Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210036
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY AND BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Democratic state Senate nominee also criticized his Republican opponent for failing to introduce similar legislation in the General Assembly this year.
"The Roanoke Valley needs a higher education center to compete in the 21st century," Edwards said at a news conference outside the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, across from the vacant Norfolk and Western General Office Building North.
"Those communities that have prospered well in recent years have had close ties to higher education institutions. Linking education and industry is increasingly critical to economic development," Edwards said.
The idea builds upon a piece of legislation introduced in the House of Delegates this year by Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke. It would have provided more than $400,000 in program and planning money to turn the old building into a satellite education center for Virginia Western Community College.
Edwards said he wants to go a step further with the old building, combining Virginia Western programs with graduate and undergraduate classes offered by the University of Virginia, Radford University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.
He said the Roanoke Valley Graduate Center on Church Avenue is running out of room and that Norfolk Southern Corp., the owner of the building on North Jefferson Street, is interested in donating it to the city.
"This is something that should have passed last winter," Edwards said. "But [Bell] did not sponsor a companion bill in the Senate. I think if he had, it would have had a lot better chance to pass."
Bell responded that the idea isn't new and that he has backed it for months. Bell added that he'd recently arranged a meeting on the subject between top Allen administration officials and city leaders. That meeting is to be held in August.
"I've been a supporter from the beginning, and I welcome Mr. Edwards getting on board with it," Bell said.
He said he didn't introduce a companion Senate bill to Woodrum's measure because the delegate never asked him to. Woodrum's bill died in the House.
Next time, check the clippings ...
BLACKSBURG - Hokies have long memories. But maybe not quite perfect ones.
Republican state Senate challenger Pat Cupp raised an issue this week against Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, that on its face would appear to be old news: Then-Gov. Gerald Baliles' criticism of Virginia Tech's board of visitors at the June 1987 Tech graduation ceremony.
Baliles took the university and its board to task for allowing athletics to run amok. He told the board to renew the university's emphasis on academics. The speech came after months of turmoil including a probe of alleged wrongdoing in the Tech basketball program, the resignation of the athletic director, a legal fight with a former football coach and a controversial land swap with ties to Tech athletic boosters.
The graduates listening in Lane Stadium applauded vigorously, according to an account in this newspaper. But many stung Tech supporters felt the remarks were out of place.
At a campaign fund-raising lunch Wednesday in Blacksburg, Cupp said Marye did nothing when Baliles "berated Virginia Tech and attacked our university with cheap shots and unfair characterizations."
For Tech booster Cupp, the speech may have occurred eight years ago, but it might as well been yesterday.
"It's not over with when somebody attacks your university," Cupp said. Graduation "was no place for it. I thought it was out of place. I didn't hear the senator say a word."
Perhaps Cupp didn't pick up the June 16, 1987, Roanoke Times & World-News.
It carried an article quoting Marye and other Virginia politicos reacting to the speech.
"I guess the governor had quite a bit of pressure on him" to exert leadership over a pileup of problems at Tech, Marye said then. "But I think there might have been a more appropriate place to have made that statement."
Howdy, pardner!
ELLISTON - If Virginia Republicans end up kicking some Democratic keister this fall, the marks left behind might be in the shape of pointy-toed cowboy boots.
At least one might think so after watching Wednesday's Republican fund-raising event in Blacksburg.
House of Delegates candidate Larry Linkous and Gov. George Allen looked like the bootsie twins: Both sported stylin' cowboy footwear. The nonsensible shoe approach has been one of the governor's trademarks.
In fact, the governor remarked on it later in the afternoon while giving a check to Montgomery County officials. He joked about not wanting to hand an economic development check to Linkous at a time when the House candidate is trying to bulk up his campaign fund.
"Larry, I just wanted to pull your leg a little," Allen said. "Since you're wearing boots, I know you can take it."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB