WDBJ 7 morning news for 12/22/04

[Water-Problems]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 Mornin']

Customers on the Price's Fork Water System in Montgomery County can expect problems. Officials say the cold temperatures make it hard to maintain capacity and water pressure.
(++++++++++++)
[TAKE FS Water Info] All water customers of the system on Merrimac Road, Price's Fork Road, Thomas Lane, and the communities of Phillips Acres, Montgomery Farms, and Price's Fork are asked to conserve water until further notice.
(---------------)
[Anchor=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
The water is safe for drinking. There's no word on when repairs will be finished.

[PKGCitizens-Committee]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-54 TC 4:21]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]

Leaders in Roanoke County have said all along there's no way the current jail can be expanded.
But at last night citizen's advisory committee meeting, it was revealed that's not entirely true.
Justin McLeod has more on that and why residents in another part of the county are now all fired up.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Gary Peck/Hollins Resident; :12]
[SUPER=01-Barbara Fitzhugh/Hollins Resident; :34]
[SUPER=01-Dan Bolt/Architect; :55]
[SUPER=01-Gerald Holt/Roanoke Co. Sheriff; 1:12]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:25]
[RUNS=1:34]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
((((NAT SOUND OF GUY AT 1:21:09 SAYING "NO, THEN WHY NOT".))
It got pretty heated pretty quick.
Residents of the Hollins area showed up in large numbers to say no to a regional jail in their backyard.
[SOT 1:15:02]
[IN Q=We can't tolerate]
((GARY PECK/HOLLINS RESIDENT: WE CAN'T TOLERATE IT ANYWHERE NEAR OUR HOMES, OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, OUR PARKS.)) [Runs06]
[OUT Q=MIDDLE SCHOOLS, OUR PARKS]

They're angry over a jail study that ranks the top five sites for a regional jail.
It was revealed weeks ago two sites are in the Dixie Caverns area.
Now, three sites in the Hollins area are also seriously being considered and nearby residents are afraid for their safety.
[SOT 1:19:09]
[IN Q=I can't keep]
((BARBARA FITZHUGH/HOLLINS RESIDENT: I CAN'T KEEP THE COPS OUT OF MY YARD. I CANNOT KEEP THE DRUNKS OUT OF MY YARD, NOW I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT INMATES OUT OF MY YARD.)) [Runs06]
[OUT Q=OUT OF MY YARD]

But the sheriff points out there has only been one escape since the jail opened in 1980.
Residents also question the need for a new jail when the current facility can be expanded.
That's the finding of a study commissioned by the county.
[SOT 1:47:14]
[IN Q=We can expand]
((DAN BOLT/ARCHITECT: WE CAN EXPAND IT TO HAVE A RATED BED CAPACITY OF 444 CELLS.)) [Runs06]
[OUT Q=OF 444 CELLS]

The currently jail only has 108 cells.
The study recommends adding a 7-floor addition to the existing jail on the east side.
But the sheriff argues expanding the jail will only be a short term fix.
[SOT 1:50:42]
[IN Q=If we did maximize]
((GERALD HOLT/ROANOKE CO. SHERIFF: IF WE DID MAXIMIZE THE 440 BEDS THAN ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE BACK IN A ROOM SOMEWHERE LIKE THIS WITHIN A VERY SHORT FEW YEARS TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO LOCATE A JAIL AGAIN.)) [Runs12]
[OUT Q=LOCATE A JAIL AGAIN]
[SOT ]
[IN Q= ]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: LAST NIGHT, THE COMMITTEE NARROWED THE POTENTIAL SITES FROM 18 TO 8. ALL EXCEPT ONE ARE EITHER IN DIXIE CAVERNS OR THE HOLLINS AREA. THE COMMITTEE MEETS AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))

[11Regional-Jail]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-39 TC2:01:37]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[ENG#=2]
[TAKE TAKE TAKE TAKE]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Earlier yesterday members of the Roanoke County board of supervisors toured six of the 18-sites mentioned as possible locations for a new regional jail. Higginbotham Farms, the Horn property and the CRT site are in West Roanoke County, while the Newbern, Ingersol-Rand and Old Mountain Road sites are in North County. Even though the six have potential, one board members says it doesn't mean a decision has been made.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@13:04:29.00]
[IN Q=I don't think...]
((BUTCH CHURCH/ROANOKE CO. SUPERVISOR: I DON'T THINK THEY'RE OFF THE LIST. I THINK WE LOOKED AT FIVE OR SIX MOST POTENTIAL SITES. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THE LIST IS STILL INTACT. IT'S NOT DOWN TO FIVE AT ANY STRETCH...))
[SUPER=01-Butch Church/Roanoke Co. Supervisor]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=... at any stretch.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Church says yesterday's tour by supervisors wasn't meant to lessen the importance of the *citizen's committee* also studying the situation.
(------------)

