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Portland Press Herald Report Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Telecom guide available free to state residents

The state's Office of Public Advocate has released its latest Ratewatcher Telecom Guide, which includes money-saving information and direct brand-name comparisons for telephone, wireless and Internet services customers.

The cover story analyzes the proposed takeover by Fairpoint Communications of Verizon's telephone and Internet operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. For those using the most popular prepaid calling card, the guide also highlights a 200 percent increase in the cost of calls within Maine.

Other highlights include reports about a dial-up service that beats the competition, satellite services for those who can't get DSL or cable and tips on avoiding early termination penalties on cell phone contracts.

The 20-page guide is available free to all Maine residents. To request a copy, call 287-2445, send an e-mail message to: deborah.a.tondreau@maine.gov or write to the Public Advocate at, SHS 112, Augusta, ME 04333.

It is also available online at the Public Advocate's Web site: www.maine.gov/meopa.

Cianbro and Reed & Reed are winners of a 2007 Build Maine Award for their construction of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

Normally competing contractors, Cianbro, based in Pittsfield, and Reed & Reed of Woolwich formed a new company to build the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, which replaced the Waldo-Hancock Bridge across the Penobscot River.

The team used a design-build approach, in which the contractors also did much of the design work. The team was able to complete the 1,161-foot bridge in 40 months, which is about half the time it would have taken under a more conventional approach of designing, bidding and then building the bridge.

The Build Maine Award for Cianbro and Reed & Reed was in the "heavy highway" category. Build Maine Awards are given annually by Associated Constructors of Maine.

Bushmaster Firearms International will be the majority owner of a new joint venture to produce AR bolt-action rifle systems, primarily for law enforcement and military applications.

The rifles -- .223- and 5.56-caliber -- will be made in Jacksonville, N.C., at the facilities of Bushmaster's partner, Iron Brigade Armory. Bushmaster will provide the startup funding for the venture, called Bushmaster Custom Shop by Iron Brigade.

In a statement, Bushmaster said Iron Brigade will be able to produce the rifles in smaller quantities that would not be economical to produce at Bushmaster's facility in Windham.

For the fourth consecutive year, McClain Marketing Group of Portland has been honored by the Service Industry Advertising Awards, earning 15 awards.

McClain was honored with gold awards in the Logo/letterhead Design, Newspaper Advertisement, and Magazine Advertisement categories for work done for Seacoast Coffee, Verrill Dana and Carrabassett Valley Academy, respectively. Silver awards were earned in the Web site Design and Branding/Promotional Materials categories for work completed for Berwick Academy and Seacoast Coffee.