WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 06/29/01

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom...... Hazy, hot and humid today with isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will be in the 90s.
Jacey Birch will have your complete forecast coming up.

[7-11-Moratorium]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=501-15 17:20]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Death Penalty]

The Virginia College of Criminal Defense Attorneys is seeking a temporary halt to the dealth penalty.
So are three local bar associations, eight newspapers, and three city councils, including Blacksburg and Lexington.

(------------)
[VO-NAT :16 ]
[SUPER=03-Jarratt/File Tape;]

The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association is the latest group publicly calling for a moratorium.
A new state law relaxing the 21-day rule to submit new evidence takes effect next week.
But it doesn't go far enough, according to the trial lawyers.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:25:05]
[IN Q=It's a small step in the]
((MATTHEW GEARY/VA. TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOC.: IT'S A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE LIKE TO SEE THE FACT THAT VIRGINIA IS STEPPING AWAY FROM THE 21 DAY RULE WHICH IS THE STRONGEST RULE IN THE NATION IN TERMS OF CUTTING OFF ANY RELIEF... GOOD STEP. BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE.))
[SUPER=01-Matthew Geary/Virginia Trial Lawyers Association;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=we need to do more.]
(-------------)
[Anchor=Kim]
[SS=Hold]

The trial lawyers say Virginia also must look at how to pay for better capital defenses, and reconsider the issue of executing the mentally retarded.

[7-6-Tobacco-Settlement]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco Settlement]

A portion of the tobacco settlement money will go to Franklin and Patrick Counties.
It will go toward community improvements.
Franklin County got 507-thousand dollars yesterday to fund an adult education and training center, as well as a tobacco heritage exhibit.
Patrick County won about 170-thousand dollars to promote economic development.

[7-11Snow-Leopards]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutings]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=01-24 TC46:59]
[GRAPHIC=Snow Leopards]

Mill Mountain Zoo's snow leopard cubs are getting some fresh air.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :25]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The male and female were released into an outdoor pen yesterday morning for the first time since being born almost 2-months ago.
The zoo's been allowing them brief experiences outdoors for the past few weeks.
The cubs will be on display along with their mother everyday, but will be given the option to retreat to their den if the weather's bad.
In the next couple months, the zoo plans to introduce the cubs to their father, Boris.
(///// SOT at :25 /////)
[SOT 4:18:29-4:18:39]
[IN Q=We'll do the gradual process and...]
((DAVE WOOD/MILL MOUNTAIN ZOO; WE'LL DO THE GRADUAL PROCESS AND PLAY IT BY EAR TO SEE HOW DAD'S REACTION IS AND, AT ONE POINT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THEM TOGETHER.))
[SUPER=01-Dave Wood/Mill Mountain Zoo;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=have all of them together.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The zoo is also heralding the arrival of a Wrinkled Hornbill named Henry, and welcoming back porcupines Rainbow and Roxanne.
(------------)

[WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom...... Keep your umbrella handy cause there's a chance for afternoon thunderstorms today. Jacey Birch will have the details in just few minutes.

[45-English]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=01-16 TC1:46:42]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

18-year-old Christopher Dorman pled guilty to the first-degree murder of a 61-year-old Rocky Mount man.
He'll serve 37 years ... but he'll also testify.
Prosecutors hope his testimony will help convict two of his friends in the murder and robbery of Ralph English.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount;]

One of those co-defendants is 22-year-old Charlie English is charged with the capital murder of his former stepfather.
An investigator testified that English, Dorman and 14-year-old Alexander Hudson strangled the elder English in his bed with a boot lace and stole more than 6-thousand dollars.
The case was sent on to a grand jury.
(------------)

