CHARLOTTE – Wachovia Corp. (NYSE: WB) has reported record net income of $1.88 billion, or $1.17 per share, in the second quarter of 2006, compared with $1.65 billion, or $1.04 per share, in the second quarter of 2005.

HAMLET – Trinity Manufacturing, Inc., a leading producer of chloropicrin and sodium hypochlorite bleach, today announced a $43 million product line expansion at the company’s Hamlet facility.

RALEIGH – Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell Winchester Energy and its associated natural gas businesses to a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas-based EXCO Resources, Inc. for $1.2 billion in cash.

SANFORD – The Pantry, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTRY), the leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern U.S., today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter and nine months ended June 29.

RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley announced today that the state is accepting applications for One North Carolina Small Business Fund matching grants for fiscal year 2006-07.

DUNN – New Century Bancorp, Inc. the holding company for New Century Bank and New Century Bank South, entered into an Underwriting Agreement with Howe Barnes Investments, Inc. and Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P. for the sale of 1,000,000 shares of New Century Bancorp, Inc. common stock at a price of $18.50 per share. The net proceeds of the public offering are expected to be approximately $17,260,000.

FAYETTEVILLE – New Century Bank South has completed its acquisition of Progressive State Bank.

ABERDEEN – The North Carolina Department of Commerce recently approved the Iron Horse Industrial Park off N.C. 211 on Carolina Road for designation as a “certified site,” making it the first site in Moore County to receive such designation.

PINEHURST – A limited number of guaranteed player slots in the 54-hole finals of the 2006 BASF People vs. the Pros at Pinehurst are now available at http://www.pvpgolf.com, according to Andy Batkin, tournament director.

ASHEBORO – FNB United Corp. (Nasdaq: FNBN), the holding company for First National Bank and Trust Company, First Gaston Bank of NC and Dover Mortgage Company, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2006.

PINEHURST – FirstHealth of the Carolinas is among America’s 25 “most improved” hospitals and health care systems in using information technology to enhance quality and efficiency, according to survey results published this month by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association.

TROY – First Bancorp (Nasdaq: FBNC), the parent company of First Bank, has announced net income of $4,795,000 for the three months ended June 30, a 3.1 percent increase over the $4,652,000 reported for the corresponding period of 2005.

RALEIGH – First Citizens BancShares Inc. (Nasdaq: FCNCA) reports earnings for the quarter ending June 30 of $31.7 million, compared to $30.1 million for the corresponding period of 2005, an increase of 5.4 percent.

FAYETTEVILLE – The Defense and Security Technology Accelerator, a new statewide innovation asset, recently hired Scott Perry as its general manager.

CARY – Crescent Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CRFN), parent company of Crescent State Bank, has announced unaudited net income for the quarter ended June 30 of $1,003,000, a 54 percent increase over net income of $653,000 for the same quarter last year.

CARY – Crescent Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CRFN) announced that it has received the necessary approval from shareholders and the North Carolina Banking Commission to acquire Port City Capital Bank in Wilmington.

PINEHURST – FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital is participating in a nationwide clinical trial to find out if Celebrex, a drug commonly prescribed for arthritis pain, is a safe and effective alternative to surgery for treating a pre-cancerous condition in women.

CHAPEL HILL – Free health care clinics in Carthage, Fayetteville and Sanford were among 62 statewide recipients of $1.5 million in grants awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation through the N.C. Association of Free Clinics.

RALEIGH – Capital Bank introduces “Same Day Banking – Your day doesn’t end at 2:00 p.m. and neither should ours.”

MOCKSVILLE – Bank of the Carolinas (Nasdaq: BCAR), has reported financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30.

CHARLOTTE – Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) has reported that net income in the second quarter of 2006 rose 18 percent to $5.48 billion from $4.66 billion a year earlier.

LILLINGTON – The Harnett Forward Together Committee has spent $5.7 million to purchase 130 acres of land that officials hope will soon become home to the county’s first Biotechnology Campus.

LAURINBURG – A $200,000 grant from The Duke Endowment will support Scotland Memorial Hospital's new Emergency Center Patient Tracking and Information System. The grant, which provides funding for approximately one-half of the cost of the entire project, will help fund the cost of hardware, software, and employee and physician training.

GREENSBORO – Lorillard Tobacco Company today announced that it has joined the efforts of 33 state attorneys general to reduce illegal Internet and other remote sales of cigarettes.

RALEIGH – Commerce Secretary Jim Fain announced today that 47 North Carolina communities will receive more than $22 million in Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Concentrated Needs and Scattered Site Housing awards.

SANFORD – 3M announced today that it has acquired SCC Products Inc. and JJ Converting LLC, including related trademarks and patents. SCC Products is a sister company of Static Control Components Inc. and provides engineering, manufacturing and sales of flexible, static control packaging and workstation products for electronic devices. JJ Converting produces film used to make static control bags. Both are based in Sanford, N.C. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.