WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 07/31/03

[7-11Richmond-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-30 TC1:07:17]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Richmond police are looking for the person who shot and killed a police officer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Officer Douglas Wendell (wenn-DELL') was shot about 5:15 yesterday afternoon after responding to a call of two men selling drugs on the city's southside.
Wendell (wenn-DELL') was transported to the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center where he died.
Police have shut down several blocks of the city, as they searched for suspects.
The city's offering a ten-thousand dollar reward for information.
(------------)

[7-VOB-Pillowtex]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Pillowtex]
A Henry County textile plant is shutting down, and laying off nearly a thousand workers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]
For some time, it had been rumored that Pillowtex was in danger of closing. Yesterday, the company announced it was closing 16 of its plants nationwide, including its facility in Fieldale which makes towels. Supervisor Debra Buchanan says this is yet another setback for a region that's been hit hard by declines in textile and furniture manufacturing.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:19:59]
[IN Q=Just a few]
[SUPER=01-Debra Buchanan/Henry Co. Supervisor;]
((DEBRA BUCHANAN/HENRY CO. SUPERVISOR: JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE RANKED NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE IN THE STATE IN JOB CREATION AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND WE TOOK PRIDE IN THAT, BUT WHEN NAFTA TOOK HOLD HERE WE COULD NOT CREATE JOBS FAST ENOUGH WE WERE LOSING JOBS, FASTER THAN WE COULD CREATE THEM. ))
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=could create them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The company says it doesn't have enough available cash to continue and has filed for bankruptcy protection.
(------------)

[7-11Warner-Pillowtex]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-27 TC44:42]
[GRAPHIC=Mark Warner]

Governor Mark Warner will meet with those workers who have lost their jobs later today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Warner is making the trip to let out of work residents know what state assistance is available.
He's also making good on a campaign promise.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT :36:21]
[IN Q=I MADE A COMMITMENT]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: I MADE A COMMITMENT WHEN I RAN FOR THIS JOB THAT THAT PART OF VIRGINIA, SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA WOULD NOT BE LEFT BEHIND. I'M GOING TO DO ALL I CAN TO HELP PLACE THESE PEOPLE IN NEW JOBS AND DO ALL WE CAN TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND A BUYER SO THAT FACILITY, THAT WAS MAKING MONEY, CAN BE REOPENED.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=CAN BE REOPENED.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The state may be able to help by extending permanent water lines to Fieldale for residents who get their water from Pillowtex.
Warner's spokeswoman says that is one thing the governor will look into during his visit.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]

Warner will be at Local 1708 Union Hall today at noon and at the V-E-C office in Martinsville at 2:00.

[45-11Academy-Music]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-35 TC07:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The merger of two fine arts groups in Lynchburg should be good news for the ongoing renovations of the historic Academy of Music theater.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

The Academy's board and the directors of the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center recently voted to join forces as the Academy of Fine Arts.
The move will bring much of the city's visual and performing arts under one roof, and should also help increase public donations.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:26:21]
[IN Q=I think a]
((MICHAEL GILLETTE/LYNCHBURG FINE ARTS CENTER: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA HAVE BEEN HOLDING THEIR BREATH, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVING GIFTS TO EITHER ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THEY WERE SORT OF WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE. IN THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO, I THINK SOME DONORS WERE WAITING TO SEE WHO'S GOING TO BE LEFT STANDING.))

[SUPER=01-Michael Gillette/Lynchburg Fine Arts Center]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=going to be left standing.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The group will operate out of its Thomson Drive location until the Academy's renovations are complete sometime in 2005.
(------------)

[45-11Civil-War]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-20 TC1:44:48]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The 138th anniversary of the end of the Civil War will soon bring about a reanactment celebration hosted by Appomattox County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Appomattox Co.]

In mid-September, hundreds of re-enactors are expected to recreate the battles of Chickamauga and Franklin in these fields off Police Tower Road.
The hope is to generate more tourist interest in the county and its numerous attractions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:51:24]
[IN Q=There's a lot]
((RICH GUILD/EVENT ORGANIZER: THERE'S A LOT HERE, THERE'S MORE THAN JUST THE PARK. THERE'S WONDERFUL LITTLE SHOPS, ANTIQUE SHOPS AND PLACES FOR THEM TO EAT HERE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BECAUSE OF THIS REENACTMENT, THE HOTELS ARE ALREADY FILLING UP SO THERE'S A LOT HERE AND I THINK THE RE-ENACTMENT WILL BE A LOT OF FUN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.))
[SUPER=01-Rich Guild/Event Organizer;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=a lot of people.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Events get underway the weekend of September 12th.
(------------)

[45-11Teen-Leaders]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Virginia Tech is holding a summer program that teaches rising tenth-graders how to become leaders, by first becoming team players.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
More than 120-teens from across the state are taking part in the Commonwealth Youth Conference for Leadership Effectiveness, also known as CYCLE.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1816-24; 1643-51]
[IN Q=teaching how to]
((TUSHAR KARKHANIS/ROANOKE: TEACHING HOW TO BE PROACTIVE, YOU KNOW. UNDERSTAND PEOPLE, WAYS TO LISTEN CORRECTLY. TRAVIS WINSTON/TECH SENIOR/CYCLE INSTRUCTOR: SOMETIMES THEY SAY IT'S HARD TO RELATE TO AN ADULT. THAT PERSON WHO'S IN SCHOOL WITH THEM, THAT TEACHER, THAT COUNSELOR, THAT S-R-O WHO BROUGHT THEM HERE.))
[SUPER=01-Tushar Karkhanis/Roanoke Resident; :00]
[SUPER=01-Travis Winston/Virginia Tech Senior & CYCLE Instructor; :07]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=them here]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
CYCLE was started by the Virginia Police Chiefs Foundation. Organizers say after Columbine, they felt the need to do something about the lack of student leadership in schools.
(------------)

[8-11Victory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-34 TC21:04]
[GRAPHIC=Victory Stadium]
A forum will be held tonight by the Roaoke City Council to outline its plans for a new stadium and ampitheater. Critics are complaining however, that city residents are getting only one side of the story.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Despite their concerns opponents of the project are encouraging citizens to attend tonight's meeting.
They say the city should have given their group equal time.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 04:41]
[IN Q=What should happen]
((BRIAN WISHNEFF: WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS THAT IT OUGHT TO BE PUT ON A REFERENDUM AND THE YOU CAN HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF FORUMS, AS MANY FORUMS AS PEOPLE CAN STAND, TO LET THEM GET THE INFORMATION AND THEN LET THEM MAKE THE DECISION ABSOLUTELY.))
[SUPER=01-Brian Wishneff/Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=make the decision absolutely.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Bill Bestpitch agrees that city council should have done a better job of informing the public two years ago before voting to build the stadium on a new site.
But he says council is trying to address that with the tonight's forum.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 06:43]
[IN Q=So it's sort of amazing]
((BILL BESTPITCH/ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL: SO IT'S SORT OF AMAZING TO ME THAT ANYBODY WOULD CRITICIZE US FOR DOING WHAT I THINK MR. WISHNEFF AND I AGREE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.))
[SUPER=@Bestpitch;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=a long time ago.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Opponents are planning their own presentation in front of the civic center at 6:30, a half hour before the forum is scheduled to begin.
(------------)

[8-11Gaskins]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Roanoke City's Police Chief Joe Gaskins says the decision to restructure the School Resource Officer program has nothing to do with recent criticism.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :09]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Gaskins says the S-R-O's had become too involved with minor matters he says are better left to the school administration, and not focused on stopping crime.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 1:37:30]
[IN Q=We should deal with...]
((JOE GASKINS/ROANOKE CITY POLICE CHIEF; WE SHOULD DEAL WITH THE CRIME PROBLEMS THERE. THE CRIME PROBLEMS, TEACHING CLASSES, MEDIATION, COUNSELING, BUILDING RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS. THOSE ARE THE REASONS WE'RE IN THE SCHOOL. NOT TO DEAL WITH THE SCHOOL PROBLEMS, OR EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, OTHER THAN THE ONES WE CAN IMPACT.))
[SUPER=01-Joe Gaskins/Roanoke City Police Chief;]
[RUNS=20]
[OUT Q=ones we can impact.]
(-----------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The restructuring plan is still being reviewed, but Gaskins says he would be open to officers serving seven year at schools, and then rejoining the program after a yearlong hiatus.