[7E-Connex]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-53 1:07:36]
[GRAPHIC=Business Closing]
More than a hundred Southwest Virginia workers will soon be without a job, due in part to the Asian financial crisis.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Troutville;]
Connex Pipe Systems announced it's closing in two months, laying off 133-workers.
Connex sells almost 80-percent of its heavy-duty pipes to Asia, the place that's been hit hardest by the global economic problems.
The result is: companies like Connex can't afford to stay in business ... because their customers can't afford to buy American pipe.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 5:56:02 tc]
[IN Q=i don't think]
((BETH DOUGHTY/RKE VALLEY EC. DEV. PARTNERSHIP: I DON'T THINK THAT I'VE SEEN ANYTHING AS TANGIBLE AS THAT, THAT YOU CAN REALLY SAY: HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WARNING YOU ABOUT FOR ALL THESE MONTHS, THAT THE U-S AND THE ROANOKE VALLEY ARE GOING TO SEE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN ASIA.))
[SUPER=01-Beth Doughty/Roanoke Econ. Dev. Partnership;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=in asia]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
One bright spot is the people who worked at Connex are highly skilled.
And there's a big demand in the job market for people with their experience.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 5:47:14 tc]
[IN Q=somebody that's]
((TIM WOOD/LAID-OFF WELDER: SOMEBODY THAT'S SKILLED IN THIS TYPE OF WELDING IS IN DEMAND. IT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN THAT YOU FIND A GOOD PIPE WELDER.))
[SUPER=01-Tim Wood/Laid-Off Worker;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=pipe welder]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Connex will shut its doors for good on November 12th.
(------------)
[7E-Growth-Botetourt]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=98-54 1:36:13]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Botetourt County officials say they expect growth to continue in the County, even with the closing of the Connex plant.
Tina Tenret reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Greenfield Industrial Park]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kate Campbell/Second Grade; :23]
[SUPER=01-Lois Faddis/Breckinridge Elem. School; :32]
[SUPER=01-David Hale/Homebuilders' Association; :50]
[SUPER=@Tina2; 1:02]
[RUNS=1:21]
[OUT Q=Tina Tenret News7 Botetourt County]
(( Greenfield Industrial Park is still in its infancy, but it will soon be milked as a cash cow.
Greenfield is designed to pull in thousands of new jobs, with a high-tech training center and recreational complex.
A new elementary school will also be built at Greenfield to catch the overflow from jam-packed classrooms.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT tape 1 12:06:44]
[IN Q=Sometimes]
((KATE CAMPBELL/SECOND GRADE: SOMETIMES THE FOLDERS GOT OVERFLOWED AND YOU HAD TO PUT YOUR FOLDERS ON THE FLOOR AND YOUR DESKS WERE ALWAYS SQUOOSHED TOGETHER.))
[RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=squooshed together]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:59:38]
[IN Q=We do have]
((WE DO HAVE A LOT OF NEW RESIDENTS BRINGING MORE CHILDREN.))
[RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=BRINGING MORE CHILDREN]
But county officials refuse to let growth crowd their rural hills.
They say developers can now build only six apartment or condo units per acre, not twelve.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:06:44]
[IN Q=It just simply]
((DAVID HALE/ROANOKE REGIONAL HOMEBUILDERS' ASSOCIATION: IT JUST SIMPLY PUTS THE PRICE OF HOUSING FOR THE LOW INCOME AND MEDIUM INCOME OUT OF REACH. THER'ES NO WAY THEY WILL HAVE A NEW PLACE TO STAY.))
[RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=NEW PLACE TO STAY]
Very few apartments exist in Botetourt now.
The county administrator says big companies do not ask about housing.
But builders ask -- if newcomers buy elsewhere, what will happen to Botetourt's other cashpot -- property taxes?
Tina Tenret News7 Botetourt County.))[7E-School-Closings]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]
Some area schools will close early today.
(------------)
[Pinnacle Pages]
Danville schools will run on a half-day schedule.
Henry County will close elementary schools at noon; middle schools at 12:45 and high schools at One.
In Martinsville, Patrick Henry Elementary school will close at 12:30, and Albert Harris Elementary at One.
Pittsylvania County schools and Patrick County schools will close at One.
In Lynchburg: high schools close at noon, middle schools at 12:30 and elementary schools close at One.
