The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 47

Page 3 The Anniston Star, Wednesday, June 25, 1986 Dial 'proud to foe part of state9 6iaew age By ROBIN DeMONIA Star Staff Writer Aligning himself with the powers that apparently will be, re-elected Sen. Gerald Dial said he is proud to be part of a "new age in the state." Dial rejoiced over the "conservative element" that will be running state government, and called himself, "one of the most conservative of the conservatives." Unofficial returns gave Dial 14,956 votes over opponent John Casey's 11,933 votes in the six-coun ty district, which includes Cherokee, Chambers, Randolph, Clay, Cleburne "and a part of DeK-alb. In the June 3 primary, Dial was just short of winning the District 13 race without a runoff. Casey needed support from almost all of those who voted for J.T. Edge, who was eliminated in the primary.

But Dial won every county except Cleburne, which is home to Casey. Dial compared himself to Charles Graddick in defeating Casey in Tuesday's runoff. "We ran against the same coalition Paul Hubbert (executive director of the Alabama Education Association), the AEA, the trial lawyers, the ADC (Alabama Democratic Conference) and the people showed they were tired of these special interests running government." 1 He added, "It's a great day in the state of WHILE DIAL said he hasn't had time to study Graddick's campaign promises, he said he agrees on the Democratic nominee's ideas on prisons and "cleaning up the streets," as well as his stance on identifying and ousting incompetent teachers. And Dial said his first order of business will be to pre-file a bill that will exempt senior citizens from sales taxes on food. He said would also re-introduce his "no pass, no play" bill, which would keep failing students from playing "We're just lucky that we have a governor who supports this," Dial said, disregarding Republican candidate Guy Hunt, who will face Graddick in the General Election in November.

He also praised Jim Folsom who was elected lietenant governor, and said Folsom would provide "good, conservative leadership in the Senate." Dial defined conservative as people who are "concerned with where tax dollars go, don't believe the answer to every problem is more state taxes and more state government, who are not believers in expanding elements of government and are not caught up in special interests." Dial, who has the third-highest pro-business voting record in the Senate, said he may consider running for other offices later, but for now, he is "very humbled and pleased" to be a senator for District 13. Runoi So: Area contests Willis grabs runoff win for public office, thinking perhaps about another shot at the House seat in four years. Shelton said he was hoping to focus voter attention on specific qualifications and programs. "Everybody has been too general," he said. "The Democratic candidates have not defined real specifically where they stand on anything." He said that he is doing everything possible to learn about what the state needs in important areas such as education and economic development.

Although it would be presumptuous for a freshman representative to have an entire program worked out, he said, "I intend to be well aware of what can be done." Shelton, who owns and manages several Jacksonville businesses, said he was running because he thinks businessmen need more representation in the legislature. Helping business should help everyone in the state, he said, because "generally, what's good for business is going to be good for "I feel like the vote of confidence from the primary will be sufficient to overcome any run (the Republicans) put up," he said. With a national campaign behind him, Willis would not rule out another attempt for some job beyond the state House. "First of all, I want to see how successful I am (in Montgomery)," he said. "I'm just going to wait and see." WERE HIS prediction to prove correct, he said, his first priority in Montgomery would be to get on good committees, although he said he would have to see who would be elected governor before deciding which would be the most important.

Kimbrough said that although he was disappointed in the result, he was proud both of the clean race and of his showing at his home box of Weaver, where tie took a large percentage of the vote. "That makes you feel good about your hometown folks that know you and know what you represent," he said. He said he expected to run again By PAMELA GRUNDY' Star Staff Writer Saying he was not suprised by his sizeable victory over opponent Ed Kimbrough, former state Rep. and presidential candidate Gerald Willis swept out of the Democratic primary and into the November general election against Republican A.C. Shelton Jr.

"I campaigned harder than I've ever campaigned for this office before," said Willis, who won all but two of the, boxes in House District 34. Unofficial vote totals showed him with 4,691 votes to 3,207 for kimbrough. Willis pollworkers had the results at his Piedmont mansion less than an hour after the polls closed, he said. He attributed his success to voter approval of the work he did in his earlier House term, and to the effort he put into the race. The hard work by opponents Ed Kimbrough and Kay Brown Johnson had forced him into an all-out effort, he said.

