WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/17/02

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Today you can expect partly cloudy skies with temperatures warming up throughout the afternoon.
Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner will have your forecast coming up in just a few moments.

[School-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

While the Grundy community is morning the death of L- Anthony Sutin, so are many politicians who knew him.
Sutin was the dean of the Appalachian School of Law, and one of three people shot to death yesterday by a disgruntled student.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Grundy;]

The dead also include a professor and a student.
Three other students were wounded.
Investigators say the suspect, Peter (ah-di-guh- ZOO-wuh) Odighizuwa is originially from Nigeria and has a history of mental problems.
Authorities say he went to the school to discuss his academic dismissal before opening fire.
He's being held on three counts of capital murder and three weapons' counts.
(------------)

[7-11Wachovia]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Wachovia]

The merger transition between Wachovia and First Union is officially underway...
25 hundred jobs are being cut to trim costs and increase profits.
The layoffs make up some of the seven-thousand positions the bank said would be eliminated when the merger was announced last spring.
The three-year schedule for eliminating positions varies from each department.
Numbers for Roanoke are not yet available.

[7-11Bassett-Earnings]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bassett]

Bassett says an increase in fourth quarter sales wasn't enough to help the company's bottom line.
The furniture maker lost two-point-six million dollars in the 2001 fiscal year, even though fourth quarter sales rose nearly ten percent.
Bassett blames the loss on the recession and the bankruptcy of two major customers in late 2000.

[7-11City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=jsc]
[TAPE#=01-56 TC53:55]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2002]
A few more Republicans have now entered the running for City Council.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Yesterday, Republicans Paul Higgins and Stephen Mabry announced their bids.
Higgins is a financial consultant for Legg-Mason and Mabry is the Director of Operations for St. Andrew's Church.

The two focused on economic growth, but also said education is a priority.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I firmly]
((PAUL HIGGINS/(R) ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL CAND.: I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN PROVIDE THE PROPER EDUCATION AND GOOD EDUCATION FOR THE STUDENTS HERE IN ROANOKE CITY, WE'LL BE ACTUALLY TRAINING OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.)) [buttbuttbuttbutt] ((STEVE MABRY/(R) ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL CAND.: IT'S ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS THAT ANY COMMUNITY CAN MAKE IN ITS RESOURCES...TO INVEST IN EDUCATION.))
[SUPER=01-Paul Higgins/(R) Roanoke City Council Candidate; 00]
[SUPER=01-Steve Mabry/(R) Roanoke City Council Candidate; 10]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=invest in education.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

GOP candidate Mark Hurley declared his candidacy on Tuesday.
Several other Republicans are expected to join the race by February Fifth.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]

Democratic incumbent Nelson Harris and three of his party members are also running for the three open seats.

[WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......It looks like there's rain in store for this weekend...Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner will have all the details coming up in your complete forecast.

[School-Shooting]

[45-11Jenkins]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=01-54]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A mother slept four feet away as her infant cried out for help. She woke up to find the baby had drowned in a bathtub.

Prosecutors say it was murder..
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount;]

But a Franklin County judge found Kimberly Jenkins Ratliff guilty of felony child neglect.
She and her husband were staying at the Smith Mountain Lake apartment of a friend that night in December 2000.
They put their nine- month-old baby, Kenzie, down to sleep in a jacuzzi, nestled in some blankets.
The baby apparently turned on the faucet and drowned.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:50:29 - :35]
[IN Q=I never thought]
((KIMBERLY RATLIFF: I NEVER THOUGHT SHE COULD EVER TURN IT ON. IT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND THAT SHE COULD TURN ON THE WATER.))
[SUPER=07-Kimberly Ratliff;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=turn on the water.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Ratliff says she slept through it and awoke to find Kenzie dead.
But a neighbor testified she could hear the baby crying from outside the apartment.
Prosecutors said the couple SHOULD have used the portable crib that was in their car.
Ratliff faces up to five years in prison.
(------------)

[45-City-Hall]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=01-55 TC1:19:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Months of legal battles and verbal protests could not save Covington's Old City hall. Left in its place now is little more than sticks and stones.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :25+]
[SUPER=03-Covington;]
Crews have been working to demolish the building for about a month now. Little is left except for some piles of bricks and stacks of wood. The wood fromt the building has been sold to a Connecticut company which will build antique furniture with it.
The demolition follows nearly a year of battles beteween a group of preservationists and City Council.
The building had once housed the city hall and Covington's high school.

