[7-Carroll-Drugs]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Drug Bust]
After a ten month investigation, 21 people in Carroll County face drug charges.
Sheriff Warren Manning says the investigation targeted people suspected of distributing cocaine and marijuana.
County deputies, state police and the Twin County Drug Task Force began rounding up suspects yesterday.
[7-S-Bunting-Book]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-50 50:17]
[GRAPHIC=Josiah Bunting]
V-M-I Superintendent Josiah Bunting is now out of the legal hot water, as all remaining allegations against him have been cleared.
Prosecutor Gordon Saunders questioned the school's patent and copyright policies, but he concluded General Bunting did not violate the law.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/August, 1998]
Bunting got 50-thousand dollars in royalties for his book, "An Education for our Time."
Prosecutor Saunders estimates V-M-I employees spent eight to ten thousand dollars worth of time helping to type and edit the book. Saunders found V-M-I received no part of the royalties.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ss=HOLD]
The president of V-M-I's Board of Visitors says the board was "aware of General Bunting's writings and wholeheartedly approves of these endeavors."
[7-S-Beaumont]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-46 42:11]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Overcrowding and abuse allegations at Virginia's largest juvenile facility has left state lawmakers with a major question.
Should the state pay to staff and open a new juvenile prison that's already been built?
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Powhatan Co.;]
Governor Jim Gilmore seems to think there are cheaper options.
That's after his own juvenile justice board "de-certified" Beaumont last month, based on reports of abuse board members described as "chilling."
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Yesterday]
Yesterday, a spokesman for the Governor told lawmakers that it would be cheaper to move juvenile inmates into private facilities than to open the new prison in Culpeper.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 10:48:30]
[IN Q=Culpeper is ]
((RON JORDAN/DEPUTY PUBLIC SAFETY SECRETARY: CULPEPER IS AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FACILITY TO OPERATE. TO OPEN THOSE HUNDRED BEDS AT CULPEPER WILL COST YOU SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS.))
[SOT 11:22:57 ]
((LT. CHIP HARDING/JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD: SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS, IN THE ECONOMY WE'RE IN TODAY, IF WE DON'T GET IT NOW, WHEN ARE WE EVER GONNA GET IT? NO, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON IT. AND THAT'S WHY I SAY I WOULD FLEE THE COUNTRY WITH MY OWN SON BEFORE HE WOULD GO IN BEAUMONT. BECAUSE I DON'T WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THOSE CLOSED DOORS IN THE NIGHT TIME WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CHECKED EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES. THERE'S A CLIMATE OF FEAR, AND I THINK THERE'S ABUSE, AND I THINK THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE.))
[SOT 11:11:40 ]
((DEL. PHIL HAMILTON/R-NEWPORT NEWS: I'M GONNA LOOK ANXIOUSLY AT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET TOMORROW TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS HE'S MAKING TO THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Ron Jordan/Deputy Public Safety Secretary; : ]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Chip Harding/Juvenile Justice Board; :10 ]
[SUPER=01-Del. Phil Hamilton/(R) Newport News; :29 ]
[RUNS=:34]
[OUT Q=to that.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Governor is also looking at legislation that would allow some juvenile inmates to be set free early-- freeing up more bed space.
(------------)
[7-S-SB-Workers]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-41 1;32:45]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The holiday help continues for laid off Tultex workers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Boston;]
Churches and local leaders are collecting donations of food and money for more than 400 workers who lost their jobs at South Boston's Tultex plant almost two weeks ago.
Organizers say the donations will be divided equally and given to each of the displaced workers on December 22 in downtown South Boston.
So far, local businesses have pledged 10-thousand dollars.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[Take Full Screen Graphic=1010]
For information, you can call Operation Care at 8-0-4 5-7-2 1-9-4-8.
(-------------)
[7Weather]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Let's take a look now at your Friday forecast.
Mostly sunny today with light winds.
Highs reaching the mid to upper 50s.
Tonight mostly clear, with lows in the low to mid 30s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds 5-10 MPH/53-58/Mostly/Clear/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[45-E-Vistar]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-39 1:33]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The battle over eye care is heating up between Vistar and Carilion--
The Vistar Eye Doctors say Carilion broke a promise.
The doctors say the health-care giant is gouging prices for eye surgeries ... and Carilion says Vistar is distorting the facts.
As Scott Goldberg reports ... all of this comes as Vistar keeps battling to build its own, independent surgery center.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; 00]
[SUPER=01-Donald Martindale/Former Cataract Patient; 09 -- quick!]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Frank Cotter/Vistar Eye Center; 24]
[SUPER=01-Don Lorton/Carilion Vice President; 56]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]
[RUNS=1:48]
[OUT Q= news-7]
(( When Donald Martindale had a cataract removed earlier this year . the surgery at a Carilion hospital cost 23-hundred dollars.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:48:38]
[IN Q=on my income]
((DONALD MARTINDALE: ON MY INCOME, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY, QUITE FRANKLY.))
[RUNS04]
[OUT Q=QUITE FRANKLY]
His insurance and Medicare paid most of the bill . but his doctors still say the price was too high.
They're the same doctors who unsuccessfully fought Carilion in Richmond - trying to open their own independent surgery center.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:44:08]
[IN Q=if there's no]
((DR FRANK COTTER/VISTAR EYE CENTER: IF THERE'S NO COMPETITION, PRICES GO HIGH NOT JUST IN THIS BUSINESS, BUT ANY BUSINESS.))
[RUNS05]
[OUT Q=ANY BUSINESS]
Vistar doctor Frank Cotter says his group was denied, in part, because of this affidavit Carilion filed in 1998.
It promised the state health department that Carilion would lower the average fee to 950-dollars for a cataract surgery.
But Vistar says bills like Martindale's prove Carilion isn't keeping its promise.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:42:24]
[IN Q=when you make]
((COTTER: WHEN YOU MAKE A PROMISE AND DO NOT FULFILL THAT PROMISE, HOW YOU DEFINE THAT? IT'S A LIE.))
[RUNS07]
[OUT Q=IT'S A LIE]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:04:43]
[IN Q=WE'RE VERY]
((DON LORTON/CARILION VP: WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO GETTING TO A 950 AVERAGE. BUT IT SEEMS EASIER THAN IT IS. AND I GUESS THAT'S JUST SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE TO TAKE OUR WORD ON.))
[RUNS11]
[OUT Q=OUR WORD ON]
Carilion Vice President Don Lorton says the average cataract surgery has come down from more than two-thousand dollars to about 11-hundred.
But he says different people need different types of surgeries - and there's no formula for bringing down every individual's cost.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:54:10]
[IN Q=you might be]
((DON LORTON: YOU MIGHT BE THE 570-DOLLAR PATIENT. MY 80-YEAR-OLD MOTHER COULD COME IN AND HAVE IT DONE AND SHE COULD BE THE 27-HUNDRED DOLLAR PATIENT BECAUSE SHE'S A DIABETIC WITH ALL KINDS OF COMPLICATIONS.))
[RUNS12]
[OUT Q=COMPLICATIONS]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT standup]
[IN Q=]
((SCOTT GOLDBERG: CARILION SAYS IT DOESN'T MAKE MORE MONEY WHEN THE SURGERY COSTS MORE ... BECAUSE ITS REIMBURSEMENT FROM MEDICARE IS ALWAYS THE SAME.
STILL, VISTAR SAYS THIS IS FURTHER PROOF IT COULD PERFORM THESE SURGERIES FOR LESS.
AND IT'S APPEALING TO THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ... TRYING AGAIN TO WIN PERMISSION TO OPEN ITS OWN SURGERY CENTER.
SCOTT GOLDBERG, NEWS-7.))
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=sg, news-7.]))
[45-S-Wilkins]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-47 32:03]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]
There are NO plans for any more tax cuts in the Commonwealth's new budget--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
Amherst Republican Vance Wilkins is just a month away from taking over as Speaker of the House.
He says Virginia's "no car tax" plan and food tax cut should continue to be phased in-- without any new tax cuts on the table.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:41:19]
[IN Q=Well I think]
((DEL. VANCE WILKINS/R-AMHERST CO.: WELL I THINK WE OUGHT TO DIGEST THESE BEFORE WE GET TOO CARRIED AWAY WITH SOMETHING ELSE. THESE STILL HAVE A COUPLE YEARS TO GO ON THE IMPLEMENTATION.))
