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

DATE: SATURDAY, February 27, 1993                   TAG: 9302270046
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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BUDGET AMENDMENTS FUND GROUPS

The General Assembly on Friday approved amendments to the state's $29 billion 1992-1994 budget, allocating additional funds for some Western Virginia organizations.

One amendment puts $3.4 million back into Virginia Tech's Extension Service. William Allen, interim head of extension, said the money will allow the service "to continue the programs that we already have on the book . . . The money was not to expand new programs but to maintain the people we have" and to not cut jobs, he said.

"We're pleased with what's happened so far," he said. But he was careful to not get hopes up too much. "I'll be cautious until the governor signs it."

In the past few months, legislators have received hundreds of letters from people involved with everything from running a farm to 4-H clubs to the master gardeners.

The Science Museum of Western Virginia will receive $178,900, the same amount as last year, board President Lucas Snipes said.

The Science Museum provides programming and science education support to one-third of the state's school districts, mostly in Western Virginia, Snipes said. "We also anticipate serving over 200,000 visits this year. The state funding certainly has helped us."

The Virginia Museum of Transportation will get $110,000, the amount originally requested.

"We'd like to develop more hands-on exhibits," Executive Director Kay Houck said. The money also will go toward a facility to store art, photos and film for teachers and students, she said.

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