WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 09/24/03

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Sunny and pleasant again today, with highs in the 70s.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has details, up next in the forecast.

[7-2-11Tornado]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-34 TC1:16:52]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

Meanwhile, another natural disaster hits Central Virginia as residents there try to clean up from the mess Isabel left behind.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Five days after getting hit by Hurricane Isabel, Richmond was battered early yesterday morning by a tornado.
The twister added to the number of downed trees, damaged homes and crushed cars.
And 40-thousand residents who just had their power restored, got it knocked out again by the new storm.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:26:34]
[IN Q=YOU CAN SEE ALL THE]
((DARRYL ROBINSON/RICHMOND HOMEOWNER; YOU CAN SEE ALL THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AROUND THE HOUSE, TREES BESIDE US.)) ((EUNICE DICKERSON/STORM VICTIM: ALL OF A SUDDEN AND IT JUST HIT. THE WIND THE RAIN CAME GOT THE KIDS DOWN STAIRS, LOUD CRASH AND THEN A BOOM.))
[SUPER=01-Darryl Robinson/Richmond Homeowner; :00]
[SUPER=01-Eunice Dickerson/Storm Victim; :07]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=LOUD CRASH AND THEN A BOOM.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Schools in Richmond will remain closed today because of the power outages.
Dominion Power says it may be weeks before electricity is restored to all residents affected by the hurricane and tornado.
(------------)

[7-11Salem-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A Salem teenager has been charged with felony homicide and distribution of methadone in the death of another teen. The 15 year old is in custody, but his name is not being released. Salem police say he's facing murder and drug charges in connection with the death of 18 year old Joseph Ryan Lawrence.
Lawrence and another 18 year old were taken to the hospital last May suffering from what police thought was a drug overdose. Lawrence died at the hospital-- the other 18 year old later recovered.

[7-11Pillowtex-Insurance]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Pillowtex Closing]

Another helping hand is on the way for former Pillowtex workers.
Yesterday, afternoon the Department of Labor approved money to pay health insurance premiums.
The grant will pay 65-percent of the insurance premiums for eligible workers and will be distributed through the Virginia Employment Commission.

[7-11Warner-Matricardi]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-39 TC35:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Another Republican has been implicated in Virginia's G-O-P eavesdropping scandal.
Former party chairman Ed Matricardi is pointing fingers at his own party, including former former House Speaker Vance Wilkins.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Ed Matricardi says Wilkins not only knew about last year's eavesdropping scheme but encouraged it.
And he says former GOP chairman Gary Thomson was more involved in the plan than he has admitted to.
Matricardi was in court to get his law license reinstated when he implicated Wilkins, Thomson and an aide to Attorney General Jerry Kilgore.
Virginia Democrats say they are shocked by the new revelations.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:37:06]
[IN Q=IF WHAT MR MATRICARDI SAID]
((GOV. MARK WARNER; IF WHAT MR. MATRICARDI SAID IS TRUE THEN I THOUGHT I WAS FINISHED BEING AMAZED BUT I CONTINUE TO BE AMAZED BY THIS AND I HOPE THIS IS THE END OF THIS INCIDENT.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner; :00]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=END OF THIS INCIDENT.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Matricardi also admitted that aside from "a little juicy gossip" neither of the Democratic conference calls he secretly listened to yielded any useful information.
(------------)

[55-WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
As some areas continue trying to recover from hurricane and tornado damage-- the forecast should cooperate.
We'll see more sunshine today.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has details, after the news.

[55-11South-River]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-35 TC1:01:26]
[GRAPHIC=Isabel]

Local lawmakers are aking FEMA to step up relief efforts in Rockbridge County as residents continue to clean up from Hurricane Isabel.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :21]
[SUPER=03-Rockbridge Co.;]
An estimated 3-to-5 hundred families need assistance after the South River overflowed it's banks last week, picking up homes and vehicles and tossing them like toys.
Red Cross volunteers didn't arrive in the area until Monday. They say they'll stay as long as they're needed. Meantime, local politicians making the rounds yesterday were stunned by the damage.
(///// SOT at :21 /////)
[SOT 14:50:30 - 14:50:46]
[IN Q=It's unbelievable. People say it's worse...]
((DEL. BEN CLINE/(R) LEXINGTON: IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. PEOPLE SAY IT'S WORSE THAN CAMILLE IN '69 AND I BELIEVE IT. IT'S BEEN REALLY DEVASTATING AND THESE PEOPLE REALLY DO NEED HELP.))
[SUPER=@Cline;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=people really do need help.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :09]
Cline was joined by Congressman Bob Goodlatte who says he's trying to convince FEMA to set up a service facility west of the Blue Ridge.
(------------)

[55-6-Martin]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]
A Pittsylvania County man was arrested yesterday by the Danville police for a murder that occurred earlier this year.
38- year old Viston Shyrock Martin was already in custody at the Tazewell Correctional center when he was arrested by Danville police. He's accused of killing Marco Duwan Banks on Monument Street in Danville in May. Martin is being held without bond.

