WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/10/03

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[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]

[7-11Giles-Search]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-51 TC-2:00:45]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The search will continue today, for two men who are believed to have drowned in the New River in Giles County.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.;]
Crews recovered more personal articles from both men yesterday, and crews went to the air, using helicopters to look for any clues. Searchers had been concentrating their efforts around the Ripplemead bridge near Pearisburg, but are going to expand their search downriver.
Neither man's name has been released. Giles County officials say intend to keep searching until they find the men.

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[7-11Grayson-Search]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-03 TC-1:06:42]
[GRAPHIC=Logan Bowman]
The search for a missing boy may be over until more concrete leads are found in the investigation.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Grayson Co.]

More than one hundred volunteers searched this weekend for five year old Logan Bowman.
Logan has not been seen or heard from since January 8th and investigators fear he is dead.
Searchers concentrated their efforts this weekend in the area near where Logan lived.
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[7-11Carder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-05 TC-27:59]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A leading member of the Roanoke City Council is expected to step down from his position today.
Bill Carder has scheduled a news conference this morning, where he is expected to announce that he is leaving Roanoke.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]

A Republican, Carder was first elected to Roanoke City Council in the year 2000.
He received the most votes in that election, and became the city's vice-mayor.
Carder is the General Manager of the Patrick Henry Hotel, and that's where he will reveal his intentions in a few hours.
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[7-11Rke-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-54 TC-1:47:07]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Ronaoke leaders are assembling next year's budget, while trying to leave tax increases out of the picture.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Month]

Like many localities in our region, Roanoke is dealing with another round of state cuts this year.
City Manager Darlene Burcham is currently working on the city's upcoming budget.
She says citizens can expect either an increase in local taxes and fees or a reduction of services to balance the budget.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 7:31]
[IN Q=We've approached the]
((DARLENE BURCHAM/CITY MANAGER: WE'VE APPROACHED THE BALANCING WITH THE IDEA THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO RAISE ANY TAXES. WE HOPE WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP THAT COMMITMENT. WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME CHANGES IN SERVICES AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BOTH BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN STATE FUNDS AS WELL AS THE FACT WE'VE GOT INCREASED EXPENDITURES AND NEEDS ALL THE TIME.))
[SUPER=01-Darlene Burcham/City Manager]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=all the time]
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[VO-NAT]

Burcham says the city's budget should be completed by mid-April.
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[45-11SE-Project]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-07 TC-43:17]
[GRAPHIC=none]
It seems that few residents in the City of Roanoke are eager to take advantage of the city's plan to help fix up some of its neighborhoods. Roanoke is prepared to spend millions of dollars on the project. The first area is in the city's southeast side, but as Justin McLeod reports, there are few takers at this point.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mike Etienne/Project Organizer; :25]
[SUPER=01-Virginia Lapish/Southeast Resident; :42]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:07]
[SUPER=01-Elizabeth Thomason/Southeast Resident; 1:26]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7, Roanoke]
((((NAT SOUND OF HAMMERING AROUND 1:53:22))
There's a lot of noise in Southeast Roanoke these days, and residents say it's a welcome sign.
[SOT 1:54:15]
[IN Q=I think the more]
((BONNIE LOWE/SOUTHEAST RESIDENT: I THINK THE MORE YOU DO TO YOUR HOUSE THE BETTER YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=would be]

The city of Roanoke agrees.
More than six million dollars is about to be spent in the area between Jamison and Bullit Avenue.
It is all part of the Southeast, By Design Pilot Project.
[SOT 1:40:04]
[IN Q=Southeast by Design]
((MIKE ETIENNE/PROJECT ORGANIZER: SOUTHEAST BY DESIGN IS THE FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD SELECTED UNDER THE CITY'S NEW NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE.))
[Runs= 07]
[OUT Q=revitalization iniatitive]

Part of that initiative allows residents to apply for no interest loans to help fix up their homes.
This house on Jamison Avenue has already seen 15-thousand dollars worth of improvements.
[SOT 2:03:28]
[IN Q=It's a great thing]
((VIRGINIA LAPISH/SOUTHEAST RESIDENT: IT'S A GREAT THING FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE. IT HELPS A LOT. IT'S DONE A LOT FOR ME.))
[Runs= 07]
[OUT Q=a lot for me]

It's done a lot for her, but not many others.
Only two residents have taken advantage of the no interest loans so far.
The city however is moving forward with its revitalization plans.
It has already purchased seven vacant lots to build homes on.
And abandoned homes like this one will soon be renovated.
[SOT 2:08:14]
[IN Q=Another problem here]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: ANOTHER PROBLEM HERE IN SOUTHEAST IS THE TRAFFIC. THE CITY HAS HIRED CONSULTANTS TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO SLOW THIS TRAFFIC DOWN. SUGGESTIONS ALREADY INCLUDE ADDING LINES TO THE ROADWAYS AND PLANTING TREES.))

[Runs= 12]
[OUT Q=planting trees]
((NAT SOUND OF PUTTING TRASH IN BAG AT 1:59:25))
These improvements will take several years to complete.
But residents say the project is already on a roll. (SHOT OF GIRL ROLLER SKATING)
[SOT 1:52:51]
[IN Q=It makes it feel]
((ELIZABETH THOMASON/SOUTHEAST RESIDENT: IT MAKES IT FEEL MORE WELCOME SOMEWHAT TO LIVE IN THIS AREA.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=in this area]

Six other areas will eventually see projects like this one throughout the city. ((NAT SOUND OF CAR DRIVING BY))
It is a driving force that could revitalize several neighborhoods.
Justin McLeod, News 7, Roanoke.))

[8-Roanoke-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cut In]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Roanoke firefighters are battling flames at an apartment building not far from downtown. They were called out to the Lee Apartments on Mountain Avenue this morning. Fire officials say one person has been taken by ambulance to a hospital in what is called a "critical transport." We'll have more details on News 7 at Noon.

[8-BOV-Tech]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-01 TC-46:43]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia Tech]

It appears that Virginia Tech students will be facing another tuition increase next year.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]

The Board of Visitors met yesterday to discuss raising tuition by more than four percent.
That would increase the total package at Tech by 363 dollars next year.
Students are already dealing with a more than one thousand dollar increase from last year.
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[SOT 15:37:09]
[IN Q=The state of Virginia]
((LARRY HINCKER/VT SPOKESPERSON: THE STATE OF VIRGINIA HAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED ITS APPROPRIATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION OVER THE LAST YEAR. AT VIRGINIA TECH FOR EXAMPLE WE LOST 62 MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR ALONE. WE'LL LOSE MORE NEXT YEAR, ALMOST 11 MILLION DOLLARS SO TUITION IS RISING PARTIALLY TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Hincker/Virginia Tech Spokesperson; :06]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=some of those costs]
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[VO-NAT]

The board will also consider a proposal to ban smoking in all dorms on campus.
Currently, a student can smoke if their roommate agrees to it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:44:55]
[IN Q=It's your room]
((ASHLEY FOX/VT STUDENT: IT'S YOUR ROOM, WHY ARE THEY GOING TO STEP INTO YOUR ROOM THAT WE PAY FOR, THE ROOM AND BOARD A LOT OF MONEY, WHY ARE THEY GOING TO STEP IN THERE AND TELL YOU CAN'T SMOKE.))
[SUPER=01-Ashley Fox/Virginia Tech Student; ]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=you can't smoke]
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[VO-NAT]

A survey recently done on campus revealed a majority of students want smoking banned from the dorms.
The Board of Visitors will vote Monday afternoon on that proposal and the plan to raise tuition.
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