WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/15/04

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Gusty winds and cold temperatures today, with some of the higher elevations getting some wintry weather.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your Thursday outlook, coming up.

[7-Standby-Henry]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Henry County School Board has changed its mind once again. Last week, the board voted to delay closing and consolidating several schools. Last night the board voted 4 to 3 to move ahead with the current consolidation plan. The vote followed 90 minutes of comments from more than 50 speakers, both for and against it.

[7-11Bedford-Election]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=032-42 1:23:05]
[GRAPHIC=Election 2003]

[ENG#=1]

The results of last year's elections for a Bedford county supervisor's seat and one seat on the school board have been thrown out.
A three-judge panel in voted unanimously to overturn the results.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford;]

A registrar's mistake led 56 people on Clays Crossing Road to vote in the wrong district November 4th.
Supervisor Tony Ware and school board candidate Carolyn Dixon narrowly lost their races and challenged the results.
Yesterday, attorneys for the winners.. Steve Arrington and Betty Earle.. argued the mistake should not invalidate the election.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:26:09//00:22:31]
[IN Q=The case law]
((DICK CRANWELL/DEFENDANTS' ATTORNEY: THE CASE LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT MISTAKES BY ELECTION OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT NEGATE A FULL, FAIR AND FREE ELECTION.)) ((JOHNNY OVERSTREET/PLAINTIFFS' ATTORNEY: IF YOU REMOVE THESE VOTES AND THESE VOTERS, THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, SUCH A CLOSE ELECTION IS QUESTIONABLE AND IN DOUBT.))
[SUPER=01-Dick Cranwell/Defendants' Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=01-Johnny Overstreet/Plaintiffs' Attorney; :10]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=questionable and in doubt.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A new election will be held for the two seats this November.
Each board has 45 days to appoint a temporary replacement to serve until then.
(------------)

[7-11Radford-Chief]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-49 1:08:14]
[GRAPHIC=Wesley Terry]

[ENG#=2]

Radford is looking for a new police chief after the former one was let go.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

59- year old Wesley Terry was fired Tuesday afternoon by the city. He has 33-years of police service and was chief in Radford for nearly 3-years.
[SUPER=03-Radford;]

Terry's was suspended from the force in October after a special grand jury indicted him on several misdemeanor charges concerning an alleged illegal search.
City Manager Tony Cox won't say why Terry was fired; only calling it a personnel issue.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:15:03:00 ]
[IN Q=I spoke to]
[SUPER=01-Tony Cox/Radford City Manager;]
((TONY COX:I SPOKE TO ENTIRE DEPARTMENT THIS MORNING ABOUT THE SITUATION. LAID OUT KIND OF A VISION FOR THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT, WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO. BASICALLY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST THINGS FIRST. GET BACK TO THE CORE DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT. ))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=duties of the department.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
In a statement , Terry said quote "I remain confident that the criminal justice system will deal appropriately with these misdemeanor indictments. I regret that the city did not await the outcome of the criminal justice process prior to addressing my employment status."
(------------)

[55-WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
A wind advisory is in effect through the morning hours, with gusts up to 40 and 40 miles an hour possible.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your forecast details, in just a few minutes.

[55-5Ausley]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=503-05 2:03:07]
[GRAPHIC=Richard Ausley]

[ENG#=1]
A convicted sex offender, whose case led to changes in state law, was found dead in prison.
Authorities say he'd been strangled to death.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A worker at Sussex One State Prison found 64 year old Richard Ausley in the cell that he shared with another inmate.
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Last January;]

In 1973, Ausley kidnapped 13 year old Paul Martin Andrews, buried him in a box, and repeatedly molested him for more than a week.
Yesterday, Andrews said quote "this is not what I wanted for him. I don't hate Richard Ausley."
(------------)

[55-11Lea-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-44 1:46:51]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]

[ENG#=2]

The race for Roanoke City Council seems to be getting larger.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :19]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Yesterday, Sherman Lea threw his name in the hat. He has served as co-chair of the Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision, the organization designed to save Victory Stadium, and also served on the Roanoke City School Board until 2002. He says he wants to make Roanoke a safer place, and says the city needs to boost morale for its workers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 12:40]
[IN Q=I have a proven record...]
((SHERMAN LEA/(D) CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL; I HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. IN ANY ELECTION YOU HAVE TWO THINGS, ALOT OF RHETORIC AND YOU HAVE A RECORD, AND I HAVE A RECORD OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.))
[SUPER=01-Sherman Lea/(D) Candidate for City Council;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=of bringing people together.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
Randy Leftwich, another Democrat, has already announced he will also run for City Council. The Democrats will pick their candidates at a firehouse primary on February 7th.

