WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 07/08/03

[7-114H-Camp]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-14 tc4:18:33]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Allegations of physical abuse at an area 4-H camp have prompted an investigation by Franklin County Sheriff's Deputies.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

The alleged incident happened last week at the 4-H camp located at Smith Mountain Lake.
400 kids ages nine to thirteen from Central Virginia were at the camp last week.
Some of the counselors who accompanied the campers allegedly staged fights in a lodge and forced some of the campers to take part.
Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood says the investigation could take several days.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 52:16]
[IN Q=This isn't a situation]
((CLIFF HAPGOOD/FRANKLIN CO. COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: THIS ISN'T A SITUATION THAT INVOLVES ANY CAMPERS THAT ARE THERE RIGHT NOW. THIS TALKS ABOUT PERSONS WHO WERE THERE IN THE PAST AND WILL NO LONGER THERE BUT AS FAR AS THE CURRENT CAMPERS WE FEEL THAT THEY ARE SAFE.))
[SUPER=01-Cliff Hapgood/Franklin Co. Commonwealth's Attorney]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=they are safe]
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[VO-NAT]

Hapgood says the alleged incidents involved several counselors and campers.
He says charges could be pending but he declined to speculate on what those charges could be.
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[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

A spokesperson at the camp says the accused counselors were volunteers who came with the campers and that campers currently at the center are safe.

[7-11Spam]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-20 tc1:03:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Only a week after taking effect, Virginia's new anti-spam law meant to cut down on junk-e-mail is already getting national attention.
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[VO-NAT]

Later today, members of Congress will hear from Attorney General Jerry Kilgore about the state's new statute.
It could serve as a model for a national ban of those annoying solicitations.
Most states that regulate email require only that spammers identify the nature of the message.
Virginia is the only state that makes illegal spamming punishable with a prison term.
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[SOT 23:40:55]
[IN Q=SINCE WE HAVE A TOUGH CRIMINAL]
((LISA HICKS-THOMAS/ATTORNEY GENERAL'S COMPUTER CRIMES UNIT DIRECTOR: SINCE WE HAVE A TOUGH CRIMINAL PENALTY, GENERAL KILGORE THOUGHT A TOUGH CRIMINAL PENALTY WOULD ACT MORE AS A DETERRENT THAN LABELLING LAWS.))
[SUPER=01-Lisa Hicks-Thomas/Attorney General's Computer Crimes Dir.]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=THAN LABELLING LAWS.]
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[VO-NAT]

Law enforcement officials say BILLIONS of spam messages are sent out every day.
And they say that number is likely to increase.
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[45-11Lewis]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-21 TC51:39]
[GRAPHIC=Butch Lewis]

Roanoke city council is taking up the issue of the reassignment of a school resource officer.
Yesterday, the mayor and two other council members said they don't want police officer Butch Lewis to become a scapegoat.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Lewis was in the audience at yesterday afternoon's meeting, but did not address council.
He worked at Patrick Henry for ten years, but was recently reassigned to patrol duty after he discussed concerns about school safety with a reporter.
Yesterday afternoon, council members defended Lewis and his right to address safety concerns.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=I am not willing]
((BILL BESTPITCH/ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL: I AM NOT WILLING TO STAND BY AND SEE ANY SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL SCAPEGOATED FOR LARGER PROBLEMS THAT DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN OF HIS MAKING.)) ((RALPH SMITH/ROANOKE MAYOR: WE CAN'T HAVE A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE IN HIS POSITION'S HANDS ARE TIED TO SAY WHAT SOMETIMES NEEDS TO BE SAID.))
[SUPER=@Bestpitch; :00]
[SUPER=@Smith; :20]
[RUNS=:31]
[OUT Q=what sometimes needs to be said.]
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[VO-NAT]

City Manager Darlene Burcham said she is currently conducting her own investigation, but declined to discuss specifics about Lewis' case, because it is a personnel matter.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Meanwhile, officials from the State Department of Education were due in Roanoke yesterday.
The team will review the schools districts' procedures for reporting incidents of discipline, crime and violence.

[45-11Airfare-Campaign]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-25 tc56:12]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The effort to bring a low cost air carrier to the Roanoke Regional Airport is in a holding pattern.
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[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Almost two million dollars has been collected in pledges from businesses for the region's Campaign for Fair Airfares.

The effort is to attract Air Tran to Roanoke Regional Airport. By pledging, a business is promising to fly that carrier for 50-percent of their travel.
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[SOT 00:33:39]
[IN Q=you're just ]
((RALPH SMITH/ROANOKE MAYOR; YOU'RE JUST SAYING I WILL AGREE TO BUY TICKETS FROM THIS AIRLINE IF THEY WILL COME AND THEY WILL AGREE TO SELL A TICKET AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE.))
[SUPER=@Smith;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=LOWER PRICE]
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[VO-NAT]
Now that the money has been pledged, a consultant will sit down with Air Tran and try and make a deal. It is not a guarantee that Air Tran will operate at Roanoke Regional. No word yet on how long talks will take.
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[cutopen]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]

[8-11Railwalk]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-18 tc2:01:40]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A museum dedicated to the work of O. Winston Link will open soon in Roanoke.
Now the city's railwalk will also carry his name.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]

Link documented the region's rail heritage with his artistic photographs of Norfolk and Western steam engines.
City Council members had hesitated when museum officials first asked them to name the railwalk after Link.
But after the planning commission endorsed the proposal, council members approved the honor without debate.
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[8-VOB-Victory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=03-24 TC=37:08]
[GRAPHIC=Victiry Stadium 4420]
One group has circulated petitions throughout the Roanoke area in an effort to save Victory Stadium has. They have managed to obtain thousands of signatures so far.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; ]
The petition to save the stadium was started by the group "Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision". The group says so far a little over three- thousand Roanoke residents have signed petitions which will be presented to city council at its July 21st meeting.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:25:11]
[IN Q=It's from ]
[SUPER=01-Brian Wishneff/Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision; :00]
((BRIAN WISHNEFF: IT'S FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY, EVERY AGE GROUP IN THE CITY, IT'S EVERY RACE, INCOME, IT'S JUST TOTALLY ACROSS THE BOARD, EACH FOR THEIR OWN REASON.))
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=each for their own reason.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The group says another 15- hundred folks from outside the city have also signed petitions urging the city to rethink its decision to build a new stadium- amphitheater. The group wants the city to let citizens decide the fate of the stadium by placing the issue on the ballot.
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[8-6-Williamson-Road]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-17 TC1:24:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Wiliamson Road will soon receive a makeover which will include a new median that engineers hope will improve the view and traffic safety.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Within the next few weeks crews will begin shifting travel lanes, and putting out barricades.
The city plans to resurface the road, provide left turn lanes at key intersections, and make the corridor more friendly for pedestrians.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=I think it does improve safety]
((KENNETH KING/TRANSPORTATION DIVISION MANAGER; I THINK IT DOES IMPROVE SAFETY, BY PROVIDING LEFT TURN LANES AND CONTROLLING ACCESS IN SOME REGARDS. IT ALSO HELPS TO SLOW TRAFFIC HOPEFULLY BY PUTTING IN THE LANDSCAPING. NARROWING THE FIELD OF VIEW OF THOSE MOTORISTS TENDS TO SLOW THEM DOWN. AND IT WILL CERTAINLY MAKE IT A MORE ATTRACTIVE CORRIDOR.))
[SUPER=01-Kenneth King/Transportation Division Manager;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=a more attractive corridor.]
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[VO-NAT]

Construction should begin by the Fall, and the city hopes to complete the paving by next Spring. (------------)