WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/09/02

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom...... You can expect a pleasant day with warm temperatures..and rain showers. Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your complete forecast coming up in just a few moments.

[7-VOB-Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo/tha]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Tire Fire]
The Environmental Protection Agency says things are looking up for Roanoke County's tire dump fire, as progress continues being made.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
It's information Senator John Warner and Congressman Bob Goodlate received in person yesterday. The two were not allowed to inspect the tire dump site for themselves because the E-P-A says the air quality is still too hazardous. But the pair did get to view the tire dump through pictures-- They also flew over the site -- to see the damage for themselves.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=What we wanted...]
[SUPER=@johnwarner; ]
[RUNS=20 approx]
[OUT Q=by Uncle Sam.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The E-P-A is spending one- point seven million dollars to fight the fire and begin cleanup. Officials hope to have the fires out within a month and the tires removed within three months.
(------------)

[7-11Warner-Bills]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-13 TC14:00]
[GRAPHIC=Mark Warner]

Governor Mark Warner is proposing amendments to the state budget that would restore about 30- million dollars to various programs - including local drug courts. The Governor submitted more than 80 amendments to lawmakers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I think they made a very good]
((GOV. MARK WARNER; I THINK THEY MADE A VERY GOOD CASE THAT THESE WERE DOLLARS WELL SPENT AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP THESE FOLKS IN AN ALTERNATIVE TO FULL INCARCERATION MAKES GOOD COMMON SENSE AND GOOD FISCAL SENSE.))
[SUPER=@markwarner;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=and good fiscal sense.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Warner's amendment will not restore all of the funding for local drug courts, but he did find enough money to keep the program alive while localities look for other sources of support.
Circuit Judge Diane Strickland said she's encouraged by the Governor's decision.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I had the good fortune]
((DIANE STRICKLAND/CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE; I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO MEET WITH HIM LAST MONDAY, A WEEK AGO TODAY AND HE TOLD ME DURING THAT MEETING THAT HE RECOGNIZED IT WAS A VERY VALUABLE PROGRAM FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT AND THAT ECONOMICALLY IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE IT WAS SAVING MONEY.))
[SUPER=01-Diane Strickland/Circuit Court Judge; ]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=saving money.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Warner says other amendments would restore critical funding for education, technology and criminal justice programs.
Lawmakers will consider the amendments when they return to Richmond for the veto session next week.
(------------)

[45-11Brush-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-17 TC13:52]
[GRAPHIC=Brush Fire]
Firefighters have put out the brush fire on Fort Lewis Mountain in Roanoke County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
The blaze burned at least 30 acres of trees and brush- starting yesterday morning and going all day into the night. The fire was located along Route 3-11 near the Dark Hollow Girl Scout Camp. Three structures at the camp were threatened by the flames, but they are not occupied. The Scout Camp is used during only the summer. Firefighters say reaching the fire was difficult-- because of the terrain, but say the blaze has been put out.
(------------)

[45-11modi]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A husband and wife medical team pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing one-million dollars through phony claims to Medicare and the Department of Labor's Black Lung Program.
Prosecutors accused the couple of defrauding the government from 1987 to 2000 at the Miners Medical Clinic in Buchanan County.
According to court documents, Doctor Vinod Modi and his wife Doctor Kailas Modi submitted excessive claims to the Black Lung Program, which reimburses some medical expenses for coal miners suffering from the disease.
They'll be sentenced in August.

[45-Teacher-Pay]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Education]
Salaries for Virginia teachers are in need of a boost.
Teachers' pay ranks near the middle, compared with their colleagues in other states.
But over the past decade, salaries have actually declined after taking inflation into account.
That mixed report came from the National Education Association yesterday.
In its report, the N-E-A said the average teacher in Virginia was paid 40-thousand-197 dollars for the 2000-2001 school year.
That figure compares with a national average of 43-thousand-335 dollars.

