WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 12/12/02

[7-Warner]

[ANCHOR=Marya]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Mark Warner]
Governor Warner will visit southwest Virginia later today to discuss jobs, and D-M-V service. He'll travel first to Martinsville for an economic development announcement at Noon, where he's expected to announce the creation of 250 new jobs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT From 02-35 2:03:25]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/November 30;]
Then it's on to Roanoke's D-M-V office, where recent budget cutbacks have resulted in fewer days of operation and much longer waits for service. It's the same story at other D-M-V offices in Virginia, and that's before you consider those that have closed altogether. Warner hopes to focus attention on department efforts to improve service in the age of cutbacks.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
He'll also talk about his transportation safety agenda for next year's legislative session.

[7-11Drug-Bust]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-44 TC1:11:07]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Giles County Police have arrested a man who they believe is a known drug dealer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Police raided the home of Curtis Morgan around six yesterday morning, at the Longview Mobile Home Park.
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.;]

Officers say they found several thousand dollars worth of drugs and cash in the home, along with several weapons.

Police say Morgan has three prior felony convictions and that the bust was the result of an on-going investigation.
He is being held inside the New River Regional jail on charges of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
More charges are expected to be filed as the investigation continues.
(------------)

[7-11Burrow]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC1:18:27]
[GRAPHIC=Nat. D-Day Memorial]

Former members of the D-Day Memorial Foundation's board of directors say they knew very little about the memorial's financial problems until it was too late.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Former D-Day director Richard Burrow is on trial for fraud in connection with his fundraising role in the organization.
Prosecutors claim Burrow got bank loans based on undocumented pledges and kept the foundation's board in the dark about the project's debts.
Burrow's lawyers maintain their client was up front about everything, including the promised donations... and things only got behind in the rush to complete the memorial before its June, 2001 dedication.
Burrow's trial is expected to last through tomorrow.
(------------)

[45-11Rental-Inspection]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#02-37 TC2:04:42]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Blacksburg's plan to charge rental owners a 100-dollar ANNUAL inspection fee for each unit in their building, has been overturned by town council.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/November 21;]

The council made the decision Tuesday morning during a public hearing.
The money collected from the fee would have gone toward the town's rental inspection program that was started three years ago.
But, many believed the council was looking in the wrong direction.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:37]
[IN Q=WE FEEL IT]
((SUZANNE CLAXTON/NRV APARTMENT COUNCIL: WE FEEL IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO COME OUT OF GENERAL FUNDS BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT DOES ENHANCE THE APPEARANCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE ENTIRE TOWN. IT'S NOT JUST A BENEFIT FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN PEOPLE WHO OWN RENTAL INVESTMENT PROPERTY, IT'S A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE. 4:54))
[SUPER=01-Suzanne Claxton/New River Valley Apartment Council;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=BENEFIT TO EVERYONE]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

The fee is just one part of a new ordinance being considered.
The other would expand the rental inspection program to include the Bennett Hill- Progress Street neighborhood and push back the deadline when owners have to register.
The ordinance has been put on hold for further discussion.
(-------------)

[45-11SCLC]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=02-42 TC1:57:22]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A judge in Petersburg dismissed lawsuits, brought by Bedford County member Jack Mills, over the leadership of Virginia's S-C-L-C chapter.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/May]

Mills, who is white, claimed he was the rightful president of the organization, and that the predominantly black group discriminated against him in naming a new head last spring.
But SCLC board members said they were within their rights to elect a different president, Danville pastor William Avon Keen.
The judge's ruling left open the possibility that the suits could be re-filed.
(------------)

-[45-11Stanley-Furniture]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

Stanley Furniture has a new C-E-O.
The Southside company has named Jeffrey Scheffer president and chief executive.
Scheffer previously held the titles of president and chief operating officer.
Company officials said today that Albert Prillaman, who previously held the titles of chairman and C-E-O, will continue as chairman.

[8-Warner]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Mark Warner]
Governor Warner will visit southwest Virginia later today to discuss jobs, and D-M-V service. He'll travel first to Martinsville for an economic development announcement at Noon, where he's expected to announce the creation of 250 new jobs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT From 02-35 2:03:25]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/November 30;]
Then it's on to Roanoke's D-M-V office, where recent budget cutbacks have resulted in fewer days of operation and much longer waits for service. It's the same story at other D-M-V offices in Virginia, and that's before you consider those that have closed altogether. Warner hopes to focus attention on department efforts to improve service in the age of cutbacks.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
He'll also talk about his transportation safety agenda for next year's legislative session.

[8-11Drug-Bust]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-44 TC1:11:07]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Giles County Police have arrested a man they describe as a known drug dealer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Police raided the home of Curtis Morgan around six yesterday morning, at the Longview Mobile Home Park.
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.;]

Officers say they found several thousand dollars worth of drugs and cash in the home, along with several weapons.

Police say Morgan has three prior felony convictions and that the bust was the result of an on-going investigation.
He is being held inside the New River Valley Regional jail on charges of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
More charges are expected to be filed as the investigation continues.
(------------)

[8-11Achievement-Center]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-40 TC1:50:45]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A local school for children with learning disabilities is moving to a new location, and hoping to double its yearly enrollment.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
Yesterday afternoon, the Achievement Center broke ground on what will become its new home in Roanoke County. The school will be renovating and adding on to this church-- just off Peters Creek Road. Right now, 58 children attend the Achievement Center but with the added space the school hopes to eventually make room for twice as many students.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:48:17]
[IN Q=We have just ]
((BARBARA WHITWELL/ACHIEVEMENT CENTER DIRECTOR; WE JUST HAVE OUTGROWN THAT SPACE HERE WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 120 STUDENTS EVENTUALLY BUT WHEN WE START IT WILL BE BETWEEN 60 AND 70. ))
[SUPER=01-Barbara Whitwell/Achievement Center Director;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=between 60 and 70.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The school is still raising funds. The project is expected to cost around two-million dollars and school officials say the goal is have the new facility ready in time for next school year.
(------------)

[Mornin' Promo] [ANCHOR-Marya] [Animation]
(///////SOT///////)
((Tomorrow on News 7 Mornin'.))
[RUNS=03]
(-------------)
[Marya on Camera] Ease into the final day of the work week with the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Steve Pardon takes a tour of the Festival of Trees. Plus we'll have your weekend forecast.
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Tomorrow on News 7 Mornin'.[Animation full]