[VOB-Iraq]

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

The military says it was just days away from completing a reinforced dining bunker at the U-S base in Mosul, when a rocket ripped the roof off the tent.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Mosul, Iraq;]

20- Americans were among the 22 killed in yesterday's blast.
The dead include 15 U- S service members and five civilian contractors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It was a sea]
((JEREMY REDMON/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH: IT WAS A SEA OF SORT OF WOUNDED AND DEAD. THERE WERE PEOPLE CRYING. THERE WERE FOLKS THAT WERE NUMB THAT COLLAPSED IN GRIEF. ))
[SUPER=02-Jeremy Redmon/Richmond Times-Dispatch;]
[RUNS=:07] (estimated bite runs time)
[OUT Q=collapsed in grief.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Redmon is embedded with the 276th Engineering Battalion, a Virginia National Guard unit based in Richmond.
He reports that two members of that unit are among the dead and four were injured.
However, the military has yet to release the names of any victims.
A radical Sunni Muslim group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
(------------)

[11React-Mosul]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-45 TC42:15]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
[ENG#=4]
The 276th is just a few days from finishing its year-long tour of duty.
Governor Mark Warner saw the unit off from Richmond when it deployed a year ago.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
He says yesterday's attack serves as a reminder of the sacrifices being made for freedom.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 04:57]
[IN Q=The 276th that I saw off]
((MARK WARNER: THE 276TH THAT I SAW OFF A YEAR AGO OVER AT CITY HALL, THEY SPAN THE AGES FROM FOLKS WHO WERE 20, 21 TO A GUY IN HIS MID- 50'S. PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO SERVE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD AND ARE NOW CLEARLY IN HARMS WAY.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner;]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=clearly in harms way]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Warner calls the attitudes of Virginia's Citizen Soldiers "remarkable."
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
He says his thoughts and prayers go out to the soldiers and their families during the holiday season.

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Southwest teams up with A-T-A airlines.
Marcella Palmer has more on that in this morning's Marketwatch,

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Marcella Palmer/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=In N.Y. I'm Marcella Palmer.]
((IT'S A DEAL... A, FEDERAL JUDGE HAS APPROVED SOUTHWEST AIRLINES' 117-MILLION DOLLAR AGREEMENT WITH BANKRUPT A-T-A AIRLINES. THE PACKAGE GIVES A-T-A MUCH NEEDED CAPITAL AS IT EMERGES FROM BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION, AND BOOSTS SOUTHWEST'S DOMINANCE AT CHICAGO'S MIDWAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
PFIZER GETS A BREAK AS WALL STREET TURNS ITS ATTENTION FROM TROUBLES TIED TO CELEBREX AND REFOCUSES ON NAPROXEN, THE LATEST DRUG SUSPECTED OF CONTRIBUTING TO HEART PROBLEMS. THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WARNS, NAPROXEN WHICH IS THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN THE POPULAR OVER THE COUNTER DRUG ALEVE MADE BY BAYER MIGHT INCREASE THE CHANCE OF HEART ATTACK OR STROKE.
IN JUNE EBAY PURCHASED INDIA BASED, BAAZEE.COM FOR 50-MILLION DOLLARS AS PART OF A BROAD EXPANSION STRATEGY, NOW BAAZEE IS IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW IN INDIA.E-BAY EXECS SAY THEY'RE OUTRAGED OVER THE ARREST OF BAAZEE'S CEO, AFTER SOMEONE LISTED A SEX VIDEO IN AN ONLINE AUCTION SHOWING TWO TEENAGERS ENGAGED IN ORAL SEX.
ON TUESDAY, THE DOW CLOSED THE DAY UP 97 AND THE NASDAQ CLOSED THE DAY UP 23, AS INVESTORS STEPPED UP TO BUY STOCKS HOPING TO PROFIT ON A YEAR END RALLY. THE DOW GAINED MORE THAN 100 POINTS REACHING A 3 AND A HALF YEAR HIGH.
FOR MORE ON THE MARKETS LOG ON TO OUR SITE AT. CBS DOT MARKETWATCH DOT COM. IN NEW YORK I'M MARCELLA PALMER.))

