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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 18, 1995                   TAG: 9505180053
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN VIRGINIA

AXTON - Two largely black Baptist conventions in Virginia are discussing a merger to form a convention with close to 1,500 churches.

Edward T. Burton, a Roanoke minister who is president of the Virginia Baptist State Convention, called for unity during his group's annual session Tuesday.

``There's no reason in the world for us to have two conventions in our state,'' Burton said.

A committee will talk with the Baptist General Convention of Virginia and report back with recommendations.

H.G. McGhee, a Chatham pastor who heads the general convention, told the gathering he supports a merger.

``I don't believe there is room in the heart of God for any of his children to be divided,'' McGhee said to shouts of ``Amen!''

- Associated Press

Tot hurt with father; mother charged

MANASSAS - A mother is charged with a felony because she failed to protect her young son from his father, prosecutors said.

Donna Parsons, 23, is accused of letting her son, 2, have unsupervised visits with his father in violation of a court order. During a Feb. 22 visit with Wayne Parsons, the child suffered a broken leg and inner-ear injuries, said Prince William County police spokeswoman Kim Chinn.

A grand jury will determine whether to indict Donna Parsons on a charge of cruelty and injuries to a child. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison.

Wayne Parsons is charged with felony child abuse. He is being held in Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. Donna Parsons is free in lieu of $10,000 bond.

- Associated Press

Custodian accused of peeping at girls

MANASSAS - A high-school custodian spied on female students undressing in the locker room, police said.

Prince William County police charged James Harrison Burdick, 23, with three counts of disorderly conduct after a teacher allegedly caught him looking through vents in a storage closet at Woodbridge Senior High School.

Police said Burdick had spied on students since December. Students expressed outrage that school officials didn't tell them of the charges.

``I shouldn't have to find out from a reporter,'' said sophomore Candy Bushlow.

Burdick was released Tuesday on $2,500 bond.

- Associated Press

Williamsburg OKs deal with `Wheel'

WILLIAMSBURG - Colonial Williamsburg for the first time has accepted free publicity through deals with American Express and the ``Wheel of Fortune'' television game show, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation said.

The foundation, operating as a nonprofit living-history museum, traditionally has refused requests from profit-making companies to film commercials in the historic area or to use the Colonial Williamsburg name in promotions, said Robert C. Wilburn, foundation president. But now the foundation is accepting some free publicity offers as long as the results don't make it look too commercial, Wilburn said Tuesday.

- Associated Press