[1-News-Head]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Skirting the issue of where to put it, Montgomery County officials insist there's an urgent need for a new regional ja
il.
(------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
And zoning violations are cited among the causes of a fatal fire New Years Day.
(------------)
[Sports-head]
[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Tonight in sports, UVA looks to get back in the hoops win column, we'll hand out some post season NFL hardware, and
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
the Hokies finish in the top 10 in the college football polls.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]
Snow storms can be found just to the north but our forecast remains a "no winter" zone. How long does that last? Details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 4-Shot]
News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[ENG#=3]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
Some dont' want it- but one local county says a proposed Regional Jail is a good idea.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Montgomery county says the project would end overcrowding at the jail and save a lot of money.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
And I'm JEan Jadhon.
[Monty-Jail]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-45 TC1:05:00]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
You've heard about it for weeks-- The proposed Regional Jail for Roanoke, Franklin and Montgomery Counties and the city of Salem.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Many Roanoke County residents are are upset about where it will end up.
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=None]
But Montgomery County officials welcome the idea and are steering clear of the debate over location.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Rachel /Microwave;]
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa has been looking into their involement in the project.
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
Keith, Montgomery County didn't start thinking about a new jail until officials were approached by Roanoke County.
Then, they took a look at the numbers and noticed quite a problem developing.
[ENG#=4]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Mont]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;:00]
[SUPER=01-Tommy Whitt/Montgomery Co. Sheriff;:21]
[SUPER=01-Jim Politus/Montgomery Co. Board of Supervisors Chair;1:02]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=taxpayer dollars.]
((Montgomery County's jail is overcrowded.
NATS: door slamming shut..
On weekends it can be standing room only in the holding cells and office space is pretty tight to.
[TAKE GRAPHIC]
According to the Department of Corrections the jail has a recommended capacity of 60 people, but can average as many as 145 a day.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 1:52:51:00 ]
[IN Q=We're able]
((TOMMY WHITT: WE'RE ABLE TO MEET DOC STANDARDS, WE'RE ARE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLIANT WITH DOC, BUT WE ARE CROWDED ))
[RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=crowded.]
They double bunk to make up space and are even about to apply for funding to triple bunk some cells.
Officials say the problem is manageable right now, but is only going to get worse over the years.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 1:54:04:00 ]
[IN Q=It's not just us]
((SHERIFF WHITT: IT'S NOT JUST US, IT'S ROANOKE COUNTY, ITS FRANKLIN COUNTY, ITS THE CITY OF ROANOKE, IT'S ALMOST STATE WIDE I'D SAY THE NEED FOR MORE BED SPACE FOR INMATES. ))
[RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=inmates.]
It's too costly to build your own.
If the four localities join together the state will pay half of the construction and that's exactly what officials on all sides are eyeing.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 58:41:00 ]
[IN Q=It's saving ]
((JIM POLITUS: IT'S SAVING MONEY CONSOLIDATING SERVICES AND GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR THE TAX PAYER DOLLAR. :49))
[RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=dollars.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
Montgomery County officials says they never would have spent money on a study if the problem was not getting serious.
But at this point, everything still lies in the hands of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Rachel /Microwave;]
Keith, they meet again next Tuesday and could vote on a location for the jail.
If a location is choosen, officials say the process will really start to move forward.
[Meth-Bust]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-50 TC48:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
The first methamphetamine lab of the new year in Virginia may have been found in Christiansburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Around 7:30 this morning several police agencies raided a trailer home on Star Light Drive next to Dude's Drive in.
28 year old April Dowdy, 37 year old Elizabeth Schlang and her husband, 42 year old Frederick Schlang are all charged with conspiracy to manufacture meth.
According to a search warrant, police went through the trash of the home yesterday and found several items used to make the drug.
A farm supply store also helped turn the couple in.
The New River Regional Drug Task Force had been investigating the case for six months.
(------------)
[Drug-Study]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=04-55 TC41:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Prescription drugs are meant to help people but a new study shows more and more people are dying from overdoses- especially in Southwest Virginia- most of those deaths were from methadone.
A new state study shows the death rate jumped dramatically in the past decade- far exceeding death rates in the rest of the state.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Study says the number of drug fatalities grew from 66 in 1993 to 217 in 2003.
Prescription drugs were involved in 211 of those deaths.
Nearly 80 percent were accidental overdoses.
