ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: THURSDAY, July 21, 1994                   TAG: 9408120022
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Short


ALLEN SENDS TRADE MESSAGE HOME - BY SATELLITE

Gov. George Allen went high-tech with his economic development message Wednesday in a Virginia governor's first satellite hookup with reporters back home while on a trade mission.

Allen and his wife, Susan, held a video news conference from Montreal on the first full day of their nine-day trip to Canada and Mexico.

``We've been sowing the seeds for jobs in Virginia,'' Allen told eight reporters who asked questions by telephone.

Allen said he met with Air Canada officials to talk about starting direct air service between Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., and Canadian cities.

He also met with officials of Dominion Textiles, which already invests in Virginia, and Orbital Sciences, which might want to launch satellites from Wallops Island. Allen said he talked to Canadian Pacific Rail about shipping goods through the inland port at Front Royal.

``We've made some very good contacts,'' Allen said, adding he had no deals to announce yet.

Allen, his wife and about 15 state employees are on the trip at taxpayer expense. Several business executives are paying their own way.

Allen said he arranged the satellite hookup because ``I think it's important that the people in Virginia know what we're doing.''



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