[55-2-11Pillowtex-Insurance]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Pillowtex Closing]

More help is coming to former Pillowtex workers.
Yesterday, afternoon the Department of Labor approved money to pay health insurance premiums.
The grant will pay 65-percent of the insurance premiums for eligible workers and will be distributed through the Virginia Employment Commission.

[55-11Radford-Assault]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Radford University police are investigating a sexual assault they say occurred Monday night on campus. Officers say a student reported she was assaulted just before midnight near Pocahontas Hall. Police say they're awaiting lab results before deciding whether charges will be filed.

[55-11Teleportation]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-36 TC38:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Now you can be in two places at once, thanks to some new technology that can help you do just that.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

It is called teleportation and it is sort like an advanced version of two-way conferencing.
With this technology, you can appear in a room live with a life-size image and have eye-to-eye contact with those present, but be in a completely different location.
The 3-D image is made possible thanks to a windshield- size screen perched on a podium.
Electronic Data Systems showed off the system at the Commonwealth of Virginia's Information Technology Symposium in Roanoke.
(------------)

[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
After a cool start, today should be a pleasant one, with highs in the 70s.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the mid- week forecast, up next.

[8-11Missing-Girl]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Jenni Northrup]
Police want your help in finding a 16-year old girl reported missing Sunday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
The girl's mother has been posting fliers, describing 16-year old Jenni Northrup. Phone records indicate Jenni called home from a pay phone at the Roanoke Weiner Stand on Brandon Avenue Sunday and used a code word that her parents had told her to use.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:50:40]
[IN Q=If she was ever]
((PATTY NORTHRUP/JENNI'S MOTHER: IF SHE WAS EVER IN DANGER, SOMEBODY WAS EVER IN DANGER, SOMEBODY WAS TRYING HURT HER OR TAKE HER SOMEWHERE. Keith Humphry/NEWS 7: Forgive me for asking this, but has Jenni ever been in trouble, been a runaway, given you any kind of difficulty that would lead to something like this? PATTY NORTHRUP/JENNI'S MOTHER: SHE'S BIPOLAR. SHE HAS RUN AWAY BEFORE, BUT SHE CALLED TO SAY, "I'M OKAY," WHEN SHE DID THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Patty Northrup/Jenni's Mother]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=she did that.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Her mother says Jenni is now on medication to treat her bipolar behavior. And Mrs. Northrup says Jenni wouldn't just say the code word, "dinosaur," if she wasn't in trouble.
(------------)

[8-2-11County-Supers]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-31 TC1:49:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke County residents are asking the board of supervisors for help in keeping out a new methadone clinic and yesterday, members of the board said they will do what they can to prevent the drug treatment program from locating there.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Residents say the intersection of Colonial Avenue and Ogden Road is a poor location for the methadone clinic.
They say the property is too close to schools, and residential neighborhoods.
County officials say they hope to work with Life Center of Galax to find a better location.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We're not just saying]
((REV. MARK GRAHAM/TASK FORCE CHAIRMAN: WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING NOT IN OUR BACKYARD, BUT IN THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS.)) ((FUZZY MINNIX/ROANOKE CO. SUPERVISOR: OUR CONCERN IS TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF OPERATION IN AN APPROPRIATE SETTING, AND THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE SETTING.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Mark Graham/Task Force Chairman; :00]
[SUPER=@Minnix; :08]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q= an appropriate setting. (2nd Ref)]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The supervisors are proposing an ammendment to the county zoning ordinance. The change would require a special use permit for medical offices like the methadone clinic.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The board also met in closed session to discuss the possibility that the issue will end up in court.

[8-11Franklin-Drugs]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-42 TC04:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It took two years of undercover work, but Franklin County says it's putting some big drug dealers out of business.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]

Deputies arrested 50 people on charges of selling marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs.
Six face federal charges as major suppliers of the drugs.
The bust is the second-biggest in Franklin County history.
The Sheriff says several of the people arrested were ALSO targets in the largest bust back in 1984, but that they went back to dealing after they were released from prison. (------------)