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

DATE: THURSDAY, June 16, 1994                   TAG: 9406220081
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CLIFTON FORGE TO GET BOOST

Economic development officials in the area declined to provide details Wednesday, but a source familiar with the announcement said AT&T, the nation's major long-distance carrier, has contracted with CFW Communication Corp. to handle directory-assistance calls for numbers in Virginia, the District of Columbia and two other states.

CFW, a Waynesboro-based company that provides telephone service in the Clifton Forge area and is a regional cellular telephone carrier, is expected to spend at least $5 million on the facility.

The source could not say when the new operations would be on line.

CFW already is moving aggressively into the long-distance access and wireless cable television business in the Richmond area. In June, the company registered plans with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission to offer 800,000 additional shares of its common stock. The company said a portion of proceeds from the sale would finance capital expenses for entering the directory-service business.

The company's stock traded in a range from $25.25 to $26.25 a share Wednesday, down 25 cents from Tuesday's trading.

The Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Authority has issued invitations for an appearance by Gov. George Allen. According to the invitation, the purpose of Allen's visit is "for a significant announcement of a business location."

The governor's announcement is scheduled for the National Guard Armory at Dabney Lancaster Community College at 9:30 a.m.

If the announcement comes off as expected, Bell Atlantic Corp. will lose a major contract.

Published reports estimate that Bell Atlantic would eliminate 280 jobs in the mid-Atlantic region, including Virginia, if CFW prevails in negotiating the directory-service contract.

An announcement of new jobs is likely to be well received in the Alleghany Highlands area, where unemployment rates have been high and the region's historic major employer, CSX Corp., has seen a steady erosion of work.

Alleghany County's unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in April, the latest available figure, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. The agency ranked the county 115th among 136 cities, counties and towns, based on employment rates.