SANFORD – The Pantry, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTRY), the leading convenience store operator in the southeastern United States, announced that it will release financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Sept. 25 before the market opens on Nov. 13.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is implementing a risk-based approach to overseeing individual lenders that includes an early warning predictive score component and a more comprehensive lender review process.

SANFORD – Convenience store chain The Pantry Inc. (NASDAQ: PTRY) reported earnings of $11.5 million, or 63 cents a share, on $2.78 billion in revenue for fiscal 2003, ended Sept. 25, up from $1.8 million in earnings, or 10 cents per share, on $2.49 billion in revenue in fiscal 2002.

DUNN – New Century Bank will open an office in Goldsboro before year end, President and Chief Executive John Q. Shaw said in a statement.

MOUNT GILEAD – One of Montgomery County’s largest employers, fiberboard manufacturer Homanit USA, is being sold to a Belgian laminate flooring company. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

FORT BRAGG – Ten billion dollars a year – that’s how much North Carolina stands to lose if the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Committee closes its five military bases. And billions are what the state, local communities and businesses stand to gain if the committee chooses to move new missions to the state’s military.

FAYETTEVILLE – Philadelphia Suburban Corp. (NYSE:PSC) has reached an agreement with Allete Water Services, a subsidiary of Allete Inc. (NYSE:ALE), to acquire Heater Utilities Inc., which provides water and wastewater treatment services to Fayetteville and other communities across North Carolina.

FAYETTEVILLE – Timothy J. Holverson, director of governmental affairs for the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, has been hired as executive vice president of the Fayetteville Area Chamber of Commerce.

RALEIGH – Many North Carolina employers have been notified that they may be eligible to reduce their 2004 Unemployment Insurance tax rates by making a voluntary tax contribution by Dec. 17.

LAURINBURG – Poultry vaccine maker Embrex Inc. (Nasdaq: EMBX) says an $11.6 million biological manufacturing plant it is constructing near the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport should be completed by the end of December.

ASHEBORO – North Carolina’s economy will begin to pick up next year, although the Sandhills might lag behind other parts of the state in the recovery, two prognosticators said Tuesday.