Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 19, 1994 TAG: 9402210310
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WASHINGTON - A federal judge refused Friday to stop the Teamsters Union from asking members to approve a dues increase aimed at saving the union's nearly empty strike fund.
District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson rejected a challenge to the wording of the ballot and a claim by opponents that they had not had access to the union's magazine to express their views.
Johnson said the referendum materials appear balanced.
The union is proposing five changes to its constitution and asking members to vote once on all of the changes. One box reads, "Yes. I support these amendments to build a stronger union." The other says, "No. I oppose these amendments."
Johnson's action allows the Teamsters to mail ballots to its 1.4 million members. - Associated Press\ \ Bankruptcy court gets 4 petitions
Four business petitions have been filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia at Roanoke:
James Maurice Beckett and Karen Kay Siska Beckett of Roanoke filed for a wage-earner repayment plan and protection from creditors, listing assets of $351,190 and liabilities of $280,763. He is a real estate agent.
Maynard Earl Spence and Shirley Irene Spence of Daleville filed a wage-earner plan, listing assets of $19,000 and liabilities of $26,885. He is a roofing and remodeling contractor.
Albert Eugene Mueller and Elizabeth Ann Mueller of Honaker, who did business as Bert Mueller Custom Electric Co., filed for liquidation, listing assets of $5,470 and liabilities of $225,420.
William Edmond Sproles, a self-employed logger at Grundy, filed a wage-earner plan, listing assets of $10,780 and liabilities of $51,082. - Staff report\ \ Simply Country buys site for plant
Simply Country, a distributor of cotton afghans and tote bags, bought a 10.3-acre site in Fairview Industrial Park in Wytheville. The company will build a 40,000-square-foot facility by June and add several employees, Benny Burkett, Joint Wythe County Industrial Development Authority executive director, said Friday. It now has 15 full-time employees and about 25 during its peak season.
The company, owned by Thomas and Freda Lovelace and Robert and Martha James, started as a small retail gift shop on Main Street and in 1988 began manufacturing and wholesale distribution. - Staff report\ \ Briefly . . .
Double Envelope Co. of Roanoke has won a $224,000 contract to supply envelopes to the federal General Services Administration.
EquiCredit Corp., a Jacksonville, Fla., mortgage lender specializing in equity loans, has opened a Roanoke office of its small market area production division. Harry Porterfield, formerly with Security Pacific Financial Services Inc. in Roanoke, will manage the new office.
Tri-State Semi-Driver Training has opened an office at 1790 Apperson Drive, Salem, to recruit students for its training program.
by CNB