WDBJ 7 morning news for 01/06/05

[PKGRoute-220]

[ANCHOR=Susan]

[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=05-01 00:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
V-DOT is preparing to make a lot of safety improvements along Route 220 in the next year. It's one of the area's busiest roads, with 26-thousand motorists taking 220 on average each day -between Roanoke and Henry County.
Justin McLeod tells us what's on the way.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lloyd Altice/Franklin Co. Resident; :09]
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/Virginia Department of Transportation; :31]
[SUPER=01-Joan Goss/Franklin Co. Resident; 1:00]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:30]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]

(( ((NAT SOUND OF CARS DRIVING BY))
If you've ever traveled along Route 220, you know it's a busy roadway and some say a dangerous one.
[SOT 17:02]
[IN Q=My dad got]
((LLOYD ALTICE/FRANKLIN CO. RESIDENT: MY DAD GOT HIT THERE. HE'S 80 SOME YEARS OLD AND HE PULLED OUT AND A CAR HIT HIM, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO BACK.))
[Runs= 06]
[OUT Q=OR SO BACK]

Like Lloyd, you may be happy to hear about the safety improvements V-Dot plans to make from Roanoke to the North Carolina border.
They include upgrading guardrails, installing permanent message signs, adding more turning lanes, and upgrading or closing median crossovers.
[SOT 10:50]
[IN Q=There are not]
((LAURA BULLOCK/V-DOT SPOKESPERSON: THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PLACES WHERE YOU CAN PULL OVER SAFELY TO MAKE A TURN. IF WE CAN PROVIDE A TURNING LANE, IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE MAIN LINE OF TRAFFIC SO THEY CAN MAKE THE MOVEMENTS THEY NEED TO MAKE IT WILL BE SAFER.))
[Runs= 11]
[OUT Q=IT WILL BE SAFER]

V-Dot plans to add or extend turn lanes at 18 crossovers on Route 220.
The state will also close 23 crossovers.
The improvements will cost more than 3 million dollars with an additional 4 1/2 million to be spent in the future.
Where that money will be spent is unclear.
So this week, the public is getting a chance to offer suggestions.
[SOT 19:09]
[IN Q=We come out 739]
((JOAN GOSS/FRANKLIN CO. RESIDENT: WE COME OUT 739 FROM CALLAWAY INTO 220 AT BOONES MILL AND THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT. WE'RE HOPING THEY'LL MAKE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THERE BESIDES A LIGHT.))
[Runs= 11]
[OUT Q=BESIDES A LIGHT]

Some however may wonder why the state is spending money on 220 when part of the road is the proposed path for I-73.

[SOT 12:13]
[IN Q=Our job is]
((LAURA BULLOCK/V-DOT SPOKESPERSON: OUR JOB IS SAFETY. IT'S ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST EVEN ON THE EXISTING ROADWAYS WE HAVE WE'RE GOING CONSTANTLY LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THEM REGARDLESS OF 1-73.))
[Runs= 09]
[OUT Q=THEM REGARDLESS OF I-73]
[SOT ]
[IN Q= ]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: THE IMPROVEMENTS TO ROUTE 220 WILL BEGIN THIS SPRING AND WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO COMPLETE. MEANTIME, V-DOT WILL HOLD ONE MORE PUBLIC HEARING. IT TAKES PLACE THIS EVENING AT CLEARBROOK ELEMENTARY. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))
[Runs= ]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
))
[11Vic

tory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-56 TC14:30]
[GRAPHIC=Victory Stadium]
[ENG#=2]

Another step forward in efforts to determine Victory Stadium's structural integrity. The committee studying the stadium's future has selected a firm to do the work.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]

An engineering company out of North Carolina will determine if the stadium is sound, and what it will cost to make repairs.
The firm hopes to sign a contract within the next week. Work should begin shortly there after.
(------------)

[11Term-Limits]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-43 TC1:25:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]

A move is underway in Richmond to let Virginia governors serve two terms, but a powerful Salem lawmaker says he's against it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
A joint- subcommittee studying the issue voted yesterday to introduce a bill that would allow the governor to serve two consecutive terms. If the bill makes it through the General Assembly, Virginia voters would then get to vote on whether to amend the Constitution. Delegate Morgan Griffith voted against the resolution. He'd like to see a package that includes a better balance of power.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:56:23]
[IN Q=When you go to two term]
((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH/(R) SALEM: WHEN YOU GO TO TWO TERM- GOVERNORS YOU ARE CLEARLY GIVING THE GOVERNOR MORE POWER. WHEN YOU DO THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE POWER GIVEN FOR OVERSIGHT TO THE LEGISLATURE. THIS COMMISSION DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT SO I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THAT BUT ALSO THINK IT WILL BE PART OF THE ON- GOING DEBATE SO WE MAY HAVE TO WAIT A FEW MORE YEARS FOR TWO- TERM GOVERNOR.))
[SUPER=@Griffith;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=for two- term governor]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Griffith says Virginia has enjoyed hundreds of years of success with a one- term governor.
(------------)

[PKG-Tsunami]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Tsunami]
[ENG#=4]

World leaders attending an emergency tsunami conference in Indonesia are calling on donors to live up to their promises. So far, nearly four (b) billion dollars has been pledged for relief efforts. And leaders are deciding on the best way to use that money. Jennifer Miller has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Secretary of State... ]
[SUPER=03-Jakarta, Indonesia; :00]
[SUPER=01-Louis Michel/European Humanitarian Assistance Comm.; :25]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Unnikrishna/Action Aid International; :45]
[SUPER=01-Carol Bellamy/UNICEF; 1:12]
[SUPER=01-Jennifer Miller/CBS News; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=JM, CBS News, Washington.]

((SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL IS THE LEAD REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE UNITED STATES AS DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER AT A SUMMIT ON TSUNAMI RELIEF.

(NATS: POWELL GREETED AT SUMMIT OR POWELL SOT IF AVAILABLE)

AN UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF GLOBAL SUPPORT PROMPTED THE MEETING TO DETERMINE HOW TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY. COMBINED ... SEVERAL NATIONS HAVE PLEDGED NEARLY $4 BILLION DOLLARS IN RELIEF. BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLEDGING MONEY AND DELIVERING IT.

SOT: LOUIS MICHEL/EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE "IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO MAKE A COMPETITION TO KNOW WHO WILL PROMISE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMOUNTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WHO IS READY TO PAY COMPLETELY."
AFTER SOME INITIAL BOTTLENECKS, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES ARE FINALLY GETTING THROUGH. IN SRI LANKA, THIS SCHOOL IS NOW A REFUGEE CAMP WITH ENOUGH FOOD TO GO AROUND.

SOT: DR. UNNIKRISHNA/ACTION AID INTERNATIONAL
"WE SEE A LOT OF CHILDREN SMILING HERE AND WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GETTING RELIEF."
THE U.S. MILITARY IS ALSO AT WORK. THIS AIR FORCE TRANSPORT IS DELIVERING HELICOPTERS TO DROP OFF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO REMOTE AREAS.

(NATS: HELICOPTER DELIVERY)

BUT AS RELIEF EFFORTS TAKE HOLD, ANOTHER DANGER EMERGES. THERE ARE REPORTS CHILDREN MAY BE KIDNAPPED AND EXPLOITED. UNICEF IS SENDING OFFICERS TO THE DISASTER ZONE TO PROTECT THEM.

SOT: CAROL BELLAMY/DIRECTOR OF UNICEF
"IT IS WHETHER THESE CHILDREN, FRANKLY, ARE TURNED INTO SLAVES IF YOU WILL, OR ABUSED OR EXPLOITED."
AND CHILDREN WITH THERE FAMILIES ARE ALSO AT RISK. HEALTH OFFICIALS FEAR A LOOMING CATASTROPHE OF DIARRHEA AND PNEUMONIA ... SPREAD BY DIRTY WATER.
MILLER ON-CAMERA CLOSE AND SOME OF THE TOP DONORS IN THE RELIEF EFFORT ARE NOW BANDING TOGETHER ... THE U-S, JAPAN, INDIA AND AUSTRALIA ARE FOLDING INTO OPERATIONS LED BY THE U-N. JENNIFER MILLER CBS NEWS, WASHINGTON.))

[11Verizon-Rate]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-46 TC1:07:47]
[GRAPHIC=Verizon Rate Hike]
[ENG#=1]

Your telephone bills could soon be going up, but Verizon says it's not totally satisfied. The State Corporation Commission has approved a modified version of the company's request to raise rates in Virginia.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/November 22;]
The decision allows Verizon to raise basic rates to account for inflation since 1994. The company is only allowed to increase rates by 10- ercent a year until it reaches the inflation-adjusted ceiling.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SS=HOLD]
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'll decide later this month whether to accept the modified plan.

[11Delta]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Delta]
[ENG#=2]

Delta Air Lines is slashing fares- on what it says- are a permanent basis.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :27]
[SUPER=@File;]
The company says it will cut the price of tickets to cities in the continental US by up to 50 percent. No one-way coach ticket will cost more than 499-dollars. No one-way first-class ticket will cost more than 599-dollars. Passengers will no longer have to agree to a Saturday night stay to get the reduced rate. And the fee for *changing* a ticket will drop from 100 to 50-dollars. Deltas says the changes are designed to make the company more profitable.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=3]

The Delta announcement didn't help stocks yesterday, and Wall Street is off to a stumbling start for the year.
Alexis Christoforous has more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The stock market]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=in New York.]

((THE STOCK MARKET MADE IT THREE LOSING DAYS IN A ROW, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its longest losing streak since July 2002... INVESTORS ARE CONCERNED that the Federal Reserve may step up the pace of interest-rate increases THIS YEAR Airline stocks led the retreat after Delta Air Lines Inc. cut fares by as much as 50 percent. Disappointing December sales at ELECTRONICS RETAILER Circuit City also contributed to the decline. THE DOW GAVE BACK WHLE THE NASDAQ LOST 16 POINTS. AIRLINE STOCKS WENT INTO A TAILSPIN AFTER Delta Air Lines' decision to slash fares sparked concerns about a price war among carriers. F OTHER CARRIERS ARE FORCED TO MATCH THOSE CUTS, ANALSTYS SAY THE INDUSTRY MAY LOSE AS MUCH AS 3 BLN DOLLARS A YEAR... A MERRILL LYNCH ANALYST DOWNGRADED FOUR AIRLINE STOCKS DELTA, AMR, NORTHWEST AIRLINESA ND AITRAN HOLDINGS. KEEP YOUR EYE ON SHARES OF STARBUCKS TODAY... AFTER THE CLOSING BELL THE COFFEE RETAILER SAID ITS HOLIDAY PRODUCTS SOLD WELL AND THAT SALES AT STORES OPEN AT LEAST A YEAR ROSE 8 PERCENT IN DECEMBER... SOME ANALYSTS WERE LOOKING FOR AN EVEN BIGGER SALES GAIN. Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb SLIPPED on a report that it is in talks to sell its over-the-counter drugs operations for as much as $1 billion. The New York Times said the sale would include its Excedrin line of pain relievers.GlaxoSmithKline CITED AS A POTENTIAL BUYER TRACK ALL THE MARKET NEWS AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS .))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM]

[Gonzales]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

Confirmation hearings kick off today for Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, D.C.]
The Senate Judiciary Committee will conduct their inquiry into the background and intentions of the former White House Counsel. Gonzales has already been criticized for calling parts of the Geneva Conventions on prisoner treatment "obsolete". Democrats are expecting Gonzales to be confirmed by the Republican Majority Senate.
(------------)

[WalMart-Guns]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
The world's largest retailer has agreed to pay 14-and-a-half million dollars in fines and other costs to settle a state lawsuit.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File]
Wal-Mart was sued over thousands of gun sale violations at California stores between 2000 and 2003. The Arkansas-based retailer suspended gun sales at its California stores in April of 2003. Wal-Mart has not yet decided whether it will resume gun sales there. The retailer currently sells guns in every state but California, Hawaii and New Jersey.
(------------)

(Tape tosses to bump)

[COMM]

[Dog-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

Its was a race against time as rescuers fought 10-hours to save a stranded flood victim. But, as Scott MacFarlane reports- this victim was a little different and a lot less cooperative.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Lorain, OH; :05]
[SUPER=01-Ray Fraley/City Dive Team; :24]
[SUPER=01-Mitch Witherell/Lorain Co., OH Humane Officer; :49]
[SUPER=01-Scott MacFarland/Reporting; 1:26]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUTCUE=STD]
((sorry no closed captioning))

(Tape tosses to Bump)

[COMM]

[2PKG-Tsunami]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Tsunami]
[ENG#=1]
World leaders have gathered to see what they can do to aid tsunami victims. So far more than four-BILLION dollars has been pledged world-wide. Jennifer Miller has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Secretary of State... ]
[SUPER=03-Jakarta, Indonesia; :00]
[SUPER=01-Louis Michel/European Humanitarian Assistance Comm.; :25]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Unnikrishna/Action Aid International; :45]
[SUPER=01-Carol Bellamy/UNICEF; 1:12]
[SUPER=01-Jennifer Miller/CBS News; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=JM, CBS News, Washington.]

((SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL IS THE LEAD REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE UNITED STATES AS DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER AT A SUMMIT ON TSUNAMI RELIEF.

(NATS: POWELL GREETED AT SUMMIT OR POWELL SOT IF AVAILABLE)

AN UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF GLOBAL SUPPORT PROMPTED THE MEETING TO DETERMINE HOW TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY. COMBINED ... SEVERAL NATIONS HAVE PLEDGED NEARLY $4 BILLION DOLLARS IN RELIEF. BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLEDGING MONEY AND DELIVERING IT.

SOT: LOUIS MICHEL/EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE "IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO MAKE A COMPETITION TO KNOW WHO WILL PROMISE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMOUNTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WHO IS READY TO PAY COMPLETELY."
AFTER SOME INITIAL BOTTLENECKS, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES ARE FINALLY GETTING THROUGH. IN SRI LANKA, THIS SCHOOL IS NOW A REFUGEE CAMP WITH ENOUGH FOOD TO GO AROUND.

SOT: DR. UNNIKRISHNA/ACTION AID INTERNATIONAL
"WE SEE A LOT OF CHILDREN SMILING HERE AND WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GETTING RELIEF."
THE U.S. MILITARY IS ALSO AT WORK. THIS AIR FORCE TRANSPORT IS DELIVERING HELICOPTERS TO DROP OFF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO REMOTE AREAS.

(NATS: HELICOPTER DELIVERY)

BUT AS RELIEF EFFORTS TAKE HOLD, ANOTHER DANGER EMERGES. THERE ARE REPORTS CHILDREN MAY BE KIDNAPPED AND EXPLOITED. UNICEF IS SENDING OFFICERS TO THE DISASTER ZONE TO PROTECT THEM.

SOT: CAROL BELLAMY/DIRECTOR OF UNICEF
"IT IS WHETHER THESE CHILDREN, FRANKLY, ARE TURNED INTO SLAVES IF YOU WILL, OR ABUSED OR EXPLOITED."
AND CHILDREN WITH THERE FAMILIES ARE ALSO AT RISK. HEALTH OFFICIALS FEAR A LOOMING CATASTROPHE OF DIARRHEA AND PNEUMONIA ... SPREAD BY DIRTY WATER.
MILLER ON-CAMERA CLOSE AND SOME OF THE TOP DONORS IN THE RELIEF EFFORT ARE NOW BANDING TOGETHER ... THE U-S, JAPAN, INDIA AND AUSTRALIA ARE FOLDING INTO OPERATIONS LED BY THE U-N. JENNIFER MILLER CBS NEWS, WASHINGTON.))

[VOBRoute-220]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=05-01 02:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

One of the area's busiest roads is about to get a facelift.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

V-Dot plans to make more than 3 million dollars worth of improvements on Route 220 from Roanoke to the North Carolina border.
Some of the work will include upgrading and eliminating crossovers along this 60 mile stretch of highway.
The work will begin this spring and the state says motorists should expect delays.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:48]
[IN Q=We are certainly]
((LAURA BULLOCK/V-DOT SPOKESPERSON: WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN WE EXPECT THE WORK TO TAKE PLACE, HOW WE THINK THEY WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE TRAFFIC SO THEY CAN MAKE OTHER PLANS IF THEY WANT TO. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT IN A NEW ROAD OR PUT IN IMPROVEMENTS IN KEEP TRAFFIC MOVING BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, WE WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR PATIENCE.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/Virginia Department of Transportation;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=ask for patience]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

V-Dot is holding public meetings about the improvements this week.
The final one takes place tonight from five until seven at Clearbrook Elementary in Roanoke County.
(------------)

[2-11Victory-Stadium]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-56 TC14:30]
[GRAPHIC=Victory Stadium]
[ENG#=3]

The committee studying Victory Stadium's future has selected a firm to check out the building's structural integrity.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]

An engineering company out of North Carolina will determine if the stadium is sound, and what it will cost to make repairs.
The firm hopes to sign a contract within the next week. Work should begin shortly there after.
(------------)

[11Apt-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-51 TC37:29]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Invest.]
[ENG#=4]
The investigation into a fatal New Year's Day fire continues, and building inspectors have already found several violations.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Saturday]
47-year-old Debra Hippensteel and 51-year-old Cleveland Haymaker were killed when fire raced through their apartment behind Gary's Restaurant in Roanoke. Building inspectors found more than a half-dozen violations-- everything from the illegal conversion of a structure to no heat.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@22:31:08.15]
[IN Q=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. IN THIS ZONING YOU COULD ONLY HAVE DWELLINGS 2ND FLOOR AND HIGHER.))
[SUPER=01-Louis Cross/Building Inspector]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=.. 2nd floor and higher.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The owner of Gary's has received a repair order. He has to get an electrician in there by the 14th to certify the existing wiring is safe for the WHOLE building.
(-------------)

[11Monty-Jail]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-45 TC1:06:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Montgomery County is welcoming efforts to build a proposed, controversial Regional Jail.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Montgomery County's jail is overcrowded. According to the State Department of Corrections it has a recommended capacity of 60 people, but is averaging as many as 145 inmates a day. Officials say space is tight, and that while the jail still meets state standards, the problem will only get worse.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 1:52:59:00 to :13]
[IN Q=When you]
((SHERIFF TOMMY WHITT: WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN THE ROAD SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE'RE HAVING IN MONTY COUNTY AND OF COURSE WITH POP GROWTH YOU HAVE CRIME GROWTH, WE'RE GOING TO NEED PLACES TO PUT FOLKS WHO ARE SENTENCED TO JAIL.))
[SUPER=01-Tommy Whitt/Montgomery Co. Sheriff;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=sentenced to jail.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Montgomery County has joined Roanoke and Franklin Counties and the City of Salem in a feasibility study of a new regional jail. Next Tuesday, Roanoke County Supervisors may vote on a location.
(------------)

[Winter-Weather]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
[ENG#=3]
Road crews are are busy from Kansas to New Jersey, as a major winter storm hits many northern states with snow and ice.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chicago, IL]
The first major snowstorm of the year walloped parts of Chicago yesterday. Snowplows were out in full force, trying to keep the main arteries clear, but it was still "tricky" for motorists making their way around town. Traveling in the air was also difficult. Aviation officials said hundreds of flights at O'Hare International Airport were cancelled and dozens of others were delayed. Forecasters were expecting as much as 12-inches of snow in some areas before it was all over.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
(Susan ad lib toss to Leo/Wx)

[2-11Term-Limits]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-43 TC1:25:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

A move is underway to let Virginia governors serve a second term, but it can't happen unless voters approve it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
A joint- subcommittee studying the issue voted yesterday to introduce a bill that would allow the governor to serve two consecutive terms. If the bill makes it through the General Assembly, Virginia voters would then get to vote on whether to amend the Constitution. Delegate Morgan Griffith voted against the resolution. He'd like to see a package that includes a better balance of power.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:56:23]
[IN Q=When you go to two term]
((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH/(R) SALEM: WHEN YOU GO TO TWO TERM- GOVERNORS YOU ARE CLEARLY GIVING THE GOVERNOR MORE POWER. WHEN YOU DO THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE POWER GIVEN FOR OVERSIGHT TO THE LEGISLATURE. THIS COMMISSION DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT SO I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THAT BUT ALSO THINK IT WILL BE PART OF THE ON- GOING DEBATE SO WE MAY HAVE TO WAIT A FEW MORE YEARS FOR TWO- TERM GOVERNOR.))
[SUPER=@Griffith;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=for two- term governor]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Griffith says Virginia has enjoyed hundreds of years of success with a one- term governor.
(------------)

[11Bedford-School]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-54 TC26:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Bedford County Republicans want Democrat Mark Warner to help them resolve a contentious race for the county's District Five school board.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co./File Tape]

Keith Jones edged Laura Rodes by a single vote in November and a recount upheld that result.
But Rodes says a woman who voted for her had her provisional ballot tossed out because she wasn't properly registered.
The voter says she registered through the D-M-V two years ago and never heard about any problem.
The county's G-O-P chairman sent Warner a letter yesterday asking for an investigation.
(------------)

[11Windy-Gap]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-41 TC1:53:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Windy Gap is Franklin County's fastest growing area. Now it may soon have its own school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Windy Gap;]
In 2001, the county purchased 30-acres of land to build a new school in Windy Gap to help with overcrowding. 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 get the project back on track.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:14:09]
[IN Q=the closest]
((DAVID HURT/FRANKLIN CO. SUPERVISOR: THE CLOSEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE BURNT CHIMNEY AND BOONE'S MILL, SCHOOLS THAT ARE AT THEIR CAPACITY. THEY BOTH HAVE MOBILE UNITS AND REALLY ARE SUFFERING A SPACE CRUNCH.))
[SUPER=01-David Hurt/Franklin Co. Supervisor;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=a space crunch]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Hurt says if the loan is approved, construction could begin this fall.
(------------)

