Arundel Digest

Constellation, French firm finalize sale

BALTIMORE - Constellation Energy has completed a $4.5 billion deal with Electricite de France for almost half the Maryland company's nuclear assets, the businesses announced Friday.

The closure of the deal comes a week after the state Public Service Commission imposed several conditions on the transaction, including a $100 rebate to customers of Constellation's regulated utility, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. Other conditions include a $250 million cash infusion to BGE, dividend restrictions and "ring-fencing" rules to safeguard BGE, such as bankruptcy protection and credit-rating separation.

"With the close of the transaction, the companies look forward to working together to deliver the expected economic, environmental and clean energy benefits created by the joint venture," the businesses said in a statement.

Football coach's car destroyed

MILLERSVILLE - A group of middle school students allegedly totaled the Old Mill High School football coach's car last month.

Coach Damian Ferragamo found his 2000 Honda Civic bashed and dented in the parking lot of the Old Mill High and Middle schools complex in Millersville on Oct. 29, according to a police report.

Ferragamo told police and the county teacher's union that witnesses saw seven or eight middle-schoolers using Ferragamo's car as a trampoline. It was the second time the car had been damaged that week.

Free cell phones for poor families

MIAMI - Thousands of free cell phones will be made available to low-income Maryland families.

A total of 378,000 Marylanders - including nearly 22,000 people in Anne Arundel County and 2,860 in Queen Anne's - are eligible for the phones, which come with 64 minutes of free air time each month.

The phones are being distributed by TracFone Wireless, a company that specializes in prepaid cell phones. The program is called SafeLink Wireless and is supported by a federal government initiative called Lifeline.

Lifeline was created by the Federal Communications Commission in 1984 to make phones available to low-income families. The money for Lifeline comes from fees paid by phone companies and customers into a special fund.

Unused minutes will be rolled over to the next month. To use more than 64 minutes per month, the phone owners can buy prepaid airtime cards.

To qualify, a Maryland resident must participate in one of the following assistance programs: Electric Universal Service Program, Food Stamps, Maryland Energy Assistance Program, Medical Assistance, Public Assistance to Adults, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Cash Assistance or Temporary Disability Assistance. Only one person per household can get the free phone.

For more information, call 800-SAFELINK (800-723-3546) or visit www.safelink.com.

- From staff and wire reports