WDBJ 7 morning news for 03/09/04

[AM-County-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-11 TC09:25]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=1]

A fire heavily damaged a Roanoke County townhouse.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The fire broke out just after six o'clock last night in this duplex at the Falls Townhouses in northwest Roanoke County.
Fire crews arrived to find the homeowner safely outside and heavy smoke coming from the building.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:05:31]
[IN Q=We had no flames]
((LT. BARRY HURLEY/ROANOKE CO. FIREFIGHTER: WE HAD NO FLAMES BUT THE BASEMENT WAS LOCKED AND WE COULDN'T GET INTO THE BASEMENT. BUT ONCE WE SENT THE CREW THROUGH THE BASEMENT FIRE DID COME UP THE FIRST FLOOR AND WE COULD SEE THE FIRE IN THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE APARTMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Barry Hurley/Roanoke Co. Fire Department]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=of the apartment]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Investigators later determined faulty electrical wiring between the basement and first floor caused the fire.
Damage estimates top nearly 70-thousand dollars.
No one was injured.
(------------)

[M'ville-Hospital]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=none]

An explosion last night at Memorial Hospital in Martinsville--
Officials say one of the hospital's boilers burst under pressure around midnight-- damaging several windows in the back of the facility and a rear boiler room wall.
Hospital C-E-O Joseph Roach says no one was hurt by the damage, and that an investigation is ongoing.
He adds that all patient care areas, including the emergency department, are operational.

[Muhammad]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Muhammad]
[ENG#=2]

Sentencing is scheduled this morning for convicted sniper John Muhammad.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

A jury gave Muhammad the death penalty for the 2002 D-C sniper shooting spree that killed 10 and left another three wounded.
However, the presiding judge will have the final say on what Muhammad's sentence will actually be.
Defense attorneys are urging leniency-- citing Muhammad's clean record before the attacks.
Meanwhile Lee Malvo, who was also convicted in the shootings, will be sentenced tomorrow.
A jury has recommended Malvo get life in prison.
(------------)

[Kerry]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=3]

Although John Kerry is considered a shoe-in for the Democratic Presidential nomination, primaries are scheduled today in Florida, Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana.
There are more than 400 delegates up for grabs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-West Palm Beach, FL;]

Yesterday, the former senator stumped loudly through Florida, where the latest polls show Kerry beating President Bush by six points.
Nationally, Bush is facing some of his lowest approval ratings since the Presidency, and is lagging behind Kerry in surveys for the November election.
(------------)

[11Wind-Damage]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-53 TC1:29:31]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]

Many Fieldale residents are still dealing with the aftermath of Sunday's strong winds. At last report, A-E-P said that one thousand customers in that area are without power.
The company hopes to have electricity restored tonight.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]

In Bedford County, Doris and Joe Sleeper lost some of the tall pines in their front yard... including one that came to rest on their roof.
They counted their blessings yesterday, as they waited for an insurance adjustor to assess the damage.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I was sitting on the couch]
((DORIS SLEEPER/BEDFORD CO. RESIDENT; I WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, BANG. THE WHOLE HOUSE SHOOK. AND A CLOCK FELL OFF THE WALL AND BROKE INTO PIECES.))
[SUPER=01-Doris Sleeper/Bedford Co. Resident; ]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=and broke into pieces.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Christy Camp was watching television, when high winds tore the roof off her Penhook home.
The damage wasn't covered by insurance, but yesterday Camp was giving thanks that she and her seven year daughter were not injured.
(------------)

[11Concept-One]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-03 TC 38:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

A school for troubled youth might have another chance in Radford.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford]

Last night, city council voted to re-zone the New River Industries plant so Concept One can start a private academy for 15 to 17 year olds.
The issue looked dead after council's last meeting because no one would second a motion to rezone the property.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

A spokesman for New River Industries says the plant's been empty for four years.
Concept One says it will create 60 to 80 jobs.

