
                                                                     Exhibit 99


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NEWS RELEASE

                                                           For Immediate Release
                                                                    May 15, 2000
For Further Information Contact:
Steven J. Day, President & CEO
(304) 769-1101


                         CITY HOLDING COMPANY ANNOUNCES
                          SECOND QUARTER 2000 DIVIDEND


     City Holding  Company  (NASDAQ:CHCO),  a $2.8 billion bank holding  company
headquartered  in  Charleston,  West  Virginia,  announced  its  second  quarter
dividend of 8 cents per share payable on June 15, 2000 to shareholders of record
as of June 1, 2000.  The  dividend  represents  a decrease of 60% from 1999 cash
dividends on an  annualized  basis.  The Board of Directors  has  determined  to
reduce the quarterly dividend in recognition of the expenses associated with the
$6  million  addition  to  the  allowance  for  loan  losses  (reflected  in the
restatement of 1999  earnings),  coupled with a decline in earnings in the first
quarter experienced by the Company's various business segments.

     Steven J. Day,  President and CEO, stated that, "The Board of Directors has
made this decision as a necessary  measure to strengthen the financial  position
of City  Holding  Company.  Both the Board and  management  continue  to work to
improve efficiencies in the Company's community banking segment and also to come
to a final resolution concerning the sale of our Specialty Finance Division."

     City Holding  Company is the parent  company of City  National Bank of West
Virginia,  Del Amo Savings Bank,  FSB,  Frontier  State Bank, and City Financial
Corporation. City National Bank, in addition to its banking divisions, operates:
City Mortgage Services, a retail originator, wholesaler and servicer of mortgage
loans;  RMI,  ltd.,  an  insurance  agency  offering a full  range of  insurance
products and services;  Jarrett/Aim  Communications,  a printing and direct mail
service  provider;  and  CityNet,  an internet  service  provider  and  web-site
development firm.

     City Holding Company common stock is publicly traded  "over-the-counter" on
The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "CHCO".


