foot hangar in Elizabeth City, doubling its work space and generating 125 jobs.

The $30 million investment will be used for aircraft maintenance, including for the HC-130 transport planes used by the nearby Coast Guard base, according to the Albemarle Economic Development Commission.

DRS anchors the Pasquotank Aviation Research and Development Commerce Park, a $13 million economic development scheduled for completion in May, the commission said.

- Kathy Adams

Norfolk Southern, Canadian National to link coal runs

A new partnership, dubbed the MidAmerica Corridor, could boost coal volumes for Norfolk Southern Corp. and Canadian National Railway.

The initiative will create a new coal gateway at Corinth, Miss., where CN's coal trains from the Illinois Basin will link up with Norfolk Southern routes to southeastern utility plants, said Rudy Husband, a Norfolk Southern spokesman.

"The CN will bring the coal to Corinth, and we'll take it and deliver it to the power plants in the Southeast," he said.

The Norfolk-based railroad announced the new corridor last week. Once it's approved by the Surface Transportation Board, Norfolk Southern and CN will share track and help haul each other's freight to speed transport of cargo between the Midwest and Southeast, Norfolk Southern said.

- Kathy Adams

Northrop Grumman announces Navy contract

Amsec LLC has won a ship maintenance contract from the Navy worth up to $81 million, Amsec owner Northrop Grumman Corp. announced last week.

The Virginia Beach-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm will "provide engineering and design support, ship alteration development and waterfront engineering support " through January 2010 under the contract, the company said. The work will be done in Hampton Roads.

"This contract is an important win for Amsec LLC and continues 28 years of ship alteration and engineering support with Norfolk Naval Shipyard," said Harris Leonard, vice president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, in a news release. "We look forward to building on our past record of superior service to the shipyard and the naval fleet they support."

- Kathy Adams

If you're told product has chamber tie-in, check it out

A warning: If someone hawks a product and says it's sponsored by your chamber of commerce, check first.

Lori White, program coordinator of the Isle of Wight-Smithfield- Windsor Chamber of Commerce, said two companies recently solicited business people and incorrectly told them the ventures were endorsed by the chamber of commerce. One distributed maps, she said, and the other dealt with refrigerator magnets.