WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 06/27/01

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom - The warming trend will continue today - bringing highs in to the mid and upper 80's. Jacey Birch has details coming up in your forecast.

[7-11Postal-Center]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=slo]
[TAPE#=01-26 TC39:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Hundreds of people are in search of new jobs after the Salem Encoding Center announces it is closing its doors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
As part of a nationwide plan to eliminate these centers, full time employees are being relocated while part time employees are losing their jobs altogether.
(//////////SOT/////////)
[SOT 00:24:24]
[IN Q=I knew it was possible]
((SHERRI MITCHELL/EMPLOYEE; KNEW IT WAS POSSIBLE, WE'VE KNOWN EVER SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, SIX YEARS...AND WE KNEW IT WAS POSSIBLE TO END. SO...IT'S OKAY, LIFE GOES ON.))
[SUPER=01-Sherri Mitchell/Employee]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=life goes on.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Under their contract, full time workers have the opportunity to move to a new postal facility within a 100 mile radius. The postal service's encoding centers are being phased out because new technology is now doing the work of humans. The doors will close next May and workers will be relocated between now and then.
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[7-11Comair]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-25 TC1:05:54]
[GRAPHIC=Comair]
The flight between Roanoke and Cincinnati will once again be a straight shot starting next month -
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[PRE PRO]
Now that its pilot strike is over, 10 a.m. flights to and from Cincinnati will resume on July 17th.
September first, four p.m. flights.
October first, "late in" and "early out" flights.
And on November first, 8 p.m. Comair flights will begin again.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/March]
[TAPE#=01-24 TC36:59]

The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission says Comair will re-hire the six employees let go during the strike.
Comair is also attempting to buy back regional jets that were sold off during the strike.
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[7-11Pulaski-Water]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Water prices in the Town of Pulaski have some residents' concerns flying high.
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[VO-NAT :19.5]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]
Viola Morefield is one resident complaining to officials about growing water bills. Morefield says even though her usage has stayed the same, prices have gone up. Town officials say a 20-percent increase took effect January First after a public meeting on the issue. The say the hike was necessary for pipe maintenance and repair funds.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:34:19]
[IN Q=THEY JUST]
((VIOLA MOREFIELD/PULASKI RESIDENT; THEY JUST KEEP GOING UP MONTH TO MONTH AND I GET LIKE 627 DOLLARS A MONTH AND I GET ALL THESE BILLS TO PAY BECAUSE I 'M IN CITY LIMITS.))
[SUPER=01-Viola Morefield/Pulaski Resident;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=city limits]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Trash and sewer charges are included on water bills, but Morefield says it still doesn't explain why her bill is so high.
(------------)

[WXHeads]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom - Don't forget the sunscreen if you're going to be outside today... it's going to be partly sunny with highs in the 80's. Jacey Birch has details coming up in just a couple of minutes.

[45-11Redistricting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-]
[GRAPHIC=VA Redistricting]
State Republicans may have a well known candidate running for office - Oliver North told G-O-P members that if they build a district for him to run in, he will.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-1994;]

North means a 400-mile- long, re-drawn 9th Congressional District.
It would run from far southwest Virginia to the Commonwealth's northern tip, allowing him to run against Abingdon Democrat Rick Boucher.
But North's request is getting NO help from fellow Republican -- Speaker of the House -- Vance Wilkins, who says the district would be too long.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't see hardly how]
[sot tape 12:16:16 ]
((SPEAKER VANCE WILKINS/R-AMHERST: I DON'T SEE HARDLY HOW YOU CAN GET FROM HERE TO THERE. OR FROM THERE TO THERE.))
[SUPER=@Wilkins;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=Or from there to there.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Yesterday]

Meanwhile, Democrats have filed a lawsuit challenging the House and Senate districts Republicans drew up earlier this year.
The House plan has already met Justice Department approval.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:50:01]
[IN Q=Let's face it, the Justice]
((DEL. CREIGH DEEDS/D-BATH CO.: LET'S FACE IT, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS CONTROLLED BY THE REPUBLICANS. IT'S CONTROLLED BY A MAN THAT WAS APPOINTED BY GEORGE BUSH. JIM GILMORE IS THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE. IT DOESN'T TAKE A PENCIL TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS.))
[SUPER=@Deeds;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=a pencil to connect those dots.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Democrats alledge the new maps dilute black and female voting power and are drawn in bizarre ways to target powerful Democrats.
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[45-11L'burg-Mural]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-21 TC1:20:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Some objectionable pieces of art are being removed from city court buildings in Lynchburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Minorities and others say the mural "Going Down to Lynchburg".. which shows a white man and a black man presumed to be his slave.. is racist and has no place in the juvenile court building.
They also object to stylized metal figures in the circuit court lobby.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:25:18]
[IN Q=But both of]
((ED BARKSDALE/LYNCHBURG COUNCIL MEMBER: BUT BOTH OF THEM ARE VERY OBJECTIONABLE. AND IN A CITY LIKE LYNCHBURG AND IN A CITY IN A DEMOCRACY WE DON'T NEED TO BE ADVOCATING ANYTHING THAT'S OBJECTIONABLE TO OUR CITIZENS.))
[SUPER=01-Ed Barksdale/Lynchburg Council Member]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=to our citizens.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

It will cost about 55- thousand dollars to remove the mural.. the city is still waiting on an estimate for the other figures.
Council will take up the issue again in August.
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[45-11Optical-Cable]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Optical Cable]
It's time to pay back debts and expand. That's what a Roanoke-based fiber optic company has decided.
In order to get the money - Optical Cable Corporation wants to sell 90 MILLION dollars worth of stock in what is called a public offering.
Analysts say flooding the market with extra shares will decrease the value of stock in the short run.
But, they say, for long term investors, using money to expand manufacturing capabilities could be beneficial.

The Securities and Exchange Commission must approve the sale first.[8Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom - Keep your sunglasses withing reach today - partly sunny skies will prevail today with highs in the mid to upper 80's. Jacey Birch has your complete weather details coming up.

[8-6-Gibson]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-23 TC 49:54]
[GRAPHIC=Gibson]
A 19-year-old Franklin County man charged with killing his mother and cousin stood alone in court.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

James Gibson had no legal counsel or family members with him as he was arraigned yesterday on two counts of capital murder.
He allegedly killed his mother, Annette Gibson. and her nephew, George Patterson, with a large, military- style knife.
A motive for the murders has not yet been determined. Gibson told authorities he "just snapped."
Judge Sarah Rice told Gibson an attorney would be appointed to represent him within the next two days.
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[8-11Norman]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-16 TC1:43:01]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
The case of a Henry County woman accused of murdering her child is going ahead.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]

Brenda Donnielle Norman is charged with second degree murder in the death of her son Stephen Kelly.
At a preliminary hearing yesterday, the emergency room doctor testified Norman stated "I killed my child."
The medical examiner also testified the boy died of blunt force injuries all over his body.
The case now heads to a grand jury.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 42:10; :41:13]
[IN Q=Once they meet]
((DAWN FUTRELL/ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: ONCE THEY MEET IF THEY RETURN A TRUE BILL, IF THEY FIND THERE IS PROBABLY CAUSE TO GO FORWARD, THE CASE WILL BE SET AFTER THAT.)) ((JOSEPH SCHENK/ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER: I DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO ASK FOR A JURY TRIAL IN THIS CASE AND LET A GROUP OF 12 MEMBERS OF HENRY COUNTY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMONWEALTH HAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE THIS CASE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.))
[SUPER=01-Dawn Futrell/Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=01-Joseph Schenk/Assistant Public Defender; :08]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=a reasonable doubt]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

If the case does head to trial and Norman is convicted, she faces five to forty years in prison.
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[8-11Miss-VA]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=bmo]
[TAPE#=01-32 TC14:39]
[GRAPHIC=Miss Virginia]
Miss Virginia contestants were getting into the swing of things yesterday - earning scholarship money for the pageant.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The Miss Virginia Cup was held yesterday at Hunting Hills Country Club.
The money raised will go toward a scholarship for the Pageant.
But the Roanoke Valley lacks the representation it's had in past years..
Several area competitions were canceled this year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:16:21:46]
[IN Q=We've had]
((STEVE MUSSELEWHITE/MISS VIRGINIA PAGEANT CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ; WE ARE IN TRANSITION IN ROANOKE VALLEY AND BOTETOURT COUNTY. WE'VE HAD PAGEANTS IN VINTON, BOTETOURT COUNTY, AND SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, ALL AROUND THIS REGION THAT WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE, BUT BY NEXT YEAR WE'RE GETTING ROANOKE VALLEY AND BOTETOURT PAGEANT BACK AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN OTHER AREAS IN THIS VICINITY.))
[SUPER=01-Steve Musselewhite/Pageant Co-Executive Director;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=this vicinity.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Pageant officials are hoping to raise 15-thousand dollars from yesterday's golf tournament.
The Miss Virginia Pageant takes place Saturday night at the Roanoke Civic Center. (------------)