[7E-Warner-Chairman]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=vga]
[TAPE#=98-74 19:11]
[GRAPHIC=John Warner]
The Senate Armed Services Committee has a new chairman.
Virginia's John Warner was elected yesterday- he's the first Virginian to chair a major committee in over forty years.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]
A former Marine and Secretary of the Navy, Warner has been a MEMBER of the Committee for two decades.
He previously served as the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee from 1987 to 1993.
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/April]
Senator Warner will be the first Virginian elected to head one of the four major United States Senate Committees since Harry Byrd Senior did it in the 19-50s.
(------------)
[7E-Legislative-Pay]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-68 1:11:49]
[GRAPHIC=State Capitol]
A much bigger paycheck could be in the future for Virginia's state legislators.
That's if they have the political courage
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
to adopt the recommendations of a citizen advisory panel.
The panel -- headed up by former Governors Holton and Baliles -- says lawmakers' annual salary should go from 18-thousand to 26-thousand dollars- a forty-four percent increase.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:52:34]
[IN Q=It's non-partisan.]
((WILLIAM WOOD/INST. FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP: IT'S NON-PARTISAN. WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT STAKE IN THE POLITICS OF THE MATTER. SO I THINK CONCEPT IN VIRGINIA IS TO HAVE A CITIZEN LEGISLATURE. AND THIS IS REALLY THE CITIZENS GETTING TOGETHER TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE LEGISLATURE.))
[SUPER=01-William Wood/Inst. for Political Leadership;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=the legislature.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file;]
The panel also recommends increasing the daily pay for out-of-session meetings, and the lawmaker's office expense budgets.
Their most recent pay raises are currently being challenged in court because of the manner in which they were adopted.
(------0----------)
[7Kroger]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=98-70 1:16:12]
[GRAPHIC=Kroger]
Kroger is changing it's focus, and so the company is selling it's Roanoke County distribution center.
The center will continue to serve over a hundred Kroger stores, but will be operated by companies from New Jersey and Iowa.
Eric Earnhart has the worker's reactions.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The distribution center.]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jimmy Campbell/Kroger Employee; :10]
[SUPER=01-Tim Thomas/Kroger Employee; :29]
[SUPER=01-Brian Calloway/Kroger Employee; :38]
[SUPER=01-Scott Perkins/Kroger Employee; :54]
[SUPER=@Eric1;]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=EE, News 7]
((The distribution center's future owners met with employees before the sale was announced publically...
Jimmy Campbell didn't attend, and is taking the sale in stride.
[SOT 06:50:31]
[IN Q=aint nothing]
((JIMMY CAMPBELL/KROGER EMPLOYEE; AIN'T NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT... BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.
DO YOU THINK YOUR JOB'S IN JEOPARDY?
I DON'T KNOW ITS HARD TO SAY.))
[RUNS13]
[OUT Q=hard to say]
Hard to say because because employees don't know what KIND of jobs they'll have when the transition is complete.
[SOT 06:54:38 ]
[IN Q=they told us]
(( TIM THOMAS/KROGER EMPLOYEE; THEY TOLD US THEY WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING, OUR WAGES, OUR BENIFITS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT))
[RUNS08]
[OUT Q=anything like that]
[SOT 06:52:15]
[IN Q=right now they]
(( BRIAN CALLOWAY/KROGER EMPLOYEE; RIGHT NOW THEY AINT GOING TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH, I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ALONG WITH THEM, LIKE HE SAID, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK ALONG WITH THEM AND KEEP OUR JOBS AND EVERYTHING.))
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=and everything]
Most of the workers are members of the Teamsters union, and are hoping that helps them keep the salaries and benifits they have.
[SOT 06:59:56]
[IN Q=the teamsters]
(( SCOTT PERKINS/KROGER EMPLOYEE; THE TEAMSTERS ARE STRONG, AND THEY JUST HAVE TO STAY STRONG TO KEEP IT, THAT'S ALL I REALLY KNOW.))
[RUNS07]
[OUT Q=I really know]
[STANDUP]
WORKERS SAY THE FUTURE OWNERS AND MANAGERS SAY THEY'LL SEND INFORMATION ABOUT SALARIES AND BENIFITS TO THE UNION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN THEY'LL HAVE A UNION MEETING WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS WORK OUT.
IN ROANOKE COUNTY, ERIC EARNHART, NEWS 7.))
[7WEATHER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Taking a look now at your Thursday forecast..
More records could fall today, as temperatures climb into the mid-70s under mostly sunny skies.
Slightly breezy and cloudy overnight, with lows in the low- to mid-40s.
The extended forecast...
[CK/WX PRO=]
MAPS
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/70-75/Partly Cloudy/Light SE Winds/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[7BIRTHDAYS!] 12/4/98
Friday:
[SUPER=130-8/Chelsie Kenley/Christiansburg]
[SUPER=130-10/Mason Poff/Copper Hill]
[SUPER=130-9/Olivia Camden/Buena Vista]
[SUPER=130-7/Desiree' Brenner/Covington]
[SUPER=130-18/Deana Wray/Boones Mill]
[SUPER=130-40/Debbie Lawless/Roanoke][cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][45Thomas]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#None]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
In Carroll County, a jury has found an woman guilty in the death of her husband.
The panel deliberated for close to an hour yesterday before finding Jessica Thomas guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
18- year old Jeffrey Thomas died after he was stabbed in the leg in May of 1997.
Commonwealth's attorney Greg Goad says Thomas will be sentenced in February.
[45E-L'burg-Schools]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-64 1:26:37]
[GRAPHIC=Lynchburg City Seal]
State educators will be in Lynchburg next week to look into allegations that black students and teachers are not treated fairly within the city's school system.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
A minority citizens committee claims black students are more likely to be suspended and not enough black teachers are being hired or promoted.
They've been pressuring school administrators for answers to these concerns.
A Department of Education review team will spend two days next week meeting with parents, teachers and students to discuss the problem.
(----------------)
[45Lake-Release]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Smith Mt. Lake]
Drought- like conditions are forcing A-E-P to try and reduce the flow through the dam at Smith Mountain Lake.
Right now the lake is slowly draining.
Just 250 cubic feet of water is entering the lake every second, but the utility's federal permit requires the release of 650 cubic feet of water per second.
That's to protect industries and people downstream.
The company wants an emergency variance to release 450 cubic feet per second.
Talks with federal and state officials and environmentalists are under way.
[45E-Blackhawks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-72 57:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
It's been three years since they took to the skies over Virginia to fight a fire battle.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henrico Co.]
This morning Virginia Army National Guard Blackhawk crews are on standby.
That means they can be at a forest fire anywhere in the state in two hours.
Governor Gilmore ordered the state of emergency because of the extreme fire danger.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:32:45]
[IN Q=What we'll]
((MAJ. PAUL SMITH/VIRGINIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: WHAT WE'LL BE USING TODAY IS A 650.. OR AS A PINPOINT BOMBARDMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Maj. Paul Smith/Virginia Army National Guard;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=pinpoint bombardment.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Sullivan Co., TN;]
Forest fires in Tennessee and Kentucky, but close to Virginia's borders, make extreme drought conditions dangerous throughout Virginia.
(-------0---------)
[45E-Coke-Bottles]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=98-62 1:42:11]
[GRAPHIC=Coke Bottle]
A 68- year tradition is coming to an end at Roanoke's famous Texas Tavern.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
The restaurant has been in business since 1930, and the owners estimate they've served up more than three and half million bottles of coke during that time.
But Coca Cola has told the Texas Tavern that once the current supply is exhausted, the six and a half ounce returnable bottles won't be available any more.
(//////////////////)
[SOT 03:35:53]
[IN Q=I think it has been a long time coming ]
((MATT BULLINGTON/TEXAS TAVERN: I THINK IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THAT TIME COME. WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT PRODUCT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.))
[SUPER=01-Matt Bullington/Texas Tavern]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=to our customers.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The salespeople at Grand Home Furnishings have been handing cokes to customers since 1953.
They switched to the non-returnable eight ounce bottle a year ago.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
The Texas Tavern will continue to serve Coca Cola from the soda fountain, but for now the restaurant is NOT planning to stock the non-returnable eight ounce replacement.
[45WEATHER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Turning to the forecast--
Mostly sunny skies today, with near record high temperatures in the low to mid 70s.
Turning partly cloudy tonight, with lows in the low to mid 40s.
In the extended outlook...expect partly to mostly sunny skies through the weekend.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/70-75/Partly Cloudy/Light SE Winds/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][8E-Legislative-Pay]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-68 1:11:49]
[GRAPHIC=State Capitol]
State legislators could fatten their wallets by 44- percent...
