
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 9, 1993                   TAG: 9307090157
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BRIEFLY . . .

Appalachian Power Co. will spend almost $5 million to improve and expand its services in the Martinsville-Henry County area over the next two years. A study by the company showed demand there increasing 4 percent a year - double the average increase - due mainly to new industry and continued residential growth, said Joe Higgins, manager for operations in the Fieldale area.

\ Nine hospitals that were excluded from a program of managed medical care filed suit in federal court this week against Blue Cross-Blue Shield of New Jersey, charging that the program violated antitrust laws. The insurer signed up 56 of the state's 85 acute-care hospitals for the program.

\ Bill Cosby and "an elite management team" headed by one-time CBS and Turner Broadcasting executive Bob Wussler will seek to buy NBC with a bid in the $4 billion range before the end of the year, Newsday reported. The group, which has been planning the acquisition for more than a year, is said to have Goldman Sachs arranging necessary financing.

by CNB