[SUPER=@Wilkins;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=the implementation.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Kimberly]
[SS=HOLD]
Sources in the Gilmore administration say Wilkins' comments are fine with them.
They say there are NO plans for the Governor to announce a new tax cut today in his new two year budget.
[45Weather]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Let's take a moment now to check the Friday forecast...
Mostly sunny and not as windy today with highs reaching the mid and upper 50s.
Mostly clear overnight, with lows in the lower 30s.
As for the extended outlook...increasing clouds tomorrow..with highs in the 50s...maybe some showers by Sunday or Monday.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds 5-10 MPH/53-58/Mostly/Clear/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[8-Carroll-Drugs]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Drug Bust]
A ten month investigation in Carroll County has 21 people facing drug charges.
Sheriff Warren Manning says the investigation targeted people suspected of distributing cocaine and marijuana.
County deputies, state police and the Twin County Drug Task Force began rounding up suspects yesterday.
[8-E-Verna-Lewis]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-38 1:56:11]
[GRAPHIC=Verna Lewis]
Doctor Verna Lewis returns to court today for sentencing in her false tax claims case.
Prior to today's court date, the government filed an answer to her lawyer's complaint about ONE word the prosecutor had used in her closing argument.
(--------------)
[V/O-NAT]
Karen Peters told the jury Doctor Lewis had been "hoodooing" her accountant, a comment Lewis' attorney said had racial overtones.
Prosecutor Peters says that's a "desperate, last- ditch claim of racism,.. false, frivolous, even malicious."
She says the verb to "hoodoo" means simply to fool, deceive, hoodwink or take advantage of.
Her 50 page response has eight exhibits including information on the Hoodoo Blues Band and the Hoodoo Ski Resort in Oregon.
(--------------)
[8-E-Rescue-Daycare]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-49 28:00]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
It's a problem that has plagued Amherst County for years, but now officials say they have a solution.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]
With a shortage of volunteers to handle daytime fire and rescue calls, the county is now recruiting daycare providers to help out.
Those persons would donate their time to care for the children of emergency volunteers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:37:26]
[IN Q=I've often heard]
((SHANNON DAVIS/RESCUE SQUAD VOLUNTEER: I'VE OFTEN HEARD MOTHERS SAY THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DONATE THEIR TIME AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO GET THE TRAINING TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITY BUT THEY HAVE CHILDREN. I'VE HEARD THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS UP HERE. BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD OTHER INDIVIDUALS SAY WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU, LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, AND THIS IS ONE AREA WHICH THEY CAN HELP US IF THEY'RE WILLING AND ABLE TO DO IT.))
[SUPER=01-Shannon Davis/Rescue Squad Volunteer]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=able to do it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Anyone interested in being a daycare volunteer should contact their local fire department or rescue squad.
(------------)
[8-S-Tech-Toasties]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=99-43 1:37:26]
[GRAPHIC=Hokie Fever]
Hokie fans are gobbling up school merchandise-- But now, they have a chance to put their money where their mouth is.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]
The latest company trying to make some money is marketing breakfast cereal.
Sugar-frosted corn flakes, of course, called "Hokie Toasties".
The Hokie Bird dug right in at today's ceremonies.
The cereal even inspired one man to write a song about it.
(///// SOT /////)
[NAT SOT SONG]
[RUNS=10]
[OUTQ=Nat Music]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Hokie Toasties will be on sale at Tech bookstores, Kroger and Wal Mart for starters.
The cereal is supposed to make it into campus dining halls by next spring.
(------------)
[8Weather]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Let's take one more look at the forecast this morning....
Mostly sunny today with mild highs in the mid and upper 50s this afternoon.
Skies will stay mostly clear tonight, with a low of 30 to 35.
As for the extended outlook...increasing clouds tomorrow..with highs in the 50s...maybe some showers by Sunday or Monday.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds 5-10 MPH/53-58/Mostly/Clear/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
by SS