WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 11/17/98

[7E-Food-Tax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-61 1:48:37]
[GRAPHIC=Food Tax]

The car tax cut isn't the only budget cut up Jim Gilmore's sleeve.
Sources tell NEWS 7 the governor is renewing the Democrats' bid for a food tax cut.
Governor Gilmore will reportedly announce a plan later today to cut the sales tax on groceries by two cents on the dollar, phased in over four years.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

This was the Govenor's repsonse when asked about the impending budget announcement...
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Will there]
((Will there be any surprises? UH... MAYBE, YES. laughs ))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=laughs.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Sources at the Capitol say it is his own version of the food tax cut-- modelled closely on a bi-partisan committee's bill advanced last month.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It doesn't]
((DEL. BUTCH DAVIES/D-CULPEPER: IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD REACH OUT AND EMBRACE IT. BECAUSE UNLIKE THE CAR TAX WHICH BASICALLY FAVORS THOSE WHO ARE MORE AFFLUENT... THE FOOD TAX PROVIDES AN ACROSS THE BOARD BENEFIT.)) ((GAIL NARDI/HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: I THINK THE GOVERNOR IS GETTING READY TO HURL HIMSELF ONTO OUR BANDWAGON, AND I THINK HE'LL BE VERY WELCOME.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Butch Davies/(D) Culpeper; :00]
[SUPER=01-Gail Nardi/House Democratic Caucus; :13]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=very welcome.]

(-------------)[7E-Tax-Impact]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE=98-76 7:44]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

While it may not sound like a lot of money, the proposed two cent cut could save consumers hundreds of dollars each year.
Eric Earnhart reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Charles and Valerie]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :01]
[SUPER=01-Charles Jones/Shopper; :11]
[SUPER=01-Julia Gale/Shopper; :22]
[SUPER=@File; :31]
[SUPER=@Eric1; :44]
[SUPER=01-Catherine Carter/Shopper; :59]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=EE, News-7]

((Charles and Valerie Jones are the typical shopping family...
With two children, they spend about 100 dollars a week on groceries.
A two percent tax cut would save them 104 dollars a year.
[SOT 00:26:36]
[IN Q=cutting the food tax]
((CHARLES JONES/SHOPPER; CUTTING THE FOOD TAX WOULD HELP A LOT, AND I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN DO(:04) DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN 2 PERCENT? WELL YOU KNOW, I REALIZE THAT WE ALL HAVE TO PAY OUR SHARE OF TAXES TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.)) [RUNS11]
[OUT Q=the community]
[SOT 99:29:18]
[IN Q=yes I think it.s]
((JULIA GALE/SHOPPER; YES I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, PARTICULARY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE MUCH MONEY AND LOW INCOME, VERY GOOD FOR THEM)) [RUNS08]
[OUT Q=good for them]

Delegate Chip Woodrum supports the cut, in fact he says the leglislature should cut the entire tax.
Dick Cranwell agrees, saying is food tax cut is a better deal for Southwest Virginia than the car tax cut.
[standup] While experts say the Commonwealth can support both tax cuts with the current growing economy, some people wonder what happens when the economy stops growing...
Shopper Catherine Carter says if she had to chose, she'd take the FOOD tax cut over the car tax.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 00:30:58]
[IN Q=overall I'd say]
((CATHERINE CARTER/SHOPPER; OVERALL I'D SAY MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED MORE BY CUTTING THE FOOD TAX, DEFINITELY, THAN THE CAR TAX, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT ON FOOD, YEA, DEFINITELY.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=yea, definitely]))
[TAKE ERIC FULL] It's interesting to note that just about every time we've heard a democrat say something positive about cutting the food tax, it comes with something negative about the car tax...
It will be interesting to see if democrats use a food tax cut to take another shot at the car tax cut.

[7HUNTING-DEATH]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE=none]
[GRAPHIC=Hunting Accident]

Hunting season opened yesterday in Virginia, and in Franklin County, one teenaged hunter was accidentally killed by his brother.
The 17-year old was reportedly mistaken for a deer when his 20-year-old brother shot him.
It happened at around 5:30 tonight near Boones Mill, off Route 793.
Police say the teenager was carried to a nearby home, where he was pronounced dead.
The victim's identity has not yet been released so the family can be notified.

