For Immediate Release Contact: Wes Rosenbalm August 6, 2008 (276) 669-4112 Bristol Virginia One of 18 Finalists in Running for Prestigious National League of Cities Award BRISTOL, Va. – Bristol, Va., has made the first cut in the 2008 Awards for Municipal Excellence competition, an annual program sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC) and CH2M HILL,a global engineering, construction and operations firm based in Meridian, Colo. The city is one of only 18 under consideration in the less-than-50,000 population category. Thirty-nine additional cities are also competing in three other population categories. “We are extremely pleased to have survived the first round of elimination,” says Bristol Mayor Jim Rector. “It’s certainly a tremendous honor and allows Bristol and Bristol Virginia Utilities to get some recognition for what has been accomplished in terms of bringing future-proof broadband to Southwest Virginia.” Bristol submitted information to the NLC related to its initial launch of BVU OptiNet, which was the first municipally driven all-fiber-optic network in the country, and partnerships later developed with both the Lenowisco and Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commissions that have brought digital voice and advanced broadband services to remote areas of Southwest Virginia. “Our project is a good example of what can happen when there is cross-boundary cooperation, and people work together for the greater good,” says Bristol Virginia Utilities President and CEO Wes Rosenbalm, who led BVU OptiNet in its formative years. “Our perseverance has helped pioneer an entirely new area of services for city governments across the nation. That’s no small accomplishment.” Two winners – a silver and gold – will be named in each of the four population categories at the NLC’s Congress of Cities and Exposition to be held Nov. 11-15 in Orlando, Fla. In addition to being widely publicized, winners will be highlighted during the exposition and will receive $1,000 (silver) or $2,000 (gold) to donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Started in 1989 and originally called the James C. Howland Awards for Urban Enrichment, the NLC competition recognizes outstanding city-based programs that improve the quality of life in American communities. The program honors James C. Howland, who was a founding partner and chief executive officer for CH2M HILL. About the NLC The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. The NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. About BVU BVU is a city-owned public utility that provides electric, water, wastewater, cable and advanced fiber-optic broadband services to customers in a 125-square-mile area that includes Bristol, Abingdon and Washington County, Va. The utility also manages data and phone services for CPC OptiNet, serving business customers in Dickenson, Tazewell, Buchanan and Russell counties in Virginia, as well as cable and broadband services for MI-Connection, serving the towns of Davidson, Mooresville and Cornelius in North Carolina. BVU’s advanced broadband division, OptiNet, was the first in the nation to provide the triple play of services (voice, video and broadband) over a fiber-to-the-user network. For more information, visitwww.bvu-optinet.com. . - end -