to help.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]

5 year old Catie recently had a stem cell transplant at Duke Medical Center.
Her insurance alone costs 700 dollars a month.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT8:02:18]
[IN Q=Everybody's been wonderful trying ]
((RUDY COX/CATIE'S GRANDFATHER:EVERYBODYS BEEN WONDERFUL TRYING TO HELP OUT AND WE CAN USE ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET ))
[SUPER=01-Rudy Cox/Catie's Grandfather]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=all the help we can get]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The burglar broke into Kilmer Chiropractic on Brambleton Avenue last week --and stole 200 dollars from an envelope with money going towards Catie's fund.
But word of the burglary --has encouraged more people to give.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT8:08:04]
[IN Q=It has been overwhelming]
((DAVID KILMER/KILMER CHIROPRACTIC:IT HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING, THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, EVER SINCE PATIENTS HEARD THE CATIE'S FUND WAS STOLEN ))
[SUPER=01-David Kilmer/Kilmer Chiropractic]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=fund was stolen]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

More than 13-hundred dollars was raised for Catie yesterday.
Kilmer Chiropractic is still accepting donations.
(------------)

[45-11Summit-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=01-14 TC02:03]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Invest.]

Officials say they know what caused he fire at the Summit apartment complex Monday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Monday;]

Investigators have traced it to a discarded cigarette in a flower pot on a deck.
The fire destroyed two apartments and did heavy damage to three others.
(------------)

[8-11Rubatex]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-17 TC00:13]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex Agreement]

The long-time labor dispute at Bedford's Rubatex plant may soon come to an end.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

The Local 240 Union presented information about a new contract to its members at the union hall yesterday afternoon.
No details have been released, but both sides agree they "gave in a little" on their demands.
Union workers went on strike in September, 1999 in a dispute over forced overtime, hourly wages and retiree benefits.
Rubatex's parent corporation-- R-B-X Incorporated-- filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last December.
Officials say the union may ask the bankruptcy judge to look over the new contract before members vote on it.
(------------)

[8-11I-73]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-11 TC23:27]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 73]

Within the next couple of months, we may learn if and where the proposed Interstate 73 will be built.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP HERE]
Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board saw all four alternative routes yesterday for the 70-plus mile stretch from I-81 to the North Carolina line.
V-DOT has NOT yet picked a route to recommend.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:40:47]
[IN Q=We still have to look]
((PATSY NAPIER/VDOT ENGINEER: WE STILL HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME COMMENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AGENCIES, AND FINALIZE THAT EFFORT, AND HERE AGAIN, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WE NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE. IF WE HAVE TO TAKE AN EXTRA -- WE'D LIKE TO DO IT IN APRIL BECAUSE THIS DECISION HAS BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IF WE CAN'T DO IT IN APRIL, WE'LL CERTAINLY DO IT IN MAY.))
[SUPER=01-Patsy Napier/VDOT Engineer;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=certainly do it in May.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Board also got a summary of the 87-hundred public comments received in December and January.
The comments were almost evenly divided among building an interstate, just fixing Route 220 without the economic development advantage of an Interstate, and NOT building anything new at all.
(------------)

[8-11ARC-Campaign]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-18 TC00:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Expansion plans are in the works for the Arc of Central Virginia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Officials figure it will cost them about a million dollars to build an 85- hundred square foot addition to their current facility.
The center currently provides day-time activities for 70 mentally retarded adults, but more people are waiting to be accepted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:43:00]
[IN Q=We've had an]
((TIM SHEPHERD/ARC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF TWENTY PERCENT, JUST THE INDIVIDUALS WHO COME HERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, AND WE PROJECT THAT BY THE YEAR 2005, WE'LL HAVE NEARLY A FIFTY PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED HERE AT THE CENTER.))
[SUPER=01-Tim Shepherd/ARC Executive Director]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=here at the center.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Shepherd says they've already raised about a half million dollars.. they hope to break ground this summer. (------------)