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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 16, 1994                   TAG: 9402160038
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Sandra Brown Kelly
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THERE'S NO DOUBT THE HOTEL ROANOKE AND CONFERENCE

The latest evidence that the $40 million project is going to happen is an event planned for vendors and suppliers Tuesday in the Roanoke Civic Center's exhibit hall.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m., the Conference Center Commission will hold an "information meeting" on its $6.8 million shopping list.

Representatives from Doubletree Hotels, which will manage the facility, and Roanoke city purchasing manager Doc Roupe, an expert at buying in bulk, will be on hand to talk with potential suppliers about procurement procedures.

They expect to buy $2.3 million worth of furniture, fixtures and equipment for the conference center and $4.5 million more for the hotel.

Designers' presentation boards showing concepts for rooms, corridors and public spaces - right down to wallpaper and tassel ties for draperies - will be on display to demonstrate what's needed.

Packets of information will be distributed on the purchase of almost everything from business cards to 10-pencil cups for the conference center.

Categories of purchases are carpet, wallcovering, furniture, installation, kitchen/bar/laundry equipment, millwork, operating supplies, food and service wares, linens and uniforms, and furnishings.

The list includes 250 dozen salad forks for the center and another 78 dozen for the hotel, 2,500 stack chairs, 552 water pitchers, six chandeliers for the junior ballroom and 20 chandeliers for the main ballroom.

Beverly James, a city library official on loan to the commission, said letters were sent to companies the group thought might be interested in being suppliers, but she'd like to see a whole lot more businesses represented.

James promises free parking at the civic center.

Two years ago, the Roanoke City Health Department Environmental Health division established an awards program to rev up restaurants' interest in cleanliness and general good health habits.

D.J.'s Brasserie won first both years in the full-service category.

The Franklin Road restaurant, owned by the Poulos family, will get its second Silver Spoon Award next Wednesday.

Tied as winners in the short-order category are the Orange Dog Snack Bar at Towers Shopping Center, run by Donald and Belinda Saunders, and Burger King on Orange Avenue Northeast, managed by Bonnie Petty.

The Roanoke Weiner Stand won the short-order category last year.

Honorable mentions will be given to Lowell's Restaurant and Supper Club on Melrose Avenue, Billy's Ritz on Salem Avenue, the New Yorker Deli on Williamson Road Northwest and Burger King at Valley View Mall.

Criteria for the awards require that restaurants go beyond the health department's guidelines. For example, bonus points are given to places that have a certified manager on the premises. This requires course work by managers.

Selection is based on biggest improvement in rating score, overall best score, cooperation with health department, food managers'/owners' dedication, fewest serious violations and quickest correction of violations.

William Shires, environmental health manager, said the categories are being expanded for the 1994 competition to include institutional food service operators, such as hospitals and schools.

The awards will be given at the health department and will include a plaque featuring a "silver-looking" spoon, said Shires.

Some recent alerts from the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs:

Anchor movable soccer goals to a fence or permanent structure when not in use and tell youngsters not to climb the goals. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reports of four deaths in 1990 and 18 deaths and nine serious injuries since 1979 from soccer goals falling over.

Children's necklaces and bracelets distributed by Midwest Importers of Cannon Falls Inc. have lead levels that exceed government standards. The wooden blue, pink, purple and yellow beads with white rabbits and orange wooden carrots strung on elastic strings should be returned to the store for refund. Call Midwest Importers at (507) 263-4261 for more information.