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

DATE: SATURDAY, July 7, 1990                   TAG: 9007090186
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS-BRIEFLY . . .

The average monthly electrical bill for 9,000 members of the BARC Electric Cooperative in Rockbridge, Alleghany, Bath, Highland and Augusta counties has risen by $4.70 a month, under a 6.1 percent rate increase approved by the State Corporation Commission. The increase, effective last Tuesday, will generate $592,703 in annual operating revenue, the SCC said.

\ Dutailier Inc., a Quebec, Canada, furniture manufacturer, has applied for up to $1.5 million in industrial revenue bonds to buy, renovate and equip a Henry County building for a wooden-glider plant. The bond hearing is set for July 17, but Dutailier has not made a final decision on a site, said Joe Gero, economic development executive director for Martinsville and Henry County.

\ A $45 million plant to make Little Debbie Snack Cakes was dedicated at Stuarts Draft on Thursday. The plant, owned by McKee Baking Co. of Collegedale, Tenn., will start production with 100 employees and plans to expand its work force to more than 500 by 1993.

\ The Dickenson Star in Clinchco has been purchased by The Norton Press Inc., owner of two other Southwest Virginia newspapers: the twice-a-week Coalfield Progress in Norton and The Post, a Big Stone Gap weekly.

\ Lechters Inc., a Harrison, N.J.-based operator of speciality housewares stores including one in Roanoke, reported sales of $13.6 million for the five-week period ended June 30, an 18 percent increase over $11.5 million in the corresponding period a year ago. For the first 22 weeks of its fiscal year, Lechters said sales rose 21 percent to $57.6 million. Comparable store sales were up 1.3 percent in the same period.

\ Circuit City Stores Inc., the Richmond-based consumer electronics retailer with Roanoke area outlets, reported record June sales of $184.6 million, a 23 percent increase over $150.5 million in June 1989.

\ Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., the Jacksonville, Fla.-based supermarket chain with Roanoke area outlets, announced a 2-for-1 split of its common stock, effective Oct. 31. The chain also said it will increase its monthly cash dividend rate to 18 cents July through October.

by CNB