He said he felt confident about the November election, noting that area voters "have a tendency to elect Democrats." Star PM ty DiW CUOray Gerald Willis reviews runoff results with wife, Frances, and daughter 7 i Walden faces Campbell for D. A. rr Clay County residents joined counterparts in Shelby and Coosa counties in choosing Harold Walden the Democratic nominee for district attorney for the 18th Judicial Circuit. He faces Republican challenger J. Michael Campbell in the November general election.

Walden, who served as DA from 1970 to 1979, pulled in more votes in in each of the three counties that comprise the circuit, beating out his opponent, assistant DA Jim Fuhrmeister. Walden also took the June 3 primary. According to complete but unofficial returns from the three counties, Walden received 1,762 votes to Fuhrmeister's 1,477 in Clay, 7,152 to 5,528 in Shelby and 1,935 to 1,078 in Coosa. The three-county total gives Walden 10,849 to Fuhrmeister's bent Doyle Smith over challenger Hugh Scroggins. "I hope I can live up to my end of the bargin," said Smith who is completing his first six-year term.

"I intend to continue working for all of the districts and trying to provide the best education we can get for our kids." Smith received 428 votes to Scroggins' 360. 8,083. WALDEN SAID as district attorney he would take a tougher stance on crime and promised to refuse to reduce felony charges to misdemeanor charges except in unusual cases. Clay County voters also had to elect a county school board member for District 4. They chose incum v-rf St.

Clair voters elect new faces 'fr. ft Mv'v person in charged of sanitation who would investigate violations of ty litter laws. Ferguson said his main concerns were better roads and attracting new industry. He also promised to work to improve the condition of county bridges and senior citizens centers. Bateman pledged to help develop a countywide water system, which, he said, would lead to faster industrial development.

He also promised to appoint a committee to recruit industries to create more jobs and increase the county's tax base. Tucker said he would work to improve the county's water chairman's will be settled in November. PAUL MANNING, who gave up his District 3 seat to overcome incumbent chairman James "Shirley" Satterfield in the June 3 primary, faces Republican Bruce Etheredge in the general election. In the race to fill Manning's current slot, Odenville resident H.T. Tucker will face Branchville Republican Mayor Robert Hezlep Jr.

Tucker outlasted Cropwell resident Johnny Turner, 4,145 to 3,886. While campaigning, Marcrum said that he would continue to do his part in helping the county build a water system and improve roads. He also promised to work for another county landfill, and to put a By LADALE LLOYD Star Staff Writer Incumbent Commissioner Charles Marcrum will be the only familiar face when the new St. Clair County Commission takes office next year. Marcrum, of Ashville, is the only, incumbent commissioner to have survived Tuesday's Democratic runoff.

He recaptured his District 1 seat by beating former commissioner Bill Franklin, 4,380 to 3,634. All results are based on complete but unofficial returns. The going was rougher, however, for Marcrum's commission colleagues. In District 2, incumbent. Chris Fowler of Trussville fell to Bateman Manning Star Pinto Bv Bob Owon Sheriff Jack Norton talks with supporter Norton to face Kent B.

Ferguson of Pell City, 4,180 to 3,851. And in District 4, challenger Stanley Bateman of Vincent overcame 25-year commission veteran James Ingram, 4,160 to 3,965. Two other seats including the lnlWovember battle Shelton wins in school board runoff By GREG GARRISON Star Staff Writer Clebupie County Sheriff Jack Norton was elected for a shot at his fourth term Tuesday and said his goal was to "just try the best to maintain as good a law enforcement as we can." Norton now faces Ronald William Kent, a Micaville resident and Atlanta fireman who is running as an independent in the igeneral election. any issues. "Just tell the people I said thank you," he said.

IN THE race for District II commission seat, incumbent Carlos White received 2,466 votes to 2,189 for Rudolph Rooks. A countywide water project is "still in the hopper," White said, when asked of his goals for the next term. "I'm very much interested in that." And while admitting funding for such a project could be a problem, he added, "There's always a way." White said he would fulfill his duties much the same way he has in the past. "We'll continue on any way we can to build up the county," he said, mentioning what he called his part in luring an out-of-state clothing manufacturer to County. "I had a little hand in getting a factory to pretty well promise to come into Heflin I'll do what I can to help continue to get that over here.

I think it will materialize sometime in the future." macist, better known in Roanoke than Shelton, who works as a field operations manager for Gold Kist Poultry in Carrollton, Ga. Shelton received 2,343 votes to Harmon's 1,578, repeating his earlier victory in the primary. The uncertainty over Roanoke threw some confusion into the pre-election work. "It was kind of hard to campaign since I didn't know whether they were goring to vote or not," Shelton said. Republican John Swann will be Shelton's opponent in November.

