WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 11/25/99

[7-Elliston-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=99-46 Tc24:36]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Two mobile homes were destroyed by a late night fire in the Elliston section of Montgomery County.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.]

Firefighters got the call around eleven o'clock.
They believe some sort of explosion caused the blaze near the intersection of North Fork Road and Delta Lane.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=There were 2 parallel]
[SUPER=01-Pug Wells/Elliston Fire Chief]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=started in there.]
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[VO-NAT]

Firefighters were slowed by a one lane, wooden bridge leading to the property.
The owner of the trailers was not home at the time.
Fire officials were not sure if anyone actually lived in the trailers.
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[7-E-Bus-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-41 1:02:40]
[GRAPHIC=School Bus Accident]

Three students and their bus driver remain hospitalized this morning following an accident in Bedford County yesterday morning.
(+++++++)
[Take GFX Map Full]
The bus was headed to Stewartsville Elementary School when it ran off the road and hit a tree.
Joe Dashiell has more on the accident that sent more than a dozen people to the hospital.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It was]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.; :05]
[SUPER=01-Janet Oakes/School Volunteer; :13]
[SUPER=01-Cindy McCoy/Witness; :30]
[SUPER=@Joe2; :52]
[RUNS=1:00]
[OUT Q=JD News 7]

((It was a serious accident, that provided some scary moments for students, their parents and the Stewartsville community.
Bus Number eight was headed down a hill... when it left the road and hit the tree.
[SOT JANET OAKES LAWRENCE'S TAPE 01:46:29]
[IN Q=And we were going down]
[RUNS= :06]
[OUT Q=steering wheel.]

Neighbors who heard the impact came running, and helped the children open the emergency exit and escape.
Emergency crews were there quickly tending to bumps, bruises and broken bones.
Thirteen people made the trip to Roanoke hospitals.
[SOT 11:19:59 CINDY MCCOY STEVE'S TAPE ]
[IN Q=But thank the Lord]
[RUNS= :11]
[OUT Q=gone down a steep embankment.]

The driver, Ferris Booth, apparently blacked out at the wheel. He'll face a charge of reckless driving.
A newspaper carrier and a veteran bus driver who enjoys a close relationship with the students on his route, Booth was listed in stable condition following surgery.
Joe Dashiell News 7))

[7-E-Cabin-Lake]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-50 35:49]
[GRAPHIC=Lawsuit]

They lost everything to fire two years ago in Danville- Now attorneys for 122 people say they expect to withdraw their lawsuit next month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/November 1997;]

250 people lost their homes in the fire at Cabin Lake Apartments.
122 of them signed on to sue the management company and owner's association for 12-million dollars.
An attorney for the tenants says plans to withdraw the lawsuit on December first should not be interpreted as negative or meaning there won't be a resolution to the case.
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[Anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=HOLD]

The plaintiff's attorney won't comment on the possibility of settling, but says she hopes all sides will come out satisfied.

[7Weather]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Here now is a look at your Thanksgiving day forecast...
Cloudy today with possible showers.
Highs in the low 60s.
Tonight remains cloudy with showers likely.
Low temperatures in the low 50s.

[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Showers Possible/60-64/Cloudy/Showers Likely/50-54;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[45-E-581-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-43 1:05:15]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

A tractor-trailer driver faces reckless driving charges this morning.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

State police say he was changing lanes on 5-81 South when he forced a car into a guardrail.
Police then say William Lee Pickeral (PICK-er-ull) tried to pull his big rig in the opposite direction, but ended up sending the semi careening across the Northbound lanes and over an embankment, just South of the Valley View exit.

The three occupants of the car were all taken to the hospital-- they were treated and released.
Traffic was backed up for nearly two hours.
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[45-E-Henry-Sewage]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-44]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A new task force has been formed to probe whether privately-owned sewage and water treatment plants in Henry County are doing their best to make water safe.
The task force was created by the departments of health and environmental quality.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co./September;]

The move comes in response to the failed operations of a private sewage treatment plant two months ago.
The owner of the Fairway Acres plant was charged with endangering residents' health and the environment.
The task force will probe the effectiveness of about 20 other sewage systems in the county.
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[45-E-Loyalty-Oath]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-40 1:48:14]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Republicans]

Virginians who want to help pick a Republican candidate for President have a different set of guildelines to follow.
Yesterday, the State Board of Elections adopted an oath for primary voters.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]

They must swear they "do not intend to participate in the nominating process of any other party other than the Republican party."
The new oath is a less stringent version of what the board had previously adopted.
(------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]

THAT oath required voters in the February 29th primary to swear they'd vote Republican in November.
The Governor says the oath is intended to discourage Democrats and independents from "creating mischief" with the Republican nominating process.

[45-E-Russian-Orphans]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-42 1:14:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Last Thanksgiving there were four members of the Robbins family gathered at the dinner table, this year there are eleven.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.;]

Three months ago Brian and Anita adopted seven Russian orphans.
The children spent two years in a Russian orphanage after their mother died of cancer.
They were set to be split up until the couple and their two biological sons decided to make them part of the family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:14:00 - :18]
[IN Q=Sometimes I just sit and]
((ANITA ROBBINS: SOMETIMES I JUST SIT AND CRY JUST WATCHING THEM... JUST THE FUN THAT THEY HAVE. AND JUST LOOKING BACK AT PICTURES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE THERE AND KNOWING WHAT THEIR LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THERE.))
[SUPER=07-Anita Robbins; ]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=would have been like there.]
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[VO-NAT]

That's not to say that there haven't been some growing pains for the family.
It takes 70 pancakes to feed the whole family at breakfast.
AND the Robbins are turning their two-bedroom house into a five-bedroom house.
(------------)

[45Weather]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Let's take a look at your holiday forecast.
Expect a cloudy day with possible rain showers.
High temperatures should reach the lower 60s.
Tonight will be cloudy and rainy, with low temperatures in the low 50s.

[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Showers Possible/60-64/Cloudy/Showers Likely/50-54;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]

[8-E-Russian-Orphans]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-42 1:14:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and counting blessings...and a Pittsylvania County couple is doing just that.
This year they have seven new reasons to be grateful.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.;]

That's how many Russian orphans Brian and Anita Robbins adopted nearly three months ago.
The kids spent two years in a Russian orphanage after their mother died of cancer.
They were going to be split up until the couple and their two biological sons decided to make them part of the family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:14:00 - :18]
[IN Q=Sometimes I just sit and]
((ANITA ROBBINS: SOMETIMES I JUST SIT AND CRY JUST WATCHING THEM... JUST THE FUN THAT THEY HAVE. AND JUST LOOKING BACK AT PICTURES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE THERE AND KNOWING WHAT THEIR LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THERE.))
[SUPER=07-Anita Robbins; ]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=would have been like there.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

That's not to say that there haven't been some growing pains for the family.
It takes 70 pancakes to feed the whole family at breakfast.
AND the Robbins are turning their two-bedroom house into a five-bedroom house.
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