ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 30, 1996 TAG: 9604010016
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
Agricultural prices available by fax
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has begun offering its market news service 24 hours by fax.
The service provides market prices for livestock, grain, cotton, tobacco, poultry, eggs, fruits and vegetables. Also available is information on international markets, National Agricultural Statistics Board reports and USDA commodity bids and purchases.
To receive the fax service, call (804) 371-4444 and follow the directions on the automated menu. The process can be simplified by requesting a list of documents and then using a three-digit number to identify the list on subsequent calls to the service.
Toll-free voice reports of market news are still available at (800) 552-5521.
- Staff report
Railroads spend lots on payrolls
Freight railroads contribute $610 million annually in wages, benefits and retirement payments to active and retired railroad workers in Virginia, according to a new survey by the Association of American Railroads.
Virginia has 7,400 active freight railroad employees who earn a total of $319 million a year plus benefits, the association said. More than 40 percent of those workers are in the Roanoke Valley, where Norfolk Southern employs about 3,100.
The railroad retirement system pays $240 million annually in retirement benefits to 24,700 retired workers and their families.
The average wage for active railroad employees, the association said, is $43,000.
- Staff report
Bankruptcies
Six bankruptcies with business affiliations have been filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Western Virginia at Roanoke. Four of them are personal bankruptcies that the court listed as businesses because they have commercial connections and could be of interest to business creditors and customers.
T&R Hill Construction Co. Inc. of Marion filed for reorganization and protection from creditors. The company said it is engaged in the construction of prefabricated metal buildings. It listed assets of $121,547 and liabilities of $178,547.
Roy Brown Hill and Shelia Hill of Marion, president and vice president, respectively, of T&R Hill Construction Co., filed as individuals for a wage-earner plan for repayment of debts. They had assets of $87,242 and liabilities of $180,500.
Donald E. Earls and Sandra E. Earls of Norton filed for business reorganization and protection from creditors with assets and liabilities estimated at more than $500,000 each. Donald E. Earls is an attorney, and both of them are also engaged in real estate rentals.
John W. Jay Sr. and Jeanne Jay of Blue Ridge filed for a wage-earner plan for repayment of debts. They operate H.R.P. Research, a heraldic research company. They listed assets of $1,511,011, most of it in the stock of the company, and liabilities of $173,237.
George Henry Adams Jr. and Patricia Diane Adams of Roanoke filed for liquidation with assets of $41,600 and liabilities of $58,721. Patricia Adams is self-employed providing child care.
Jay Lee Thorne and Lisa Marie Thorne of Blacksburg filed for liquidation with assets of $1,265 and liabilities of $82,134. Lisa Thorne is self-employed but did not specify an occupation.
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