WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/21/03

[7-11Southside-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-55]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]
The Dan River continues to rise well above the flood stage, while Southside residents and business owners keep a wary eye.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Boston]

The Dan is expected to crest at over 32 feet sometime early Sunday.
That means dozens of businesses in the Riverdale area will be see water and mud creep into their buildings.
Most of the owners have been busy packing up and moving out before the high water comes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:12:46]
[IN Q=I have to]
((MAC RAGANS/BUSINESS OWNER: I HAVE TO MOVE... WE GOT A PROBLEM.))
[SUPER=01-Mac Ragan/Business Owner]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=got a problem.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Elsewhere, high water has closed dozens of roads in Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties.
Parts of Route 501 and Route 58 near South Boston are expected to be under water by the weekend.
(------------)

[7-11Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-02]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

Meanwhile, flooding in Danville expected to get worse as the water levels continue to rise.
Danville Police have blocked off River Street, Good Year Boulevard and Water Street because of flooding.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
As of last night, the Dan River was measured at seven feet above flood stage. That level is expected to rise dramatically to 10 feet above flood stage Today and tomorrow, before receeding on Sunday. Meanwhile, residents at the Cabin Lake Apartment Complex had to dodge puddles to get to their cars, and watched the pond's water level rise in their back yards. A spokesman for the complex says he does not expect any apartments to be flooded.
(------------)

[7-11Piney-Branch]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-53]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Residents of a small community in Bedford County had their road nearly washed out by heavy rains last month. Now a neighboring church is helping them to rebuild it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]

Resident of the Oakcrest Hills Subdivision made temporary repairs after a section of Piney Branch Road began to cave in, but with recent rainfall the road has continued to crumble.
Now the community is planning a more permanent solution, and Shady Grove Baptist Church offered its support.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 01:36:55]
[IN Q=We consider ourselves a community church]
((WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A COMMUNITY CHURCH. WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO EXPRESS OUR LOVE AND OUR CONCERN FOR THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Harry Leland/Shady Grove Baptist Church]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=love and concern for them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The church is contributing five thousand dollars toward the cost of the repairs.
The work is expected to begin in the next few days.
(------------)

[45-11Gas-Prices]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Homefront]
With the nation being at war with Iraq, many people are keeping an eye on prices at the pump.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Roanoke;]
Triple-A and fuel providers released a statement yesterday because of reported concerns about the supply and cost of fuel. They say inventories are adequate to meet normal demand and refinery production remains strong. Motorists are advised to buy gasoline as they normally would. Prices in Roanoke remain in a range they've been in for some time, from a dollar-49 to a dollar-79, but many motorists say they think the war will cause prices to go up.
(------------)

[45-11Roanoke-Protest]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Protests]

Several people showed up in Roanoke yesterday to protest the war.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :18]
[SUPER=203-Roanoke;]
With candles and small signs, dozens of local residents gathered at Lee Plaza in downtown Roanoke. This is one of several protests that has been held at the location over the past several weeks. Some cars driving by the group beeped their horns in support and others booed out their car windows.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:47:07]
[IN Q=we get called]
((SUSAN CHAPMAN/OPPOSES WAR; WE GET CALLED UNPATRIOTIC OR THAT WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS AND I PRAY FOR THE TROOPS IN IRAQ AND I PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT PEOPLE THAT WILL BE KILLED.))
[SUPER=201-Susan Chapman/Opposes War;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=WILL BE KILLED.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Some people say they believe protests around the country will continue and grow larger as long as the fighting continues in Iraq.
(------------)

[45-6-I-81]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-06 TC47:16]
[GRAPHIC=I-81 Improvements]

The Commonwealth Transporation Board will be moving forward with both proposals for widening Interstate 81.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The proposals by Fluor Virginia and STAR Solutions now advance to the detailed stage of the review process.
V-DOT's Commissioner made the recommendation yesterday, after determining that both proposals meet certain technical and financial qualifications.
Traffic volume on I-81 is expected to double over the next twenty years.
VDOT says it is critical that the interstate be improved in a safe and efficient manner.
(------------)

[45-11Speedway-Collapse]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-10 TC 18:53]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The sum of more than four million dollars was granted to a Virginia couple who was injured in the collapse of a walkway at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Concord, NC/2000]

Cindy and Marty Taylor of Nelson County sought damages for head, back and leg injuries they suffered when the walkway collapsed as fans left a NASCAR all-star race.
More than 100 people were injured.
The jury found that the racetrack operators were not negligent in the collapse.
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC]

The jury fixed responsibility on Tindall Construction Corporation of Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Investigators concluded that Tindall improperly mixed a grout, which corroded the steel cables that held the bridge together, and led to the collapse.
(------------)

[8-11Southside-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-55]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]
The Dan River continues to rise well above the flood stage, while Southside residents and business owners keep a wary eye.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Boston]

The Dan is expected to crest at over 32 feet sometime early Sunday.
That means dozens of businesses in the Riverdale area will be see water and mud creep into their buildings.
Most of the owners have been busy packing up and moving out before the high water comes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:12:46]
[IN Q=I have to]
((MAC RAGANS/BUSINESS OWNER: I HAVE TO MOVE... WE GOT A PROBLEM.))
[SUPER=01-Mac Ragan/Business Owner]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=got a problem.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Elsewhere, high water has closed dozens of roads in Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties.
Parts of Route 501 and Route 58 near South Boston are expected to be under water by the weekend.
(------------)

[8-11Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-02]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

Meanwhile, flooding in Danville expected to get worse as the water levels continue to rise.
Danville Police have blocked off River Street, Good Year Boulevard and Water Street because of flooding.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
As of last night, the Dan River was measured at seven feet above flood stage. That level is expected to rise dramatically to 10 feet above flood stage today and tomorrow, before receeding on Sunday. Meanwhile, residents at the Cabin Lake Apartment Complex had to dodge puddles to get to their cars, and watched the pond's water level rise in their back yards. A spokesman for the complex says he does not expect any apartments to be flooded.
(------------)

[8-11Piney-Branch]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-53]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Residents of a small community in Bedford County had their road nearly washed out by heavy rains last month. Now a neighboring church is helping them to rebuild it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]

Residents of the Oakcrest Hills Subdivision made temporary repairs after a section of Piney Branch Road began to cave in, but with recent rainfall the road has continued to crumble.
Now the community is planning a more permanent solution, and Shady Grove Baptist Church offered its support.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 01:36:55]
[IN Q=We consider ourselves a community church]
((WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A COMMUNITY CHURCH. WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO EXPRESS OUR LOVE AND OUR CONCERN FOR THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Harry Leland/Shady Grove Baptist Church]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=love and concern for them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The church is contributing five thousand dollars toward the cost of the repairs.
The work is expected to begin in the next few days. (------------)