WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 09/18/03

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
We're waiting for the arrival of tropical moisture and high winds from Hurricane Isabel, which should make landfall by this afternoon.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has details on the forecast, right after the news.

[7-School-Information]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=tco]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]

We have some school information for you this morning. Several schools are closing early due to the impending hurricane. They will be listed at the top of your screen.

[7-11VO-L'burg-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

Emergency officials in Central Virginia say residents should be prepared for the worst of the hurricane but not panic.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Lynchburg leaders say city employees are standing by ready to respond to anything that comes up over the next few days.
They urge citizens to prepare themselves and remember their neighbors.
Officials also remind residents to dial the city's information line.. 8-5-6 C-I-T-Y.. to report non-emergency situations.
(------------)

[7-2-VO-Southside-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

(**WIPE**WIPE**)
(------------)
[VO-NAT :14]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
In Southside, emergency officials do not anticipate major damage. They're prepared to help hurricane victims in other parts of the state. If there is any flooding along the Dan River they don't expect it until Friday or Saturday.
[SUPER=03-Danville/September 1996;]
The last hurricane to seriously damage Danville hit in September 1996. Hurricane Fran caused long-term flooding and power outages. Officials say Isabel shouldn't be anywhere near as strong as that storm.
(------------)

[7-11Travel]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]
Isabel has many travelors are rethinking plans today. Amtrak is cancelling trains on all routes south of Washington. That includes service to Lynchburg, Danville, and Clifton Forge. If you have flight reservations, airlines suggest you check with them before heading to the airport.

[55-WXHeads]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
We can expect rain to develop later today after Hurricane Isabel moves ashore in North Carolina.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the full forecast details, in just a few moments.

[55-School-Information]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=tco]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]

We have some school information for you this morning.
Several school systems in our area are closing early today because of Isabel.
We'll run the list at the top of your screen.

[55-VOB-Southside-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-33 55:03]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

They're anticipating such minor damage that emergency crews in Southside say they're ready to help hurricane victims in other parts of the state.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :14]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
The Director of Emergency Services says he expects Isabel to drop about three inches of rain between 6 and 9 this evening. Doug Young says, if there's any *river* flooding it probably won't happen until Friday or Saturday.
(///// SOT at :14 /////)
[SOT 1:54-2:12]
[IN Q=We're expecting flash flooding...]
[SUPER=01-Doug Young/Danville Emergency Services Director;]
((DOUG YOUNG/DANVILLE EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR: WE'RE EXPECTING FLASH FLOODING AND 25-30 MILE AN HOUR WINDS. BUT WE'RE AWARE THE STORM MAY SHIFT AND BRING US MORE WIND AND MROE RAIN AND IF IT DOES WE'RE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THAT, TOO.))
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=prepared to deal with that, too.]
(------------)
[VO NAT :13]
[SUPER=03-Danville/September 1996;]
The last hurricane to seriously damage Danville hit in September 1996. Hurricane Fran caused long-term flooding and power outages. Young says Isabel shouldn't be anywhere near as strong as that storm.
(------------)

[55-11Radford-Police]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-38 12:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]

In other news...
The Radford city police department is currently under investigation. Salem Commonwealth's attorney, Fred King, has been appointed special prosecutor to "oversee matters involving personnel" in the Radford police department. King says the probe follows a complaint filed late last month, but he would not comment on the nature of that complaint.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]
Meanwhile city council members met yesterday for a closed session meeting to discuss legal and personnel matters. Officials would not say whether the meeting was related to the investigation.
(------------)

[8Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Cut-ins]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin' Report]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Our quiet weather pattern will be changing by this afternoon, as tropical moisture and gusty winds arrive from Hurricane Isabel.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner explains, coming up in the forecast.

[8-School-Information]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Am Cutins]
[WRITER=tco]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]

Several school systems across our region are already making schedule changes because of Isabel.

The list of school closings will be at the top of your screen. [8-2-11State-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-34 1:07:30]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

As the rest of us watch and wait for what Hurricane Isabel may bring, Virginia's Department of Emergency Management is standing by, ready take action if necessary.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

The operation center in Richmond is open 24 hours a day until the storm passes.
More than 100 people made up of 15 state agencies will track Isabel and then provide assistance to localities when needed.
Governor Mark Warner is encouraging all Virginians to be prepared since parts of central and southside Virginia could see flooding.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:49:38]
[IN Q=If you see a flash flood]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: IF YOU SEE A FLASH FLOOD IF THERE'S LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER YOU SHOULD AVOID GOING THROUGH THAT. WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT 80-PERCENT OF CASUALITIES IN THE AFTERMATH OF A HURRICANE ARE OFTEN TIMES CAUSED BY FLOODING.))
[SUPER=@markwarner;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=caused by flooding]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The governor also has 500 National Guard troops on standby ready to be deployed along with 500 state troopers.
The state police will work to keep the roads moving since many have decided to evacuate their homes.
(+++++++)
[Take VA Emergency Info FS]
The state has set up a hotline to provide Virginians with useful information about the hurricane.
You can call 1-866-880-4280 from eight in the morning until six at night. There is also a website with similar info(------------) rmation and that address is vaemergency dot com.