WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/29/01

[7-11Child-Death]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=00-50 TC1:23:56]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Officials say they now know the cause of a Henry County boys' death last month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co./February 5;]

Four-year-old Stephen Kelly lived with his mother and stepfather at this home on Bassett Heights Extension.
On February first, Herbert Norman called 9-1-1 after finding his stepson unconscious in bed.
Efforts to revive the boy were unsuccessful.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=]
[SS=None]

A preliminary autopsy failed to determine a cause of death.
But deputies say later tests found the boy died from blunt force injuries to the head, chest, abdomen and extremities.
No word on what or who may have caused the injuries.

[7-11Volvo]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-09 TC40:58]
[GRAPHIC=Volvo]
Volvo's New River Valley plant will see layoffs because the trucking industry seems to be putting on the breaks.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Dublin/File Tape;]

Approximately 3-hundred hourly and salaried employees at the Dublin plant will be eliminated April 30th.
This move is on top of 400-job cuts in February and 11-hundred last year.
A local union leader is not surprised by the cutbacks or optimistic about the future...
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=IT DON'T]
((BILL BURTON/UAW LOCAL 2069 PRES.; IT DON'T LOOK GOOD, THE FUTURE I MEAN LOOKING AT THE ORDER BOARDS, IT DON'T LOOK GOOD AND YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, HOPEFULLY SOME DOWN WEEKS WILL TAKE CARE OF IT))
[SUPER=01-Bill Burton/UAW Local 2069 President]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=CARE OF IT]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Volvo is the New River Valley's second largest employer behind Virginia Tech.
(------------)

[7-11Metalsa]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-19]
[GRAPHIC=Layoffs]
Another manufacturer is also cutting back on its workforce - this time in Botetourt County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

(ma-TALL-sa) 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.
(ma-TALL-sa) 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.
(------------)

[7-6-Lewis]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-13 TC 8:20]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A federal judge says Roanoke and the city's Police Chief are not to blame for excessive force allegedly used against Wilbert Wesley Lewis.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]
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.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=]
[Graphic=none]
Judge Sam Wilson yesterday rejected that claim. Both Lewis and Officer W. G. (Boo- shay) Boucher have said the two were facing each other when (Boo-shay) Boucher shot Lewis. But the emergency room physician now says Lewis was shot in the back. So the case against Boucher goes to tr

ial on Monday.[7WEATHER]

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

Taking a look now at your forecast - expect rain and cooler temperatures today. Highs will be in the mid 40's.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Rain/Cooler/43-47/Occasional/Rain/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[45-11Rubatex]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-04 TC1:07:32]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex]

Rubatex and its union have finally reached an agreement.
That's not the only good news, money to save the Bedford facility may soon be on the way.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/File Tape]

After months of picketing and months at work without a contract, a majority of the union members voted in favor of the new contract.
In bankruptcy court yesterday, a judge approved a loan will help the company pay its debts and keep the Bedford plant alive.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We need the]
((JOHN CANTLIN/RBX EXECUTIVE VP: WE NEED THE HELP OF THE EMPLOYEES, ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT AND UNION. BUT WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TURN THIS THING.))
[SUPER=01-John Cantlin/Rubatex Executive Vice-President]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=turn this thing.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Union members and Rubatex officials expect to put the deal in writing within the next few weeks.
(------------)

[45-11altavista]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC1:30:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Questions are surfacing about Altavista's finances and why the town may be ing troublw.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Altavista]

This comes one day after town officials laid off 11 people and eliminated ten vacant positions.
One town employee who was just laid off says some restaurants have failed to pay the right amount on their monthly meal tax.
The former town clerk argues the town would be in better financial shape if leaders enforced the meals tax.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:50:05, 16:56:51]
[IN Q=I would say if the town]
((JANE POSTIN/FORMER TOWN CLERK: I WOULD SAY IF THE TOWN COLLECTED REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF LETS SAY OVER A 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP SOMEONE KEEP THEIR JOB.)) ((RAY BURGESS/MAYOR: ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF TAX EVASION, YOU TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. CERTAINLY, WE'VE TAKEN IT SERIOUSLY. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND WE'RE WORKING TO SEE WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM.))
[SUPER=01-Jane Postin/Former Town Clerk;:00]
[SUPER=01-Ray Burgess/Altavista Mayor;:14]
[RUNS=24]
[OUT Q=if there is a problem]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Town officials are conducting a full investigation into Postin's claims.
But they argue the cuts would have to be made regardless since the town only collects 400-thousand dollars from the meals tax every year.
(------------)