[6Museum-Cupola]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[TAPE#=04-53 TC25:47]
[ENG#=4]

An historic piece of the Lynchburg skyline is back in place.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Construction crews set in place the cupola (koo-pola) yesterday 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.
(------------)

[Biz-Brief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]

In business news, flight attendants at US Airways have a approved a new labor contract that cuts their pay by nearly 10 per cent. That leaves only the machinists union refusing to accept cuts the airline says are needed to avoid imminent liquidation. Atr Delta airlines, the big news is fare cuts. Stan Case has that story and more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Stocks fell]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((STOCKS FELL FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT DAY WEDNESDAY.
THE DOW INDUSTRIALS DROPPED NEARLY 33-POINTS.
THE NASDAQ LOST 16.
IN A MOVE TO COMPETE WITH LOW-COST RIVALS, DELTA SLASHED ITS MOST EXPENSIVE BUSINESS FARES IN THE CONTINENTAL U-S BY UP TO HALF.
IT ALSO DROPPED ITS SATURDAY NIGHT STAY REQUIREMENT AND ADDED FEES FOR RESERVATIONS NOT MADE ON THE INTERNET.
SHARES OF DELTA FELL NEARLY SEVEN-PERCENT ON THE WIDELY EXPECTED NEWS, WHICH ALSO DRAGGED OTHER AIRLINE STOCKS LOWER.
DELTA OFFICIALS SAID THEY EXPECT THE CUTS TO HURT REVENUE IN THE SHORT TERM.
BUT THEY HOPE THAT WILL BE OFFSET OVER TIME BY INCREASED BUSINESS.
THE MOVE HAS ANALYSTS SPECULATING OTHER MAJOR AIRLINES WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW SUIT.
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB IS IN DISCUSSIONS TO SELL ITS LINE OF CONSUMER OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS, ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED REPORTS.
THAT LINE INCLUDES PAIN RELIEVERS EXEDRIN AND BUFFERIN.
CITING SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE DISCUSSIONS, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAID THE COMPANY IS WORKING TO SHED NON-ESSENTIAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS AS IT FOCUSES ON DRUGS TO TREAT AND PREVENT DISEASE.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF... I'M STAN CASE.))

[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [COMM]

[Trigger]

[ANCHOR=None]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ROLL OUT OF BREAK]

[ENG#=D1]

[2-Gonzales]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

A controversial attorney general nominee makes his way to Capitol Hill today for his first day of confirmation hearings.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, D.C.]
The senate judiciary committee will conduct their inquiry into the background and intentions of former White House Counsel, Alberto Gonzales. Gonzales has already been criticized for calling parts of the Geneva Conventions on prisoner treatment "obsolete". Democrats are expecting Gonzales to be confirmed by the Republican Majority Senate.
(------------)

[Penny-Slots]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
A sci-fi game produced some out of this world results for a California man who's now more than two-million dollars richer. ((NATS UP!!!)) [nats of twilight zone music]
[runs=:03]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Viejas Indian Reservation, CA]
The man was playing the Twilight Zone penny slots at the Viejas Indian Casino outside of San Diego. He won a world record 'penny-slot' jackpot of nearly two-point-one-million-dollars. The man reportedly played 150-pennies before breaking the bank.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@:17 in penny slots/cbs]
[IN Q=It's connected to... ]
((BUDDY FRANK/VIEJAS INDIAN CASINO: IT'S CONNECTED TO ALL INDIAN CASINOS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND THE COMPANY WHO DOES IT, SODAK, CAME OUT AND THEY GAVE HIM A LARGE CHECK. HE DIDN'T TAKE IT IN PENNIES, HE GOT A NICE LARGE CHECK, AND TOLD US HIS PLANS ARE TO TRAVEL WITH THAT MONEY.))
[SUPER=01-Buddy Frank/Viejas Indian Casino][RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=.. with that money.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The slot is part of a "wide-area progressive" system. It links machines at different tribal casinos together to offer potentially large payouts.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
(Susan tosses to bump)

[BUMP]
[COMM]

[Winner]

[ANCHOR=None]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[Roll out of break]

[ENG#=D1]

[SUPER=45-Linda Jordan/Dublin]

[2PKGRoute-220]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=05-01 00:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
V-DOT is preparing to make a lot of safety improvements along one of the region's busiest roads. 26-thousand motorists take US Route 220 on average each day between Roanoke and Henry County.
As Justin McLeod reports, they will soon see plenty of changes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lloyd Altice/Franklin Co. Resident; :09]
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/Virginia Department of Transportation; :31]
[SUPER=01-Joan Goss/Franklin Co. Resident; 1:00]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:30]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]

(( ((NAT SOUND OF CARS DRIVING BY))
If you've ever traveled along Route 220, you know it's a busy roadway and some say a dangerous one.
[SOT 17:02]
[IN Q=My dad got]
((LLOYD ALTICE/FRANKLIN CO. RESIDENT: MY DAD GOT HIT THERE. HE'S 80 SOME YEARS OLD AND HE PULLED OUT AND A CAR HIT HIM, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO BACK.))
[Runs= 06]
[OUT Q=OR SO BACK]

Like Lloyd, you may be happy to hear about the safety improvements V-Dot plans to make from Roanoke to the North Carolina border.
They include upgrading guardrails, installing permanent message signs, adding more turning lanes, and upgrading or closing median crossovers.
[SOT 10:50]
[IN Q=There are not]
((LAURA BULLOCK/V-DOT SPOKESPERSON: THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PLACES WHERE YOU CAN PULL OVER SAFELY TO MAKE A TURN. IF WE CAN PROVIDE A TURNING LANE, IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE MAIN LINE OF TRAFFIC SO THEY CAN MAKE THE MOVEMENTS THEY NEED TO MAKE IT WILL BE SAFER.))
[Runs= 11]
[OUT Q=IT WILL BE SAFER]

V-Dot plans to add or extend turn lanes at 18 crossovers on Route 220.
The state will also close 23 crossovers.
The improvements will cost more than 3 million dollars with an additional 4 1/2 million to be spent in the future.
Where that money will be spent is unclear.
So this week, the public is getting a chance to offer suggestions.
[SOT 19:09]
[IN Q=We come out 739]
((JOAN GOSS/FRANKLIN CO. RESIDENT: WE COME OUT 739 FROM CALLAWAY INTO 220 AT BOONES MILL AND THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT. WE'RE HOPING THEY'LL MAKE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THERE BESIDES A LIGHT.))
[Runs= 11]
[OUT Q=BESIDES A LIGHT]

Some however may wonder why the state is spending money on 220 when part of the road is the proposed path for I-73.

ictory-Stadium]

[3PKG-Tsunami]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Tsunami]
[ENG#=3]

World leaders attending an emergency tsunami conference in Indonesia are calling on donors to live up to their promises. So far, nearly four (b) billion dollars has been pledged for relief efforts. And leaders are deciding on the best way to use that money. Jennifer Miller has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Secretary of State... ]
[SUPER=03-Jakarta, Indonesia; :00]
[SUPER=01-Louis Michel/European Humanitarian Assistance Comm.; :25]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Unnikrishna/Action Aid International; :45]
[SUPER=01-Carol Bellamy/UNICEF; 1:12]
[SUPER=01-Jennifer Miller/CBS News; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=JM, CBS News, Washington.]

[2Dog-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Its was a race against the elements and the clock as rescuers fought to save a flood victim. But, as Scott MacFarlane reports- this victim was a little different and a lot less cooperative.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[SUPER=03-Lorain, OH; :05]
[SUPER=01-Ray Fraley/City Dive Team; :24]
[SUPER=01-Mitch Witherell/Lorain Co., OH Humane Officer; :49]
[SUPER=01-Scott MacFarland/Reporting; 1:26]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUTCUE=STD]
((sorry no closed captioning))

[2WalMart-Guns]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Wal-Mart has agreed to pay 14-and-a-half million dollars in fines and other costs to settle a California lawsuit over gun sales.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File]
The world's largest retailer was sued over thousands of gun sale violations at California stores between 2000 and 2003. The arkansas-based retailer suspended gun sales at its California stores in April of 2003. Wal-Mart has not yet decided whether it will resume gun sales there. The retailer currently sells guns in every state but California, Hawaii and New Jersey.
(------------)

[2-11Delta]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Delta]
[ENG#=4]

In other business news, Delta Air Lines is slashing many fares and creating a new rate schedule that keeps fares consistently low.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :27]
[SUPER=@File;]
The company says it will cut the price of tickets to cities in the continental US by up to 50 percent. No one-way coach ticket will cost more than 499 dollars. No one-way first-class ticket will cost more than 599 dollars. Passengers will no longer have to agree to a Saturday night stay to get the reduced rate. And the fee for *changing* a ticket will drop form 100 to 50-dollars. Deltas says the changes are designed to make the company more profitable.
(------------)

[2Marketwatch]

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

The Delta announcement was felt on Wall Street. And Starbucks may brew up some interest today.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((THE STOCK MARKET MADE IT THREE LOSING DAYS IN A ROW, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its longest losing streak since July 2002... INVESTORS ARE CONCERNED that the Federal Reserve may step up the pace of interest-rate increases THIS YEAR Airline stocks led the retreat after Delta Air Lines Inc. cut fares by as much as 50 percent. Disappointing December sales at ELECTRONICS RETAILER Circuit City also contributed to the decline. THE DOW GAVE BACK WHLE THE NASDAQ LOST 16 POINTS. AIRLINE STOCKS WENT INTO A TAILSPIN AFTER Delta Air Lines' decision to slash fares sparked concerns about a price war among carriers. F OTHER CARRIERS ARE FORCED TO MATCH THOSE CUTS, ANALSTYS SAY THE INDUSTRY MAY LOSE AS MUCH AS 3 BLN DOLLARS A YEAR... A MERRILL LYNCH ANALYST DOWNGRADED FOUR AIRLINE STOCKS DELTA, AMR, NORTHWEST AIRLINESA ND AITRAN HOLDINGS. KEEP YOUR EYE ON SHARES OF STARBUCKS TODAY... AFTER THE CLOSING BELL THE COFFEE RETAILER SAID ITS HOLIDAY PRODUCTS SOLD WELL AND THAT SALES AT STORES OPEN AT LEAST A YEAR ROSE 8 PERCENT IN DECEMBER... SOME ANALYSTS WERE LOOKING FOR AN EVEN BIGGER SALES GAIN. Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb SLIPPED on a report that it is in talks to sell its over-the-counter drugs operations for as much as $1 billion. The New York Times said the sale would include its Excedrin line of pain relievers.GlaxoSmithKline CITED AS A POTENTIAL BUYER TRACK ALL THE MARKET NEWS AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS .))

(tape tosses to bump)
[BUMP] [COMM]

[3-HEADLINES] [Kim at Desk]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Here's what's making news on this Thursday, January 6th.
(----------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Be prepared for some changes to one of the area's most heavily traveled roadways. VDOT says route 220 will improved by upgrading guardrails, installing permanent message signs, adding more turning lanes, and upgrading or closing median crossovers.
(----------------)
[ENG#=2]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Meanwhile, Roanoke is taking another step forward in an effort to determine Victory Stadium's structural integrity. A committee studying the stadium's future has selected a North Carolina firm to determine if the stadium is sound and what it would cost to make repairs.
(----------------)
[ENG#=3]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SUPER=03-Jakarta, Indonesia;]
And, world leaders have gathered in Indonesia to coordinate the outpouring of donations in the wake of a massive tsunami. More than four-BILLION dollars has been pledged worldwide.
(----------------)

[2-11Verizon-Rate]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-46 TC1:07:47]
[GRAPHIC=Verizon Rate Hike]
[ENG#=4]

Verizon has the OK to raise your telephone bills, but the company says it is not entirely happy with the approval. The State Corporation Commission has approved a modified version of the company's request to raise rates in Virginia.

(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SS=HOLD]
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'll decide later this month whether to accept the modified plan.

[11Museum-Cupola]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-53 TC26:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

A "crowning achievement" for construction crews working to overhaul Lynchburg's historic courthouse.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

A crane restored the museum's cupola to its rooftop yesterday afternoon -- after an 18-month absence.
The columned bell tower had been rebuilt as part of a two-million dollar renovation to the 150-year-old building.

Museum officials say the cupola is an important part of the Lynchburg skyline and the museum's Greek Temple design.
The building should re-open to the public by this summer.
(------------)

[2Winter-Weather]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
[ENG#=3]
Road crews are are busy from the great plains to the east coast, as a major winter storm continues to blanket much of the northern U.S.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chicago, IL]
The first major snowstorm of the year walloped parts of Chicago yesterday. Snowplows were out in full force, trying to keep the main arteries clear, but it was still "tricky" for motorists making their way around town. Traveling in the air was also difficult. Aviation officials said hundreds of flights at O'Hare International Airport were cancelled and dozens of others were delayed. Forecasters were expecting as much as 12-inches of snow in some areas before it was all over.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
(weather toss)