Giles County schools will close 2 hours early today.
(-----------------)[7WEATHER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Taking a look at your midweek forecast..
Another possibly record-breaking day, with sunny skies and highs in the low- to mid-90s.
Overnight, expect clear skies and light winds. Lows in the mid- to upper-60s.
The extended forecast...
[CK/WX PRO=]
MAPS
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Lots of Sun/More Record Heat?/90-94/Clear Skies/Light Winds/65-69;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[7BIRTHDAYS!] 9/17/98
Thursday:
[SUPER=130-10/Monique Brown/Red Oak]
[SUPER=130-50/Katie Calloway/Danville]
[SUPER=130-8/Autumn Hawley/Lafayette]
[SUPER=130-5/Anna Millirons/Pembroke]
[SUPER=130-6/Jesse Elliott/Parrott]
[SUPER=130-30/Steven Gravely/Roanoke]
[SUPER=130-33/Kim Branche/Glasgow]
No Pictures:
[SUPER=131-26/Katrina McDaniel/Roanoke][cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][45Stewart-Execution]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=98-45 tc 50:52]
[GRAPHIC=Kenneth Stewart]
A convicted killer set to be executed next Wednesday in Virginia wants to die by eltrocution.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/May 1992]
Kenneth Manuel Stewart Jr. Stewart shot and killed his estranged wife and infant son in Bedford 7 years ago.
If his wishes are carried out it would be the first death in the electric chair in Virginia since 19-94.
Stewart's lawyer questions whether his client is mentally fit to make that decision.
(------------)
[45E-Bank-Robbery]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#98-55 1:00:13]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robbery]
A month after a Dublin bank was held up police have nabbed a suspect.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Dublin/August 18;]
F-B-I agents arrested 18-year old Christian David (Ka-hars) Cahours Monday in Lynchburg.
He's accused of robbing the First American Bank in Dublin, August 18th.
[SUPER=03-Dublin/July 28;]
At the time, authorities said it appeared the suspect in that robbery was the same man who robbed the bank two weeks earlier.
Yesterday-- they would only say- that investigation is continuing.
(----------------)
[45E-Power-Line]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=598-35 22:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Another road block in American Electric Power's bid for a new high-voltage power line in Southwest Virginia, thanks to the State Corporation Commission.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]
The S-C-C staff wants a complete study of an alternative route for the 765-thousand volt transmission line.
That route would not end in Cloverdale, but at the Jackson Ferry substation in Pulaski County.
The staff report says this route would let A-E-P meet its projected power needs, and cause less environmental damage.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Another round of studies will cost A-E-P an estimated 700-thousand dollars.
Spokesman Todd Burns says the utility is confident that new studies will show A-E-P's preferred route is still going to turn out to be the best one.
[45S-L'burg-Council]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-68 00:48]
[GRAPHIC=Lynchburg]
Young Lynchburg athletes will soon have more room to kick around the soccer ball.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
City council learned yesterday that most of the recreational enhancements are on schedule.. and Lynchburg should have eight new soccer fields ready by next spring.
But a local group says that's not enough.
Lynchburg United Soccer wants to raise two million dollars to build a ten- field soccer complex just outside the city limits.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:55:03]
[IN Q=The city is]
((DAVID BICE/LYNCHBURG UNITED SOCCER: THE CITY IS LANDLOCKED, THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE LAND IS SO HILLY WITHIN THE CITY, THE EXPENSE IS SO GREAT AND WE'VE JUST TAKEN IT UPON OURSELVES TO GO AHEAD AND LEAD THE EFFORT.))
[SUPER=01-David Bice/Lynchburg United Soccer; :00]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=lead the effort.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
The soccer group wants the city to kick in 500-thousand dollars to get the project started.
The rest will come from private donations.
(----------------)
[45E-School-Closings]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]
The heat is again forcing a number of schools to dismiss early today.
(------------)
[Pinnacle Pages]
Danville schools will run on a half-day schedule.
Henry County will close elementary schools at noon; middle schools at 12:45 and high schools at One.
In Martinsville, Patrick Henry Elementary school will close at 12:30, and Albert Harris Elementary at One.
Pittsylvania County schools and Patrick County schools will close at One.
In Lynchburg: high schools close at noon, middle schools at 12:30 and elementary schools close at One.
And Giles County schools will close two hours early today.
