WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/18/03

[7-VO-Night-Update]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
The recent winter storm brought treacherous conditions to all of Virginia. While ice was a problem here, mounds of snow are causing headaches in Northern Virginia. VDOT is urging drivers to use caution. They say most major roads throughout the viewing area are in minor condition this morning. However, moderate conditions are reported in Botetourt, Giles, Henry, Patrick and Roanoke Counties. Some secondary roads remain slick and icy.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
But V-DOT says the same resources are being allocated to clear the primary and secondary roads in both parts of the state. Laura Bullock with the Virginia Department of Transportation says dealing with ice is just as tough as dealing with a blizzard. She says the state has not taken any resources from southwest Virginia in order to clear the snow covered roads in the northern part of the Commonwealth.
(+++++++++)
[TAKE FS VDOT BOARD]
If you need detailed road information before you head out this morning, you can call VDOT's Highway Helpline at 1-800 367-ROAD.
(++++++++)

[7-11Southside-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-48 TC1:48:08]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

Ice was a big problem for people in Southside, knocking out power to some and making travel hazardous.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

People who had to get to work at the Danville Regional Medical Center made it there with help from volunteers in four wheel drives.
About one hundred hospital workers took advantage of the rides to get to and from the medical center Sunday and Monday.
Meanwhile, ice-covered trees and branches contributed to scattered power outages throughout the area.
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[7-11PM-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=92047 TC2:01:44]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The weather didn't slow down service at a local cab company, but it did put a dent in business.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Under the weight of all the ice, the roof at the Yellow Cab Company started to buckle over its auto repair shop.
Workers got out and quickly called in the fire department.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 48:28]
((STEVE ROBERTS/YELLOW CAB CO-OWNER: WE HEARD A LARGE CRACKING NOISE AND AS WE LOOKED UP WE NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE BEAMS WERE CRACKING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW THAT HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE ROOF, SO WE EVACUATED THE BUILDING AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ))
[SUPER=01-Steve Roberts/Yellow Cab Co-Owner;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=called the fire department.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Despite the roof problems, the cabs kept rolling.
The company moved its dispatch to another building so it could keep up service.
The roof is being repaired.
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[45-11PM-Snow]

[45-11Farms-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-04 TC16:14]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
The winter weather was not bad news for everyone. Local farmers are happy to see any type of precipitation after recent years of drought.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
They say ice is better than rain because it takes longer to soak into the ground and results in less run-off. An agent with the Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension says he wouldn't mind seeing still more snow this year, although it'd be nice to take a break before the next storm.
((SOT at :17))
[SOT 1:17:13-1:17:20]
[IN Q=we've still got plenty of time...]
((JOHN HAMRICK/EXTENSION AGENT: WE'VE STILL GOT PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS TO DISTRIBUTE AMONGST THE SOIL PROFILE BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN WE'RE REALLY GETTING BACK INTO THE FIELD IN THE SPRING.))
[SUPER=01-John Hamrick/Extension Agent;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=the field in the spring.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :11]

Despite the unusual number of winter storms received by Southwest Virginia this year, Hamrick says it would most likely take another storm or two to push the ground to the saturation point.
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[45-11Towing]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The snow and ice mean big business for towing companies.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :18]
[SUPER=03-Troutville;]
The owner of Arrington Towing says they've already received about 100- calls.
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
Many are along Interstate-81, the spot where some motorists had to leave their cars and come back later after the storm. The most common problems are vehicles sliding off the road into snow drifts, mechanical or car part trouble.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:15:16]
[IN Q=you know]
((JOE ARRINGTON/TOWING COMPANY OWNER; YOU KNOW YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE BUSINESS BUT YOU KNOW IT OVERWHELMS YOU WHEN SO MUCH STUFF STARTS AND YOU CAN'T GET TO HALF OF IT.))
[SUPER=01-Joe Arrington/Towing Company Owner;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=half of it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Arrington says the storm could have been worse had it hit during the week when more people are on the road. He says it is those times when towing demands sometimes takes days to meet.
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[8-11Danville-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-50 TC1:24:16]
[SS=None]

Danville police say that a man who allegedly shot two people, ended up killing himself after a lengthy standoff yesterday.
36-year-old Darin Edward Barksdale was suspected of shooting two people in a home on Swanson Street early Sunday.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

Barksdale later called police from the Travel Inn on West Main Street and authorities, with the help of a family member, tried to negotiate his surrender.
Barksdale reportedly cut off communications Sunday night and officers kept surveillance on his room until about noon yesterday.
That's when police found Barksdale dead on the bed from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The two people he reportedly shot remain hospitalized.
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[8-11Boty-Wreck]

[ANCHOR=morn]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC28:19]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A man has died after being involved in a accident with a propane truck in Botetourt.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

70-year old Isaac Merchant's pickup truck collided with the tanker on Route 220 about three o-clock yesterday.
The Eagle Rock man died an hour and a half later.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT-18:09:00]
[IN Q=I DON'T THINK]
((TROOPER RUSTY LAMBERT/STATE POLICE; I DON'T THINK IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ROADS BEING WET. I JUST THINK THAT THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP TRUCK MAY HAVE FELL ASLEEP OR SOMETHING.))
[SUPER=01-Trooper Rusty Lambert/State Police]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=ASLEEP OR SOMETHING]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

State police say it appears Merchant veered into the opposite lane and sideswiped the propane truck.
The propane truck flipped onto it's side and it began leaking small amounts of propane.
Police say there was no danger.
The driver of the propane truck was shaken up, but not seriously hurt.
(------------)

[8-11DMV]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-54 TC-1:21:49]
[GRAPHIC=DMV]

All Virginia DMV offices may soon be back in business on Wednesday's. House and Senate budget negotiators have tentatively agreed on a plan to restore operating hours.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 02-39 1:20:32]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape;]
Governor Warner ordered the midweek closings in October. The House and Senate plans already call for reopening 12 D-M-V service centers the governor also closed in his budget cuts last fall. Talks between House and Senate conference committee members began on schedule yesterday, despite heavy snow and sleet that made roads treacherous.
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