WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/17/02

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom....
Yesterday, new records highs were set all across the region. Today -we may do it again.
Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your full forecast details coming up in just a few moments.

[7-Big-Game]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Big Game]

Big Game lottery officials say there are THREE lucky winners from last night's 325- million dollar jackpot.
The winning tickets were sold in New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Although there was NO BIG jackpot winner here in Virginia, lottery officials say there were 4 second- prize winners of 150-thousand dollars. One of the tickets was sold in Cana, and the other 3 in Northern Virginia. You have to match the 5 numbers excluding the big money ball to win that prize.
(+++++++++)
[Take FS Big Game Numbers] By the way, last night's winning numbers are seven, ten, 25, 26 and 27. The Big Money Ball number is 23.
(-------------)

[7-Bush-Visit]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=George W. Bush]

V-M-I will have the honor of hosting President Bush later today.
Bush will serve as the keynote speaker at Virginia Military Institute for the 25th annual George-C Marshall R-O-T-C award seminar.
Officials say Bush will have a war update, and also hinted at some ``new thoughts'' from the president on the topic.
The audience will include more than 260 cadets.
We're will have continuing coverage of the story throughout the day on News 7 at Noon, 5 and 6.

[7-11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:21:35]
[GRAPHIC=Tire Fire]

The big tire dump fire in Roanoke County that forced several residents out of their homes is now out.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Twenty three days after it began, Roanoke County officials declared the fire: "extinguished," as of yesterday morning.
Tires on Willie Keeling's dump were still burning a bit on Monday. Only now that the fire is out ...can the E-P-A begin assessing the damage and cleaning up the site.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:05:05]
[IN Q=That's a fair]
((CHRIS WAGNER/EPA ON-SITE COORDINATOR; THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. NOW THAT THE FIRE IS OUT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING. THE TIRES WERE SMOLDERING YESTERDAY. DETERMINED BY A WALK-THROUGH WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Wagner/EPA On-Site Coordinator]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=with the fire department.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
It took the help of a hazardous fire suppression team from Texas to get the fire out... with help from state and federal agencies.
(------------)

[7-11Veto-Session]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Veto Session]
Lawmakers in Richmond are expected to discuss a program that Governor Mark Warner says could help pay for cleanup of sites like the Keeling tire dump.
The governor's five dollars per ton fee on trash dumped in Virginia, will get a lot of attention when the General Assembly reconvenes for its veto session.
Support for the fee has fallen off in recent days under an intense lobbying campaign by advocates for trash haulers.
Virginia imports more trash than every state except Pennsylvania.

[45-Big-Game]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Big Game]

Big Game lottery officials have announced there are THREE winning tickets from last night's 325- million dollar jackpot.
Officials say the lucky tickets were sold in New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
None of the BIG jackpot winners are in Virginia - BUT lottery officials say there ARE 4 Virginians who win second- prizes of 150-thousand dollars. One of the tickets was sold in Cana, and the other 3 in Northern Virginia. You have to match the 5 numbers excluding the big money ball to win that prize.
(+++++++++)
[Take FS Big Game Numbers] By the way, last night's winning numbers are seven, ten, 25, 26 and 27. The Big Money Ball number is 23.
(-------------)

[45-11Missing-Child]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=02-08 TC1:15:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A "missing child alert system" is what police say helped rescue a four year old boy when he disappeared on Monday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Monday Night]

Taimere Robinson on the left was mistaken for the boy on the right and picked up by a stranger at a nearby park.

Within an hour of his disappearance, police activated "Amber Alert".
It's a system by which media are alerted to the disappearance and immediately break into programming with a description of a child and the abductor.
The man who mistakenly took the boy returned him after seeing the police alert on television.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Other indpendent]
((SHELLY ALLEY/ROANOKE POLICE SPOKESPERSON: OTHER INDEPENDENT WITNESSES SAW THIS CHILD APPROACHED BY A MAN, CALL HIM BY NAME, PUT HIM IN THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF. THAT MET THE CRITERIA. THERE IS VERY STRICT CRITERIA FOR IT TO MEET FOR USE TO USE THIS.))
[SUPER=01-Shelly Alley/Roanoke Police Spokesperson]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=use this]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This is the first time Amber alert has been used since it was put in place last May.
(------------)

[45-VOB-L'burg-Registrar]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The top prosecutor in Lynchburg says the city registrar's spending IS under investigation.... despite what the local newspaper might say.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchhburg]

Bill Petty is asking for a special grand jury to help investigate allegations of credit card abuse by former electoral board member Al Grant.
The state police began its investigation last December.. but a Sunday editorial suggested Petty has dragged his feet in the matter because Grant is a fellow Republican.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:44:51]
[IN Q=I personally take]
((BILL PETTY/LYNCHBURG PROSECUTOR: I PERSONALLY TAKE GREAT OFFENSE AT THE SUGGESTION THAT THIS OFFICE, THE STATE POLICE, THE LYNCHBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT, IS SOMEHOW ENGAGED IN A GRAND CONSPIRACY TO PROTECT THOSE OF A CERTAIN POLITICAL PARTY.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Petty/Lynchburg Prosecutor]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=certain political party.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Petty says the paper's allegations undermine public confidence in his office and hurt the investigative process.

(------------)

[8-Big-Game]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Big Game]
Big Game lottery officials now report there are three winning tickets from last night's 325- million dollar jackpot.
The lucky tickets were sold in New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Although there was NO jackpot winner here in Virginia, lottery officials say there were 4 second- prize winners of 150-thousand dollars. One of the tickets was sold in Cana, and the other 3 in Northern Virginia. You have to match the 5 numbers excluding the big money ball to win that prize.
(+++++++++)
[Take FS Big Game Numbers] By the way, last night's winning numbers are seven, ten, 25, 26 and 27. The Big Money Ball number is 23.
(-------------)

[8-11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:21:35]
[GRAPHIC=Tire Fire]

The moment that many residents have hoped for has arrived-- - Officials say the Roanoke County tire fire is out.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Twenty three days after it began, Roanoke County officials declared the fire: "extinguished," as of yesterday morning.
Tires on Willie Keeling's dump were still burning a bit on Monday. Only now that the fire is out ...can the E-P-A begin assessing the damage and cleaning up the site.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:05:05]
[IN Q=That's a fair]
((CHRIS WAGNER/EPA ON-SITE COORDINATOR; THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. NOW THAT THE FIRE IS OUT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING. THE TIRES WERE SMOLDERING YESTERDAY. DETERMINED BY A WALK-THROUGH WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Wagner/EPA On-Site Coordinator]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=with the fire department.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
It took the help of a hazardous fire suppression team from Texas to get the fire out... with help from state and federal agencies.
(------------)

[8-11Falwell]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-05 TC1:35:25]
[GRAPHIC=Jerry Falwell]

Reverend Jerry Falwell has won his battle in court, which should help churches across Virginia incorporate.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

A federal judge ruled on Monday that the state ban on "church incorporation" is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment.
The measure has been on the books since the 18th century when state leaders were trying to prevent churches from becoming too powerful.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:56:04]
[IN Q=It's one of]
((JERRY FALWELL, JR./ATTORNEY: IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TIMES IN HISTORY THAT A STATE CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN OVERRULED BY A FEDERAL COURT. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT THE COURT AGREES WITH US THAT THESE LAWS WERE DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS CHURCHES AND RELIGION AND THAT THEY WERE A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Jerry Falwell, Jr./Attorney]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=the First Amendment.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Falwell is also challenging state limits on how much land a church can own.
A hearing in that case has not been scheduled. (------------)