(----------)
[45weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Shifting our focus now to weather--
Lots of sunshine today, with more record heat possible.
Highs in the low to mid 90s.
Clear skies and light winds tonight, with lows in the upper 60s.
The four day forecast stays dry, despite a cold front to our north.
But temperatures will be cooling off by tomorrow...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Lots of Sun/More Record Heat?/90-94/Clear Skies/Light Winds/65-69;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][8Con-closing]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#net-A;]
[GRAPHIC=Plant closing]
A major employer in Botetourt county is closing down this Fall.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Troutville;]
Connex Pipe Systems is closing November 12th, putting 133 people out of work.
Connex sells almost 80 percent of its heavy duty pipes to Asia and the economic turmoil in that region makes buying from connex too expensive.
(----------------)
[8E-Pitts-Supervisors]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=chu]
[TAPE#98-69 1:00]
[GRAPHIC=NOne]
Pittsylvania County Community Action is getting criticism for UN- satisfactory work.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.;]
News 7 has learned more than a dozen P-C-C-A clients have issued complaints about unfinished and faulty repairs to their homes.
These clients say they believed the work was supposed to be completed by the agency.
[SUPER=03-Chatham/Last Night;]
Last night, a spokesperson for some of the clients attempted to address the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors.
Vivian Anderson is a former P-C-C-A volunteer who says she doesn't understand why low-income families aren't getting the help they need.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 8:54:37-:50]
[IN Q=Now something is going]
((VIVIAN ANDERSON/FORMER PCCA VOLUNTEER: NOW SOMETHING IS GOING ON HERE AND I'M A PUBLIC SERVANT, I'M A TAXPAYER, I'M A CONCERNED ADVOCATE OF THE CLIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT BEING SERVICED.))
[SUPER=01-Vivian Anderson/Former PCCA Volunteer;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=not being serviced.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Board of Supervisors told Anderson she needs to air her grievences with the Community Action Board of Directors.
The executive director of P-C-C-A says the agency has met all of its obligations with its clients.
The complaints are now being investigated by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development which provides funding to the agency.
(----------------)
[8E-Forest-Fires]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=98-56 40:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The late summer drought conditions are leaving their mark on the George Washington- Jefferson National Forest.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Forest officials say the dry, wilting leaves along the Appalachain Trail are an indication of how dry it is.
The dry season usually doesn't arrive until fall.
And officials say the current drought is twice as bad as usual.
Forest service spokesman Dave Olson says such a dry index creates big problems when a fire breaks out in the forest.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT=17:21:27]
[IN Q=THEY MAY NOT]
((DAVE OLSON/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER; THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY GET TO BE VERY LARGE FIRES BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE SOME LEAF COVER THAT'S HELPING TO SHADE AND MAYBE MODERATE THE WINDS A LITTLE BIT ON THE FOREST FLOOR. BUT TO MOP UP AND TO COOL ANY NEW FIRE STARTED AND TO GET THEM TOTALLY OUT IS BECOMING MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO GET THAT JOB DONE.))
[SUPER=01-Dave Olson/Public Affairs Officer;]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=THAT JOB DONE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Olson says hikers can help reduce the risk of forest fires by building campfires in established sites only.
He says smokers should make sure their cigarettes are thouroughly extinguished and says it would probably be best to smoke in a vehicle rather than on a trail.
(------------)
[8E-School-Closings]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=School Information]
Another short school day for some students, as the heat wave continues...
(------------)
[Pinnacle Pages]
Danville schools will run on a half-day schedule.
Henry County will close elementary schools at noon; middle schools at 12:45 and high schools at One.
In Martinsville, Patrick Henry Elementary school will close at 12:30, and Albert Harris Elementary at One.
Pittsylvania County schools and Patrick County schools will close at One.
In Lynchburg: high schools close at noon, middle schools at 12:30 and elementary schools close at One.
And Giles County schools will close two hours early today.
(----------)
[8WEATHER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Turning to weather once again...
Lots of sun today, with possibly more record highs in the low to mid 90s.
Tonight looks clear, with lows in the upper 60s.
In the extended forecast, partly to mostly sunny weather continues.
But daytime highs will drop back into the more comfortable 80s...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Lots of Sun/More Record Heat?/90-94/Clear Skies/Light Winds/65-69;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
by SS