Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 22, 1995 TAG: 9505230045
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS AND DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bell said at a news conference at the Virginia Museum of Transportation last week that he was excited that a recent state-sponsored study of the proposed service had concluded it would be economically feasible.
Bell said he would be talking with Gov. George Allen's staff and other legislators about his support for the passenger service. He supported the study when Sen. William Wampler Jr., R-Bristol, introduced legislation to pay for it in the 1993 General Assembly session, he said.
The passenger service would enhance business travel into and out of Roanoke as well as help attract tourists to the city from the Washington area, he said.
The study, prepared by a Fairfax consulting firm, found that passenger service could start breaking even within six or seven years. Bell said he wouldn't want the service subsidized by the state and said the amount of time the legislature would be willing to give it to find its economic legs would have to be worked out.
Norfolk Southern Corp.'s reluctance to allow passenger service on its tracks because of the potential conflict with freight traffic is also something that will have to be worked out, Bell said.
\ Botetourt GOP denounces Warner
Botetourt County Republicans have denounced their party's U.S. senator as a "traitor" and vowed to withhold support from John Warner because he worked against GOP Senate candidate Oliver North last year.
By a 2-1 vote of the 50 party activists at last week's mass meeting, the Botetourt County GOP adopted a resolution that officially "denounces" Warner.
Party Chairman Paul Graybill was chagrined that the resolution became public when a copy was anonymously sent to the newspaper.
"It was passed," Graybill confirmed, but added that "it's more of a thing to let John Warner know how the people are feeling than to let the public know." He stressed that neither he nor the party's governing committee authorized the resolution's release.
The resolution says Warner "betrayed" the party by recruiting an independent candidate to oppose Oliver North in the 1994 Senate race, a move which "showed contempt for the intelligence and character of the Republicans who selected, supported and worked for the election of their candidate."
As a result, the Botetourt Republicans vowed that "John Warner shall receive neither aid nor support from the Republican Party of Botetourt County."
Republicans pick Roanoke Valley
The Republicans are coming - in 1996.
The Virginia Republican Party has decided to hold its state convention in the Roanoke Valley next year. Hotel Roanoke will be the party's "headquarters hotel," while the convention will be at the Salem Civic Center.
About 3,000 delegates are expected for the May 31-June 2 convention. The main order of business will be to elect a party chairman and select delegates to the national convention.
Trixie Averill, a Republican House of Delegates candidate from Roanoke County and a member of the party's state central committee, said the reopening of Hotel Roanoke was a factor in the party's return to the Roanoke Valley.
"I think that'll be a big draw for the convention," she said.
Young Republicans back Buchanan
If it were up to Virginia's Young Republicans, the party's nominee for president next year would be commentator Pat Buchanan.
At the Young Republicans' recent state convention in Manassas, a straw poll of the 329 delegates showed 58 percent backed Buchanan. Bob Dole came in second with 11 percent; Phil Gramm was third, at just a shade under 11 percent.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB