Level 3 Focuses on Customer Experience in Pittsburgh.

Level 3 Commits to Increasing Presence and Operations for Pittsburgh Enterprise Customers at Local Appreciation Event

PITTSBURGH, June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) announced that it is hosting a customer appreciation and awareness event today in Pittsburgh to highlight its commitment to expanded operations in the city and Western Pennsylvania. This event reflects Level 3's ongoing commitment to enhancing its presence in local markets throughout the country, with the goal of providing its customers with a world-class customer experience.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110523/LA06722LOGO)

Emphasizing this commitment, the company plans to add additional capacity to the network in the region and expand the number of businesses that are directly connected to the Level 3 fiber network. Level 3 currently has approximately 2,000 route miles of fiber in the Western Pennsylvania market with over 1,000 miles of that in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area, passing within reach of thousands of local businesses. Level 3's efforts in Pittsburgh provide its customers with access to the full suite of Level 3 services, enabling them to quickly and easily increase their bandwidth as business needs grow.

In support of this effort, Level 3 continues to grow its local workforce in Pittsburgh to combine in-depth knowledge of the Pittsburgh marketplace with broad technical expertise in advanced telecommunications services. Through a combination of its existing extensive backbone network, metro fiber-optic footprint and a locally focused sales, operations and customer support team, Level 3 provides greater opportunities for its customers to take advantage of Level 3's broad portfolio of communications solutions.

"After working with multiple national carriers, Sierra Data Centers moved to Level 3's network services in late 2009. Since adding Level 3 to our infrastructure, we have taken it from a 98 percent up time to a 100 percent up time, never experiencing a single outage for our Level 3 configuration," said Bruce Freshwater, chief technology officer for Sierra Data Centers. "Now, with their even greater focus on Western Pennsylvania, we would highly recommend Level 3 for everything from the small office environment to advanced enterprises and datacenters; there is no better provider available."

"Pittsburgh is home to a diverse enterprise marketplace, and we're focused on continually improving our customers' experience there," said Stan Stanek, Level 3's General Manager for Western Pennsylvania. "Level 3 is dedicated to providing its customers with an experienced local sales, support and operations team that is committed to solving business challenges with advanced network solutions, thereby enabling Pittsburgh to meet the rising challenges of an interconnected global marketplace."

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) is a leading international provider of fiber-based communications services. Enterprise, content, wholesale and government customers rely on Level 3 to deliver services with an industry-leading combination of scalability and value over an end-to-end fiber network. Level 3 offers a portfolio of metro and long-haul services, including transport, data, Internet, content delivery and voice. For more information, visit www.Level3.com.

(c) Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3, Level 3 Communications and the Level 3 Communications Logo are either registered service marks or service marks of Level 3 Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. Level 3 services are provided by wholly owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. Any other service names, product names, company names or logos included herein are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statement

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward looking in nature. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. The most important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the current uncertainty in the global financial markets and the global economy; disruptions in the financial markets that could affect Level 3's ability to obtain additional financing; as well as the company's ability to: increase and maintain the volume of traffic on the network; successfully integrate acquisitions; develop effective business support systems; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; manage system and network failures or disruptions; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; adapt to rapid technological changes that lead to further competition; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; and meet all of the terms and conditions of debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact Information
Media:	Investors:
Jon Paul McLeary	Mark Stoutenberg
720-888-3244	720-888-2518

SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.

PROTECT TAX RECORDS AND FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS DURING EMERGENCIES.

BATON ROUGE, LA -- The following information was released by the Louisiana Department of Revenue:

Protect tax records and financial documents from storms, floods, and other emergencies, the Louisiana Department of Revenue advises taxpayers.

The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season began on June 1. The National Weather Service says there is a 65 percent chance of an above-normal season. Early preparation is the key to making sure your family, property, and important personal records remain safe.

Keep Documents Secure

Water damage poses a particular threat to paper records. In advance of a storm or flood, protect these documents by placing them in airtight containers and moving them out of harm's way.

