WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/16/01

[7-5-Hairston]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=500-20]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Martinsville man is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend and her daughter.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/Last Year;]
The jury convicted Micheal Hairston on all eight counts including capital and first degree murder in the shooting deaths of Evonne Hairston and her 16 year old daughter Melveena.
It took the jury more than six hours to reach its verdict. The penalty phase of the trial resumes at nine this morning.
Michael Hairston could receive the death penalty.
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[7-6-Academy-Rape]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Naval Academy midshipman from Danville accused of rape will not go to trial.
Shaka Martin and two other midshipmen were charged in the case.
Prosecutors say they won't bring the case to trial after the midshipmen agreed to resign from the academy and have no further contact with the alleged victim.
The female midshipman who brought the charges says she supports the decision not to bring the men to trial.

[7-Wolverine-Union]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=01-09]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Wolverine Gasket workers in Blacksburg will now be part of a union.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]
Employees cheered last night when they learned the vote passed by a count of 174 to 89. Earlier this month the plant laid off more then 1-hundred employees -- now these workers are hoping to get their jobs back. Many say joining the United Auto Workers Union will make things better at the plant.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:13]
[IN Q=our pension]
((TODD DAVIS/LAID OFF WORKER: OUR PENSION PLAN HERE IS REALLY AWFUL, WE WANTED GUARANTEED CALL BACK RIGHTS, THEY LAID 104 WORKERS OFF TWO WEEKS AGO AND I HAD TO BE ONE OF THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Todd Davis/Laid Off Worker]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=one of them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Up until last night, Wolverine Gasket had been a non-union shop for more then 20 years. The company says it was hoping to keep it that way.
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[7-Skurupey-Memorial]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=01-08]
[GRAPHIC=none]

More then two hundred family and friends of Staff Sergeant Greg Skurupey (Skir-pee) gathered in Blacksburg last night to remember him.
(----------)
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]
Skurupey was killed on March 3rd after the military plane he was flying in crashed in Georgia. Friends like Rodney Riddle spoke about fond memories he and Greg shared.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:59:31]
[IN Q=we would]
((RODNEY RIDDLE: WE WERE ALWAYS ARGUING AS BOYS AND GREG WOULD STAND UP TO THE PLATE AND SAY HEY BOYS STOP ARGUING AND SAY I KNOW THE WAY AND HE LEAD US TO THE POINT WE NEEDED TO BE TO FINISH THE COURSE.))
[SUPER=01-Rodney Riddle/Friend]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=finish the course.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Unadilla, GA]
Skurupey was one of 18 soldiers killed when their plane crashed on their way back from a training exercise. Skurupey grew up in Blacksburg and leaves behind a wife and two children.
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[45-Local-Economy]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=none]

This weeks market plunge has many investors shaken - and asking the question - Will the market pick up?
As Jennifer Miele reports, economists say psychologists would know better.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Last month, Dr. Larry]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last month;:00]
[SUPER=01-Jan Lynch/Roanoke College;:19]
[SUPER=01-James Brinkley/Legg Mason President;: 54]
[SUPER=@jennifer1;1:37]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7 Roanoke.]
((Last month, Dr. Larry Lynch of Roanoke College told News 7 that Roanoke was not headed for a recession. ((DR. LARRY LYNCH: NO, I DON'T THINK SO AT ALL.)) [RUNS02]
But Lynch said we should really ask a psychologist -- they are the ones who know all about consumer confidence.
So we did.
His wife, Dr. Jan Lynch. [tc:00:02:41] ((DR. JAN LYNCH: AFTER HAVING BEEN MARRIED TO HIM FOR AS MANY YEARS AS I HAVE BEEN, I THINK HE'S RIGHT.)) [RUNS05]
Jan Lynch says investors who watched their stocks devalue this week experienced a very real emotion -- fear. [Tc:00:03:33] ((DR. JAN LYNCH: SO WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO IS THEY'LL START SELLING BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID THAT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DROP, AN OR COURSE, IF THEY DO IT, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DROP, AND IT BECOMES A VICIOUS CIRCLE.)) [RUNS12]
But there is some light at the end of the market pummel.
Brokerage firm Legg Mason is expanding in Roanoke and convincing local investors to buy now. [tc:00:42:15] ((WE KNOW HISTORICALLY THAT THESE DAYS PROVIDE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO OWN GOOD INVESTMENTS, AND THAT ITS THE WORST TIME TO LIQUIDATE.)) [RUNS08]
And it seems investors are facing their fears of the market. [PRE PRO]
Ten years ago, all that mattered was your money in the bank - -but today, 45 percent of the average household's assets are in the stock market.
The baby boomers have no need to fear retirement... 18 percent of their wealth is in mutual funds. But ten years ago, they wouldn't have been prepared. [END PRE PRO]
Legg Mason hopes to continue to boost that consumer confidence by investing its own money in Roanoke. [tc:00:48:49] ((WE LOOK AT ROANOKE AS THE CAPITAL OF THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE. WE LIKE THE GOVERNMENT, THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND WE LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT.)) [runs08] ((JENNIFER MIELE/REPORTING: ULTIMATELY WHAT WILL SAVE ROANOKE'S WALL STREET ISN'T ONE COMPANY, IT'S THE CONFIDENCE AREA INVESTORS HAVE IN THAT COMPANY. JENNIFER MIELE, NEWS 7, ROANOKE.)) [RUNS10]))

