
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 16, 1994                    TAG: 9406160453 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940616                                 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH

UNSUCCESSFUL BEACH SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE DROPS SUIT

{LEAD} An unsuccessful School Board candidate who last month filed suit in Circuit Court contesting the results of the election has dropped his challenge.

John T. Early Jr. said he petitioned the court Monday to dismiss the suit against the Virginia Beach teachers' association and the six association-backed candidates, who swept the May 3 vote, handily defeating Early and other candidates. The suit alleged that the association unfairly influenced the election by not fully reporting campaign expenditures spent on behalf of its candidates.

{REST} Specifically, Early's suit alleged that the association and its candidates should have reported by April 25 expenses for a videotape that promoted the candidates and was distributed to teachers.

Early's suit also alleged that the candidates should have reported the association's expenditures on their behalf for television advertisements.

``The merit of the suit, I believe, is still good,'' Early said.

``I just honestly feel it's not in the best interest of the city to pursue it like this.

``I think it may have a very serious negative impact on the image of the city,'' he said.

``I'm very serious about not wanting to jeopardize, for example, our standing with the Oceana Naval Air Station, and I believe the folks in Washington perhaps look at such controversies negatively.''

Oceana is one of the bases the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission is considering for closure.

{KEYWORDS} VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION LAWSUIT

by CNB