WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 03/28/01

[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

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[V/O-NAT]
Volvo's letting 300 workers go. That's our top story.
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[TALENT=Keith]

We've also got word of a settlement at Rubatex that'll keep the Bedford plant alive.

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Tonight on News 7 Sports - the men with sticks W&L and Roanoke battle in Salem. Al Groh talks about his first spring as UVa's head coach. We'll check in with the Avalanche,
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[VO-NAT]
and take a look at the end of three fast paced days of testing at the Martinsville Speedway.
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[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

A cold rain to finish off what has generally been a cold week. Details are coming up.

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
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[VO-NAT]
More signs of a slowing economy in our region today as Volvo announces more layoffs.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[Volvo]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=01-09 TC: 38:30]
[GRAPHIC=Volvo]
Volvo says it will eliminate nearly 300 jobs at its Dublin plant.
[DOUBLE BOXES= Keith/Rachel Microwave;]
And that is where New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel Cannon is tonight.
[LIVE=Rachel/FULL]
[SUPER=@rachel1]
[SUPER=05-Dublin]

((ROLLCUE:...effect april 30th))
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[SUPER=01-Bill Burton/President UAW Local 2069; :35 (QUICK)]
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[OUT Q=RC News 7, Dublin]

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[Metalsa]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-19]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The slowdown at Volvo also means a Botetourt County manufacturer will be cutting back its workforce.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

(muh-TAHL-suh) Metalsa -- formerly Tower Automotive is letting 18 production workers go.
The company produces frame rails for class "A" trucks.
It's main customers, Volvo, Peterbuilt, and Kenworth, are cutting back as well.
(muh-TAHL-suh) Metalsa says its been struggling with a continuous downturn in sales throughout 2000.
But, the company says it may call the furloughed employees back to work by the end of the year, if the truck market picks up significantly.
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[Rubatex]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-04 TC:1:04:40]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex]
Big news for Rubatex today, the company and its union have come to a contract agreement. and funds to keep the bedford plant alive, are on their way.

[Double Boxes=Keith and Jennifer/Microwave]
News 7 Jennifer Miele has been following the company's bankruptcy proceedings in Roanoke today. Jen...

[Live=Jennifer Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Jennifer1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
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(Rollcue: officials say they couldn't be more pleased )
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[SUPER=01-Harry Schickling/RBX Corporate Secretary; :00]
[SUPER=01-John Cantlin/RBX Executive VP; :11]
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[Out q= Bedford plant around]
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[VO-NAT]
[JENNIFER MIC HOT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/File Tape]
[RUNS=20-approx]
[OUT Q=working without a contract since June.]
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[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Keith and Jennifer/Microwave]

[Mason-Dixon]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#01-05 TC: 1:29:13]
[GRAPHIC=VA Capitol - Car Tax]

Politicians looking for easy answers on the state budget won't get them from a new public opinion poll.
The NEWS 7/Mason-Dixon poll shows Virginians are sharply divided over how quickly to repeal the car tax.
Ellen Qualls has a summary.
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[IN Q=It all depends on how you ask]
[SUPER=@Ellen1; 1:03]
[SUPER=03-Fairfax Co./File Tape; 1:14]
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[OUT Q=Qualls, News 7, Richmond.]

(( It all depends on how you ask the question on the car tax.
But NO matter how our pollsters did, it's clear that neighbors, friends, and family are in sharp disagreement.
Do you favor or oppose continuing the elimination of the car tax 70 percent this year and 100 percent next year?
56 percent of Virginians say yes.
41 percent say no.
But, when our pollsters asked do you approve of Governor Jim Gilmore cutting other things in the budget to keep no car tax on schedule:
47 percent of Virginians said yes.
44 percent said no.
In Lynchburg and Southside, 53 percent say yes, and 39 percent say no.
In Roanoke and Southwest, the car tax cut at a price is less popular, with 42 percent saying yes, and 46 percent saying no.
And on the chief executive himself, how Jim Gilmore's doing may also depend on where you live.
Statewide, 52 percent of Virginians say he's doing an excellent or good job.
That's down from a high of 59 percent in September of 1999.
In Lynchburg and Southside, 65 percent of those polled say Gilmore's doing a good or excellent job now.
But in Roanoke and Southwest, only 43 percent say so.
Perhaps ironically, his lowest approval rating of 41 percent comes in northern Virginia, where NO car tax has meant the biggest savings.
Ellen Qualls, News 7, Richmond. ))
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]
Coming up, a former Altavista worker is saying she lost her job because some restaraunts don't serve up their share of the food tax...
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[VO-NAT]
and nearly half the students at an Amherst County school didn't show up today after a threatening note was found in the school. We'll have details in a few minutes.
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[Hardware-Store]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-10 TC 01-10 TC 23:15]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Doug Basham says it was an agonizing decision, but tomorrow morning he'll open the doors of Brambleton Hardware for a final, quitting the business, sale.
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[SOT 14:20:17]
[IN Q=Many sleepless nights]
((DOUG BASHAM/BRAMBLETON HARDWARE: MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, MANY ROLAIDS AND TUMS WERE TAKEN DURING THIS AGONIZING PROCESS, BECAUSE IT AFFECTS SO MANY PEOPLE.))
[SUPER=01-Doug Basham/Brambleton Hardware]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=because it affects so many people.]
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Brambleton Hardware employs more than 20 people. It also enjoys a loyal customer base, that Warren Basham began building almost 45 years ago.
But the men say the arrival of large retailers including Lowe's and Home Depot have taken their toll.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=It's a sad day]
((WARREN BASHAM/BRAMBLETON HARDWARE: IT'S A SAD DAY IN A WAY, BUT TIMES CHANGE AND WE HAVE TO GO WITH THE CHANGES.))
[SUPER=01-Warren Basham/Brambleton Hardware]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=have to go with the changes.]
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[VO-NAT]

The small engine service department will remain open for now.
The sale begins tomorrow morning, and will continue until everything is sold.
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[Altavista]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC 1:56:50]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A day after the town of Altavista made some major cuts, one laid off employee is raising some questions.
The former town clerk wonders if the problem is how the town collects the revenue it is supposed to get.
Danville Bureau Chief Justin McLeod looked into this issue and found there are a lot of questions and very few concrete answers.
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[SUPER=03-Altavista;:00]
[SUPER=01-Todd Mattox/Restaurant Owner;:10]
[SUPER=01-Jane Postin/Former Town Clerk;:33]
[SUPER=01-Rudy Burgess/Altavista Mayor;:51]
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[OUT Q=News 7, Altavista]
((((NAT SOUND OF RESTAURANT))
Restaurants here in Altavista pay a 5 1/2 percent meal tax every month.
The owner of Dude's restaurant says the town collects that tax based on an honor system.
[SOT 16:52:24]
[IN Q=They just take your word for it]
((TODD MATTOX/RESTAURANT OWNER: THEY JUST TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT. YOU GOT TO KEEP YOUR RECORDS...BUT THE TOWN HAS NO WAY OF INVESTIGATING SUCH A THING.))
[Runs= 11]
[OUT Q=such a thing]

The former town clerk says that's a problem.
She, along with ten other employees were laid off Tuesday.
Jane Postin claims some restaurants have failed to pay the right amount on their meal tax for years.
[SOT 16:48:36]
[IN Q=I think they should be]
((JANE POSTIN/FORMER TOWN CLERK: I THINK THEY SHOULD BE REPORTING MORE THAN A 10-THOUSAND DOLLAR AMOUNT WHEN YOU HAVE LIKE A DRIVE IN RESTAURANT REPORTING OVER 20-THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.))
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[OUT Q=dollars a month]

Postin argues the town could have avoided these layoffs if town leaders made a better effort to collect the meal tax.

[SOT 16:57:17]
[IN Q=I wouldnt say that]
((RUDY BURGESS/MAYOR: I WOULDN'T SAY THAT. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE IN THAT SHAPE FINANCIALLY. MAYBE WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT BEFORE WE GET IN THAT SHAPE FINANCIALLY.))
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[OUT Q=that shape financially]

The town doesn't know for sure whether Postin's claims are true.
Town officials are investigating.
But they argue the cuts would have to be made regardless, with or without more money from the meal tax.
Justin McLeod, News 7, Altavista.))

[Bomb-Threat]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC 1:30:11]
[GRAPHIC=School Safety]

Investigators are still trying to determine who left a written bomb threat at Amherst County High School yesterday.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]

The note said a bomb would go off at 11:07 this morning.. none did and no explosives were found.
But students were evacuated as a precaution, and about half didn't show up or left school early.
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[SOT 00:45:30//1:01:30]
[IN Q=A lot of]
((BROOKE HURT/STUDENT: A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THIS MORNING, SO THEY'RE KIND OF UNSURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND EVERYTHING AND A LOT OF 'EM JUST FOUND OUT AND SO THEY'RE ALL FRANTICALLY TRYING TO GET HOME I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.))

((JOHN DANIEL/AMHERST CO. SCHOOL SUPT.: YOU WONDER WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO DO THIS TO ANOTHER HUMAN BEING, AND THREATEN THEM WITH AN EXPLOSION.))
[SUPER=01-Brooke Hurt/Student; :00]
[SUPER=01-John Daniel/Amherst Co. School Supt.; :11]
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[OUT Q=with an explosion.]
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[VO-NAT]

Daniel says police are pursuing several leads but no arrest has been made.
Making a bomb threat carries criminal charges as well as possible expulsion from school.
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[Lewis]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-13 TC 8:20]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
Roanoke and the city Police Chief have convinced a federal judge that they aren't to blame for excessive force allegedly used against Wilbert Wesley Lewis.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File]
He's the Roanoke man shot in the stomach a little over a year ago. He sued the city, claiming the officer who shot him had been inadequately trained and poorly supervised.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[Graphic=Hold]
Judge Sam Wilson today rejected that claim. Both Lewis and Officer W. G. Boucher have said the two were facing each other when Boucher shot Lewis. But the emerge

ncy room physician now says Lewis was shot in the back. So the case against Boucher goes to trial Monday.[Swanson]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-07- TC 59:15]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The Roanoke Valley has a new Circuit Judge to replace Roy Willett who was not renamed to the bench by the legislature this year.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
Jim Swanson was sworn in this afternoon at the County Courthouse, before a crowd of well-wishers and the judges of the 23rd Circuit. Swanson has only been a substitute judge 'til now. He's been practicing law in Salem since 1978.
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[SOT 12:49:30]
[IN Q=The honor of]
((JUDGE JIM SWANSON/ROANOKE CO. CIRCUIT COURT: THE HONOR OF (1) BEING A JUDGE, BUT, (2) BEING PART OF WHAT I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED TO BE AN EXCELLENT JUDICIARY HERE IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY.))
[SUPER=01-Judge Jim Swanson/Roanoke Co. Circuit Court]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=excellent judiciary here in the roanoke valley.]
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[VO-NAT]
He pledged to listen more than he talks, to always be accessible, and to remember that while some cases have an impact beyond the courtroom, every case is important to those involved .
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 Sports - we'll check in with UVa boss man Al Groh, check out the lacrosse battle of the year in Salem, and hear from NASCAR's Johnny Benson,
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[VO-NAT ENG#]
and the Salem Avalanche as the team gets ready for opening night next month.
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[S-Lax]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-79 15313tc]
[GRAPHIC=ODAC]

We begin tonight with the number one ranked division three lacrosse team in the nation, Washington & Lee heating up its always entertaining rivalry with Roanoke College this afternoon in Salem.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Generals vs. Maroons; :00]
Roanoke's Bill Pilat and W&L's Jim Stagnitta exchanged a few pleasantries before their teams got down and dirty. The Generals opened the scoring as senior attackman Matt Dugan finds the back of the net at the 11:53 mark of the first period. But 20 seconds later, Maroons' freshman attackman Chris Davis ties it at 1-all with the unassisted goal. This one went back and forth the whole first period as Roanoke takes a 3-to-2 lead on this Colin Burke tally with 5:54 left in the opening period. But W&L would outscore Roanoke 6-to-1 the rest of the first half to put this one away. Pope Hackney, the senior all-American -midfielder will net two of those goals.
[SUPER=34-W & L/16/Roanoke/4 ;]
Washington & Lee stays unbeaten on the season with the 16 to 4 win over Roanoke.
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[TALENT=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=ODAC]

W&L has now won the last four meetings between the two rivals.[S-Avs]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-85 13549TC]
[GRAPHIC=AVALANCHE]

The Salem Avalanche players are set to arrive in town next week. The team's home opener is set for Tuesday night, April 10th.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
The grounds crew already has the Salem Memorial stadium playing surface in excellent shape. One of the new changes this season off the field is that team team will have a total of 13 day games in the months of April and May. Several of those will be weekday matinees.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=WE ABSOLUTELY...]
[SUPER=01-Joe Preseren/Avalanche General Manager; :00]
[RUNS=:28]
[OUT Q=...different angles."]
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[S-Groh]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-90]
[GRAPHIC=UVa football]
The Virginia football team will practice for new head coach Al Groh for the first time this Friday when the Cavaliers open spring football. This afternoon, he met the media. Steve Mason his spring cleaning progress report.
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[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/This Afternoon; :00]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/UVa Football Coach; :14]
[SUPER=04-2000 Season; :27]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:21]
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[OUT Q=....News 7 sports"]
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[S-Test]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-87 12221TC]
[GRAPHIC=MARTINSVILLE]

The Martinsville Speedway got yet another workout today as three busy days of testing came to a close at the half mile oval. And the test sessions didn't just bring out the drivers and their crews.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
More than 100 curious fans extended their lunch hours yesterday and again today to get a free up close look at some of their favorite drivers. This entire preschool class from Irisburg Elementary school in Henry County got an eyeful and at time a little more than an earful. The drivers themselves spent a lot of time making 100 plus lap runs - working more on their race set up than their qualifying.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
[SUPER=01-Johnny Benson/4th In Points Race; :00]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=...in the track."]
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[VO-NAT con't]
The Winston Cup stars and the Craftsman truck series will begins three days of racing at the track on Friday April 6th. Tickets are still available for all of the weekend festivities.
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[S-WDBJ]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
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[GO TO PINNACLE 1201] And folks - we want to remind you about the Final Four festivities coming up this Saturday. The opening game between Arizona and Michigan State will tip-off at 5:42pm. The all-ACC semi-final between Duke and Maryland will begin 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one. That should be right around 8:17. Of course the only place to see it is right here on WDBJ-7. (------------------)