ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, July 2, 1996                  TAG: 9607020052
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-6  EDITION: METRO 

IN BUSINESS

First Union hires new ad agency

First Union Corp. on Monday named Hal Riney & Partners its new corporate advertising agency to develop and produce promotion of financial-services products. The bank had dealt with the V. William Cook Agency of Jacksonville, Fla., for nine years. First Union declined to give the value of its new contract.

Hal Riney & Partners, with offices in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Atlanta, is one of the nation's largest privately held advertising agencies, with billings of more than $550 million. Its client list includes Saturn cars, Alamo Rent-A-Car, Public Broadcasting System, Clinique cosmetics, John Deere equipment, Serta, Sprint Spectrum, Stroh Brewery and Subway Sandwiches and Salads.

- Staff report

Bland County joins New Century plan

Bland County has joined the regional planning process led by the New Century Council in Roanoke. Wythe County and the towns of Wytheville and Rural Retreat in May became partners in the plan to improve living standards in the region during the next 20 years. The New Century Council territory also includes the Roanoke and New River valleys and Alleghany Highlands.

Virginia Tech and Roanoke-area business leaders formed the New Century Council in 1993. A 250-page report was released last summer. Seven implementation committees have been formed.

- Staff report

Coal output drops

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - U.S. coal production fell 9 percent in the week ended June 22, to 18.5 million tons from 20.2 million tons the week before, the U.S. Department of Energy said Monday. The industry produced 20 million tons in the same week last year.

Virginia mines produced 705,000 tons during the survey week, up from 686,000 tons the previous week but down from 712,000 tons in the corresponding week a year earlier.

Domestic coal production so far this year is 490.2 million tons, slightly behind last year's at this time.

- Associated Press

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