[45-Haynes]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-13 TC1:45:41]
[GRAPHIC=Haynes]
He is the suspect in the death of a Hooter's restaurant waitress earlier this year. Now he wants to fire the lawyer that the court appointed for him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Christopher Haynes says the attorney has a conflict of interest, because court- appointed lawyers make more money representing CAPITAL murder suspects. Haynes is currently charged with FIRST- DEGREE murder.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:43:05]
[IN Q=I'm not looking]
((CHRISTOPHER HAYNES/DEFENDANT; I'M NOT LOOKING FOR F. LEE BAILEY TO REPRESENT ME. I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT BEING REPRESENTED THAT WAY.))
[SUPER=01-Christopher Haynes/Defendant]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=i'm not being represented that way.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The judge declined to release Attorney Wayne Inge (INJ). He says he'll appoint ANOTHER attorney to help out in the case. The prosecutor says he doubts the jury would return a death sentence in this case, even if Haynes was charged with capital murder.
(------------)

[45-11Miss-VA]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=01-32 TC15:36]
[GRAPHIC=Miss Virginia]

The Roanoke Civic Center is playing host to the Miss Virginia Pageant.
Last night .. 26 women began competing for the crown.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Half of the contestants competed in the swimsuit competition while the other half performed their talent.
Some chose to dance, while others sang, and performed skits for the judges.
Since Monday the Miss Virginia hopefuls have been practicing for last night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 45:24]
[IN Q=they've been]
((TERRY TUCKER/MISS. VIRGINIA ORGANIZER: THEY'VE BEEN REHEARSING LIKE CRAZY EVERYDAY THEY'VE BEEN IN JUDGES INTERVIEWS THEY HAD THEIR INDEPTH JUDGES INTERVIEW YESTERDAY AND TODAY SO THEY HAVE THAT OUT OF THE WAY.))
[SUPER=01-Terry Tucker/Miss Virginia Organizer]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=out of the way.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Today, the talent and swimsuit competitions will continue and the 10 finalists will be chosen for Saturday.
Who ever takes home the Miss Virginia title will win a 16-thousand dollar scholarship and a chance to compete in the Miss America pageant.
(------------)

[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom...... It's going to be hot and humid today with a chance some showers later on today. Jacey Birch will have your complete forecast coming up in a few minutes.

[8-11Lake-Search]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-29 TC29:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Henry County Sheriff's Department has plans to halt an underwater search in Philpott Lake.
Officials say the search for clues in two murder cases will be put on hold until after the Fourth of July holiday.

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

Yesterday, divers spent more than six hours searching near Union Bridge.
They're looking for evidence in the Ether Adean Smith murder case as well as a missing Nelson County man.
The Sheriff's Department will resume diving the second week of July.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 56:05]
[IN Q=Next week is fourth of July week]
((SGT. DAVID KING/HENRY CO. SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: NEXT WEEK IS FOURTH OF JULY WEEK AND YOU GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF BOAT TRAFFIC ON THE LAKE SO ITS BETTER THAT WE DON'T GO NEXT WEEK. WE COME BACK PROBABLY THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND WE'LL KEEP COMING BACK UNTIL WE END UP CLEARING THE WHOLE BRIDGE.))
[SUPER=01-Sgt. David King/Henry Co. Sheriff's Department;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=the whole bridge]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Divers continue to face less than ideal conditions.
They are dealing with a lot of debris on the bottom, as well as visibility that is just one to two feet.
(------------)

[8-6-Tobacco-Settlement]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco Settlement]

Franklin and Patrick Counties are getting a portion of the tobacco settlement money.
It will go toward community improvements.
Franklin County got 507-thousand dollars yesterday to fund an adult education and training center, as well as a tobacco heritage exhibit.
Patrick County won about 170-thousand dollars to promote economic development.

[8-11Rowe-Furniture]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=501-04 TC25:37]
[GRAPHIC=Rowe Furniture]
Business seems to be picking up at Rowe Furniture.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Elliston/September]

The Elliston-based upholstery maker says it plans to add a new production line in two weeks.
Slowing sales forced Rowe to cut 130-workers back in January.
Rowe says it will hire between twelve and 24-people to start the new production line.
That number could reach 50 if the market improves.
(------------)

[8-11Wythe-Industry]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=New jobs]

New jobs will soon be making their way towards Wythe County.
Swanson Industries, which is a West Virginia based company, says it will open a division in Rural Retreat within the next two-months. The company builds products for hydraulic, construction and mining industries. A county spokesman says a staff of 30-workers will be hired initially and 60 more jobs are expected over the next thre e years.