That's if they have the political courage
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
to adopt the recommendations of a citizen advisory panel.
The panel -- headed up by former Governors Holton and Baliles -- says lawmakers' annual salary should go from 18-thousand to 26-thousand dollars- a forty-four percent increase.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:52:34]
[IN Q=It's non-partisan.]
((WILLIAM WOOD/INST. FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP: IT'S NON-PARTISAN. WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT STAKE IN THE POLITICS OF THE MATTER. SO I THINK CONCEPT IN VIRGINIA IS TO HAVE A CITIZEN LEGISLATURE. AND THIS IS REALLY THE CITIZENS GETTING TOGETHER TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE LEGISLATURE.))
[SUPER=01-William Wood/Inst. for Political Leadership;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=the legislature.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file;]
The panel also recommends increasing the daily pay for out-of-session meetings, and the lawmaker's office expense budgets.
Their most recent pay raises are currently being challenged in court because of the manner in which they were adopted.
(------0----------)
[8E-Warner-Chairman]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=vga]
[TAPE#=98-74 19:11]
[GRAPHIC=John Warner]
It's been more than four decades since a Virginian chaired a major Senate Committee.
Yesterday, Senator John Warner was elected as head of the Armed Services Committee.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]
A former Marine and Secretary of the Navy, Warner has been a MEMBER of the Committee for two decades.
He served as the Ranking Minority Member from 1987 to 1993.
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/April]
Senator Warner is the first Virginian elected to head one of the four major U-S Senate Committees since Harry Byrd Senior did it in the 19-50s.
(------------)
[8E-Alleghany-Grant]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-69 1:15:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Alleghany Foundation is handing over a 300- thousand- dollar grant for recreational facilities in the Highlands.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Clifton Forge;]
The group is paying to put up new lights at Clifton Forge's memorial field.
[SUPER=03-Covington;]
It's also helping to build a new sports complex near two ball fields in Covington.
The foundation gives grants to various projects twice a year to improve the quality of life in the Highlands.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 8:00:33]
[IN Q=it is]
((SNYDER: IT IS TOUGH TO CHOOSE. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS. YOU CAN'T PICK THEM ALL. WE TRY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Snyder/Alleghany Foundation President;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=our ability]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The foundation is funded with the assets of Alleghany Regional Hospital, which was sold in 19-95.
(------------)
[8E-Tech-Game]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#98-63 1:59:33]
[GRAPHIC=Tech Football]
Virginia Tech football fans are hoping the Hokies make beautiful music on the gridiron later this month at the Music City Bowl.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Tickets to the Nashville game went on sale yesterday morning at the Tech ticket office.
So far, half of the university's 12- thousand tickets have been sold.
About a dozen Hokie fans were waiting in line when the doors opened.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I was ]
((NORMAN HALL/HOKIE FAN:I WAS HOPING TO BE GOING TO THIS ONE BECAUSE OF IT'S CLOSE AND NOT TOO FAR TO TRAVEL AND I LIKE NASHVILLE.
BILL STADER/HOKIE FAN:I DROVE UP FROM ROANOKE THIS MORNING, I KEPT TRYING ON THE PHONE LINE AND IT KEPT BEING BUSY SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE UP AND GET TICKETS THAT WAY.))
[SUPER=01-Norman Hall/Hokie Fan; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill Stader/Hokie Fan; :07]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=that way.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
The tickets are 35- dollars each.
Tech officials say if interest continues they may order more tickets.
(----------------)
[8E-Tree-Lighting]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#net h]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas]
Despite the warm weather, the Christmas season has officially begun in Virginia--
A ceremony yesterday evening at the
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
State Capitol featured songs from the Richmond Boys Choir, and handbells from a local church.
Governor Gilmore and First Lady Roxane took a surrey to the Capitol to do the honors.
With the flick of a switch, the 19-98 Commonwealth Christmas Tree was lighted by the Governor.
(----------------)
[8WEATHER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Checking your Thursday weather outlook now--
Mostly sunny and very warm again today...we could set record highs, with temperatures warming into the 70s.
Partly cloudy and cool tonight, with lows of 40 to 45.
The four day forecast stays dry...with temperatures also staying unseasonably warm.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Near Record Heat/70-75/Partly Cloudy/Light SE Winds/40-45;]
by SS