(tape tosses to stocks)

[STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[WA-Governor]

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

The still- undecided Washington State Governors race gets an airing today before the state supeme court.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Seattle, WA;]

Two ballot counts gave Republican Dino Rossi the win by just a handful of votes.
During a THIRD hand recount, new ballots were discovered.
The state Democratic party chairman says they give Democrat Christine Gregoire (greg'-wahr) an eight- vote edge.
The supreme court is being asked to decide whether those ballots should be considered.
(------------)

[Blake]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]

More testimony is expected today in the murder trial of actor Robert Blake.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Van Nuys, CA;]

Blake is charged with killing his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley.
Prosecutors say Blake allegedly hired two men to kill Bakley, but they reneged.
The defense says there's no evidence linking Blake to the crime, and that one of the alleged hitmen, Duffy Hambleton was never contacted by Blake.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=There are no tape]
((GERALD SCHWARTZBACH/DEFENSE ATTORNEY:THERE ARE NO TAPE RECORDINGS OF MR. BLAKE SOLICITING MR. HAMBLETON. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE MR. BLAKE SOLICITED HIM. ))
[SUPER=01-Gerald Schwartzbach/Defense Attorney;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=Mr. Blake solicited him.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile, a man who lived near the restaurant where Blake and Bakley dined that night testified that Blake sobbed after the shooting, and told police he knew it was going to happen.
(------------)

[11Nance]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-40 TC1:49:48]
[GRAPHIC=Guilty Plea]
[ENG#=3]
A Roanoke man convicted of murder says he didn't mean to kill anyone.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
23-year-old Marcus Jerome Nance pled guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, and two other related charges for a shooting in July.
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
Nance and three other men got into a fight at the Stop-In gas station on Hershberger Road, when Nance began shooting.
24-year-old Joey Lee Joyce was fatally shot. Joyce's half-brother Steven Jefferson and Michael Wood were wounded. Yesterday, Nance apologized to Joyce's family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:33:29]
[IN Q=and i'm very sorry]
((MARCUS NANCE/DEFENDANT: AND I'M VERY SORRY THAT HAPPENED... I DIDN'T MEAN FOR NOTHING TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS.))
[SUPER=01-Marcus Nance/Defendant;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=happen like this]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Nance's sentencing is set for February Second.
(------------)
(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP] [COMM]

[11Families-React]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-52 TC14:10]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
[ENG#=4]

Jeremy Redmon, who described the scene in that report, is embedded with the 276th Engineering Battalion, a Virginia National Guard unit headquartered in Richmond.
Redmon reports that two members of the unit were killed and four wounded in yesterday's attack, though the military has yet to release the identity of any victims.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Word of the attack started filtering through to families and the unit's headquarters early yesterday morning.

Melissa Doss's husband, Chris, is a Captain.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=My day started ]
((MELISSA DOSS/276TH FAMILY SERVICES COORDINATOR; MY DAY STARTED OFF WITH THE EMAIL FROM MY HUSBAND CONFIRMING THAT IT WAS OUR BASE CAMP HIT IT WAS OUR DINING FACILITY HIT, AND IT JUST ESCALATED AFTER THAT. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE CALLS FROM THE FAMILIES STARTED COMING))
[SUPER=01-Melissa Doss/276th Family Services Coordinator;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=families started coming.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Doss says seeing pictures of the attack is hard, even though she knows her husband is o-k.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'm happy]
((I'M HAPPY THAT I KNOW, BUT I FEEL GUILTY. I HAD THAT GUILT THAT I KNOW MY HUSBANDS OKAY, AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER FAMILIES THAT KNOW THEIR SOLDIERS ARE OK, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT DON'T.))
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=lot of families that don't.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
The 276th is just a few days from finishing its year-long tour of duty.

[Biz-Brief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=2]

In business news, Fannie Mae's Chief Executive, Franklin Raines retired yesterday as the head of the nation's second largest finanical institution. This comes days after the Securities and Exchange Commission said the mortgage giant must restate its earnings back to 2001 because of accounting rules violations. Chief Financial Officer Timothy Howard also resigned. In other news, stocks closed higher yesterday. Stan Case has more on that in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:19]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[6-Fake-Money]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-49 TC35:11]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Some funny money is floating around Pulaski County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Fairlawn;]
Investigators with the Sheriff's office say several counterfeit 100 dollar bills have been passed to at least five businesses. Several of the fake bills were spent at the Walmart in Fairlawn and the Dogwood Lodge. Some fakes have even turned up in the town of Pulaski. If you have any information call the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office. You can even leave an anonymous message.
(------------)

[Early-Years]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Early Years]
[ENG#=3]

Americans are busy this week sending off those final gifts for the holidays.

(++++++++++++)
[TAKE FS EARLY YEARS] In this week's Early Years segment, Kathleen Koch (Coke) has the story of some young employees at a shipping company who've been given a different type of gift, a new start.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Baltimore, MD; :00 QUICK]
[SUPER=01-Ebony Frederick/Living Classrooms Participant; :17]
[SUPER=01-Kevin Garvey/United Parcel Service; :47]
[SUPER=01-Kevin Brockenbrough/Living Classrooms Participant; 1:16]
[SUPER=01-Rochelle McGree/Living Classrooms; 1:29]
[SUPER=01-Gerry Balog/Pickled Parrott ;1:48]
[SUPER=01-Kathleen Koch/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:55]
[OUT Q=Koch, CNN, Washington.]
(((NAT - Ebony stacking boxes) 19-YEAR-OLD EBONY FREDERICK GREW UP IN BALTIMORE'S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. "Running wild. That's how it is when you have no parents or structured home. You just run wild." NOW A MOTHER HERSELF WITH A 3-YEAR-OLD SON, EBONY WANTED MORE. SHE FOUND A PROGRAM AT U-P-S THAT PROVIDES JOBS AND EVEN TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR AT-RISK AND FOSTER-CARE YOUTHS. "They instill in you - like you need to come to work. Unless you have logical reasons why not to come." MORE THAN 40 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HIRED SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN BALTIMORE FIVE YEARS AGO BY KEVIN GARVEY AND U-P-S MANAGEMENT. "They're starting anywhere from $8.50 to $9.50 an hour depending on whether it's a skilled position. But they also have the full benefits package that many of our full-time employees enjoy." "Images, mirages and visions. Thoughts racing and chasing for spotlight embracement." 20-YEAR-OLD KEVIN BROCKENBROUGH HAS GROWN CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO SHARE HIS POETRY... AND TO TRY TO CONVINCE OTHERS TO LEAVE THE STREETS FOR THE WORKING WORLD. "I don't understand why they want to be outside standing all day long when you can be moving around doing stuff and getting people to appreciate the work you're doing." THE YOUNG WORKERS GET JOB TRAINING, TRANSPORTATION AND VALUABLE ADVICE FROM A LOCAL FOUNDATION. "You might not want to go to work. But if you don't go to work you might not get paid. Your paycheck's going to be less. You're not going to be able to
afford the bus. So we try and make them see the big picture." OTHER MARYLAND EMPLOYERS HAVE NOW ADOPTED THE SAME PROGRAM. IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION, SAYS THE OWNER OF ONE BALTIMORE RESTAURANT. "It's nice for us because we have the opportunity to give Dominic a chance to get a foot up. And it's nice for the business as well because I have a great employee." AND THE YOUNG EMPLOYEES HAVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE... "It's a big world out here. You need to go to school, stay in school and get a job. // Who's going to take care of you if you don't take care of yourself?" KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN, WASHINGTON. ))

[Tape tosses to bump] [BUMP] [COMM]

[6-Free-Clinic]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-50 TC37:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
The cold weather has also caused some problems at the New River Valley Free Clinic.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Monday night a pipe burst in the sprinkler system, flooding the building. There's extensive water damage and a portion of the ceiling even collapsed. The clinic will be closed indefinitely. Last night's medical services, dental clinics and the Giles satellite Clinic in Pearisburg were canceled. No telephone calls or prescription refill requests can be received or processed right now. The Clinic serves more than 3-thousand patients a year and had just moved into the newly renovated building a few months ago.
(------------)

[11Campbell-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-41 TC1:29:58]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=1]

A Campbell County family lost everything when fire destroyed their home near Naruna.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co.]

Crews from Gladys (Gladus) and Brookneal responded to the call on Maddox Road just before ten yesterday morning.
The two-story home was already engulfed in flames ... the fire also spread to a motor home parked in the front yard.
The American Red Cross is helping the family ... a father and three children ... with motel and meal arrangements for a few days.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
(------------)