WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/26/03

[7-11Franklin-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-14 TC2:34:48]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Franklin County officials are investigating the cause of a fire near Rocky Mount.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
Flames destroyed this duplex on Route-40 early yesterday afternoon. Fire officials say two men lived in the home in separate apartments. One had been there for several years while the other moved in recently. Neither was home at the time and no one was hurt on the scene. It took 25-firefighters, four-fire engines and two tankers to control the fire. They also put out a small brush fire nearby. Fire officials say they're investigating a cause and damage estimates.
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[7-11County-Supervisors]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-10 TC28:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Though Roanoke County is not raising tax rates this year, some fees will incease due to a tight budget.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]

The supervisors have approved a 25- dollar booking fee at the county jail, and an additional five dollars in court costs to add four deputies and improve courthouse security.
Board members also increased the fee for ambulance transports, to help pay for additional paramedic firefighters.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT01:46:29]
[IN Q=To add ten additional firefighters]
((ELMER HODGE/COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR: TO ADD TEN ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, AND INCREASE FEES THAT SHOULD BE AS EASY TO ABSORB AS THIS, I THINK, IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.))
[SUPER=@Hodge;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=quite an accomplishment.]
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[VO-NAT]

County officials have also confirmed that a shortage of volunteers is forcing the Fort Lewis Volunteer Rescue Squad to disband. Career personnel have been answering rescue calls in the area for several months, so service there should not suffer.
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[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Officials say the Fort Lewis Volunteer Fire Department is alive and well, and is not affected by the rescue squad's problems.

[7-11Tech-Protest]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC1:30:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
As protests over Virginia Tech's new affirmative action policy continued yesterday, those protesting hoped that their silence would persuade the administration to listen.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Faculty members at Virginia Tech organized a silent protest yesterday. They're angry over the board of visitors' decision to cut affirmative action and sexual orientation from its discrimination policy. The group marched across campus. Some wore duct-tape over their mouths to symbolize how the board ignored their voices when it voted on the policy behind closed doors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:26]
[IN Q=WE WANT TO BE]
((ANN KILKELLY/VT PROFESSOR: 11:26 WE WANT TO BE VISIBLE AS FACULTY AND WE WANT TO BE SEEN AS FACULTY WITH A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS ACADEMIC ENTERPRISE THAT WE ARE APART OF 11:34))
[SUPER=01-Ann Kilkelly/Virginia Tech Professor;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=we are a part of.]
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[VO-NAT]
Demonstrators say they're pleased the board has called another meeting to review its actions, but they say until the policy is actually changed, they will continue to protest.
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[45-11Warner-bills]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-04 TC49:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Governor Mark Warner could have the room he needs to sustain his veto of the legislation that would repeal Virginia's estate tax.
Two state senators have indicated they would switch their votes on the measure.
The bill barely passed in the General Assembly last month with the two-thirds support it would need to override a potential Warner veto.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Republicans say they will fight to override Warner's veto of a bill repealing the estate tax.
And they say they have the votes to reject his changes to two abortion bills.
Warner amended legislation banning partial-birth abortions and a bill requiring parental consent for minors seeking an abortion.
And he vetoed a bill creating a "Choose Life" license plate.
The governor also reinstated 50-thousand dollars that Republicans took away from Democrat Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:39:59]
[IN Q=IT WAS SOME PARTISAN POLITICKING]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: IT WAS SOME PARTISAN POLITICKING. AND I THINK THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND FUTURE LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS NEED TO MAINTAIN A BASIC MINIMUM LEVEL OF FUNDING TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.]
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[VO-NAT]

Lawmakers return to Richmond next week to vote on the governor's changes.
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[45-11Goode]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-05 TC57:38]
[GRAPHIC=War in Iraq]

The President has at least one Virginia Congressman on his side when it comes to military funding, but questions arise about where the rest of the money is going.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Chatham]

Fifth District Republican Virgil Goode says he fully supports the outlay for the ongoing military campaign, but is not so sure about the aid for Iraq.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:04:39]
[IN Q=I want to]
((REP. VIRGIL GOODE/R- 5TH DISTRICT: I WANT TO TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK AT ANY FUNDS FOR IRAQ. I FULLY SUPPORT GIVING THEM FOOD MADE IN AMERICA, PROCESSED IN AMERICA, FROM AMERICA SO THAT THEY DON'T STARVE OR GO HUNGRY, BUT WE HAVE PRESSING NEEDS IN THIS COUNTRY. WE NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES BEFORE WE EXTEND ANY FOREIGN TO ANY NATION.))
[SUPER=201-Rep. Virgil Goode/(R) 5th District]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=to any nation.]
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[VO-NAT]

Goode was in Southside yesterday, campaigning for Republican General Assembly candidates.
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[8-VOB-LB-Soccer]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Lord Botetourt's soccer team is looking to overcome its biggest losses this year, which occured OFF the feild.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]

The team started its season last night, wearing black armbands to honor two teammates who died in separate traffic accidents.
Sophomore goalie Andrew Wilkinson was killed in an accident Sunday.
Goalie Travis Bird, a senior, died back in October.
The team says it wants to honor their memories with a winning season.
(///// SOT /////)
[bump sots]
[IN Q=It's been]
[SOT 8:41]
((BEN SMITH/SOCCER PLAYER: IT'S BEEN DEPRESSING AND IT'S BEEN HARD ON A LOT OF US. BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT AND WE'VE TRIED TO GO ON WITH IT. ))
[SOT 15:51]
((ROY PRUSAK/COACH: TO LOSE TWO EXCEPTIONAL GOALIES, BESIDES THEIR TRAGIC LOSS, IT HURTS THE TEAM AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET BEHIND THEM AND USE THAT AS A POSITIVE SIGN TO GET TOGETHER. ))
[SUPER=01-Ben Smith/Lord Botetourt Soccer Player; :00]
[SUPER=01-Roy Prusak/Junior Varsity Coach; :09]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=to get together.]
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[VO-NAT]

Andrew's JV soccer team DID win its game against Pulaski last night, 2 to zero.
The varsity team, which lost Travis, was defeated by one point.
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[8-VOB-Family-Support]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=War in Iraq]
It's no doubt been a tough week for friends and family of those serving in the Middle East. But support groups are popping up across the area to help anxious loved ones here at home.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Roanoke/February;]
Hundreds of troops from western Virginia are among the soldiers now serving in Kuwait and Iraq. These are men and women who've left behind friends and family worried about their safety and wondering when and if they'll return home. Doctors and counselors with Carilion Health System recognize the strain this can put on a person, so every Tuesday they'll be holding support groups meetings for family and friends in Roanoke and the New River Valley.
(///sot///)
[sot 00:12:15]
[in q= It's a way]
((DR. RICK SEIDEL/CLINICAL PROGRAMS DIRECTOR; IT'S A WAY TO COME TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS AND SIMILAR NEEDS AND A CHANCE TO GIVE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT BY YOURSELF IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION, AND THAT WHAT YOU'RE FEELING IS QUITE NORMAL AND IT HELPS GIVE PEOPLE REASSURANCE AND FEEL BETTER. ))
[SUPER=201-Dr. Rick Seidel/Clinical Programs Director;]
[runs=:14]
[out q= and feel better.]
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[vo-nat] The meetings are every Tuesday at seven o'clock and are FREE of charge. In Roanoke, the meetings are at the Carilion Rehabilitation Center Auditorium on South Jefferson Street. In the New River Valley, they're being held in the Carilion St. Alban's hospital in Radford. (------------)