The study finds the majority of those deaths were caused by methadone- which is a synthetic narcotic developed as an alternative to morphine- and used for chronic pain.
(--------------)
[Talent=Jean]
[SS=None]
Some say coal miners and farmers are more apt to suffer on the job injuries and chronic pain that a city office worker.
[Apt-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-42 TC1:47:19]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Invest.]
[ENG#=3]
More than a half-dozen code violations could have contributed to two New Year's day deaths in Roanoke.
Officials are still investigating an apartment fire which killed 47-year-old Debra Hippensteel and 51-year-old Cleveland Haymaker.
[***NEWS 7 @ 6 IN MONITOR***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Susan /Newsroom;]
Susan Bahorich took a look at the violations and spoke with the building inspector this afternoon.
Susan, did this apartment slip through the cracks?
[LIVE= Susan /FULL Newsroom]
[SUPER=@SUSAN1]
Keith-
The building inspector says the apartment was an illiegal unit
Even though the city has a Rental Inspection Program, it doesn't work unless renter or landlords alert inspectors.
[ENG#=3]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This was the scene... ]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Saturday; :00]
[SUPER=01-Louie Cross/Roanoke City Building Inspector; :17]
[RUNS=:56]
[OUT Q=... for commercial use.]
((
This was the scene New Year's Day. Firefighters cleaning the debris from a tiny backroom apartment behind Gary's Restaurant on Sixth street.
Building inspectors made their way into the structure Monday afternoon looking for what they called a "combined building and zoning issue."
[SOT@22:27:55.04]
[INQ=We found...]
((LOUIE CROSS, BUILDING INSPECTOR: WE FOUND NORMAL FIRE DAMAGE. I COULDN'T FIND A SMOKE DETECTOR AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO ALL WOOD PRODUCTS, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING PRODUCTS.))
[RUNS:10]
[OUTQ=... and plumbing products.]
[nats here?]
Cross also found a number of building code violations.
(take board #1)
Among those:
-an illegal conversion of a structure without required permits and zoning
-no primary heating source
-and allowing someone to occupy a structure which is in violation of a statewide building code.
(take board #2)
In addition, the unit didn't meet code in the bathroom, the apartment didn't have smoke detectors, a kitchen area or proper wiring for the water heater.
[SOT@22:31:08.15]
[INQ=This building is not..]
((LOUIS CROSS, BUILDING INSPECTOR: THIS BUILDING IS NOT ZONED FOR RENTAL PROPERTY, NOT ZONED FOR A DWELLING UNIT. IT'S ZONED C-3 ONLY FOR COMMERCIAL USE.))
[RUNS:10]
[OUTQ=...for commerical use.]))
(--------------)
[LIVE=Susan /FULL NEwsroom]
The owner of Gary's has received a condemnation/repair order.
He has to get an electrician in there by the 14th to certify the existing wiring is safe for the WHOLE building, and get permits in place to do the repairs mentioned in this order.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Susan /NEwsroom;]
Keith- the owner has until February 4th to actually address the repairs cited in the inspection report.
He can repair the damage or tear down the addition.
[Woodland-fire]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=04-47 TC1:03:56]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
[ENG#=4]
It may be awhile before a cause is known in another fatal fire in Roanoke.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Monday]
The fire broke out Monday morning at this home on Woodland Road-
Investigators say one person died in the blaze, but they say they still don't have a positive idenfication- because the remains were so badly burned.
Fire officials are also awaiting lab results to try and figure out what started the blaze.
(------------)
[Avante-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=04-52 TC25:58]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=1]
A small fire slightly damaged a nursing home in Roanoke this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The fire started around 1-thirty in a maintenence room at The Avante (a-von-tay) Health Care Center when a wire shorted out.
A sprinkler system held the blaze in check until firefighters got there.
Some residents were briefly evacuated and no one was injured.
The fire caused about 300- dollars in damage.
(------------)
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[WRITER=dse]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=APRISA]
Expect to pay more for phone service.
We'll explain why when NEws Seven returns.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
Plus things are looking up at a Lynchburg landmark.
(----------------)
[1st-Wx]
[Bedford-School]
(MINI OPEN)
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#04-54 TC26:05]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
Bedford County Republicans are asking the Governor to help sort out problems in last year's District Five School Board race.
[ENG#=1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co./File Tape]
Keith Jones beat Laura Rodes by a single vote, but Rodes is contesting the result because a provisional ballot is not being counted.
