DATE: Wednesday, July 16, 1997              TAG: 9707160397

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   70 lines

LOCAL SCENE

NORFOLK

TRAVEL CHANNEL SALE COMPLETED: The sale of The Travel Channel's U.S. operation to Paxson Communications Corp. has been completed. The agreement was made between Landmark Communications Inc. and Paxson to acquire the programming, distribution and operations of the Atlanta-based network. The transaction is valued at $75 million, including $55 million in Paxson common stock and $20 million in cash. Paxson, a publicly held Florida-based media company, owns 55 full-power television stations. The Travel Channel's operations will be combined with the offices of WTLK-TV in Atlanta.

VIRGINIA BEACH

CARBONE JOINS MEDICAL GROUP: Dr. Anthony J. Carbone has joined the Sentara Medical Group's Linkhorn Medical Associates on First Colonial Road. He has special interests in minor surgery, pedia-tric/adolescent medicine and preventive care. Carbone received a master of science degree in human physiology and biophysics, and his doctor of medicine degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. His family practice residency was completed at Dartmouth in New Hampshire, where he was chief resident.

METRO TO OPEN 28TH OFFICE: Virginia Beach-based Metro Information Services Inc. said it will open its third Texas office later this month in Austin. The office will be Metro's 28th location. Metro, which provides information technology, consulting and software development services, has opened offices in Denver and St. Louis and announced two acquisitions since going public in January. ``The Austin market's position as one of the nation's leading centers for technology-driven companies makes it an excellent fit for Metro,'' president and CEO John Fain said.

360 COMMUNICATIONS PROMOTES GARDNER: Jeffrey R. Gardner, president of 360 Communications' Virginia Beach-based Mid-Atlantic headquarters, has been promoted to senior vice president of finance for the company. Gardner, 37, has an MBA from the College of William and Mary. He was one of several company executives promoted on Tuesday to beef up 360's senior management team. Daniel P. Lohr, vice president and general manager of 360's Raleigh-headquartered Southeast region, will replace Gardner as president of the Virginia Beach operation, the company said.

NEWPORT NEWS

MUMFORD BROKERS THREE HOTELS: The Mumford Co. sold the following hotel/motel properties: Travelers Inn in Virginia Beach, Harbor Inn in Little River, S.C., and Coliseum Motel in Fayetteville, N.C. Mumford is a hotel brokerage specialist.

VIRGINIA

URBAN JOB GROWTH UP IN SERVICE SECTOR: Nonagricultural employment in Virginia reached an all-time high of 3,212,200 in May, passing the May 1996 level of 3,129,800 and the previous record of 3,202,600 set in December 1996. The strongest growth came in the services sector, which rose 44,700 spots, or 4.9 percent, on annual basis to 956,600. Hampton Roads was up 3 percent, or 19,300 jobs, to a total of 663,000.

GREAT VALU TO PURCHASE HARDEN FOODS: Great Valu Supermarkets Inc. in Richmond said it intends to acquire Harden Foods Inc. which operates grocery stores under the banner of Fresh'n Friendly, headquartered in Altavista. Great Valu operates two stores in the Hampton Roads area.

CORRECTION

INTERNET ASSOCIATION TO MEET: The Hampton Roads Internet Association will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Central Library. A calendar in Monday's Your Business section had a wrong day for the meeting. ILLUSTRATION: Carbone

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