Use Paperless Media

Most bank statements and other financial documents are available as electronic records from your financial institution. Preserve these data by burning them to CDs or saving them to portable memory drives.

Scan important paper records such as W-2s, payroll records, and tax returns into an electronic format. Many commercially available home printers include easy-to-use scanning features.

In addition, some web-based e-mail services such as Google's Gmail or Microsoft's Hotmail offer free online document storage. You can upload your electronic records directly from your home computer and download them again from any machine with Internet access.

Document Valuables and Business Equipment

Compile a room-by-room list of your belongings or business equipment. Photograph or videotape the contents of your home or business, especially items of high value.

Having a visual record of your valuables can provide proof for an insurance claim. It can also help to verify a loss claim on state and federal tax returns.

In the event of a disaster, the Department of Revenue can provide information on potential tax deductions or credits, filing extensions, and other tax-related matters. Bookmark www.revenue.louisiana.gov as the source for state tax-related information.

APPLICATION PERIOD DEADLINE MAY 31 FOR STATE'S THIRD ELK HUNT.

NASHVILLE, TN -- The following information was released by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA):

The deadline to apply for participation in Tennessee's third-ever managed elk hunt is approaching. Sportsmen have until midnight (CDT) on May 31 to submit their application to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

The third elk hunt will be held Oct. 17-21, 2011 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, located off I-75, north of Knoxville. Once again, there will be five Elk Hunting Zones designated at the WMA.

Persons may apply at any TWRA license agent, TWRA regional office or online at www.tnelkhunt.org. Mailed applications will not be accepted.

As in the previous two hunts, five individuals will be selected to participate. Four of the participants will be selected through a computer drawing conducted by the TWRA. Nonresident applicants will be restricted to no greater than 25 percent of the drawn permits.

The fifth participant will be the recipient of a permit that is donated to a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which this year is the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. The permit will be auctioned on eBay. The auction period will be announced at a later date. Fund-raising proceeds are designated for the TWRA Elk Program.

There is no application fee for current Tennessee Annual Sportsman License holders, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, or an Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167). All other applicants will be charged a $10 non-refundable permit fee, a $2 internet usage fee (if applying online). For those applying at a license agent, there is a $1 agent fee in addition to the $10 non-refundable permit fee.

The successful applicants will be announced at the June meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. Successful applicants will not be allowed to reapply for an elk quota hunt permit for 10 years following a successful draw.

---TWRA---

Nadra, Ufone ink pact to facilitate masses.

ISLAMABAD: NADRA Technologies Limited (NTL) and Ufone have signed an agreement to give customers more options and places to pay their utility bills at more than 11,000 U-Shops around the country. December 29 (THE NATION): Deputy Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik and President Ufone Abdul Aziz signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the masses, says a press release issued here on Wednesday. The Deputy Chairman NADRA on this occasion complimented the Ufone management for their initiative and customer care preferences while entering into agreement with NTL. He further emphasised that e-Sahulat platform was a tip of the iceberg and NTL was in process of transforming this platform into National Smart Service Platform for e-commerce. Through this Smart Service Platform, organisations can utilise e-Sahulat touch points for cash in and cash out transactions under branchless regulations issued by the SBP. This arrangement will help commercial banks and Telcos to extend branchless banking concept through e-Sahulat without raising any infrastructure thereby saving capital and operational cost. It is expected that this arrangement once put in place will facilitate general public especially in rural areas with solutions housed in congenial environments, while exposing the public to state-of-the-art-technology. Abdul Aziz, CEO Ufone, said that Ufone was constantly looking to better the lives of the people of Pakistan by providing the best quality and most innovative services in the country. This partnership with NADRA would help give customers more options and places to pay their utility bills at more than 11,000 U-Shops around the country, he added. The NADRA Technologies Ltd (NTL) has undertaken an innovative approach to develop a billing switch to provide an integrated system response to clients for payment of utility bills through alternate channels like mobiles phones, internet, ATM, bank branches and telcos outlets. In this connection NTL and Ufone have signed an agreement under which NTL has offered their billing switch to Ufone facilitating the payment of utility bills through U-shops and other outlets.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

ATK Awarded $4 Million Integration and Demonstration Contract to Develop an Alternative Warhead for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS).

