Free Business 101 workshop

BANGOR – MaineStream Finance will offer a free Business 101 workshop at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at Penquis, 262 Harlow St.

The class will provide an overview of the pros and cons of operating a small business, what a business plan is, why it is needed and resources for business development assistance.

Topics include being an entrepreneur, business success, professionalism, business plan, networking, resources, budgets, credit, and review of upcoming classes and workshops.

To obtain more information or to register, call James Macomber at 800-215-4942, Ext. 210.

Field Day and Farm Tours

A soil quality field day and farm tour will take place 9 a.m.-noon Monday, Sept. 8, at Teltane Farm in Monroe, and a presentation on bedstraw infestation is planned for Sept. 10 in Exeter.

Discussions at the Monroe farm will include practical ways to build soil health and improve farm profitability, as well as demonstrations of tools for monitoring soil and crop health throughout the growing season. These include the use of a variety of tests to better manage soil nutrients. In addition, recipes and methods used to correct root soil problems and grow healthier crops will be discussed.

It is sponsored by Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development and the Farm Service Agency. Participants will tour this diversified farm, which includes a rare fruits orchard, cover crops, winter wheat trials, garlic production, field preparation for planting next year’s crop, and a plot where a no-till roller has been used to mechanically kill a cover crop without herbicides.

The presentation on bedstraw infestation will be given from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Silvermist Farm in Exeter. It is sponsored by Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development.

Bedstraw are those creamy colored clouds of blossoms of top field grasses with its fast-growing, vinelike tangled masses of vegetation seen in fields throughout Maine.

Soil consultant Mark Fulford will talk about success with forage improvement on the field at Silvermist Farm using practices such as no-till, no herbicides and a regimen of soil amendments that changed the soil biology to favor growth of clover and grasses over bedstraw. He will demonstrate field tools for monitoring crop health.

Sue Gammon from the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District will talk about the Maine carbon credit program, a pilot project to establish a statewide soils carbon baseline in order to qualify soils for agricultural carbon credits.

Both projects received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Both events are open to all. Visit www.heartofmaine.org for more information.

Broadband company growing

BANGOR – Premium Choice Broadband is a new Maine company created to provide wireless high-speed Internet service to homes and businesses throughout central Maine.

With a coverage area from Deer Isle to Greenville, officials said, the company offers high-speed Internet in regions that have been dependent on dial-up service in the past. The company’s wireless technology allows it to reach where cable and DSL can’t or won’t go.

“Because we provide a wireless-based service, we can provide coverage and access much more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional Internet service providers,” said Andrew Vamvakias, company CEO. “We don’t have to run miles of wire or fiber optic line, nor do we need to install expensive switching stations. Additionally, unlike typical DSL or cable modems, our network runs full speed in both directions, both uploading and downloading.”

Mainers living outside cities need access to high-speed Internet to be competitive in the global market. Premium Choice Broadband recognizes offers small businesses a way to work successfully, Vamvakias said, whether in downtown Bangor or Blue Hill.

With six business and residential plan options, Premium Choice Broadband offers the speed area residents need at the price they want.

Those who live in PCB’s coverage area can connect with the world, not just dial in. Although PCB’s high speed Internet is not available in all areas, the company is working toward expansion.

Nearly five months ago, Premium Choice Broadband began with just five locations. By the end of August, the company had some 20 locations.

“We’re investing heavily to expand our reach and work with more people to try to access the Internet,” said Vamvakias. “We’re not done – we’re continuing to expand and grow aggressively.”

That expansion includes the recent acquisition of Attic Wi-Fi.

“I think it’s very exciting for my customers,” said Attic Wi-Fi owner Peter Beaven. “Premium Choice Broadband will provide faster and more reliable service than I have had in the past. They have substantial resources behind them that will allow them to better serve the customer base.”

“We will be replacing Attic’s three current T1 lines with a 90Mbs feed direct from our network center in Bangor,” Vamvakias said. “This huge increase in capacity will allow for faster connections, elimination of slow-downs because of shared access to a limited connection, and the deployment of VoIP telephone service. We will also be able to use our network software to monitor customer connections and improve the overall quality of service.”

“In terms of supporting and moving Maine’s economy forward in the future, it is really helpful to have high-technology companies who have the same objective – providing high speed access that will allow more people to do more things more widely than they could without that kind of facility,” Beaven said. “I’m happy that my customers will be taken care of by a local Maine company with such dedication to customer service and a skill at staying on top of technology.”

“It opens up a whole new world of digital access to families now,” said Vamvakias. “They can access all those things that they see advertised on television but weren’t able to do on dial-up.”

For information on Premium Choice Broadband, visit www.premiumchoicebroadband.com or call 735-2611 or toll free at 888-488-3638.

Expanded cell network

BANGOR – U.S. Cellular is expanding its presence in the Bangor area to improve call quality for its customers. The new cell sites include Bangor north, Hermon and Corinth, with a planned cell site in Charleston.

The first tower in Bangor will increase U.S. Cellular’s coverage and network capacity in Bangor and along Routes 222 and 15. The site in Hermon will improve service along Routes 2 and 222. The site in Corinth will increase coverage and capacity in Corinth and along Routes 11, 15, 43 and 94. The site in Charleston will increase coverage and capacity in Charleston and provide service along Routes 11A and 15. The four new sites complement U.S. Cellular’s statewide network of more than 250 towers.

“Your cell phone is your lifeline to the people who are most important to you,” said Eric Conlon, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in New England. “We’re here to keep you connected and these new towers help us do just that for U.S. Cellular customers.”

U.S. Cellular has a team of network engineers who drive all over the coverage area to test signal strength and call quality. The company also listens to customer feedback to determine the best locations for new cell sites.

The new towers in the Bangor area are part of a $16 million network investment in the New England region in 2008. The new sites in Corinth and Charleston are funded by the Universal Service Fund.

“This part of Maine lacked quality wireless service. As a result, we identified the community as a priority for the support the company receives through the Universal Service Fund,” Conlon said.

In rural Maine, as in other parts of rural America, first responders such at firefighters and police officers depend on wireless service to respond quickly to emergency situations. Nationwide, nearly 300,000 emergency 9-1-1 calls are placed via cell phone every day.

“We need reliable wireless service to protect the health and security of our citizens and public safety officials,” said Sheriff Glenn C. Ross of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department. “It’s a big help to us when companies like U.S. Cellular expand their networks into communities that otherwise would not receive much needed wireless coverage.”

U.S. Cellular has led the effort to preserve federal support for rural wireless development through Connecting Rural America, a grassroots coalition of concerned citizens, community leaders and elected officials working for equality in wireless telecommunications. Its goal is to provide rural communities with the same access to technology as their urban counterparts.

To learn more about the company visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com.

Child care training

BANGOR – The Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center will offer a class, Getting Started in Family Child Care, 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 16 and 23, at Penquis, 262 Harlow St.

The Maine Roads to Quality training session introduces the aspects of opening a family child care business in the home. It covers state certification procedures, health and safety practices, working with families, child development, community and professional resources, and business and professional development. This training is required by the state Department of Health and Human Services for family child care licensure.

A $15 nonrefundable registration fee is charged. For more information or to register, call 973-3533 or 888-917-1100.

Re-certified dog trainer

BANGOR -Becky Ruggiero. a lead instructor at the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, has earned Level I re-certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

Certificants must re-certify with the council every three years, documenting a minimum of 36 hours of continuing education in approved courses. Ruggiero has been on the Green Acres training staff since 1999 and is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.