ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 23, 1996 TAG: 9602230033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
Bob Abraham, former owner of Christiansburg Printing, and Rocco Capozzi, a contractor whose wife and son ran for elected office two years ago, are the first of at least seven new candidates for Town Council to announce they are running.
Abraham has submitted about 175 names on his candidacy petition, more than the 125 that are required for people who are not nominated by a political party. Capozzi said he has turned in 150 names.
Town elections are nonpartisan by state law, though local parties can endorse candidates.
The election will be held in May, and three of the council's six seats are on the ballot.
Wayne Booth and Scott Weaver are both running for re-election. But four-term member Truman Daniel is retiring, meaning there will be at least one new face on council.
Abraham, who said he has been thinking of running for about a year, was busy Thursday preparing campaign materials. A flier he will distribute says he wants to "promote active involvement of all the citizens of Christiansburg" in town government and he wants to create a communication "pipeline" including a town newsletter.
Abraham, 67, said he wants "people in our town to know ahead of time when things are going to happen so they can have a voice when things do happen."
Abraham is a former Kiwanis Club president and vice president of the Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. In his spare time, he's an award-winning underwater photographer. He said he wants a swimming pool included sooner in plans for the town's recreation center, slated for the Lowe's building on South Franklin Street. Plans call for a pool to be constructed up to 10 years after the recreation center is completed.
Capozzi, 59, is a contractor and former manager at Corning and ITT.
His wife, Barbara, owns the Evergreen Bed and Breakfast in Christiansburg. She lost a bid for mayor in 1994, and his son, Ben, lost in a bid for council.
Rocco Capozzi has not yet formulated positions or statements, but he said he wants council to show "more attentiveness to what the people are saying." He said he thought of running when his son lost in 1994.
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB