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

DATE: MONDAY, October 16, 1995                   TAG: 9510160068
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A FESTIVE CROWD

The contest between House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell and Republican challenger Trixie Averill is certainly the most festive campaign in the region - judging, at least, by the way supporters of each side keep volunteering their talents.

First, an Averill supporter painted "Dump Dickie Cranwell" on his dump truck, and has been parking it at strategic locations around Cranwell's district, which runs from western Bedford County to Craig County.

A Cranwell supporter has responded by adding a political message of his own to his pickup truck.

L.J. Wirt, a retired General Electric worker from Goodview, took bright yellow electrical tape to spell out an anti-Averill, anti-Gov. George Allen message. The most prominent part of the impromptu sign proclaims "No Charter Schools" - a reference to Allen's proposal to allow private groups to contract with local school boards to operate publicly funded schools outside the control of most school regulations.

"If they can't fix the schools we have, don't start any more," Wirt said. His truck made its debut Saturday at a Cranwell rally in downtown Vinton. The appearance delighted Cranwell, who shouted: "This is our answer to the dump truck."

That wasn't the only help Cranwell received. Chris Keaton, a former Vintonite who's now a music producer and publisher in Nashville, took to the stage to sing a country song he wrote: "We're Proud to Live in Cranwell Country."

Among the more pertinent verses - or pungent, depending on one's viewpoint:

``King George, Miss Trixie and their cronies

are filling the airwaves with baloney

They'd have us believe

Cranwell's out to leave

We say `Why fix it, it ain't broke?'

"We're proud to live in Cranwell country

There's lots of worse-off places we could be

To our favorite Vintonite,

Please keep fighting the good fight

We're proud to live in Cranwell country.''

Where to listen up

Just over three weeks remain before Election Day 1995. Want to hear the candidates? Here are some opportunities this week:

PULASKI: Tonight, 7 p.m., Pulaski Middle School. Candidates for Pulaski County School Board are scheduled to appear.

BEDFORD: Tuesday, 7 p.m., Bedford Middle School. Candidates for Bedford County sheriff and commonwealth's attorney, plus state Senate hopefuls Barbara Coleman and Steve Newman, are scheduled to appear. Sponsored by the Bedford Chamber of Commerce.

LYNCHBURG: Wednesday, 7 p.m., Hall Campus Center, Lynchburg College. A debate between Republican Steve Newman and Democrat Barbara Coleman, state Senate candidates. The debate will be broadcast live over WVTF-FM, 89.1.

BLACKSBURG: Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Blacksburg High School. Candidates for Montgomery County School Board are scheduled to appear. Sponsored by the Montgomery County League of Women Voters.

BEDFORD: Thursday, 7 p.m., Bedford Middle School. Candidates for Bedford County Board of Supervisors and School Board are scheduled to appear. Sponsored by the Bedford Chamber of Commerce.

Want to hear more?

Excerpts from three debates featuring General Assembly candidates in our region are available by calling InfoLine. In Roanoke, call 981-0100. In New River, call 382-0200. Press category 8386 (VOTE).

The excerpts, produced by public radio station WVTF-FM, are from debates between:

State Sen. Brandon Bell, R-Roanoke County, and Democratic challenger John Edwards.

State Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, and Republican challenger Pat Cupp

Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg, and Republican challenger Larry Linkous.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB