Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 25, 1993 TAG: 9309250054
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The university's Young Republicans club had other ideas, however, and stood outside Heth Hall handing out campaign literature blasting Beyer as a "big spending, big debt" Democrat.
Beyer's opponent in the November election is conservative Republican Mike Farris.
The small demonstration provided Beyer, chairman of the bridge group aimed at linking the economies of Northern Virginia and Southwest Virginia, plenty of material for his opening comments.
"If Virginia is going to grow, we have to be a player in all markets," he said. "I see you are already bringing in people all over the world - even the Young Republicans."
The Bridge Initiative held its board meeting at Radford because this spring the university became the 12th partner in the group, joining nine other colleges, the Center for Innovative Technology and Appalachian Power Co.
Meredith Strohm, provost of Radford's new College of Global Studies, is the school's liaison to the board. Beverly Fitzpatrick, executive director of the New Century Business Council for Roanoke and the New River Valley, is vice chairman of the bridge group.
Beyer talked briefly about the Bridge Initiative and its efforts to bring together business in Northern and Southwest Virginia.
Here are a few of the accomplishments of the group, which was created in 1989:
Lebanon Apparel in Russell County signed a two-year $3.2 million contract with Mobil Oil Corp., in partnership with Crest Uniform of New York, to make uniforms for the oil company.
C&P Telephone opened directory assistance offices in Norton and Pulaski.
The engineering, architectural and planning firm of Dewberry & Davis opened an office in Roanoke.
Beyer also talked about the Virginia Procurement Pipeline, an extensive database that provides buyers and sellers products and services around the state.
"We want to help Virginia companies buy Virginia," he said.
The Bridge Initiative also supports the Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium, created to address educational disparity by linking 11 Southwest Virginia School districts with Northern Virginia's Thomas Jefferson High School.
After finishing his speech, Beyer drew another laugh from the audience when he introduced Gary Weddle, president of the New River Valley Economic Alliance.
"Gary is here to show me there is life after politics," Beyer said, referring to Weddle's unsuccessful run for Congress last fall on the Republican ticket.
"Boy, it sure is nice to be introduced by a Democrat," he said. "I hope you went through the gauntlet out front OK. I can honestly say I had nothing to do with that."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB