ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, September 10, 1996            TAG: 9609100074
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-7  EDITION: METRO 

IN BUSINESS

First Union home loans at below-market rates

First Union National Bank of Virginia said it is offering special home-improvement loans at below-market rates to Virginia residents whose property was damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Fran.

The bank also announced that it will grant a 60-day extension, with no fee, on loan payments to Virginia residents who have existing consumer loans with First Union and who suffer storm-related financial setbacks.

In addition, residents of storm-affected areas in Virginia who obtain a new consumer loan from First Union can defer the first payment on the loan for 60 days.

First Union has opened a toll-free telephone line to assist Virginia residents impacted by the storm. The number is (800) 801-0714. The bank said families who have special financial needs not addressed by the loan program can also call that number for assistance.

- Staff report

NS on track in Illinois

Norfolk Southern trains began rolling Monday on a 50-mile segment of Illinois track that the company acquired from Conrail last month.

The start of operations on the track between Urbana and Bloomington followed a week of work to upgrade the line and restore a connection to Norfolk Southern's main line at Mansfield, Ill.

After Conrail announced that it would withdraw from this market, Norfolk Southern acquired the line in response to requests from local customers.

- Associated Press

Area firms win contracts

*Hayes Seay Mattern & Mattern Inc., a Roanoke architectural and engineering firm, has won a $500,000 contract from a Department of Defense contracting division in Mobile, Ala., to support the base civil engineer for the United States Air Force in the Republic of Panama. The contract includes one option year.

*Frank Chervan Inc. of Bedford won a $309,213 contract from Federal Prison Industries in Washington for Queen Anne-style chairs.

- States News Service

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