WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 08/03/04

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Partly cloudy today with a slight chance of scattered showers in a few areas.
Look for highs in the mid and upper 80s.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the complete forecast, coming up.

[7-11City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-27 44:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=1]

The Roanoke City police department is reorganizing the way it works. But not everyone is happy with the new plan.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The plan will divide the city into four zones, separated by the I-581, US 220 corridor, and the main rail line through the city.
Each zone will have its own commander and officers who will concentrate on problems in that area.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It won't be ]
((LT. GREG STAPLES: IT WON'T BE "NOT MY JOB, NOT MY PROBLEM, I'M OFF DUTY I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT." THE OFFICERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AND WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITIZENS WHO ARE IN THE ZONES WHERE THEY'RE ASSIGNED.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Greg Staples/Roanoke City Police Department;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=where they are assigned.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Members of city council said they support the plan, but school safety activist Alice Hincker questioned how the changes will affect the School Resource Officer program.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=If the police department]
((ALICE HINCKER: IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR COMMUNITY POLICING INITIATIVES, WHY WASN'T THE COMMUNITY ALLOWED TO GIVE COMMENT DURING THE PLANNING CONVERSATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE BI WEEKLY SINCE JANUARY.))

[SUPER=01-Alice Hincker/School Safety Activist;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=bi-weekly since January.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Police Department will begin implementing the Geographic Policing Initiative this month, and officials hope to have it in place by the end of September.
(------------)

[7-11Victory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-20 1:48:26]
[GRAPHIC=Victory Stadium]

[ENG#=2]

In a closed session yesterday, Roanoke City council formed the committee that will study the future of Victory Stadium -- and its given the committee up to nine months to finish the work.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Council members crafted a mission statement that includes considering the feasibility of renovating Victory Stadium.
But the committee will review the need for other athletic facilities as well.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=There's lots of room]
((BRIAN WISHNEFF/ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL: THERE'S LOTS OF ROOM IN THERE FOR THEM TO INVESTIGATE AND I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEM HAVING THE ABILITY, THE COMMITTEE HAVING THE ABILITY TO HIRE AND WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE CONSULTANTS AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT TO STAY.))
[SUPER=01-Brian Wishneff/Roanoke City Council]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=able to get that to stay.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
Fourteen men and women were chosen for the group, but Council is still waiting to find out if two people will accept their nomination. None are current council members.

[55-WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
While Hurricane Alex is bringing heavy rain to the Carolina coast, it'll mean plenty of sunshine for us.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the full forecast, in just a few minutes.

[55-11Bridge-Death]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutinis]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

[ENG#=1]

Roanoke County Police say have identified the man whose body was found below the Blue Ridge Parkway.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
A preliminary investigation indicates that 62 year old Ronald Wayne Carter jumped to his death from the Roanoke River Bridge. Hikers discovered the body around 7-o-clock last night. Police and rescue squads were called to the overlook, but Carter was pronounced dead at the scene.

(------------)[55-11Shoot-House]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-19 1:47:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

Law enforccement in Central Virginia will have a new training facility, thanks to some volunteer help from off- duty police officers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

More than a dozen off-duty officers donated their time yesterday to lay out the foundation of a new "shoot house" at the police department's firing range.
The building will be made out of donated railroad ties and will allow officers to simulate live-fire situations.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:17:11]
[IN Q=It's particularly good]
((MAJOR JACK LEWIS/LYNCHBURG POLICE DEPT.: IT'S PARTICULARLY GOOD THAT IT BRINGS OUR PEOPLE TOGETHER TO WORK ON SOMETHING AND HAVE A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT LONG TERM IT'S GOING TO BE A BENEFIT THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL NEVER SEE THE EXACT DAY AND TIME WHEN THE TRAINING THAT PEOPLE GOT HERE PAID OFF IN OFFICER SAFETY OR SAFETY OF SOME CITIZEN.))
[SUPER=01-Major Jack Lewis/Lynchburg Police Dept.]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=safety of some citizen.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Police from around the region hope to finish the project this weekend.
(------------)

[55-6Craig-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-18 1:54:01]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=3]

