WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 05/02/02

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom...... You may have been awakened by thunderstorms early this morning...and more storms are possible later today. Meterologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your complete forecast coming up in just a few moments.

[7-11Tech-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-11 TC56:47]
[SS=None]
A budget reduction of 25 million dollars has forced Virginia Tech officials to eliminate 200 positions, as well as reduce operating costs.
President Charles Steger informed the University community in a letter yesterday afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :37]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Of the job cuts, 88 are teaching and research faculty, 55 are administrative and professional faculty, just under 20- are graduate teaching assistants and 50 are classified staff. Those numbers may change slightly after severance packages or if positions are filled with lower salary levels. Officials say personnel reductions add up to about 16 and half million dollars. Other cost cutting measures at the university include a 4-million reduction in operating costs, and a loss of over 1-million dollars in programs and services. It's not clear at this point exactly what programs or services will be affected.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]
Even while dealing with the cuts, Steger says Tech will meet growth and research goals. The library is getting an increase in funding, 2-major research initiatives will continue and a capital package for construction is on track. The school's Board of Visitors will make a decision on the proposed cuts on June 4th.

[7-Rolex-Theft]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke City Police are still searching for the suspects involved in a theft from a jewelry store last month.
(------------)
[VO - :17+]
[SUPER=04-Surveillance Photos;]
Police say two men and two women entered the Finks Jewelry store in Valley View Mall on April 14th. Three of the suspects distracted the store clerks, while one of the women sliced the seal on a display case and stole three Rolex watches valued at more than 13-thousand dollars.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE CRIMELINE FS 4646ESSC] Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crimeline at 344-8500.
(-------------)

[7-11Bedford-Gun]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=None]
What turned out to be no cause for alarm COULD have ended very differently-- A police officer on patrol spotted a man carrying what looked like an assault rifle, and immediately reacted.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

The gun, however, was fake.. and its owner complied immediately when the police officer ordered him to drop his weapon.
The confrontation has local police worried about the next person they encounter carrying a realistic-looking pellet gun.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:55:11]
[IN Q=This is just]
((CAPT. TONY SULLIVAN/BEDFORD POLICE: THIS IS JUST TOO CLOSE AND ANY TIME OF THE DAY YOU WALK OUT OF THE CAR AND HERE'S SOMEBODY STANDING THERE WITH ONE OF THESE.. AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED IT'S REAL, THERE'S NO IDENTIFIERS ON IT THAT SAYS 'THIS IS A PELLET GUN'.))
[SUPER=01-Tony Sullivan/Bedford Police Department]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=this is a pellet gun.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Pellet gun enthusiasts say the replicas are legal and perfectly safe if used and carried properly.
Police have charged the man with trespassing but don't know if he committed any other crime by carrying the fake weapon in public.
(------------)

[45-11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Environmental Protection Agency has formally given Willie Keeling notice that he could be held liable for the massive tire fire on his Roanoke County property.
A letter was sent to Keeling and his attorney, telling the tire dump owner that he may be held responsible for the E-P-A's costs.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./File Tape]
During the height of the massive tire fire-- the E-P-A said it planned to spend at least one point seven million dollars to fight the fire and begin clean-up. It's a figure that could easily go up for the federal government... For intance, while putting out the fire-- crews found a one acre trash dump on Keeling's property-- debris that must also be hauled from the site in addition to the millions of burned and UN-burned tires. The letter is a formality-- but does begin to address a question that has been on many people's minds since late March when the illegal tire dump caught fire.
(-------------)
[anchor=Kimberly]
[SS=none]
In the past-- the E-P-A has said it would do whatever it needed to recover its costs, in this case it could be to seize or to place a lien on Keeling's property which is approximately 145 acres.

[45-11DMV-Fee]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:39:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]
What could lead to millions of dollars to fight terrorism in the Commonwealth - will leave many Virginians coughing up more cash for their cars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has increased vehicle registration fees- along with fees for driver and vehicle records.
They went up by two dollars beginning yesterday.
Governor Warner says the money will bring in an extra 25-million dollars a year to fund anti-terrorism efforts.
Also effective yesterday, the D-M-V will stop giving discounts to customers who use the mail, phone or the Internet to renew their license and registration.
The price of registering a car now is 28-dollars and 50 cents.
(------------)

[45-Kaine]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-16 TC22:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Virginia has more important issues to tackle than debating specialty license plates...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
That's the opinion of Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine-- who weighed in on the Confederate license plate debate.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:02:35]
[IN Q= PEOPLE CAN YOU ]
((TIM KAINE/LT. GOVERNOR: PEOPLE CAN YOU KNOW PUT A STICKER ON THEIR CARS IF THEY WANT AND YOU KNOW GOD BLESS THEM, PEOPLE CAN BUY, YOU KNOW, THESE LICENSE PLATE HOLDERS THAT HAVE YOU KNOW ALL KINDS OF MESSAGES ON THE, BUT RATHER THAN TIE UP THE TIME OF LEGISLATURE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE FOCUSING ON IMPORTANT PUBLIC BUSINESS AND NOT WASTING TIME.))
[SUPER=@Kaine;]
[RUNS=20]
[OUT Q=AND NOT WASTING TIME.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Attorney General Jerry Kilgore's considering an appeal to the federal ruling that allows a special plate for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.. complete with the Confederate flag logo.
(------------)

[8-11Tech-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-11 TC56:47]
[SS=None]
President Charles Steger announced to the Virginia Tech community yesterday that school officials will deal with a budget reduction of 25-million dollars by cutting more than 200 positions and reducing operating costs.

(------------)
[VO-NAT :37]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Of the job cuts, 88 are teaching and research faculty, 55 are administrative and professional faculty, just under 20- are graduate teaching assistants and 50 are classified staff. Those numbers may change slightly after severance packages or if positions are filled with lower salary levels. Officials say personnel reductions add up to about 16 and half million dollars. Other cost cutting measures at the university include a 4-million reduction in operating costs, and a loss of over 1-million dollars in programs and services. It's not clear at this point exactly what programs or services will be affected.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]
Even while dealing with the cuts, Steger says Tech will meet growth and research goals. The library is getting an increase in funding, 2-major research initiatives will continue and a capital package for construction is on track. The school's Board of Visitors will make a decision on the proposed cuts on June 4th.

[8-11DMV-Fee]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:39:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In order to fund anti-terrorism efforts in the Commonwealth - we may have to reach deeper into our pockets when it comes to car expenses.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles increased vehicle registration fees- along with fees for driver and vehicle records- They went up by two dollars beginning yesterday.
Governor Warner says the money will bring in an extra 25-million dollars a year to fund anti-terrorism efforts.
Also effective yesterday, the D-M-V will stop giving discounts to customers who use the mail, phone or the Internet to renew their license and registration.
The price of registering a car now is 28-dollars and 50 cents.
(------------)

[8-County-Storm]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Officials say the tornado that swept through portions of Bedford County on Sunday caused nearly six- million dollars in damage.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]

A preliminary damage report says high winds destroyed seven homes, three businesses, and more than two dozen agricultural structures.
More than 130 other buildings sustained major damage.
The report is the first step in a possible state emergency declaration that could lead to federal disaster relief money.
Federal and state damage assessment officials will arrive in the area tomorrow.
(------------)

[8-11HSN]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutin]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=502-04 TC14:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Twenty positions at the Home Shopping Network in Salem have been cut, but there is some good news....
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]

They've all been offered new jobs at the company's Roanoke call center.
That facility will not be affected by the cutbacks the company calls "necessary" to deal with slow business.
All other non-management employees in Salem have been offered a 45 day leave with reduced pay and benefits. (------------)