[45-11Bomb-Threat]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-03 TC1:31:15]
[GRAPHIC=Bomb Threat]
A bomb threat disrupted classes yesterday at Amherst County High School.
But no bomb was found at the school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]

A student found a note Tuesday that said a bomb would go off at 11:07 yesterday morning.. officials searched the building but no explosive was discovered.
About half the school's 14- hundred students stayed home or left early.. and educators called it a frustrating day.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:00:51]
[IN Q=And in this]
((JOHN DANIEL/AMHERST CO. SCHOOL SUPT.: AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT WAS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE INSTRUCTION IS NOT GOING TO GO ON DURING THAT TIME. A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS NOT CREATED OR NOT PERMITTED IN THIS TIME. SO IT REALLY CREATES A LOT OF DISTURBANCE.))
[SUPER=01-John Daniel/School Superintendent;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=lot of disturbance.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Sheriff's authorities are still trying to determine who wrote the note.
Making a bomb threat carries criminal charges as well as possible expulsion from school.
(------------)

[8-11Rubatex]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-04 TC1:07:32]
[GRAPHIC=Rubatex]

Union employees at Rubatex approve a new contract-- and the company's finances get a boost.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/File Tape]

After months of picketing and months at work without a contract, a majority of the union members voted in favor of the new contract.
In bankruptcy court yesterday, a judge approved a loan will help the company pay its debts and keep the Bedford plant alive.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We need the]
((JOHN CANTLIN/RBX EXECUTIVE VP: WE NEED THE HELP OF THE EMPLOYEES, ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT AND UNION. BUT WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TURN THIS THING.))
[SUPER=01-John Cantlin/Rubatex Executive Vice-President]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=turn this thing.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Union members and Rubatex officials expect to put the deal in writing within the next few weeks.
(------------)

[8-11Volvo]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-09 TC40:58]
[GRAPHIC=Volvo]

More Volvo employees will be pounding the pavement for NEW jobs this spring.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Dublin/File Tape;]

Approximately 3-hundred hourly and salaried employees at the Dublin plant will be eliminated April 30th.
This move is on top of 400-job cuts in February and 11-hundred last year.
A local union leader is not surprised by the cutbacks or optimistic about the future...
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=IT DON'T]
((BILL BURTON/UAW LOCAL 2069 PRES.; IT DON'T LOOK GOOD, THE FUTURE I MEAN LOOKING AT THE ORDER BOARDS, IT DON'T LOOK GOOD AND YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, HOPEFULLY SOME DOWN WEEKS WILL TAKE CARE OF IT))
[SUPER=01-Bill Burton/UAW Local 2069 President]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=CARE OF IT]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Volvo is the New River Valley's second largest employer behind Virginia Tech.
(------------)

[8-11Swanson]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-07 TC01:00]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Salem attorney will now be referred to as, "Your Honor".
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
Jim Swanson was sworn in yesterday afternoon at the County Courthouse. He's been practicing law in Salem since 1978, occasionally filling in as a substitute judge. 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 .
(------------)

[8-Bike-Cops]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Some Roanoke city officers are doing plenty of "leg work" this week--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday;]
On Monday, 15 of the department's officers began 40- hours of training to become certified bicycle officers. The officers not only train in the classroom but also in the field. Instructors say bicycle officers perform a valuable service because they're able to establish one on one contact with residents of all ages.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:18:26]
[IN Q=You know]
((CHRIS PERKINS/OFFICER & INSTRUCTOR: YOU KNOW KIDS ARE GOING TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS, THE HORSE AND CANINE OFFICERS AND BIKE OFFICERS SO YOU KNOW WE BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP EARLY WITH THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Perkins/Officer & Instructor; ]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=with them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Once the officers finish their training-- approximately a third of Roanoke's police force will be certified bicycle officers. (------------)