[11Ferrum-Calendar]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-13 TC07:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Ferrum College is moving forward with plans to radically change its academic schedule.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Last December; :]

Right now, students typically take five courses in a fifteen week semester.
The college plans to change the calendar to create a three week and 12 week block.
Under this plan, students would complete a single course in just three weeks and then take a normal schedule for the remaining twelve.
After concerns from students, the school has decided to delay implementation of the plan until fall of 2005.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]

In business news, Technology issues led the selling on Wall Street yesterday. Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((A SLIDE IN TECH STOCKS AND LINGERING DISAPPOINTMENT OVER FRIDAY'S JOBS REPORT KEPT STOCKS UNDERWATER.
THE DOW SKIDDED 66 POINTS
THE NASDAQ TANKED NEARLY 39 POINTS
SHARES OF MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA CONTINUE THEIR SLIDE DOWN ANOTHER 9 PERCENT TODAY... THAT'S AFTER ITS 23 PERCENT SLIDE FRIDAY THE DAY MARTHA STEWART WAS FOUND GUILTY IN THE IMCLONE STOCK TRADING SCANDAL BOARD MEMBERS OF HER COMPANY MET TODAY DISCUSS WHAT ROLE IF ANY MARTHA STEWART WILL HAVE IN HER MEDIA EMPIRE
SMUCKER'S JELLY AND THE PILLSBURY DOUGH BOY WILL SOON BE UNDER THE SAME CORPORATE UMBRELLA..JM SMUCKER IS BUYING INTERNATIONAL MULTIFOODS - WHICH ALSO MAKES HUNGRY JACK PANCAKSE FOR 840 MLN DOLLARS.
EASTMAN KODAK WASANYTHING BUT PICTURE PERFECT AFTER THE COMPANY LOWERED ITS EARNINGS GUIDANCE FOR THIS YEAR.
AND MCDONALDS SAYS IT PLANS TO ROLL OUT ITS FIRST LO-CARB PRODUCTS WITHIN 60 DAYS. SALES OF CHICKEN MCGNUGGETS HAVE JUMPED 35 PERCENT SINCE CHANGING OVER TO ALL WHITE MEAT.
TRACK ALL THE MARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM. I'M AC IN NEW YORK.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[Haiti]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]

Haiti's newly installed President, Boniface Alexandre, can look forward to a little extra help in keeping the peace.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Port-au-Prince, Haiti;]

A U-N team is expected to arrive today in Haiti, assisting the U-S marines in patrolling the streets.
The team also plans to make arrangements for a multi-national force to help with the rebuilding of the embattled nation.
But Haitians will have to be patient--
A U-N spokesman says it could be three months before the team would actually be deployed.
(------------)

[6-Franklin-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=2]

A house in Franklin County burned to the ground yesterday afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

The log structure was located on Timber Ridge Road in Glade Hill.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[SOT 05:14]
[IN Q=The fire was reported]
((BENNIE RUSSELL/FIRE MARSHAL: THE FIRE WAS REPORTED BY SOMEONE OUT ON ROUTE 40. IT CAME IN ACTUALLY AS A BRUSH FIRE, BUT BY THE TIME THE PERSON WHO REPORTED THE FIRE FOUND IT THEY CALLED BACK BECAUSE IT WAS A STRUCTURE FIRE, FULLY INVOLVED WHEN WE GOT HERE.))
[SUPER=01-Bennie Russell/Fire Marshal;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=fully involved when we got here.]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

No one was at home and no one was injured fighting the blaze, but the house was destroyed.
There's no word yet on the cause.
(------------)

[11Medical-malpractice]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC46:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]

Legislators may have found a cure for what's ailing Virginia's doctors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Yesterday, the House passed a bill to establish a state-run risk management pool for physicians who can not afford medical malpractice insurance.
Doctors whose premiums have increased 25 percent or more in one year will be eligible for the program.
The legislation also creates a special subcommittee to study the reasons behind the soaring cost of medical malpractice insurance.
The bill has already passed the Senate - it's now headed for the Governor's desk.
(------------)

[11Malpractice]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-54 TC1:35:58]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]
Relatives of a Franklin County man who died after surgery now hope to find closure nearly four years later. Myranda Stephens reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=time has not]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mark Hudson/David's Father; :31]
[SUPER=01-Donna Wilkes/David's Mother; :52]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/File Tape; :1:02]
[SUPER=@Myranda1; 1:36]
[RUNS=1:56]
[OUT Q=ms, news 7]

