CHARLOTTE – Wachovia Corp., the fourth largest banking institution in the U.S. based on assets, received the “highest institutional satisfaction score” among banks that offer correspondent banking services.

CHARLOTTE – Wachovia Corp. (NYSE: WB) announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the defined contribution recordkeeping business of Minneapolis-based Ameriprise Financial, Inc.

PINEHURST – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development hosted its 23rd annual Venture conference at Pinehurst Resort earlier this week and about 700 people participated, including more than 225 investors.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – The availability of scholarships has kept the cost of an education in the University of North Carolina system affordable, even for needy students, according to a new study by the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority.

RALEIGH – The 10 largest public transit systems in North Carolina are eating up a larger chunk of the state budget, but they do little to meet their stated goals, according to a new Policy Report prepared for the John Locke Foundation.

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives have earmarked more than $500,000 for classroom-based projects through its funding of the Bright Ideas Education Grant Program for 2006-2007.

SANFORD – The Pantry, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTRY), the leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern U.S., today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Shop-A-Snak Food Mart, Inc., which operates 38 convenience stores in Alabama.

CHARLOTTE – The North Carolina Technology Association, the primary voice of the information technology industry in North Carolina, has announced a strong program for its annual Innovation Leadership Summit.

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Commerce has been named the winner of the 2005 Competitiveness Award by Site Selection, one of the nation’s premier magazines in the economic development industry.

SANFORD – Score Energy Inc., a division of Scottish-based Score Group PLC, has opened its second location in the United States in the old Decatur Mold building on Tramway Road.

RALEIGH – Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) announced first-quarter net income of $45 million, or 18 cents per share, compared to $93 million, or 38 cents per share, for the same period last year.

PINEHURST – Pinehurst Resort announced today that its parent company, Dallas-based ClubCorp, has engaged Goldman Sachs as its exclusive financial advisor to explore strategic options, including the possible sale of the company.

SOUTHERN PINES – Pinehurst Championship Management today announced that volunteer recruitment is officially underway for the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.

SOUTHERN PINES – The United State Golf Association has approved the use of two logos for the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, apparently the first time it has done so for one of its championships.

FAYETTEVILLE – New Century Bank South today announced plans to open a new branch at the intersection of Andrews Road and Ramsey Street – just in front of Andrews Commons Shopping Center.

DUNN – New Century Bancorp (OTC Bulletin Board: NCBC), the holding company for New Century Bank and New Century Bank South, today reported net income for the quarter ended March 31 of $1.1 million, or basic and diluted earnings per share of 25 cents and 23 cents, respectively.

FAYETTEVILLE – The Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville announced today that it has launched a $1 million expansion that will add 2,000 square feet of new exhibit space.

ROBBINS – Gov. Mike Easley today announced that American Growler, manufacturers of specialty military vehicles, will move operations from Florida to Robbins, creating 40 new jobs and investing $662,000 during the next three years.

SOUTHERN PINES – Delta Air Lines’ customers this summer can take advantage of special low introductory fares as they hit the links of more than 40 golf resorts in the Pinehurst/Southern Pines region of North Carolina with the addition of seasonal nonstop flights between Delta’s largest hub in Atlanta and the Moore County Airport.

SOUTHERN PINES – The Moore County Chamber of Commerce today announced that Patrick J. Coughlin of Winchester, Va., has been hired as chamber president.

MOUNT GILEAD – McRae Industries, Inc. (Pink Sheets: MRINA; MRINB) declared a dividend of 8 cents per share on the company’s Class A common stock payable on June 23 to shareholders of record on June 9.

LAUREL HILL – Tire cord processor Kordsa, Inc. has opened its new $22 million twisting and weaving plant in Laurel Hill at the site of its existing plant for treating tire cord fabric.

ASHEBORO – JL Furnishings, a contract hospitality seating manufacturer based in California, today announced that it will move its only East Coast production facility from Trinity to the 60,000-square-foot former Concept Fabrics building in north Asheboro.

RALEIGH – More than 55 male and female students were awarded Touchstone Energy Sports Camps scholarships to attend the Kay Yow Basketball Camp and the Roy Williams Carolina Basketball Camp.

SOUTHERN PINES – The June issue of Golf Digest ranks the best ”golf hometowns” in the United States, and the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area had the second-highest golf score among the 244 counties surveyed nationwide.

TROY – The Board of Directors of First Bancorp (Nasdaq: FBNC), the parent company of First Bank, has declared a cash dividend of 18 cents per share payable July 25 to shareholders of record as of June 30.

RALEIGH – Financial Fusion, a leading provider of online banking and payments solutions, announced that First Citizens Bank has implemented the Financial Fusion Server platform and the Financial Fusion Corporate Banking Solution for its new business online banking service.

PITTSBORO – The Fearrington House today announced that it has expanded its conference facilities by introducing North Carolina’s newest meeting place – The Red Room.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Embarq Corporation (NYSE: EQ) announced its official separation from Sprint Nextel Corporation and begins its first trading day on the New York Stock Exchange today as an independent, public company.

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s entrepreneurial community has expressed strong support for proposals by Gov. Mike Easley to increase funding for the state’s new SBIR/STTR Matching Grants Program and to reduce sales taxes on R&D equipment purchases by research companies.

FAYETTEVILLE – Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (Red Robin) will open its sixth North Carolina restaurant in Fayetteville on Monday, May 22 at 11 a.m. The Fayetteville Red Robin(R) restaurant is located at 502 Cross Creek Mall, in front of the Cross Creek Mall. Red Robin is a casual dining restaurant chain focused on serving an innovative selection of high-quality gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere.

RALEIGH – A project manager for the Danish-American Business Forum is spending two weeks in the Research Triangle Region researching opportunities for Danish investment – the latest development in a two-year plan to recruit more Danish companies to the region.

RALEIGH – Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) today announced that it has idled production at its synthetic fuel facilities.

RALEIGH – Capital Bank announced today that it has opened its new headquarters building at Capital Bank Plaza in downtown Raleigh.

FAYETTEVILLE – Advanced Internet Technologies, the lead plaintiff in a pending federal class action lawsuit against Google over click fraud in California, is mounting a dual challenge to the proposed settlement in an Arkansas case on the same issue.

DUNN – New Century Bancorp, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NCBC), the holding company for New Century Bank and New Century Bank South, filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday relating to the public offering of 1,000,000 shares of common stock.

WINSTON-SALEM – BioSpace, Inc. and the Council for Entrepreneurial Development have unveiled the fourth edition of the Bio NC Hotbed Campaign promoting the life science community in North Carolina.

SANFORD – A team of delegates from Northern Ireland visited Central Carolina Community College today to learn about how the college works with local industry to develop the workforce and provide job training.

SANFORD – Blessed with increased demand for its compact construction machines, Caterpillar was faced with the enviable challenge of finding new assembly technicians, and doing it quickly.

RALEIGH – Capital Bank launches a statewide advertising campaign today supporting a new free checking account – “Smart Checking” – that carries a bundle of free features, including 4.01 percent annual percentage yield on the account balance, as well as no ATM fees for any banks’ ATMs.

WASHINGTON – Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) announced that it loaned and invested $85.1 billion in 2005 for community development nationwide, which means that the volume of lending and investing equaled more than $40 million delivered every business hour last year.

CHARLOTTE – Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) has become the nation’s leading home equity lender, crediting its record growth to the introduction of its no-fee home equity line of credit offering.

CHAPEL HILL – Is it a stretch to squeeze in a workout? Is it a pain to go to the doctor? What happens when your regular child care arrangements fall through?