Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 27, 1994                   TAG: 9408300021
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SCHOOL BOARD RACES SET

The newest contenders are Richard Cullinan, who works for an insurance company, and Wayne Newman, general manager of a moving van company.

In a field of four hopefuls in Windsor Hills, they will compete with Tom Leggette, a lawyer, and Lisa Merrill, a motivational lecturer and former schoolteacher.

Friday was the deadline for candidates to file for the November election.

Jerry Canada, the Hollins district member, will have no opposition because no challenger filed before the 5 p.m. deadline. Canada, vice chairman of the board, is the only incumbent who is seeking a new term. He works for the Department of Motor Vehicles.

In the Vinton district, the candidates are Evelyn Ball, a Parent-Teacher Association leader who works for an insurance company; Michael Stovall, an investigator for the Vinton Police Department; and Robert Rouse, a Realtor.

Incumbents Barbara "Bootie" Chewning in Vinton and Charlsie Pafford in Windsor Hills are not running. Both have been on the board 12 years, but chose not to participate in the first board election.

In the past, School Board members have been appointed by a selection commission that was appointed by Roanoke County Circuit Court judges.

Newman said he is running because he wants to make sure that the quality of county schools remains high and that they serve the students' needs.

"I want to make sure that the children and parents are getting everything out of school that they can," he said.

Newman, 41, attended county schools and graduated from Cave Spring High School. He is married and has two children, including one who attends county schools.

Cullinan could not be reached Friday to provide more background information.

All the candidates are running as independents because state law governing school board elections discourages a partisan approach. There is no provision for political parties to nominate candidates.

Instead, candidates get on the ballot by filing a petition containing the signatures of 125 registered voters.

Leggette is the only candidate who has raised the partisanship issue. He has the support of the chairmen of both the Democratic and Republican parties in the county.

The seats of Chairman Frank Thomas of the Catawba District and Maurice "Buck" Mitchell of Cave Spring will be up for election in November 1995.