DATE: Wednesday, November 5, 1997           TAG: 9711050404

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   53 lines

LOCAL SCENE

NORFOLK

NEW ENGINEERING SERVICES COMPANY OPENS: Battlespace Inc. of Arlington has opened an office in Norfolk to assist the U.S. Atlantic Command in developing operational concepts for the Tactical Control System for military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle programs. Retired Navy Capt. Frank Roberts will head the engineering services company/defense contractor. Jerry D. Norris, a retired Navy captain, is the company's president and chief executive officer.

PENINSULA

FOUNDATION APPOINTS MOREHEAD: Scott F. Morehead was appointed to the new position of information systems coordinator for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. During the past three years, he provided computer systems support and training for Household Technical Services, a division of Household International financial services company and Prosoft Reflections II technical support firm.

NEWPORT NEWS

MORRISON JOINS ACCOUNTING FIRM: Cynthia Y. Morrison, a certified public accountant, has joined Carmines, Robbins & Co., PLC. She has more than 12 years of public accounting experience and specializes in physician, contractor and real estate professional matters.

VIRGINIA

PORT OF RICHMOND OFF TO A GOOD NEW FISCAL YEAR: The Port of Richmond reported that it handled 9 percent more cargo tonnage in the first quarter of its new fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The marine cargo terminal on the James River handled 142,996 tons of cargo in the period, up from 131,100 tons a year earlier. Much of the growth came from a 29 percent gain in break-bulk cargo, driven by newsprint, refractory cargo and wastepaper. It also exported 4,119 tons of bulk crushed glass to Puerto Rico. While the small port handled 8 percent more containers in the first three months of its fiscal year, container tonnage was flat.

SMITHFIELD INCOME REPORT: The Smithfield Companies Inc. reported second-quarter net income of $194,027 or $0.16 a share, compared with $173,118 or $0.14 a share the year before. Sales for the quarter increased 4.2 percent to $4.77 million compared with $4.58 million for the same period a year earlier. For the six months ended Sept. 30, sales increased 15.3 percent to $9.26 million compared with $8.03 million last year. The Smithfield Companies, a holding company producing specialty food products, attributes the sales increases to the acquisition of certain product lines of Doughtie's Foods in February. MEMO: To submit an item, send the information to Local Scene, The

Virginian-Pilot Business News Department, 150 W. Brambleton Ave.,

Norfolk, Va. 23510. Photos are welcome. Or fax your item to 446-2531. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Morrison

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