Members of the Craig County rescue squad say they're always on duty, even though they've lost members, and doubled the number of calls since last year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Craig Co.]
Three-months ago, membership at the squad dwindled to just four-members. While things have been tough, the Emergency Service Coordinator says the group is beginning to turn itself around. Jim Cady (katie) credits neighboring agencies with helping during these rough times.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@1:06:35.10]
[IN Q=We've been able..]
((JIM CADY/CRAIG CO. EMERGENCY SERVICE COORDINATOR: WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICE. SECONDLY WE HAVE STARTED A NEW EMT CLASS. THE WESTERN VIRGINIA EMS COUNCIL PROVIDED US AN INSTRUCTOR. THE BOARD PROVIDED US WITH THE MONEY NEEDED AND WE HAVE A CLASS THAT STARTED THREE-WEEKS AGO AT THE CRAIG COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Cady/Craig Co. Emergency Service Coordinator]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=... craig county high school.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The squad is also working with the high school to develop a program for students to receive rescue squad certification, in hopes they'll volunteer.
(------------)

[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
A few scattered showers...otherwise look for partly cloudy skies with highs in the mid and upper 80s.
Metereologist Leo Hirsbrunner has your Tuesday outlook, coming up. In the news, Virginia Tech student and athlete, Marcus Vick, has been suspended from the university through the end of the fall 2004 semester, effective immediately. After that, he will incur an additional year of "deferred suspension" where any new disciplinary action and conviction would trigger automatic suspension from the university. Furthermore, the athletic director has informed Vick that any further violations, either criminal, university judicial, or of athletic policy, will result in permanent dismissal from Virginia Tech athletics. We'll have more on this story later today on News 7.

[8-D'ville-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Robbery]

Big Al's Citgo on Riverside Drive in Danville was robbed again last night. The same clerk that was working last week when the place was robbed was on duty again. The clerk called police at about ten till ten last night to report two men with dark clothes holding rags over their faces came in and pulled a pistol. They took money from the register and left on foot towards "Old" Riverside Drive.

[8-Burglaries]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
[ENG#=]

A homeowner ended a rash of burglaries in Roanoke and Roanoke County. On July 26th, three suspects apparently tried to force their way into a home in the 3700 block of Chesterson Street.
As they fled, the homeowner spotted their vehicle. Police followed the car and found stolen goods and pawn tickets. 33 year old Kimberly Cox of Roanoke -- 29 year old Timothy R. Hicks of Salem -- and 23 year old Brandon S. Jordan are all charged with several counts of burglary.
Police say more charges are pending.

[8-VOBSchool-Merger]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=CUTINS]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-35 TC 3:56]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[ENG#=1]

Some area school systems are asking whether two are better than one.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]

The Martinsville and Henry County school boards have until the end of August to agree, in principle, to a merger.
A seven member committee recommended in June that the two localities join forces and have one school system.
The Martinsville School Board took up the issue yesterday afternoon, and while no one seemed opposed outright, some have several concerns.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:48:33]
[IN Q=if you look at what happened]
((BERNIE GRAY/MARTINSVILLE BOARD MEMBER: IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHEN THERE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A MERGER OF THE HENRY COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AND MARTINSVILLE SOCIAL SERVICES, THAT WASN'T A MERGER, THAT WAS A TAKEOVER.))
[SUPER=01-Bernie Gray/Martinsville Board Member; :]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=WAS A TAKEOVER]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Martinsville School Board voted to hold off a vote until August 24th.
The Henry County School Board will take up the issue Thursday on whether to endorse the concept of merger and continue studying the issue.
(------------)

[8-11Plane-Crash]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=bda]
[TAPE#=04-28 43:55]
[GRAPHIC=F-15 Crash Investigation]

[ENG#=2]

A collision with a black vulture led to the crash of a fighter jet.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./May 6;]
That's according to Air Force officials.
The fighter jet crash happened in Franklin County earlier this year. According to the report released yesterday, the bird got caught in the aircraft's right engine, causing a fire and forcing the F-15 down in a field near Callaway. (------------) The report blames the crews' flight leader, who directed the jet into a known bird-strike zone.