[2-Haiti]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]

Today Haiti is expected to announce a new prime minister, as more help arrives in putting the war- torn country back together.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Port-au-Prince, Haiti;]

A U-N team is expected to arrive today in Haiti, assisting the U-S marines in patrolling the streets.
The team also plans to make arrangements for a multi-national force to help with the rebuilding of the embattled nation.
But Haitians will have to be patient--
A U-N spokesman says it could be three months before the team would actually be deployed.
(------------)

[5-Richardson]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=502-11 1:59:53]
[GRAPHIC=Richardson]
[ENG#=2]

A former Bedford County supervisor is facing up to thirty years in prison after pleading guilty to helping forge public documents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

62-year-old Kirby Richardson had been indicted on 82 counts last year, but a plea agreement yesterday reduced that to just three felony charges.
Prosecutors say Richardson ordered his secretary Angela Hampton to forge 39 public comment sheets in favor of a V-DOT road project in his district.
But Richardson's attorney says it was all Hampton's idea.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:34:58]
[IN Q=Mr. Richardson]
((CARTER GARRETT/DEFENSE ATTORNEY: MR. RICHARDSON WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROJECT, HE MADE THAT CLEAR TO EVERYBODY HE TALKED TO, INCLUDING THOSE HE WORKED WITH, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS HELPING HER BOSS OUT BY DOING THESE THINGS.))

[SUPER=01-Carter Garrett/Defense Attorney]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=doing these things.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Special prosecutor Joel Branscom says Hampton was simply a pawn in Richardson's scheme.
He's still not sure what the motive was.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 10:31:22]
[IN Q=I've come full]
((JOEL BRANSCOM/SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: I'VE COME FULL CIRCLE TO BELIEVE THIS WAS ARROGANCE MORE THAN FINANCIAL, BUT THAT'S ALL I CAN PROVE AT THIS POINT.))
[SUPER=01-Joel Branscom/Special Prosecutor;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=at this point.]
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]

Richardson will be sentenced in May.
(------------)

[6-Clower]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-01 TC1:00:02]
[GRAPHIC=Sid Clower]
[ENG#=3]

Sid Clower entered a guilty plea as well yesterday. The former Henry County administrator could go back to prison.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Clower appeared in FEDERAL court, ready to admit to six criminal offenses, ranging from mail fraud to filing false income tax returns. Clower stole more than 800-thousand dollars from Henry County while he was the County Administrator. He failed to report that as income between 1997 and 2001.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@4:26.13]
[IN Q=The way this...]
((JOHN BROWNLEE, U.S. ATTORNEY: THE WAY THIS WAS SET UP AND THE WAY WE INTENDED IT, IS THAT HENRY COUNTY REMAINS FIRST IN LINE. OUR HOPE IS THAT THROUGH FURTHER INVESTIGATION FIND THE FUNDS THAT MR. CLOWER STOLE AND RETURN THEM TO THE CITIZENS OF HENRY COUNTY.)) ((DAVID DAMICO, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: OUR GOAL AT THIS POINT IS TO HAVE HIM START MAKING RESTITUTION IN WHATEVER AMOUNT HE CAN...))
[SUPER=01-John Brownlee/U. S. Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=01-David Damico/Defense Attorney; :17]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUTQ=..AMOUNT HE CAN..]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The government and the court will take into account that Clower admitted responsibility for the crimes when he's sentenced in six to eight weeks. Clower has already served more than 15-months in prison on state charges.
(------------)

[220-AX]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]
[ENG#=none]

A tractor trailer carrying sawdust overturned on Route 220 and blocked the northbound lanes for several hours. The accident happened just north of Boones Mill around midnight. State Police say the driver, 29 year old Adolfo Gilot (Ja-low) of Harrisonburg, took a curve too fast. He was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and has since been released. Gilot (Ja-low) has been charged with reckless driving. The accident has been cleaned up and all lanes of Route 220 are open.