[55-11Maple-Leaf]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-55 29:02]
[GRAPHIC=New Jobs]

[ENG#=3]

The number of employees is on the rise at a Roanoke bakery.
It is wading through hundreds of applications to fill more than a dozen jobs this week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :15]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
When Maple Leaf Bakery announced on television last week that it needed to fill as many as 40-positions, job applicants drove from as far away as *OHIO* to drop off a resume. The Human Resources manager says she was stunned by the turnout.
(///// SOT AT :15 /////)
[SOT 20:51:23 - 20:51:39]
[IN Q=When these people came in...]
[SUPER=01-Yvonne Schlotzer/Maple Leaf Bakery; :00]
[SUPER=01-Susan McCaslin/New Employee; :16]
((YVONNE SCHLOTZER/MAPLE LEAF BAKERY: WHEN THESE PEOPLE CAME IN AND DROPPED OFF THEIR APPLICATIONS THEY WERE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CALIBER OF PEOPLE. THEY WERE EARLY, WELL DRESSED, READY TO GO, ALOT OF THEM READY TO GO THE SAME DAY.))

((SUSAN McCASLIN/NEW EMPLOYEE: I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO LEARN, WANTS TO GROW.))
[RUNS=:25]
[OUT Q=wants to learn, wants to grow.]
(------------)
[VO NAT :14] Susan McCaslin was hired Friday, went through orientation Tuesday and started work yesterday. She's one of fifteen people hired since last week. Maple Leaf plans to have the rest of the jobs filled by the end of the week.
(------------)

[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Wintry weather in the higher elevations-- but gusty winds for the rest of us.
Look for highs today only reaching the 30s.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the complete forecast, right after the news.

[8-11Rogers]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=03-52 53:12]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]

[ENG#=1]
Roanoke police are calling Monday's death of a Roanoke woman- a homicide.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Investigators thought at first that 77- year old Teresa Rogers had fallen and hit her head. An autopsy and a preliminary investigation revealed "suspicious circumstances." Police have obtained a search warrant for her home as well as the larger house on the property where her son Christopher lived.
(------------)

[8-VOB-Henry-Skls]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=tco]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[ENG#=2]

After some uncertainty-- the Henry County School Board has made up its mind.
Last week, the board voted to delay closing and consolidating several schools.
But now it's decided to move ahead with the consolidation plan.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]
Last night the public got one last chance to make its case before the school board. A majority spoke in favor of the new plan. But there were some who still opposed it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I do not...]
((KAREN KNAPP/OPPOSES CONSOLIDATION: I DO NOT, NEVER HAVE...THE CURRENT PLAN.))
[SUPER=01-Karen Kapp/Oppose Consolidation;]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=...the current plan.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The plan will send Laurel Park students to Magna Vista High School, while Fieldale Collinsville students will attend Bassett High School next year. More than 50 speakers took the podium, and after 90 minutes of discussion, the school board voted. Newly elected member Terri Flanagan who voted last week to delay consolidation changed her mind.
The vote was 4 to 3 in favor of consolidation.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The voted was turned...]
((LINDA MARTIN/SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: THE VOTED WAS TURNED, BITTERNESS ABOUT ANYTHING.))
[SUPER=01-Linda Martin/School Board Member;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=...bitterness about anything.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The school system has already spent nearly two million dollars renovating the schools, and is expected to spend another million before it is all finished.
(------------)

[8-11KB-Toys]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=am cutins]
[WRITER=cdo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=3]

A national toy company is heading for bankruptcy court, a company that employs hundreds of people in our area.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylania Co./December 2002;]
Yesterday, K-B Toys announced it's filed for bankruptcy protection. K-B operates an internet fulfillment center out of Blairs, near Danville. The facility hires over 15-hundred seasonal employees each year. The toy company says it hopes to emerge from chapter 11 protection before the next holiday shopping season. But it does plan to close four to five hundred stores. There is no word yet on what this announcement might mean to the Blairs employees.
(------------)

[8-I81-Comments]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=tco]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=I- 81 Improvements]

You will have your say in what improvements should be done on Interstate 81. The Virginia Department of Transportation has scheduled public comment sessions today on the proposals to improve Interstate 81. The sessions will be conducted by videoconference from Richmond to Bristol and Salem.