[45-Wachovia]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Wachovia]

Wachovia and First Union are partnering up - A merger transition is officially underway.
25 hundred jobs are being cut to trim costs and increase profits.
The layoffs make up some of the seven-thousand positions the banks said would be eliminated when the merger was announced last spring.
The three-year schedule for eliminating positions varies from each department.
Numbers for Roanoke are not yet available.

[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Another dry day is on the way, but we're expecting some big changes by this weekend.
Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner is up next with forecast details.

[8-School-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]
Political leaders around the nation and the Grundy community are morning the death of L- Anthony Sutin.
Sutin was the dean of the Appalachian School of Law, and one of three people shot to death yesterday by an angry student.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Grundy;]

The dead also include a professor and a student.
Three other students were wounded.
Investigators say the suspect, Peter (AH-di-guh ZOO-wuh) Odighizuwa is originially from Nigeria and has a history of mental problems.
Authorities say he went to the school to discuss his academic dismissal before opening fire.
He's being held on three counts of capital murder and three weapons' counts.
(------------)

[8-11Wachovia]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Wachovia]
A merger between the two banks - Wachovia and First Union has officially begun.
25 hundred people will lose their jobs, in an effort to cut costs and increase profits.
The layoffs make up some of the seven-thousand positions the banks said would be eliminated when the merger was announced last spring.
The three-year schedule for eliminating positions varies from each department.
Numbers for Roanoke are not yet available.

[8-11Cox-Communications]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-58 TC48:00]
[GRAPHIC=Cox]
Now that the Cox Communications' new high-speed Internet network is up and running, there are new problems that customers must face...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Many local customers are now unable to gain Internet or e-mail access, and customer service lines are being flooded with calls.
Two months ago, a federal judge ordered Internet provider Excite- at- Home off-line, in bankruptcy proceedings.
From then, Cox had about two weeks to begin transferring customers over to its own network.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We don't]
((MIKE PEDELTY/COX COMMUNICATIONS: WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS BEING A LENGTHY PROCESS. WE'VE ISOLATED THE PROBLEM. WE'VE GOT TEAMS WORKING ON OUR SPECIFIC PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Mike Pedelty/Cox Communications]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=right now.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Cox says it's inevitable that some difficulties would arise on such a short time table, and is asking its customers to be patient.
(------------)

[8-Bassett-Earnings]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bassett]

Bassett says despite an increase in fourth quarter sales, the company has suffered a significant loss.
The furniture maker lost two-point-six million dollars in the 2001 fiscal year, even though fourth quarter sales rose nearly ten percent.
Bassett blames the loss on the recession and the bankruptcy of two major customers in late 2000.

[8-City-Hall]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=01-55 TC1:19:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
All that's left of Covington's Old City hall are piles of wood and stones....
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :25+]
[SUPER=03-Covington;]
Crews have been working to demolish the building for about a month now. Little is left except for some piles of bricks and stacks of wood. The wood fromt the building has been sold to a Connecticut company which will build antique furniture with it.
The demolition follows nearly a year of battles beteween a group of preservationists and City Council.
The building had once housed the city hall and Covington's high school.
[BIRTHDAYS!] 1/18/02
Friday:

[SUPER=130-12/Ashley Smith/Goodview]

[SUPER=130-38/Rodney Witcher/Glade Hill]

[SUPER=130-46/Barry Tickle/Bland]

[SUPER=130-15/Nikki Miles/Rustburg]

[SUPER=130-22/Brent Godfrey/Clifton Forge]

[SUPER=130-16/Scott Gray/Narrows]

[SUPER=130-6/Hanna Mitchell/Altavista]

[SUPER=130-7/Savannah Mitchell/Altavista]

[SUPER=130-6/Delaney Witten/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=130-1/Kenneth Alexander, IV/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=130-/Donald Eakin/Vinton]

[SUPER=130-20/Carrie Jones/Ferrum]

No Pictures:

[SUPER=131-/Jacob McCall/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=131-/Linda Raines/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=131-/Ralph Roop/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=131-/Wanda Proco/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=131-/Ella Kendrick/Snow Creek]

[SUPER=131-/Melvin Walker, Jr./Snow Creek]

[SUPER=131-52/Marie Flowers/Vinton]

[SUPER=131-58/Martha Wilkins/Yorktown]

Anniversary:
[SUPER=131-/David & Laura Blackwell/Roanoke]