[45-6-Area-Code]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=01-05 TC1:09:18]
[GRAPHIC=276 Area Code]

Southwest Virginia will soon have the new 276 area code.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The new area code goes into effect September first for areas in Southwest Virginia, including Wytheville and Martinsville.
The 540 area code will still work in the area until March 2002.
The Roanoke Valley will keep the 540 area code for another five years, then get a new number.
The Shenandoah Valley will keep the 540 number permanently.
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[8-5-Hairston]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=500-20]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Martinsville man could receive the death penalty after a jury finds him guilty of killing his girlfriend and her daughter.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/Last Year;]
The jury convicted Micheal Hairston on all eight counts including capital and first degree murder in the shooting deaths of Evonne Hairston and her 16 year old daughter Melveena.
It took the jury more than six hours to reach its verdict. The penalty phase of the trial resumes at nine this morning.
(------------)

[8-6-Biomed]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC1:17:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]

City officials are apparently on the same wavelength with planners of the new bio-medical institute.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Yesterday, members of the Roanoke Planning Commission said the proposed South Jefferson Redevelopment Plan IS in agreement with the city's comprehensive plan.
The research and technology park would be located on a 110 acre site near downtown.
Housing authority executive director John Baker says he's encouraged by recent developments.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:00]
[IN Q=We've got a lot of cooperation]
((JOHN BAKER/HOUSING AUTHORITY DIRECTOR: WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COOPERATION FROM PROPERTY OWNERS AND WE'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA... THE INCONVENIENCE THEY MAY HAVE DURING THIS PROCESS IN THE ACQUISITION AND THE POTENTIAL RELOCATION, BUT WE ALSO HOPE THE BUSINESSES CAN BENEFIT BY HAVING SUCCESSFUL RELOCATION, BY FINDING GOOD SITES FOR THEM WHERE THEY CAN RELOCATE IN THE CITY.))
[SUPER=01-John Baker/Housing Authority Director]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=relocate in the city.]
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[ANCHOR=]
[SS=None]

The redevelopment plan defines specific areas for specific USES, but detailed site plans will come later.
The proposal is now headed to Roanoke City Council, which will consider the plan at its next meeting March 19th.

[8-5-Lane-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=500-16]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia Tech]

The state budget stalemate is stalling explansion plans for Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]

Even though the project is NOT using tax dollars, all capital projects in the Commonwealth must get approval from the General Assembly.
The construction was originally slated to cost 26-million dollars but changes added another 11-million this year.

Expansion plans includes 12-thousand seats to the South end zone and more luxury boxes...bringing total seating to 65-thousand.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT-2:11:06]
[IN Q=EVEN THOUGH]
((LARRY HINCKER/VA TECH SPOKESMAN; EVEN THOUGH LANE STADIUM IS NOT COSTING THE TAXPAYER A DIME, SINCE THERE IS NO BUDGET BILL PASSED, THERE CAN BE NO BUDGET AUTHORIZATION TO EXPAND LANE STADIUM. ))
[SUPER=01-Larry Hincker/VA Tech Spokesman]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=LANE STADIUM]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Hincker says bids on the project would have to be in by May first to have construction completed by their goal of the 2002 season. (------------)