WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 12/14/04

[7Wx-Headline]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Clouds and flurries are a good bet today, with more snow showers in the higher elevations.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the complete forecast, coming up.
[Graphic=School Info OTS]

Right now, let's check out those school closings. [TAKE SCHOOLTOUCH]
Bath County and Greenbrier County schools are running two hours late.
Highland county schools are closed.
Mercer County, Monroe County, and Pocahontas county Schools in West Virginia are two hours late, as well as schools in Smyth County and Tazewell county.

[7-81-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morning]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=81-Accident]

Drivers headed southbound on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County can expect delays and detours. State police dispatchers say an accident is blocking the southbound passing lane at mile marker 103 just west of Radford. Another broken down tractor trailer is blocking the slow lane at mile marker 104 Traffic is being diverted onto Exit 105 through Radford and onto Route 11, until drivers can get back onto I- 81.

It's unclear how long cleanup will take, or if there are any injuries.[7-11Wythe-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-46 TC40:17]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

[ENG#=1]

It appears two Wythe County teenagers accused of murder have reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co./File Tape]

15- year old Nakisha Waddell and 16- year old Annie Belcher were scheduled to go on trial today for the death of Waddell's mother, Vaughne Thomas. Thomas was found stabbed to death and buried in the backyard of her Max Meadows home on Memorial Day.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Commonwealth's Attorney Keith Blankenship declined to comment, but the jury has been dismissed, and court officials indicate they expect a guilty plea.

[7-11Brown]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-47 TC40:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

A rapper accused of assaulting a Roanoke police officer will NOT face charges.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]

Yesterday, city police said they won't pursue charges against David Brown, known as Young Buck, of the group G-Unit.
A fight broke out at the group's show at the Roanoke Civic Center last month.
But Brown's legal troubles aren't over.
He was arrested in connection with a stabbing at the Vibe Music Awards last month.
(------------)

[7-11Amherst-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-37 TC2:05:14]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

[ENG#=3]

Authorities don't know what started a fire that gutted a Madison Heights business and destroyed two other buildings.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]

Crews were called to the Harris Excavating Company on Old Wright Shop Road around 3 yesterday afternoon.
Fire had already engulfed the main shop and was spreading quickly to surrounding buildings.
Firefighters spent the better part of an hour bringing it under control, but not before two buildings were destroyed and another damaged.
(------------)

[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

[55-WXHeads]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Cloudy and cold today, with highs in the 30s.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has the full forecast, coming up.
[Graphic=School Info OTS]

Right now, let's check out those school closings. [TAKE SCHOOLTOUCH]
Bath County and Greenbrier County schools are running two hours late.
Highland county schools are closed.
Mercer County, Monroe County, and Pocahontas county Schools in West Virginia are two hours late, as well as schools in Smyth County and Tazewell county.

[55-81-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morning]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=81-Accident]

Two tractor trailers that blocked the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 between Radford and Pulaski have been cleared up. Traffic WAS being detoured through Radford, but state police dispatchers say traffic is moving fine. No word on any in

juries.[55-11War-Worlds]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-53 TC12:15]
[GRAPHIC=War Worlds]

[ENG#=1]

The "War of the Worlds" is on in Rockbridge County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rockbridge Co.]
Production on the Tom Cruise - Steven Spielberg movie began earlier this Fall. Yesterday was the first day of shooting in Virginia. The site is a closed set, conspicuously guarded.
But some of the locals have managed to keep an eye on what promises to be one of the most expensive motion pictures ever made. Bob Toman (TOE-mun) watched the advance team virtually rebuild a forest.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT @2:11:40]
[IN Q=They replaced the cedars]
((ROBERT TOMAN/BUSTLEBURG RESIDENT; THEY REPLACED THE CEDARS WITH BIGGER CEDARS, SOME OF THEM. THEN THEY BROUGHT IN LOCUST TREES, 12 - 18"- -BIG CRANE, HAD A BIG HOLE, DOWN IN, WIRING IT, YOU KNOW.... (NODS)))
[SUPER=01-Robert Toman/Bustleburg Resident]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=wiring it, you know, (nod).]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Filming continues today.
The movie is set to open next Summer
(------------)

[55-11L'burg-Museum]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-44 TC1:05:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

One of Lynchburg's most historic landmarks should be back in shape early next year.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

The old Courthouse Museum closed for repairs two years ago after a ceiling collapse revealed that the building badly needed some reconstruction.
Two million dollars has been spent repairing walls, ceilings and floors and installing a new sprinkler system.
Everything is also getting a fresh coat of paint.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:12:52]
[IN Q=But this has]
((TOM LEDFORD/LYNCHBURG MUSEUM DIRECTOR: BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN SORT OF THE CROWNING JEWEL, THIS IS THE ORNAMENT ON THE TOP OF THE TREE IF WE CAN USE A SEASONAL ANALOGY, SO THIS BUILDING NEEDED TO BE PRESERVED AND WE COULDN'T RISK LOSING IT.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Ledford/Lynchburg Museum Director]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=risk losing it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Ledford expects to begin moving exhibits back sometime in February.
The museum should re-open to the public on its 150th birthday next summer.
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[8Wx-Headline]

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

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
The higher elevations are still seeing some snow showers-- for the rest of us-- just cloudy and cold.
Meteorologist Leo Hirsbrunner has forecast details, coming up.
[Graphic=School Info OTS]

Right now, let's check out those school closings. [TAKE SCHOOLTOUCH]
Bath County and Greenbrier County schools are running two hours late.
Highland county schools are closed.
Mercer County, Monroe County, and Pocahontas county Schools in West Virginia are two hours late, as well as schools in Tazewell county. Smyth County schools are closed.

[8-81-Ax]

[8-VOBJefferson-Forest]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-52 05:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=1]

It's an issue talked about over and over in Bedford County. Now Supervisors there want the school board to know that renovating Jefferson Forest High School should still be an option.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

Last night, some Supervisors questioned why the school board abandoned plans to renovate JF.
The school board says it would cost too much and would rather build a new smaller JF near the current site and then a combination middle and high school near Route 460.
A price tag has yet to be disclosed publicly which bothers some Supervisors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:38:33]
[IN Q=It's a very]
((BOBBY POLLARD/BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIRMAN: IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCESS AND IF WE GO WITH THIS THERE'S POTENTIAL OF LOSING A LOT OF TAX PAYER'S MONEY MAY BE THERE.))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=may be there]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The school board is using a state law that allows localities to contract out the design, construction, and financing of the new schools.
The law also allows the county to keep the price tag under wraps for now.
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[8-11Bedford-Flag]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-49 TC23:43]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

That's not the only controversial issue Supervisors in Bedford county took up last night.
Now a group wants to fly the Confederate flag at the courthouse.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

The group wants to display some Confederate flags around a Civil War Memorial in front of the Bedford County courthouse.
It's been allowed in the past which has angered some in the community.
Supervisors voted last night to allow the Confederate national flag to be flown during the month of April, as well as on Memorial Day and Lee Jackson Day. (------------)