[7-11Painter]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE #=01-07 TC1:26:26]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Blacksburg lawyer faces felony charges in a Montgomery County Court.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]


54-year-old Joe Painter is accused of deliberately setting brush fires to new housing construction behind his home... the prosecution says they have video of him in the act.
But instead of starting his trial yesterday, as part of a plea agreement, Painter pled guilty to two misdemeanors and no contest to three others.
His suspended sentence includes 5-years probation, an order to pay 75-hundred dollars restitution and an agreement to write letters of apology.
(----------------)



[7-11Campbell-Stabbing]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-06 TC1:47:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]


A domestic incident in Campbell County leaves one man facing multiple charges - for allegedly attacking three people with a knife Wednesday night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co.]


Police were called to this home on Reynolds Drive just before nine.
That's where they say 51- year- old James Murrell had stabbed his former girlfriend, 45- year- old Ella Ma Brown.. in the face and neck eight times.
Murrell also allegedly stabbed Brown's 21- year- old son Shannon and a friend, 39- year- old Kirk Burton.
Police aren't sure how, but Murrell also suffered a stab wound to his throat.. he's hospitalized in serious condition.
(------------)



[7-11Montvale-Shooting]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=500-14 1:56:18]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Officials say a Bedford County woman may have shot her ex-husband yesterday morning during an argument.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]


It happened in their Montvale mobile home.
Deputies say 32-year-old Angelia Michelle Bowles called authorities and told them she shot her husband in the stomach as they struggled for the gun.
46-year-old Walter Lester Morris is in critical condition.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Bowles is charged with malicious wounding and use of a firearm.
She is being held in jail without bond.

[7-Accidental-Shooting]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Pitts Co Accidental Shooting]

The 12-year-old boy shot in the head while skeet shooting has died. The accident occurred Wednesday as Matthew Strange of Charleston, South Carolina was visiting relatives in Pittsylvania County. The sheriff's department says he was accidentally shot by his 10 year old brother.

[7-11Fatal-Ax]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-03 1:54:32]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A cell phone may have led to a Lynchburg mans fatal accident yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co.]


Investigators say the black pickup truck Benjamin Wilson Neighbors was driving veered off route 24 near Rustburg yesterday afternoon. The pickup struck a fence and a telephone pole, killing the 19-year-old on impact.
Authorities found a cell phone in Neighbors's hand and say it's possible he was distracted while using the phone and ran off the road.
(------------)






[7-11Vigil]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=01-17 TC08:39]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A vigil was held last night to remember a man found dead over the weekend.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Friends and relatives of Billy Ray Green placed a small cross next to Campbell Avenue.
Green was found dead in the canal that runs along the street.
He had a cut on his head, but so far, no one knows exactly what happened.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]

[17:01:03]
[IN Q=It was just]

((BEETEE ST. CLAIR; IT WAS JUST ONE SENSELESS ACT THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. MAYBE HE WAS LOOKING OVER, MAYBE HE JUST FELL, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.))
[SUPER=07-Beetee St. Clair]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=don't know what happened.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Those at the vigil say they hope the city erects railings along the canal so no one else gets hurt.
(------------)



[45-Bedford-Budget]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=01-16]
[GRAPHIC=Bedford Co. Budget]

Bedford County's taxes are on the rise - to support teacher pay raises. The real estate tax will only go up by 3 cents, instead of the proposed 8 cents.
The Bedford County Board of Supervisors approved the pay raise last night by a vote of 4 to 3. As Kate Weidaw reports, teachers say the raise is necessary.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Bedford;:00]
[SUPER=01-Fred Glover/Bedford Co. Teacher;:18]
[SUPER=01-Jesse Tucker/Teacher's Association President;:39]
[SUPER=@Kate2;1:10]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=kw news 7 BC]


((Only a handful of teachers sat in on the Board of Supervisors vote, many said they were optimistic the raise would be approved. Teachers like Fred Glover at Forest Middle School say the raises are necessary to compete with surrounding counties like Roanoke and Lynchburg.

[SOT 14:23:05]
[INQ=]

((FRED GLOVER/TEACHER: WHAT THIS COUNTY WANTS TO SET AS A PRIORITY WHETHER IT WANTS TO RETAIN COMPETENT AND CAPABLE TEACHERS OR JUST BEING SATISFIED WITH MEDIOCRE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 15]


With 10 point 6 percent raise, Bedford County's teacher pay will rank 6th out of the 9 surrounding counties.

[SOT 20:31:42]
[INQ=]

((JESSE TUCKER/PRES. TEACHER ASSOCIATION: IT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT AGAIN NEXT YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER BIG YEAR BECAUSE 10.6 PERCENT DOESN'T EVEN GET US TO THE AVERAGE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 14]


But for teachers like Glover the raise boosts morale and makes him want to stay in Bedford County instead of looking for a higher paying job else where.

[SOT 14:19:53]
[INQ=]

((FRED GLOVER: I'VE KIND OF SET ROOTS THE PLACE GREW ON ME SO TO SPEAK AND HERE I AM SECOND YEAR AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO STAY HERE A GOOD WHILE LONGER.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 8]



The school board will approve the raises for the teachers sometime next month.
The three cent tax hike for the county goes into effect immediately so residents should see it on their next bill.
Kate Weidaw News 7 Bedford County.))




[45-11Redistricting]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-11 TC46:52]
[GRAPHIC=Redistricting]

The new redistricting plans are in place - Virginia's House and Senate signed off on the plans yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]


The Republican majority says it's the closest Virginia's ever come to the one man, one vote principle.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I hope that]
[sot tape HOUSE 01:40:29]

((DEL. JACK RUST/R-FAIRFAX: I HOPE THAT AFTER THE RANCOR OF THE PAST TWO DAYS, AND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THIS DECENTENNIAL PROCESS INVOLVES, THAT WE'LL BE BACK TOGETHER AS A LEGISLATURE UNDER THE NEW BILL.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Jack Rust/(R) Fairfax;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=under the new bill.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Democrats who've been squeezed into districts with other incumbents say the party will survive, with or without them.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[sot tape HOUSE 01:59:10]

((DEL. BARNIE DAY/D-PATRICK CO.: BAD NEWS IS CANCER OR CAR WRECKS. THIS IS NOT BAD NEWS. WE'LL DEAL WITH THIS.)) ((SEN. MADISON MARYE/D-SHAWSVILLE: I DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT INTEND TO RUN AGAIN-- UNLESS MY PARTY NOMINATES ME. laughter))
[SUPER=@Day; :00]
[SUPER=@Marye; :08]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=nominates me. laughter.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


That could mean a showdown with Republican Bo Trumbo in 2003.
Senator Marye says he's unlikely to move to Fairfax, where his Senate district was transported.
Marye says that would be like the Beverly Hillbillies moving to L-A.
(------------)



[8-11Cole]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-05 1:53:47]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


A woman accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars as a grocery store cashier is going to jail. But it's not necessarily a sentence.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]


Kelly Cole does not contest stealing 71- thousand dollars as a Kroger cashier.
Yesterday, her attorney said he'd only recently come to question Cole's mental state.
Tony Anderson mentioned certain phone calls Cole had made, but declined to say what prompted him to ask for a mental competency evaluation.
Judge Richard Pattisal granted the request, saying he would lock Cole up to "ensure that she's available for this evaluation."
(------------)



[8-11Painter]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE #=01-07 TC1:26:26]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


A Blacksburg attorney now knows what it's like to be on the OTHER side of the law--
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]


54-year-old Joe Painter is accused of deliberately setting brush fires to new housing construction behind his home... the prosecution says they have video of him in the act.
But instead of starting his trial yesterday, as part of a plea agreement, Painter pled guilty to two misdemeanors and no contest to three others.
His suspended sentence includes 5-years probation, an order to pay 75-hundred dollars restitution and an agreement to write letters of apology.
(----------------)



[8-Accidental-Shooting]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Pitts Co Accidental Shooting]


A 12- year- old boy is dead after a skeet shooting accident.
The accident occurred Wednesday as Matthew Strange of Charleston, South Carolina was visiting relatives in Pittsylvania County.
The sheriff's department says he was accidentally shot by his 10 year old brother.

[8-11Fatal-Ax]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-03 1:54:32]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]


A Lynchburg man killed in an auto accident MIGHT have been distracted by a cell phone.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co.]


Investigators say the black pickup truck Benjamin Wilson Neighbors was driving veered off route 24 near Rustburg yesterday afternoon. The pickup struck a fence and a telephone pole, killing the 19-year-old on impact.
Authorities found a cell phone in Neighbors's hand and say it's possible he was distracted while using the phone and ran off the road.
(------------)






[8-11NS-Hearing]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-09 TC1:02:24]
[GRAPHIC=Norfolk Southern]


Legislators in Pennsylvania are questioning why Norfolk Southern plans to close its only remaining freight car repair shop.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Hollidaysburg, PA]


At a hearing there yesterday, N-S officials explained the Conrail merger did create problems, but a slowing economy forced them to make cutbacks.
One union leader here says he's just impressed someone is standing up for people who lost their jobs.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We've had shops]

[01:32:15] ((T.R. MCCOY/BMWE PRESIDENT: WE'VE HAD SHOPS CLOSE HERE. WE'VE HAD MAINTENANCE OF WAY EMPLOYEES CUT OFF HERE. AND NOBODY HAS COME FORWARD TO SPEAK FOR OUR PEOPLE.))
[SUPER=01-T. R. McCoy/BMWE President]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=for our people.]
(------------)

[PRE PRO]
In response, Delegate Dick Cranwell told News 7, "All of us who hold an elected office are concerned about the economy in the Roanoke Valley -- but facing the railroad head to head is futile. Instead, we're working to bring other jobs and other industry to the Valley."
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[ANCHOR=HOLD]


Legislators in Pennsylvania will have another chance to prod N-S officials for information at a hearing in two weeks.
by SS