[7WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your Tuesday forecast..
Take a little extra time on the way to work this morning, as some early morning fog sticks around, before giving way to mostly sunny skies.
Highs should reach the mid-60s.
Clear skies overnight, with some light winds. Look for lows to drop into the upper-30s.
The extended forecast...
[CK/WX PRO=]
MAPS

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Morning Fog,/Then Mostly Sunny/62-66/Clear Skies/Winds N 5-10/35-39;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[7BIRTHDAYS!] 11/18/98
Wednesday:

[SUPER=130-5/Jenna Dunbar/Roanoke]

Anniversary:
[SUPER=130-65th/Bill & Ava Smith/Bassett]

[SUPER=130-59/Martin Vaught/Blacksbug]

[SUPER=130-8/Michael Clarke/Martinsville]

[SUPER=130-8/Jaqwan Biggs/Glasgow]

[SUPER=130-30/Veronica Younger/Nathalie]

Anniversary:
[SUPER=130-22nd/Philip Teresa Winstead/Blairs]

No Pictures:

[SUPER=131-/Cindy Powell/Covington]

[SUPER=131-/Joan Mills/Danville]

[SUPER=131-/Reva Simpkins/Roanoke]

[cutopen]

[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][45E-Branham]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-63 1:40:54]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A murder suspect in Amherst County will have to wait until next month for his trial.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co./File Tape]

The trial for 29-year old Kenneth Eugene Branham was supposed to begin yesterday.
He charged with murdering one man and wounding another during an argument over horsehshoes last Spring.
But the judge declared a mistrial when there weren't enough prospective jurors.
25 people were summoned to court yesterday, but two called in sick, three were disqualified and four others just didn't show up.
So the trial was rescheduled.
(----------------)

[45Kenneth-Wilson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Death Penalty]

The state is set to execute another convicted killer tonight, making 12 for 19-98.
Yesterday the U-S Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to stay the execution of Kenneth Wilson.
He was convicted of killing a neighbor in Newport News almost six years ago.

[45S-Tobacco-Deal]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-60 1:38:28]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco Under Fire]

At least a dozen states plan to sign the latest deal with tobacco companies.
Eligible states have until Friday to decide whether they'll approve the 206- billion dollar proposal.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley is still checking the fine print. Tobacco growers
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]
are worried they won't get enough money to offset a lower demand for their crops.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 02:54:53]
[IN Q=It will depend]
((ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK EARLEY: IT WILL DEPEND ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE INDUSTRY IS TALKING ABOUT DOING WITH THE FARMERS. WE TALKED TO THEM ON FRIDAY. I WAS BASICALLY ENCOURAGED BY WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.))
[SUPER=@Earley;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=to say.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=Hold]

The agreement would settle 39 state lawsuits seeking to recover Medicaid money spent treating sick smokers.
It also would apply to seven states that have yet to sue.
The proposed deal will ban tobacco advertising on billboards, buses, t-shirts and hats.

[45E-Bedford-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-65 31:41]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Bedford CITY is blaming the COUNTY for its overcrowded schools.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]

The Bedford City school board met last night to discuss how to deal with overcrowding in its elementary and middle schools.
Each has more than ONE hundred extra students.. and officials say most of them are children who actually live in the COUNTY.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 8:41:30]
[IN Q=The city feels]
((DR. JAMES BLEVINS/SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: THE CITY FEELS LIKE THEY ARE PROVIDING ENOUGH SPACE FOR THEIR CURRENT STUDENTS AND THE COUNTY FEELS LIKE THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR THE COUNTY STUDENTS. SO I THINK WHEN THE TWO COMMITTEES GET TOGETHER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. James Blevins/School Superintendent; :00]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=be worked out.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Blevins says mobile classrooms or rezoning may be short-term solutions to the overcrowding.
But the two school boards still have to decide who's going to pay for that.
(----------------)

[45E-Lenscrafters]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=98-57 2:01:00]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Some Roanoke County school students are getting a new look at life.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; ]

Children with vision problems are getting free glasses.
The 40-foot long LensCrafters Vision Van is a complete eyecare facility.
It travels around the country making stops in different localities to deliver optical care to needy children.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT ub 11 25 57]
[IN Q=We partnered]
((CAROL BENSON/LENSCRAFTERS: WE PARTNERED WITH ROANOKE CITY SCHOOLS AND THEY WERE PRESCREENED AT SCHOOL AND FOUND TO HAVE A VISION HANDICAPP AND THAT'S HOW THEY WERE DETERMINED.))
[SUPER=01-Carol Benson/Lenscrafters]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=were determined]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

A total of 230 students from kindergarten through high school will be getting their new specs tomorrow and Wednesday.

