WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/03/02

[7-11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-03 TC1:02:33]
[SS=Tire Fire]
Specialized firefighting crews are bringing in the special equipment needed to put out the tire fire in Roanoke County, and could begin working as early as today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]

Williams Fire and Hazard Control is a Texas-based company that specializes in fighting oil fires.
The company is now hauling in the heavy equipment... and plans to extinguish some of the hottest tire piles using a combination of foam and water.
The E-P-A has contracted several other companies to help with air and water monitoring.
A meeting with local residents to discuss smoke and runoff is being set up for later this week.
(------------)

[7-VOB-Clower]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-021:32:05]
[GRAPHIC=Sid Clower]
A bond hearing is scheduled today for Henry County's Administrator Sid Clower.
While Clower hopes to be released from jail, he will no longer recieve paychecks from his two county jobs, pending the outcome of the charges against him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 26 before bite]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]
Yesterday-- the Henry County Board of Supervisors voted to suspend Clower WITHOUT pay as county administrator. The county's Public Service Authority also took the same action-- suspending Clower without pay as the agency's General Manager. The actions are in response to Clower's indictment this week on charges of embezzlement. County spokesman Tim Hall says he wasn't surprised that the P-S-A's board publicly expressed sympathy for Clower's family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A serious ]
[SUPER=01-Tim Hall/Henry Co. Spokesman;]
((A SERIOUS SITUATION, CORRECT, BUT INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS WORKED WITH HIM FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS SEEN WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S ON THE TABLE NOW HE'S DONE SOME GOOD FOR THESE PEOPLE AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS A FRIEND OF HIS.))
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=is a friend of his.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT 8.5 plus pad]
Clower is accused of embezzling 200-thousand dollars from the county's P-S-A over a two year period.
(------------)

[7-11Pulaski-Body]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-61 TC1:34:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A body found near railroad tracks yesterday has been identified, But Pulaski police are still looking for answers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]
Authorities say the body of 69 year old Cecil D. Martin was discovered off Route 99. Detectives believe he died from natural causes, but they're treating the area as a crime scene until the medical examiner can confirm that. According to police he has a history of medical problems and alcohol may be a factor. A friend made the initial discovery - friends and family say the man had been missing for days.
(------------)

[45-VOB-Clower]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-021:32:05]
[GRAPHIC=Sid Clower]
One of Henry County's top administrator will appear in court later today for a bond hearing. Sid Clower is now suspended withOUT pay from both of his county jobs - pending the outcome of the charges against him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 26 before bite]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]
Yesterday-- the Henry County Board of Supervisors voted to suspend Clower WITHOUT pay as county administrator. The county's Public Service Authority also took the same action-- suspending Clower without pay as the agency's General Manager. The actions are in response to Clower's indictment this week on charges of embezzlement. County spokesman Tim Hall says he wasn't surprised that the P-S-A's board publicly expressed sympathy for Clower's family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A serious ]
[SUPER=01-Tim Hall/Henry Co. Spokesman;]
((A SERIOUS SITUATION, CORRECT, BUT INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS WORKED WITH HIM FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS SEEN WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S ON THE TABLE NOW HE'S DONE SOME GOOD FOR THESE PEOPLE AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS A FRIEND OF HIS.))
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=is a friend of his.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT 8.5 plus pad]
Clower is accused of embezzling 200- thousand dollars from the county's P-S-A over a two year period.
(------------)

[45-11Monty-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-01 TC2:02:40]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Montgomery County residents may have to dig deeper into their wallets to pay for higher real estate taxes. Supervisors are considering a plan that would raise the taxes. But, before that happens, they're giving residents a chance to voice their opinions.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :17.5]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]
This year's budget calls for a rate hike of six and half cents. Spokesman Robert Parker says the revenue will make up for state funding cuts, and allow the county to meet debt payments while keeping services. The Board of Supervisors is set to adopt the budget on or before April 19th.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:24:19]
[IN Q=where can we]
((ROBERT PARKER/COUNTY SPOKESMAN; WHERE CAN WE GO GET THE MONEY, THE ONLY ANSWER IS THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE THE CAR TAX HAS BEEN ELIMINATED VIRTUALLY SO WE HAVE NO ABILITY NOW TO RAISE SIGNIFICANT REVENUES THROUGH THAT PERSONAL PROPERTY ON VEHICLES SO ALL WE'RE LEFT WITH IS REAL ESTATE AND WHEN WE HAVE COSTS SHIFTING BACK TO THE COUNTY AND REVENUES BEING ELIMINATED AT THE STATE LEVEL.))
[SUPER=01-Robert Parker/Montgomery Co. Spokesman;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=AT THE STATE LEVEL.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Parker says the budget this year is challenging. If you have a comment- a public hearing is set for this evening at Blacksburg Middle School .. starting at Seven.
(------------)

[45-11Franklin-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Real estate taxes in Franklin County could also be on the rise.
Some County Supervisors say that may be the only way to give county employees and teachers the raises they want.

Other supervisors say they won't raise taxes on the 17-hundred residents who lost their jobs last year.
The county's real estate tax is the lowest in the region at 55 cents per 100 dollars of property.

[8-11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-03 TC1:02:33]
[SS=Tire Fire]

Specialized firefighters are getting set to begin working on the tire dump fire in Roanoke County. They could begin work as early as today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]

Williams Fire and Hazard Control is a Texas-based company that specializes in fighting oil fires.
The company is now hauling in the heavy equipment .. and plans to extinguish some of the hottest tire piles using a combination of foam and water.
The E-P-A has contracted several other companies to help with air and water monitoring.
A meeting with local residents to discuss smoke and runoff is being set up for later this week.
(------------)

[8-11Peace-Protestor]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-12 TC31:50]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Lynchburg judge has delayed a ruling on whether the city's "protest permit law" violates one's First Amendment right to free speech.
He has told attorneys he wants more time to study the issues.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/November 9;]

Peace activist Jack Payden-Travers was fined 50 dollars for not getting a permit when he organized this anti-war rally last November.
Lynchburg requires groups of more than five to get a police permit before holding any kind of public rally.
Payden-Travers.. with the help of the A-C-L-U- appealed his conviction to Circuit Court judge Mosby Perrow.
A decision is now expected by May 6th.
(------------)

[8-11US-Airways]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-08 TC59:07]
[GRAPHIC=US Airways]
U-S Airways and a union are being SUED by some former employees.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/September;]
Gary Jeffreys of Salem and 15 other U-S Airways workers are challenging the way the company went about laying off airline employees last Fall. In Jeffreys' case, U-S Airways transferred the 32-year veteran Customer Service Agent to Charlotte, but was furloughed by the union. The lawsuit says other employees who'd been with the company for as little as two years kept their jobs in Charlotte. The complaint claims union representatives played favorites with Charlotte- based employees at the expense of those based in Roanoke and similar- sized markets.
(------------)

[8-Unemployment]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=VA Unemployment]

Virginia's unemployment dropped slightly in February to four-point-two percent.
But some cities and counties in our area reported double-digit unemployment... among them: the city of Martinsvil le as well as Henry, Halifax, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski and Wythe counties.