The voter says she registered through the D-M-V two years ago but was never told her registration was invalid.
The county's G-O-P chairman sent a letter to Mark Warner today asking for an investigation.
Rodes' lawsuit in the matter is scheduled for next week.
(------------)
[Windy-Gap]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-41 TC1:52:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Franklin County officials hope to soon move forward on plans to build a new elementary school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Windy Gap;]
In 2001, the county purchased 30-acres of land to build a new school in Windy Gap.
But, the project has been on hold because of a lack of state funding.
Now, officials hope a seven-and-a-half million dollar loan from the state's literary fund will help set the project back on track.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:12:30]
[IN Q=due to the]
((DAVID HURT/FRANKLIN CO. SUPERVISOR: DUE TO THE STATE'S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, WE DIDN'T GET A LOAN WHEN ANTICIPATED, AND NOW THERE'S SOME HOPE WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET THAT LOAN IN PLACE IN 2005 AND I CERTAINLY HOPE WE DO.))
[SUPER=01-David Hurt/Franklin Co. Supervisor;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=hope we do]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
If the loan is approved, Hurt says construction could begin this fall.
He says the project also includes building a new recreational park, which will be located next to the school.
(------------)
[EIC]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-49 TC45:58]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Thousands of Virginia families are missing out on millions of dollars in income tax credits.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
"The Earned Income Tax Credit" is a federal program aimed at curbing poverty.
An estimated 97- thousand Virginians are eligible for credits up to 43- hundred dollars, but many don't take advantage of it.
Officials say even if you don't HAVE to file taxes because of your income bracket, you could still be eligible for the credit.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:52:05]
[IN Q=The statute of limitations]
((KEN THORSON/VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION COMMISSIONER: THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO GO BACK FOR AS MANY AS THREE YEARS SO IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, THIS FIRST TIME OF FILING FOR THE CURRENT YEAR PLUS THREE YEARS BACK, IT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR A FAMILY.))
[SUPER=01-Ken Thorson/Virginia Dept. of Taxation Commissioner.]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=amount for a family]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Thorson says not only does the money help families, it also puts money back into local economies.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[SS=None]
To find out if you qualify, he suggests contacting your local tax office or Social Services.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Inflation jitters continued to send Wall Street lower.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/32.95/10597.83/y/16.62/2091.24;]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
The DOW fell 33 points.
The NASDAQ dropped 16.
[SUPER=271-h/0.08/43.34/i/0.11/60.94/i/0.40/33.49/i/0.53/45.29/h/0.25/42.05;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.17/16.83/i/0.03/6.52/i/0.47/66.70/i/0.22/35.93/i/0.12/14.34;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.46/39.33/i/0.14/16.55/h/0.65/35.89/h/0.14/5.65/i/0.72/18.90;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.52/71.42/i/0.06/40.02/h/0.56/52.21/h/0.07/53.29/h/4.22/115.22;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[COMMERCIAL]
[Verizon-Rate]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-46 TC1:07:47]
[GRAPHIC=Verizon Rate Hike]
[ENG#=1]
Phone rates could be going up. The State Corporation Commission today approved a modified version of Verizon's request to raise rates in Virginia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/November 22, 2004;]
The decision allows Verizon to raise basic rates to account for inflation since 1994.
The company is only allowed to increase rates by 10- percent a year until it reaches the inflation- adjusted ceiling.
The Commission WILL, however, allow the company to increase rates on Caller- ID and Call Waiting by as much as ten- percent a year with NO ceiling.
Company officials say they've not yet decided if they'll accept the modified plan.
(------------)
[VA-Cares]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-44 TC1:35:31]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
A partnership between the Roanoke City Sheriffs Department and Total Action Against Poverty will put inmates to work on the construction of a new home.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Today, city officials broke ground at a vacant lot on Dunbar Street.
The housing authority will supply the property. Inmate work crews from the city jail will provide the labor, and the Virginia Cares program will benefit from the proceeds.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I just like]
((GARY CRAIGHEAD/INMATE: I JUST LIKE TO GET OUTSIDE, INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND ON THE INSIDE SEEMS LIKE THE DAYS ARE A WHOLE LOT LONGER... AND OUT HERE IT HELPS A LOT.))
((GEORGE MCMILLAN/ROANOKE CITY SHERIFF: I JUST SEE IT AS A PERFECT TRANSITION. IT THINK IT'S PERFECT FIT FOR WHAT BOTH OF US ARE TRYING TO DO , AND IT CERTAINLY HELPS THE INMATES THAT ARE IN JAIL DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND FEEL THEY ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, I THINK.))
[SUPER=01-Gary Craighead/Inmate; :00]
[SUPER=01-George McMillan/Roanoke City Sheriff; :10]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=part of the community I think.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Virginia Cares is a program for ex-offenders that has struggled to maintain funding.
TAP hopes to raise about 20- thousand dollars from the sale of the house.
(------------)
[Sports Tease]
[ANCHOR=Travis]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mst]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=APRISA]
Coming up, the Hokies drop just one spot in the final polls, Peyton Manning is the NFL's offensive player of the year, and
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
UVA looks to rebound from its second loss of the season on the hardwood.
(------------)
[S-Polls]
[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-179 TC14339]
[GRAPHIC=Tech]
[ENG#=1]
For the fourth time in the last ten years, the Virginia Tech Hokies have finished in the top ten of the final college football rankings.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New Orleans, LA/Monday Night; :00]
Despite the 3 point loss to Auburn in Monday's Sugar Bowl, Tech dropped only one spot from 9th to 10th in both the Coaches and AP polls.
The Hokies are the highest ranked team with 3 losses. Auburn was 2nd in each poll. UVa was 23rd.
[SUPER=03-Fort Lauderdale, FL/ABC Sports; :]
As for who's number one, the USC Trojans laid to rest any doubt last night against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
Matt Leinart led the way by throwing 5 TD passes and gaining MVP honors in the 55-19 win.
The Trojans have now won 22 straight games and 33 of their last 34.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Pete Carroll/USC Head Coach; :02]
[RUNS=:25]
[OUT Q=really, really special."]
(------------)
[S-NFL]
[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-182 TC15554]
[GRAPHIC=NFL]
[ENG#=2]
To the NFL, where today the San Francisco 49'ers showed head coach Dennis Erickson the door. Erickson was just 9 and 23 in two seasons by the bay. He was let go after he refused to revamp his staff.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :00]
The news was much better for the Colts Peyton Manning. The star quarterback was named the AP's offensive player of the year today following a season in which he broke Dan Marino's twenty year old record with 49 TD passes. Manning easily beat out Philly's Terrell Owens and the Vikings Daunte Culpeper for the honor. The Colts host Denver Sunday in the playoffs.
And the Steelers Ben Roethlisberger grabbed the AP's offensive rookie of the year honor, becoming the first quarterback to do so. Big Ben received all 48 votes for the award. He tossed 17 touchdown passes this season. Pittsburgh has a bye in the first round of the postseason.
(------------)
[S-UVA]
[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-185 TC20113]
[GRAPHIC=UVA]
[ENG#=3]
Pete Gillen and the Virginia Cavaliers get back on the court tonight for a 9pm tip at U-Hall against 10 and 1 Western Kentucky. The Wahoos hope to right the ship after that blowout loss to Wake Forest on Sunday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Pete Gillen/UVA 8 & 2; :00]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=as good as we can be."]
(----------------)
[S-Maroons]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-183 1:48:08]
[GRAPHIC=ODAC]
[ENG#=4]
The Roanoke College men's basketball team begins a stretch of 14 straight ODAC games following tomorrow night's contest against Ferrum.
(---------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
The Maroons are 5 and 5 after winning the V-Foundation Classic, an accomplishment that should help Roanoke in the tough ODAC.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Page Moir/Roanoke Men's Basketball Coach; :03]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=.....league schedule"]
(-------------------------)
[Museum-Cupola]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-53 TC25:47]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
An historic piece of the Lynchburg skyline has been restored.
[ENG#=1]
[ANCHOR=Jean 2-Shot]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
Construction crews today set in place the cupola (koo-pola) on top of the city's 150-year-old Courthouse Museum.
Officials say the columned bell tower helps to complete the building's Greek Temple design.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:16:37]
[IN Q=I think everybody]
((TOM LEDFORD/LYNCHBURG MUSEUM: I THINK EVERYBODY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO HAS BEEN AWARE THAT THE BUILDING IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT THE CUPOLA AND SO TODAY WE SORT OF BRING IT BACK TO WHERE IT WAS AND WHERE IT SHOULD BE.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Ledford/Lynchburg Museum Director]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=where it should be.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The museum is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation.
It should re-open to the public this summer.
(------------)
by SS