[45WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look at your Tuesday forecast--
Expect patchy fog this morning, before skies turn mostly sunny with highs in the mid 60s.
Clear tonight, with a light breeze.
Lows falling into the upper 30s.
The four day forecast stays dry through Thursday, with the chance of some showers on Friday.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Morning Fog,/Then Mostly Sunny/62-66/Clear Skies/Winds N 5-10/35-39;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[cutopen]

[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][8-2-E-Food-Tax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-61 1:48:37]
[GRAPHIC=Food Tax]

News-7 has learned from sources that Governor Gilmore is about to announce a sales tax cut on groceries.
The proposal would cut the tax by two cents on the dollar, phased in over four years.
You may recall Shawsville State Senator Madison Marye made the same suggestion last year.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

We asked the Governor yesterday about his impending budget announcement...
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Will there]
((Will there be any surprises? UH... MAYBE, YES. laughs ))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=laughs.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Sources at the Capitol say it's the governor's own version of the food tax cut-- modeled closely on a bi-partisan committee's bill advanced last month.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It doesn't]
((DEL. BUTCH DAVIES/D-CULPEPER: IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD REACH OUT AND EMBRACE IT. BECAUSE UNLIKE THE CAR TAX WHICH BASICALLY FAVORS THOSE WHO ARE MORE AFFLUENT... THE FOOD TAX PROVIDES AN ACROSS THE BOARD BENEFIT.))
[sot ]
((GAIL NARDI/HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: I THINK THE GOVERNOR IS GETTING READY TO HURL HIMSELF ONTO OUR BANDWAGON, AND I THINK HE'LL BE VERY WELCOME.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Butch Davies/(D) Culpeper; :00]
[SUPER=01-Gail Nardi/House Democratic Caucus; :13]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=very welcome.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

NOT to be outdone in the latest tax cutting frenzy, Patrick County Democrat Barnie Day announced one of his own last night.
Day's proposing a "back to school tax cut" that would cut the sales tax on clothes, books, and school supplies for one week in early September.
It's all up to the 1999 General Assembly.

[8E-Tax-Impact]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE=98-76 7:44]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

A two cent tax- cut could add up to a savings of 245- million dollars a year.
Eric Earnhart asked some local shoppers what they think about the proposal.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Charles and Valerie]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :01]
[SUPER=01-Charles Jones/Shopper; :11]
[SUPER=01-Julia Gale/Shopper; :22]
[SUPER=@File; :31]
[SUPER=@Eric1; :44]
[SUPER=01-Catherine Carter/Shopper; :59]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=EE, News-7]

((Charles and Valerie Jones are the typical shopping family...
With two children, they spend about 100 dollars a week on groceries.
A two percent tax cut would save them 104 dollars a year.
[SOT 00:26:36]
[IN Q=cutting the food tax]
((CHARLES JONES/SHOPPER; CUTTING THE FOOD TAX WOULD HELP A LOT, AND I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN DO(:04) DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN 2 PERCENT? WELL YOU KNOW, I REALIZE THAT WE ALL HAVE TO PAY OUR SHARE OF TAXES TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.)) [RUNS11]
[OUT Q=the community]
[SOT 99:29:18]
[IN Q=yes I think it.s]
((JULIA GALE/SHOPPER; YES I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, PARTICULARY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE MUCH MONEY AND LOW INCOME, VERY GOOD FOR THEM)) [RUNS08]
[OUT Q=good for them]

Delegate Chip Woodrum supports the cut, in fact he says the leglislature should cut the entire tax.
Dick Cranwell agrees, saying is food tax cut is a better deal for Southwest Virginia than the car tax cut.
[standup] While experts say the Commonwealth can support both tax cuts with the current growing economy, some people wonder what happens when the economy stops growing...
Shopper Catherine Carter says if she had to chose, she'd take the FOOD tax cut over the car tax.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 00:30:58]
[IN Q=overall I'd say]
((CATHERINE CARTER/SHOPPER; OVERALL I'D SAY MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED MORE BY CUTTING THE FOOD TAX, DEFINITELY, THAN THE CAR TAX, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT ON FOOD, YEA, DEFINITELY.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=yea, definitely]
Eric Earnhardt, News 7.))

[8E-Church-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=vga]
[TAPE#=98-58 2:02:47]
[GRAPHIC=Rebuilding]

Fire officials in Collinsville are waiting for a burnt-out church to cool off before they determine the cause of a weekend blaze.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]
The First Presbyterian Church caught fire Sunday night before leaving a smoldering aftermath of hot spots and smoke. No one was inside the church at the time of the blaze. Fire officials say it will take a couple of days to determine whether the blaze that tore down the 27-year old structure is suspicious. Members of the church plan to gather at each other's homes until they are able to re-build.
(-------------)

[8WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your Tuesday forecast..
After some patchy fog this morning, expect mostly sunny skies.
Highs will once again be in the mid 60s.
Clear and chilly overnight, with lows in the upper 30s.
The extended forecast is partly to mostly sunny through Thursday, with showers possible Friday.
Highs in the 50s and 60s...lows in the 30s and 40s. [SUPER=#555; reset] [SUPER=314-Morning Fog,/Then Mostly Sunny/62-66/Clear Skies/Winds N 5-10/35-39;]