[45-11NRV-Park]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-09 TC1:00:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Officials in Pulaski County officials are trying to lure more high tech companies to the New River Valley...
(------------)
[VO-NAT :16]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]
Yesterday, was the official groundbreaking for Phase One of the region's Commerce Park. Construction on an access road and grading of the property is underway. Congressman Rick Boucher says the property is ideal for technology- based 21st century jobs...
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[SOT 42:53:07]
[IN Q=GIVEN THE]
((US REP. RICK BOUCHER/9TH DISTRICT; GIVEN THE PRESENCE HERE OF THE FOREIGN TRADE ZONE AND UNITED STATES CUSTOMS HOUSE GIVEN PROXIMITY OF RADFORD UNIVERSITY AND VIRGINIA TECH AND NEW RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND ALL OF THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THAT RESIDES THERE I THINK THIS COMMERCE PARK WILL BE IDEAL FOR TECHNOLOGY BASED INDUSTRY.))
[SUPER=@Boucher;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=BASED INDUSTRY.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
When completed, the park is expected to be about a thousand acres. Officials say construction on actual buildings will depend on when they can attract companies to the site.
(------------)

[45-La-Z-Boy]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Plant Closing]
The La-Z-Boy plant in Chilhowie has announced it will close this summer.
Some 245 people will lose their jobs when the facility closes in mid-June.
The plant makes furniture for the hospitality industry.
A North Carolina plant will also be closed down as the company restructures its wood furniture operations.

[8-VOB-Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo/tha]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Tire Fire]
The Environmental Protection Agency says they will continue to work on Roanoke County's tire dump, but for now - much progress has been made.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
It's information Senator John Warner and Congressman Bob Goodlate received in person yesterday. The two were not allowed to inspect the tire dump site for themselves because the E-P-A says the air quality is still too hazardous. But the pair did get to view the tire dump through pictures-- They also flew over the site -- to see the damage for themselves.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=What we wanted...]
[SUPER=@johnwarner; ]
[RUNS=20 approx]
[OUT Q=by Uncle Sam.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The E-P-A is spending one- point seven million dollars to fight the fire and begin cleanup. Officials hope to have the fires out within a month and the tires removed within three months.
(------------)

[8-Flood-Relief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:06:56]
[GRAPHIC=Flood RElief]

Federal inspectors have begun examining the damage in flood-ravaged parts of Southwest Virginia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Last Month]

Nine Southwest Virginia communities ravaged by last month's floods are eligible for federal disaster assistance.
President Bush granted a major disaster declaration for the area last week.
Federal Emergency Management Agency and American Red Cross inspectors are now meeting with residents who have applied for disaster assistance.
(------------)

[8-11Biomedical-Center]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-07 TC1:00:53]
[GRAPHIC=Carilion Biomed]
Progress is being made in the plan to build Roanoke's biomedical institute.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The first contract has been awarded to make way for the Riverside Centre for Research and Technology. Later this month--crews will begin tearing down two buildings on South Jefferson Street. This will make way for a 500- space parking garage. The garage will be used by the park's first two tenants which are the Carilion Biomedical Institute and Carilion Health System. Supporters of the park say it could create up to 25- hundred jobs.
(------------)

[8-Teacher-Pay]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Education]

Teachers' pay in Virginia ranks near the middle, compared with their colleagues in OTHER states.
But over the past decade, Salaries have actually declined after taking inflation into account.
That mixed report came from the National Education Association yesterday.
In its report, the N-E-A said the average teacher in Virginia was paid 40-thousand-197 dollars for the 2000-01 school year.
That figure compares with a national average of 43-thousand-335 dollars.

[8-11Big-Game]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Big Game]
The BIG Game jackpot is still drawing millions....
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

After 17 straight drawings with no winner, the top prize in the multi-state lottery is up to 153-million dollars -- the third largest jackpot in Big Game history.
Currently, Virginia and six other states are members of the Big Game.
New York and Ohio are set to join next month. (-------------)