Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 31, 1995 TAG: 9507310102
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY, KIMBERLY N. MARTIN AND RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Averill, who's challenging House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, said she didn't mind accepting a contribution that large, because the Vias are private citizens, not "special interests" who lobby the legislature.
Falkinburg took aim at the source of the money received by his opponent, Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
"If my opponent wants to make an issue regarding any of my contributors," Falkinburg said, "I say let him explain to his constituents why seven out of every 10 dollars he has raised has come from outside the Roanoke region, much of it from Richmond special-interest lobbying [political action committees]. Let him also explain why he has taken $3,000 in contributions from out-of-state interests who represent the fireworks industry and who have an interest in legislation before the Virginia General Assembly."
The Democrats were quick to defend themselves - and counterattack.
Many of those Richmond-based PACs that Falkinburg is calling "special interests" represent Roanoke Valley businesses or groups, Woodrum said.
Woodrum also didn't want to let the Republicans get away with saying the Vias didn't have any "special interests."
"I know they've had strong ties to certain interest groups," he said.
Woodrum wouldn't say which ones. However, in 1993, Edward and Peter Via each donated $25,000 to the Commonwealth Sportsmen's Alliance, a Richmond-based group that organized hunters and anglers on behalf of George Allen's campaign for governor. The $50,000 the Vias contributed accounted for virtually all of the group's money.
\ A message for Artis?
House of Delegates candidate Jeff Artis was roused from sleep early one Sunday morning recently by police.
They had disturbing news. Someone had broken a window in Artis' stereo-less Chevy, which was parked in front of his Southeast Roanoke home.
"We didn't even hear it," Artis said. "The police called us at 4:30 in the morning."
Nothing was stolen from the car. Artis is confident it wasn't possessions the vandal was after.
"There were much nicer cars on the street. I'm about 90 percent certain it was to send me a message," Artis said. "I've had death threats since I was thinking about doing this, and another one after I officially announced. ... I expected things like that."
Artis is the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat Victor Thomas for the House of Delegates seat that covers Southeast Roanoke, Northeast Roanoke, part of Northwest Roanoke and the Peters Creek Road section of Roanoke County.
Artis is a former in-school suspension teacher at Patrick Henry High School and is the publisher of the Black Conservative Newsletter.
Police have not caught the person who broke into his car.
Goode promoted, hopes for another
Bedford County sheriff's candidate Vernon Goode is sporting some new jewelry on his lapels - gold captain's bars.
Goode, who ran the county jail annex in Moneta for several years, recently was promoted from lieutenant to captain. That puts him in the second-in-command position at the Sheriff's Office. He now handles security in the Circuit Court - a job that once belonged to former Capt. Ronnie Laughlin, who retired in June.
Lt. C.A. Dellinger took over Goode's job managing the jail.
Retiring Sheriff Carl Wells has endorsed Goode's campaign. Five other candidates are running: Mike Brown, an international security specialist who's running as a Republican; Sgt. Dave Cooper of the Sheriff's Office; Doug Maynard, an investigator in the Bedford and Roanoke public defender's offices; Sheriff's Deputy Chuck Reid; and Darryl Updike, a Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer with the Bedford Police Department.
Staff writer Robert Little also contributed to this report.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB