WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/08/03

[7-11XGR-preview]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC1:55:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The General Assembly convenes today in Richmond, and one of the bills up for debate this year could affect which members will be returning for future sessions.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

One legislator is introducing a bill to change the re-districting process.
Currently, the party in control of the General Assembly draws the legislative lines.
But some Democrats want to create a non-partisan re-districting commission.
Supporters of the bill say partisanship has diminished the number of competitive races.
Republicans say the new measure is just as political as the practice it aims to eliminate.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:34:30]
[IN Q=WE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA]
((SEN. CREIGH DEEDS/(D) BATH CO.: WE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, IN PARTICULAR, KNOW HOW BADLY THAT PROCESS CAN GO TO NOT ONLY COST US SEATS BUT CUT UP THE DISTRICTS IN A PARTISAN WAY THAT HURTS OUR AREA.)) ((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH/(R) SALEM: THE DEMOCRATS THOUGHT IT WAS FINE WHEN THEY WERE IN CONTROL THE WAY IT IS. I THINK IT IS A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS TO NOW WHEN THEY'RE IN THE MAJORITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS TO SAY OH, WE WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Creigh Deeds/(D) Bath Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Del. Morgan Griffith/(R) Salem; :14]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=CHANGE THE RULES NOW.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lawmakers will also elect a new Speaker today and the governor will deliver his State of the Commonwealth address.

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

[7-Unemployment-Benefits]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Today the U-S House is expected to take up a bill to restore federal unemployment benefits to the nation's jobless.

The Senate opened the new Congress by approving a five-month extension of benefits.
Officials at the Virginia Employment Commission in Martinsville say thousands are affected in Southside alone.
The extension was approved after Democrats failed to expand the measure to include about a million unemployed workers who have exhausted both state and federal benefits.
The bill has to be on the president's desk by tomorrow in order to avoid any disruption in benefits.

[7-11Elkins]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-46 TC1:16:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A local dealer is making antiques more affordable by getting out of the business.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
John Elkins is retiring and liquidating all his merchandise after 26-years of selling fine pieces. His 12-thousand square foot retail gallery holds thousands of items including furniture, rugs and porcelain. Beginning today, all items will be marked down 30-percent in a sale that runs until the place is empty. Hundreds of buyers are expected at the Glade Hill location. Elkins says his career in antiques has been fun and that it allowed him to travel extensively.
(------------)

[45-11Coffey]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Bedford teenager is charged with involuntary manslaughter for a September fourteenth car accident. State Police say 19-year old Michael Channing Coffey was under the influence and speeding when his Chevy Blazer ran off Route 122 in Moneta shortly before 10:30 p.m. One passenger, James Edward Sines (signs) the Third, was thrown from the vehicle when it overturned. The 24-year old died at the scene. Two others were injured. Yesterday, a grand jury indicted Coffey on charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, maiming and driving under the influence

[45-11Etextiles]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-47 TC1:10:18]
[GRAPHIC=None]

There's a new pair of fashion designers in our area.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

Actually, Tom Martin and Mark Jones really aren't designers, but, engineering professors at Virginia Tech.
They're in the midst of developing e-textiles--which are fabrics with electronic sensors.
The goal is to incorporate the fabrics into military gear and equipment, as well as other things.
(///////SOT//////)
[SOT 16:13]
[IN Q=ONE OF THE]
(( TOM MARTIN: ONE OF THE APPLICATIONS WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IS A SHIRT THAT WOULD MAP OUT A BUILDING FOR YOU AS YOU WALK THROUGH IT. MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THE BLIND, MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR FIREFIGHTERS 16:21 ))
[SUPER=01-Tom Martin & Mark Jones/Developing 'E-Textiles';]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=FOR FIREFIGHTERS]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Jones and Martin, along with some of their students, have been working on the e-textiles project for a little more than a year now.
The group will receive funding over the next two years through a grant from the National Science Foundation.
(-------------)

[45-11School-Uniforms]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-49 TC41:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Lynchburg is considering a uniform policy in some of its public schools, but city educators say they want more time to study the issue.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

The principals of Marvin Bass Elementary and Linkhorne Middle told the school board last night there is interest in implementing a uniform policy in their schools.
E-C Glass High School is also said to be studying the idea.
But administrators say it goes beyond simply being in favor of uniforms.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:33:12]
[IN Q=It's the second]
((JAMES MCCORMICK/LYNCHBURG SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: IT'S THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH QUESTION I THINK OR POINT YOU HAVE TO MAKE. YOU CAN SAY ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF UNIFORMS, YES OR NO? IF SOMEBODY SAYS YES, I THINK WE HAVE TO KNOW THE WHYS. WHAT IS IT THAT UNIFORMS WOULD CHANGE IN OUR SCHOOLS?))
[SUPER=01-James McCormick/Lynchburg School Superintendent]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=in our schools?]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

McCormick says, under state law, any uniform policy would have to be optional.
(------------)

[8-11XGR-preview]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC1:55:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The General Assembly convenes today in Richmond, and one of the bills up for debate this year could effect which members will be returning for future sessions.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

One legislator is introducing a bill to change the re-districting process.
Currently, the party in control of the General Assembly draws the legislative lines.
But some Democrats want to create a non-partisan re-districting commission.
Supporters of the bill say partisanship has diminished the number of competitive races.
Republicans say the new measure is just as political as the practice it aims to eliminate.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:34:30]
[IN Q=WE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA]
((SEN. CREIGH DEEDS/(D) BATH CO.: WE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, IN PARTICULAR, KNOW HOW BADLY THAT PROCESS CAN GO TO NOT ONLY COST US SEATS BUT CUT UP THE DISTRICTS IN A PARTISAN WAY THAT HURTS OUR AREA.)) ((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH/(R) SALEM: THE DEMOCRATS THOUGHT IT WAS FINE WHEN THEY WERE IN CONTROL THE WAY IT IS. I THINK IT IS A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS TO NOW WHEN THEY'RE IN THE MAJORITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS TO SAY OH, WE WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Creigh Deeds/(D) Bath Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Del. Morgan Griffith/(R) Salem; :14]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=CHANGE THE RULES NOW.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lawmakers will also elect a new Speaker today and the governor will deliver his State of the Commonwealth address.

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

[8-Unemployment-Benefits]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Today the U-S House is expected to take up a bill to restore federal unemployment benefits to the nation's jobless.
The Senate opened the new Congress by approving a five-month extension of benefits.
Officials at the Virginia Employment Commission in Martinsville say thousands of people are affected in Southside.
The bill has to be on the president's desk by tomorrow in order to avoid any disruption in benefits.

[8-11Elkins]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-46 TC1:16:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Franklin County antiques store is about to become HISTORY.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
John Elkins is retiring and liquidating all his merchandise after 26-years of selling fine pieces. His 12-thousand square foot retail gallery holds thousands of items including furniture, rugs and porcelain. Beginning today, all items will be marked down 30-percent in a sale that runs until the place is empty. Hundreds of buyers are expected at the Glade Hill location. Elkins says his career in antiques has been fun and that it allowed him to travel extensively. (------------)