[7-11Garden-City]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-33 TC02:50]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

A fire at an area elementary school appears to be arson. Someone saw smoke coming from the back of Garden City Elementary in Roanoke last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

They called the fire department around 8:45.
Firefighters found a small blaze inside a classroom and quickly put it out.
Investigators say it looks like arson.
They believe someone got in through a first-floor window and set fire to a pile of cloth and leaves.
They're not yet sure if the window was already open, or if it was forced open.
The fire didn't cause much damage.
(------------)

[7-Clifford]


[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-30 TC1:01:43]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Assault charge against Patrick Henry High School's former head football coach may soon be dropped.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :22]
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co./Last Month;]
The attorney for Kevin Clifford says he hopes the paperwork associated with the "order of dismissal" will be completed today. The charge stems from November when Clifford was accused of slapping player Brett Moyer after a game in Halifax County. Moyer's parents indicated they would consider dropping the charge if Clifford resigned as coach. He gave up the position last week.
(///// SOT at :22 /////)
[SOT 8:59:38 - 8:59:49]
[IN Q=And I think in consideration of what...]
((TONY ANDERSON/CLIFFORD'S ATTORNEY: AND I THINK IN CONSIDERATION OF WHAT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TEAM AND ITS PLAYERS COACH CLIFFORD PUT THEIR INTERESTS AHEAD OF HIS AND CHOSE TO RESIGN NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Tony Anderson/Clifford's Attorney;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=chose to resign now.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=kim]
[SS=None]
Clifford's attorney has advised him against commenting on the case until all the paperwork is signed.

[7-5-NTSB-Vans]


[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=503-07 47:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Officials met in Washington yesterday to discuss the safety of 15 passenger vans. Two years ago one of those vans carrying a Roanoke Church group overturned in North Carolina, killing 14 year old Jessika Lewis.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :24]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
Yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board recomended stricter safety controls. The NTSB says the vans ... used mostly by churches and day care centers ... are more likely to roll over. The board wants the federal government to require the vans to meet the same safety standards as cars. They reccommend lap and shoulder belts on all seats and that drivers should get additional training before driving one.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((DRIVING A 15 PASSENGER VAN .... DRIVING 15 PASSENGER VAN.))
[SUPER=01-Ellen Engleman/NTSB Chairwoman;]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=DRIVING A 15 PASSENGER VANS.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
In 2001 ... 91 people died when the vans rolled over.
(------------)

[45-AMLake-Plan]


[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=03]
[GRAPHIC=None]
American Electric Power's new shoreline management plan has drawn criticism from many residents. It will control how the shorelines along Smith Mountain and Leesville Lake are developed. But many lake residents say the current plan needs to be revised.
(---------------)
[vo-nat]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount;]
Last night, Franklin County's Board of Supervisors heard from some of those residents. It also heard from A-E-P. A company representative was on hand to brief the supervisors on the shoreline plan which was released to the public July third. Right now, the plan is ONLY a DRAFT and A-E-P says it's open to suggestions from the public until August 15th. Two public meetings are also scheduled next week for A-E-P to answer questions and take comments. But some residents and even one supervisor at last night's meeting say more time is needed.
(///sot///)
[sot01:17:25]
[in q= I think ]
((PAT BAILEY/HOMEOWNER; I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LIMIT A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH WHICH CAN BE A GOOD THING BUT CAN ALSO HARM THE PROPERTY AT THE LAKE. )) ((CHARLES POINDEXTER: MORE TIME IS NEEDED TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER CYCLE AND MAKE ANOTHER CYCLE OF CHANGES AND I THINK WE'LL BE MUCH CLOSER. ))
[super=01-Pat Bailey/Homeowner; :00]
[super=01-Charles Poindexter/Franklin Co. Supervisor; :08]
[RUNS=20]
[OUT Q=much closer. ]
(------------)
[anchor=Kimberly]
[ss=none]
An A-E-P spokesman says it's unlikely it will extend its deadline for suggestions. A-E-P says the comments it receives by mid- August will be evaluated by a committee that's helping to draft the shoreline plan. The company will then submit a FINAL draft to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at the end of August.

[45-Bluffwalk]


[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-20 TC1:21:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Though planning has been in the works for six years, a multi-million dollar hotel and conference is finally on its way in downtown Lynchburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Ground was officially broken yesterday for the Bluffwalk Center between Jefferson and Commerce Streets.
Architect Hal Craddock and a group of investors plan to turn two old warehouses into an upscale hotel with restaurants, a microbrewery and shopping.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:10:57]
[IN Q=Downtown is]
((CARL HUTCHERSON/LYNCHBURG MAYOR: DOWNTOWN IS TAKING SHAPE AND THIS PROJECT THE BLUFFWALK IS GOING TO REALLY, REALLY MAKE IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR FOLKS WHO VISIT OUR COMMUNITY.))
[SUPER=01-Carl Hutcherson/Lynchburg Mayor;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=visit our community.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

City leaders say Bluffwalk will help anchor the rest of downtown revitalization.
Work continues on the overhaul of Monument Terrace and the Ninth Street corridor near Amazement Square.
(------------)

[8-11River-Search]


[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-14 TC4:27:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Once again, the search for a missing fisherman has been called off by rescue workers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]
Officials believe 78-year old Graham Smith drowned Monday in the Maury River near Lexington. A fisherman for more than 40 years, Graham was with his brother Marshall in knee-deep water. As the water rose, Marshall turned around and his brother was gone. Crews were out all day yesterday with no success. No more large-scale searches are planned, but officials say they'll keep checking the area to see if anything turns up.
(------------)

[8-11Stanley]


[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-32 TC04:01]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Investigators call her one of the greatest bank fraud artists they've ever seen.
Now she's been nabbed at a hotel near Lynchburg.
F-B-I agents and the Virginia State Police staked out the Howard Johnson's on Route 29 in Madison Heights Monday night,
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
waiting for 51-year-old Lottie Mae Stanley.
Stanley was wanted in at least 20 jurisdictions on numerous fraud charges. She had been featured on "America's Most Wanted" back in March.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

Agents also arrested 38-year-old Aaron R. Telke (TELL-kee) and recovered a child from the hotel room whom they believe had been abducted from Ohio.
Both Stanley and Telke are being held without bond.

[8-Carter]


[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-19 TC1:23:12]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Pulaski County judge has thrown out the case against a man charged in connection with the death of a local teenager.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co./August;]
33-year-old Edward Lee Carter was charged with distributing drugs to a minor, after he sold an eighth of an ounce of cocaine last May to 16-year-old Gaelen (GAY-len) Woods. Woods later died of an overdose. Carter's trial got underway Monday, but yesterday the judge dismissed the case, saying there was NOT enough evidence against him to go ahead with the trial.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=kim]
[SS=None]
Carter was originally charged with second-degree murder, but that charge was dropped after a preliminary hearing last September.

[8-11Partnership]


[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

Blacksburg officials are forming a partnership to attract more business to the area.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
The Blacksburg Partnership is a non-profit organization made up of leaders from the town, Virginia Tech and the business community. Its mission is to help stimulate the local economy through downtown revitalization as well asretail and urban economic development. Officials say it's a win- win situation.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4611]
[IN Q=the quality of life]
((LARRY HINCKER/VT SPOKESMAN: THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSITY ARE REALLY INTERMESHED, THEY'RE INTERLINKED. AND SO TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE'VE HELPED THE UNIVERSITY.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Hincker/Virginia Tech Spokesman;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=helped the university]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Although most of the funding for the projects will come from donations and grants, officials say the organization has already committed 150-thousand dollars of its own money to spread over the next three years. (------------)
by SS