"I won't' take him lightly or take him for granted," Shelton said, adding that Swann would set the pace for campaigning. "If he doesn't campaign much then I won't get out and work as much." Shelton said his goal is to work for the "wants and desires of voters of Randolph County, doing what we all think is best for the county schools." Lack of funds is a key issue, 'he said. In the Randolph County commission races, incumbent Harry Murphy outdistanced challenger Fred Amason 1,022 to 606 for the By GREG GARRISON Star Staff Writer Roanoke's continued absence from the Randolph County Board of Education election was a major factor in Wendell Shelton's victory over incumbent Harold Harmon for Place No. 2, Shelton admitted after Tuesday's election. "That was a big area that I didn't have to campaign in," he said.

"I think it would have hurt me from name recognition. It would have probably helped him (Harmon)." noanoke has a separate school system from the county but has the majority of the county's black population. Local black leaders contend that a '1982 Randolph Circuit Court decision j-emoving Roanoke from the school board election diluted the black vote. County officials decided at the primary to continue to keep Roanoke off the county school board election, even though the U.S. Justice Department could have overruled the decision.

The runoff was conducted the same way, and local officials expect the results will stand. 4 IN THIS case the decision worked against incumbent Harmon, a longtime Wedowee phar District II Democratic slot to oppose Republican Curtis Spratlin in November. "We'll just have to take that when we get to it," said Murphy, who is trying to win his fourth four-year term. In the District IV commission race, T.J. "June" Waldrep defeated incumbent W.C.

"Calvin" Shipp 956 to 695 for a chance to face Republican Bill Wortham in November. WALDREP SAID he's not discounting Worth-am's chances. "Anything is possible," he said. The odds might have seemed greatly against Waldrep defeating Shipp, who had served two commission terms. But Waldrep emerged as the leader among five candidates in the primary, and used the same strategy this time.

"I just got out there and took the campaign to the people," he said. "I campaigned on industry we need jobs," said Waldrep, adding that he hopes to convince the commission to appoint a' committee to examine the prospect. Another priority is speeding the process of building a Wedowee airport, he said. "It's an honor to be elected one time, much less four times," said Norton, whose father Ewell Norton was sheriff during the 1940s and. 1950s.

Norton received 2,809 votes to 2,037 for Billy Hugh Lambert. During the primary and runoff, Lambert, the owner of Bill's Auto Sales in Heflin and former Cleburne County circuit clerk, charged that Norton had not done enough to combat the county's marijuana growing problem and to make the sheriff's office Norton declined to comment on Haynes, Kline in showdown for District 32 House seat should be given the opportunity to him another opportunity to help Talladega County grow. He said he accepts the challenge. Watson, with 21 years of board experience, said his re-election shows that voters are concerned about the educational future of the county's children. He ran second to Beavers in an photo primary finish.

"I think a good man won who cares about the children of Talladega County," Watson said. and incumbent M.R. "Russell" Watson recaptured the Place 2f county school board seat, defeating the Rev. Ronnie C. Beavers, 3,746 to 3,067.

"I'm honored to be the Democratic nominee and appreciate all of the help everyone contributed to my campaign," Haynes said. He promised that if elected in November, he will work with the won't be a trip to Goat Hill. According to complete but unofficial returns, Haynes buried Carter 5,085 to 2,515 on route to a November showdown with Republican Al Kline. In other Talladega County races, Randy Jinks was elected Place 3 commissioner over Hubert Hubbard, 7,475 to Steve Hurst was re-elected Place 1 commissioner over J.E. "Rip" Johnson, 9,515 to By RODERICK HICKS Star Staff Writer TALLADEGA Despite losing the District 32 seat in the state House of Representatives to Clarence Haynes by better than a 2 to 1 margin, Gary Carter found some solace.

"There'll be something else down the road," he said. For the time being, however, it vote whether to place a tax on AIMS tickets. Jinks credited his victory on going door-to-door to campaign. He said if he beats out Republican candidate Curtis Wills this fall, he will work hard and not disappoint his supporters. Hurst, who faces Republican Ralph Ponder in the general election, said the voters, want to give state's problems and "stay until the job is finished." HAYNES SAID two of the main issues facing Talladega Countians are tort reform and whether to put a tax on tickets sold to races at the Alabama International Motor Speedway.

He said the state needs to pass some kind of tort reform legislation and that county residents.