WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 08/06/03

[7-amITT-Tornado]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=eki]
[TAPE#=03-33 TC10:26]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in Roanoke County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The agency says the twister dipped into the Hollins area of the county around one o-clock yesterday morning. It created a path of damage about a half mile long and 15 to 35 yards wide.
Calvin Duncan, owner of Sunnyvale Garage and Lawn Mower, believes the storm caused about 20-thousand dollars worth of damage to his business.
The storm also damaged the administrative building at ITT, pushed over a fence, and damaged one employee's car.
Despite the damage, most businesses in the area remained open yesterday.
(------------)

[7-11Henry-School]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-23 TC1:18:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Henry County school system is now facing bigger challenges than expected.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]

The closing of the Pillowtex Plant in Fieldale means the school system will lose an additional 622-thousand dollars in local aid for the upcoming budget.
Administrators say since personnel makes up 80-percent of the budget, the cuts could mean the elimination of 14 positions including some teachers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:16:39]
[IN Q=It would be my hope]
((SHARON DODSON/HENRY CO. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: IT WOULD BE MY HOPE SINCE IT IS AUGUST YEAH SOME TEACHING POSITIONS MAY BE ELIMINATED, IT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT WE COULD TRANSFER PEOPLE TO POSITIONS WHERE VACANCIES OCCUR. WE STILL HAVE A FEW, VERY FEW VACANCIES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.))
[SUPER=01-Sharon Dodson/Henry Co. School Superintendent]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=the school system]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The school board will discuss the additional cuts at its meeting tomorrow morning.
(------------)

[7-11Kilgore-gangs]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-19 TC1:48:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A state panel is attempting to educate itself on gangs, in order figure out how to stop gang violence.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Yesterday, Attorney General Jerry Kilgore's anti-gang task force got a lesson in gang vocabulary, appearance and behavior.
The task force is trying to find ways to combat the growing problem of gang violence.
Ideas include passing stronger anti-gang laws and getting citizens more involved.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:02:28]
[IN Q=THE BIGGEST THING]
((KEITH FARMER/STRAIGHT STREET MINISTRY: THE BIGGEST THING WITHIN ANY COMMUNITY NO MATTER WHERE IT IS PEOPLE NEED TO START TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY SO THAT GANGS OR GROUPS DON'T WANT TO COME IN AND REPLACE WHAT IS HEALTHY FOR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.)) ((CHARLES BENNETT/LYNCHBURG POLICE CHIEF; : WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, LEARN WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T. IF PEOPLE HAVE GOOD PROGRAMS, MAYBE WE CAN DUPLICATE THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Keith Farmer/Straight Street Ministry; :00]
[SUPER=01-Charles Bennett/Lynchburg Police Chief; :11]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=WE CAN DUPLICATE THEM.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The task force plans to present its recommendations to the General Assembly.
(------------)

[45-11Henry-School]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-23 TC1:18:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]

More tough challenges lie ahead for the Henry County school system.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]

The closing of the Pillowtex Plant in Fieldale means the school system will lose an additional 622-thousand dollars in local aid for the upcoming budget.
Administrators say since personnel makes up 80-percent of the budget, the cuts could mean the elimination of 14 positions including some teachers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:16:39]
[IN Q=It would be my hope]
((SHARON DODSON/HENRY CO. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: IT WOULD BE MY HOPE SINCE IT IS AUGUST YEAH SOME TEACHING POSITIONS MAY BE ELIMINATED, IT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT WE COULD TRANSFER PEOPLE TO POSITIONS WHERE VACANCIES OCCUR. WE STILL HAVE A FEW, VERY FEW VACANCIES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.))
[SUPER=01-Sharon Dodson/Henry Co. School Superintendent]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=the school system]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The school board will discuss the additional cuts at its meeting tomorrow morning.
(------------)

[45-11Nursing-Program]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-21 TC1:27:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Students in the school of practical nursing are already learning to deal with less money.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]

The Henry County school system will eliminate the program at the end of the year to save more than fifty thousand dollars.
It's been around since the 1960's. Currently 34 are enrolled in the program.
Just before the last year got underway, students found out tuition would increase by nearly a thousand dollars.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 36:19]
[IN Q=I thought we had]
((TIFFANY GUYNN/NURSING STUDENT: I THOUGHT WE HAD IT COVERED, I THOUGHT WE HAD EVERYTHING COVERED. I APPLIED FOR ALL THE SCHOLARSHIPS I COULD, AND GOT EVERYTHING I COULD. I THOUGHT I HAD IT COVERED AND I WAS SHOCKED, AND I HAD TO FIGURE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO BECAUSE WE CAN'T WORK VERY MUCH DURING THIS TO PAY FOR IT.))
[SUPER=01-Tiffany Guynn/Nursing Student;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=to pay for it]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Students are allowed to take part in a monthly payment plan to help offset the tuition hike.
Patrick Henry Community College will offer a nursing program beginning next year but it will no longer be offered to high school seniors free of charge.
(------------)

[45-11Grandin-Star]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-25 TC1:30:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A successful fundraising campaign is producing a new walk of fame at the Grandin Theatre.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The area outside the threatre became a construction zone this week, as crews began work on the new sidewalk design.
Each star carries the name of a contributor and represents a one thousand dollar contribution toward the renovation of the Roanoke landmark.
The Grandin Theatre Foundation has sold more than 600, but has enough space for additional donors.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The theatre will unveil the first batch of sidewalk stars at a news conference next week.

[8-amITT-Tornado]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=eki]
[TAPE#=03-33 TC10:26]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

After surveying the damage, the National Weather Service has confirmed it WAS a tornado that hit Roanoke County early yesterday morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The agency says the twister dipped into the Hollins area of the county around one o-clock yesterday morning. It created a path of damage about a half mile long and 15 to 35 yards wide.
Calvin Duncan, owner of Sunnyvale Garage and Lawn Mower, believes the storm caused about 20-thousand dollars worth of damage to his business.
The storm also damaged the administrative building at ITT, pushed over a fence, and damaged one employee's car.
Despite the damage, most businesses in the area remained open yesterday.
(------------)

[8-11Boty-Fire]

[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=03-29 TC58:20]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Lightning may have sparked a fire yesterday afternoon in Botetourt County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

The fire broke out around 3:30 at a home on Cobblestone Drive in the Blue Ridge section of the county.
Flames tore through the roof of the house, much of which was gutted before crews from Botetourt, Bedford and Roanoke counties got the fire under control.
No one was hurt.
(------------)

[8-11Victory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-20 TC1:55:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Critics of Roanoke City Council say they will continue to press their case in the council elections next Spring, and if necesary- in court.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The group that opposes construction of a new stadium and amphitheater suffered a defeat this week when city council narrowly refused to stop the project.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

But leaders of Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision say they aren't giving up.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We were collecting]
((BRIAN WISHNEFF: WE WERE COLLECTING PETITIONS, PEOPLE WERE RUNNING UP TO SIGN THEM. AND THERE'S A LOT MORE DISAPPOINTMENT OUT THERE THAT GOES WAY BEYOND VICTORY STADIUM.)) ((BILL BESTPITCH: I'VE GOT TO VOTE THE WAY I THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE LONGTERM FUTURE FOR THE CITY OF ROANOKE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO.))
[SUPER=@Bestpitch; :14]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=that's what I'm going to continue to do.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Brian Wishneff says he believes there are grounds for a court challenge to the stadium project. And he says the citizens group will be active in the city council elections next Spring.
Bill Bestpitch says he believes council acted properly, and that he's prepared to defend his decision in the May election. (------------)