Business Briefs

13 years ago

Business Briefs

U.S. Cellular builds new cell site in Mapleton

MAPLETON — U.S. Cellular continues to invest in its high-speed nationwide network with a new cell site in Mapleton to help residents and businesses stay connected to the information and people who matter most to them. The new site will improve coverage in the towns of Castle Hill and Mapleton, along Route 163 between Presque Isle and Ashland, and is one of more than 325 towers U.S. Cellular has built across the state.

This network enhancement is part of U.S. Cellular’s commitment to providing an ideal experience anytime its customers use their phones.

“Creating the best network in Maine to ensure that our customers stay connected is a top priority. We take pride in knowing our customers can rely on our network and enjoy the many features their cell phone has to offer no matter where they are,” said Eric Conlon, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in New England.

To select locations for new towers, U.S. Cellular has teams of system performance engineers who drive through the company’s network coverage area, sometimes hundreds of miles a day, to test the signal strength and call quality. U.S. Cellular also listens to customer feedback to help identify the communities that would benefit from another tower.

 

Plourde joins Currier & Trask

PRESQUE ISLE — Currier & Trask, P.A. has announced that Jon P. Plourde, Esq. has joined the firm as an associate attorney.

BU-CurrierTraskPlourde-clr-cx-shar-46 Attorney Plourde attended law school at the University of Maine School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 2011. He is a member of the bar in Maine.

A native of Fort Kent, Plourde graduated from Fort Kent High School in 2000. He attended the University of Maine at Farmington and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2005.

Plourde attended Syracuse University and received a master’s degree in history in 2008.

Attorney Plourde will practice in the areas of criminal law, family law and civil litigation.

 

Residential construction training series coming to The County

PRESQUE ISLE — A series of residential construction trainings designed to educate residential building professionals on construction practices that minimize the risk of indoor air quality problems in new homes is coming to northern Maine.

Through a partnership between Northern Maine Community College and the S.W. Collins Co., three training courses developed by the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council will be offered at the Northern Maine Center for Excellence in Alternative Energy Education and Training on three consecutive Fridays beginning Dec. 2.

The programs have been updated to include references to the recent changes to the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code, so that northern Maine building professionals can understand how the concepts presented in each of the trainings is, or is not, addressed by the codes. In addition, through a grant from the Efficiency Maine Trust, the 2011 series includes complete coverage of the energy provisions contained in both the building and energy codes.

“Northern Maine Community College has been developing and offering courses in building sciences and efficient design, with a focus on energy conservation, for quite some time as part of the associate degree programs. Over the past few years, we have offered shorter term workshops and certification options to area design and building professionals to help them stay up-to-date with best practices,” said Leah Buck, NMCC assistant dean of continuing education. “This series from the Maine Indoor Air Quality is a great way for current building professionals to learn about the newest innovations in the industry, and it is also an opportunity for those who need continuing education credits to maintain or upgrade their credentialing. We are very happy to work with these partners to offer this opportunity in The County.”

The training series will focus on various aspects of home construction from the foundation and building shell to ventilation. Each session will provide the construction professionals in attendance with valuable information and practical strategies.

“S.W. Collins has always been an advocate for the best practices in the construction and building trade. The Maine Indoor Air Quality seminar addresses the new requirements under the Maine Building and Energy Codes that focus on keeping your home energy efficient while reducing the amount of environmental pollutants,” said Gregg Collins, vice president of the S.W. Collins Co. “We are pleased to sponsor this training opportunity as part of our continued and long-standing partnership with NMCC.”

The first of the sessions, on Dec. 2 from 8-11:30 a.m., will focus on keeping foundations warm and dry. It will cover proper site work and foundation construction and highlight the processes related to temperature, water, moisture and air — and how they can cause a variety of problems that not only affect occupant health, but may also compromise the building structure. The session offers practical how-to guidance on ways to avoid mistakes in site drainage and foundation construction.

The second session, on Dec. 9 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., will concentrate on various aspects of the building shell and how its efficiency significantly determines the affordability and energy consumption of a home. The program will offer practical techniques building professionals can use to achieve maximum efficiency.

The final session, on Dec. 16 from 8 a.m.-12:15 p.m., will focus on ventilating new and existing homes. Topics covered will include the most common sources of indoor air pollution in homes and how they get there, and what physical processes are present that affect indoor air quality. Practical strategies on how to achieve core ventilation goals will be shared with participants.

Registration for each session is $25 ($15 for Maine Indoor Air Quality Council members). To take part, go online at www.miaqc.org/residential-construction-trainings or call Lea Stedt at S.W. Collins at 496-0103.