WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 06/17/03

[7-11Bedford-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-24 21:54]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

V-DOT is reporting scattered road closures due to the aftermath of yesterday's heavy rain. Bedford appears hardest hit, but road closures are also being reported in Giles, Montgomery, and Botetourt Counties.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :15]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]
Repairs on this washed-out road are being delayed because of yesterday's heavy rains. If it keeps raining, residents of the Fairdale Farms subdivision fear rushing waters will take down the temporary foot bridge that allows them to get to their homes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 07:48:29]
[IN Q=THIS MORNING]
((KERMIT POFF/RESIDENT; THIS MORNING WHEN I WENT OUT THIS MORNING IT WAS WAY DOWN AND IT THE PAST TWO HOURS IT'S WHEN ALL THIS STARTED COMING UP AGAIN. ))
[SUPER=01-Kermit Poff/Resident;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=UP AGAIN.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Route 757 in Bedford County is among those closed right now. Flood waters washed away much of one side of the road. Verizon is repairing damaged phone lines for about 100 customers while V-DOT officials say road work is slated to start tomorrow.
(------------)

[7-11Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-12 1:42:52]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

There's still the potential for more flooding throughout central and western Virginia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Many creeks, streams and rivers were close to their capacity, and some low-lying areas were under water.
There were no reports of serious flooding around here, but residents kept a watchful eye on the water level and the weather forecast.
The heavy downpours also contributed to a number of accidents on area highways, including one on I-581 when a car hydroplaned out of control.
(------------)

[7-11WV-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

Flash flooding also created major problems in Charleston, West Virginia yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charleston, WV]

This was the scene at the Fed Ex Depot.
Getting it there on time was a little more difficult thanks to Mother Nature.
A fed ex truck floated off a Bridge and into a creek and then hit another vehicle.
At least a dozen workers sought refuge on a roof.
Flash flooding also blocked a road leading to the main airport- although the airport did remain open.
Flooding also destroyed several homes and forced about 60 residents to evacuate from a nursing home.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Charleston Civic Center.
(----------)

[45-NS-Strike]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am-cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=strike]

There are reports of a strike going on this morning at the Shaffer's Crossing area of Norfolk Southern.
According to one striking employee, the International Association of Machinists walked out at 6-15 this morning, and plan to be out all day.
He says the strike is WORK- related, and does not pertain to a contract dispute.
We'll have more details later today on News 7 at Noon.

[45-11Franklin-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-28 05:03]
[GRAPHIC=None]

One suspect is dead and another was taken to the hospital following an attempted robbery in Franklin County.
(+++++++)
[Take Map FS]
It happened after ten o'clock Sunday night at 24-81 Doe Run Road, southeast of Rocky Mount.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.; :]
Sheriff Quint Overton says two men wearing ski masks went into the home and demanded drugs and money.
That is when one of the residents, William Davis, allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the two assailants. 22 year old Travis Richards of Rocky Mount was found dead at the scene.
26 year old Claude Elton Wray of Martinsville is currently at Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he listed in stable condition this morning.
Investigators are still trying to determine whether charges will be filed against the shooter.
(--------------)

[45-11Green]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-13 1:35:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Bedford County woman has been found guilty of animal neglect after keeping more than 60 cats and dogs at her home. A judge told her to cut the number to no more than three.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./1997]

Valerie Green has had numerous run-ins with law-enforcement in different counties over the amount of animals she keeps.
A plea agreement last year set the limit at 25.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]
But a recent surprise inspection showed she was over that number, so a judge gave year a two-year suspended sentence for violating that agreement.
Green also was given a ten-day jail sentence for obstructing justice.

[45-Student-Hostage]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Students at a career college in Norfolk were held hostage by their teacher yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Norfolk;]
Nofolk police were called to Tidwater Tech after callers reported that an instructor had pulled a gun on five students in her classroom, barricaded the room, and covered the windows. Witnesses say when Judith Woolrich laid the gun down, the four females and one male student took over, grabbing the gun and throwing Woolrich down. Norfolk TV stations spoke with a man, whose wife was one of those inside.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[INQ=She said she was]
((TODD CURTIS/WIFE WAS HOSTAGE: SHE SAID SHE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE POLICE RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED SO THERE WERE 50 GUYS OUTSIDE THE DOOR AND THEY KNEW RIGHT WHEN TO BLOW IN AND TAKE OVER, SO, OH MY GOSH, MY WIFE THE SUPERHERO. AND YOU JUST GOT BACK FROM DEPLOYMENT? AND YOU HAVE FOUR KIDS? LEAVE A WAR ZONE TO COME HOME TO THIS.))
[SUPER=01-Todd Curtis/Wife was Hostage;]
[RUNS=15]
[OQ=come home to this.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Norfolk police say it's unclear what prompted the standoff.
(------------)

[8-NS-Strike]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am-cutin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=strike]

Employees say there is a strike going on this morning at the Shaffer's Crossing area of Norfolk Southern.
According to one striking employee, the International Association of Machinists walked out at 6-15 this morning, and plan to be out all day.
He says the strike is WORK- related, and does not pertain to a contract dispute.
We'll have more details later today on News 7 at Noon.

[8-11Bedford-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-24 21:54]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

All the heavy rain has led to scattered road closures. Bedford appears hardest hit, but road closures are also being reported in Giles, Montgomery, and Botetourt Counties.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :15]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]
Repairs on this washed-out road are being delayed because of yesterday's heavy rains. If it keeps raining, residents of the Fairdale Farms subdivision fear rushing waters will take down the temporary foot bridge that allows them to get to their homes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 07:48:29]
[IN Q=THIS MORNING]
((KERMIT POFF/RESIDENT; THIS MORNING WHEN I WENT OUT THIS MORNING IT WAS WAY DOWN AND IT THE PAST TWO HOURS IT'S WHEN ALL THIS STARTED COMING UP AGAIN. ))
[SUPER=01-Kermit Poff/Resident;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=UP AGAIN.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Route 757 in Bedford County is among those closed right now. Flood waters washed away much of one side of the road. Verizon is repairing damaged phone lines for about 100 customers while V-DOT officials say road work is slated to start tomorrow.
(------------)

[8-11Kilgore-Housing]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-21 41:41]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

The U-S Supreme Court has upheld a policy that gives residents of public housing the right to keep unwanted people out of their neighborhood.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :14]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Yesterday, the high court voted unanimously that the government CAN ban non-residents from public housing projects in an effort to reduce crime.
The justices ruled that the no-trespassing policy at a Richmond housing project did not violate the First Amendment.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:04:18]
[IN Q=I AM PLEASED THAT THE]
[SUPER=@Kilgore; :00]
[SUPER=01-Stephen Benjamin/Defendant's Attorney; :08]
((ATTORNEY GENERAL JERRY KILGORE: I AM PLEASED THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS UNANIMOUSLY RULED ON THE SIDE OF KEEPING OUR STREETS AND OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.)) ((STEPHEN BENJAMIN/DEFENDANT'S ATTORNEY: THIS IS NOT EVEN A SETBACK ON OUR CHALLENGE TO THE TRESPASS POLICY. THIS POLICY WAS POORLY WRITTEN, IT'S HOPELESSLY VAGUE. AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL PREVAIL AT THE VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT LEVEL.))
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=AT VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT LEVEL.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
(------------) The case has been sent to the state Supreme Court to consider other constitutional issues.