Army Contract Follows Successful Tests of Two ATK Alternative Warhead Designs for GMLRS Work to be Performed at ATK Facilities in Plymouth, Minnesota and Rocket Center, West Virginia

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alliant Techsystems was awarded a $4 million Integration and Demonstration (I&D) contract by the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command. ATK was one of three companies awarded an I&D contract to develop an alternative warhead for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). The I&D phase will span 17 months and conclude with a live-fire test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, where the Army will down-select a design to proceed into the engineering and manufacturing design and demonstration (EMDD) phase.

During the I&D phase ATK will perform engineering trade studies, component and system optimization, simulation and analysis, preliminary design, and warhead fabrication and testing. The ultimate goal is to develop a drop-in replacement for the currently fielded Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) warhead for the GMLRS.

In 2008, ATK self-funded the development and testing of two GMLRS warhead configurations to demonstrate different technical designs. Both configurations were successfully tested and the best design was selected for the I&D phase. ATK's innovative design uses commercial grade components to meet mission requirements, lower technical risk, match current warhead flight characteristics and not modify the existing delivery system.

"ATK's GMLRS alternative warhead design is a prime example of our ability to develop innovative and advanced technical approaches to deliver safer, more effective and affordable products for our warfighters," said Bart Olson, vice president and general manager of ATK Tactical Propulsion and Controls division. "ATK's self-funded demonstration program allowed us to enter this competition with a design that meets mission requirements, reduces the likelihood of battlefield unexploded ordnance, and meets our customer's cost goals."

Design, development, analysis, and simulation work will be performed at ATK's Plymouth, Minnesota facility. Warhead production will occur at our ATK's Alleghany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, West Virginia.

ATK is a premier aerospace and defense company with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and revenues of approximately $4.8 billion. News and information can be found on the Internet at http://www.atk.com/.

Certain information discussed in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although ATK believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those factors are: the challenges of designing and developing warheads; changes in governmental spending, budgetary policies and product sourcing strategies; the company's competitive environment; the terms and timing of awards and contracts; and economic conditions. ATK undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For further information on factors that could impact ATK, and statements contained herein, please refer to ATK's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  Media Contact:                   Investor Contact:  Rod Gibbons                      Jeff Huebschen  Phone:  410-864-4932             Phone:  952-351-2929  E-mail:  rod.gibbons@atk.com     E-mail:  jeff.huebschen@atk.com

CONTACT: Media, Rod Gibbons, +1-410-864-4932, rod.gibbons@atk.com, or Investors, Jeff Huebschen, +1-952-351-2929, jeff.huebschen@atk.com, both of ATK

Web Site: http://www.atk.com/

Indiana Fabric Handbag Company Acquires Designer and Her Ideas.(Originated from The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.)

FORT WAYNE, Ind.--Feb. 17--Patterned velvets, silks and tapestries will join the familiar cotton print handbags at Vera Bradley Designs Inc. for its fall collection.

The new look is courtesy of a new designer, Sonja Benson, who joined the Fort Wayne accessories company this winter. Vera Bradley bought Benson's 4-year-old enterprise, Femtio, a maker of dressy and just plain funky handbags.

Terms of the purchase, Vera Bradley's first acquisition, were not disclosed.

Benson started talking to Vera Bradley's owners, Pat Miller and Barbara Baekegaard, last summer. She was looking for advice on expanding her company, not looking to sell it.

"When Sonja saw Vera Bradley firsthand and we met Sonja face-to- face, our minds started branching out in all directions," Miller said.

"I felt like we all clicked together," Benson said.

Benson's bags have little in common with the traditional Vera Bradley line, except that they're fabric. A former art director and executive with major advertising agencies -- and a seamstress from a young age -- Benson makes bags of rich fabrics with often fanciful trims.

Her bags are shaped as pouches, envelopes and mini-backpacks instead of the traditional, rectangularly shaped bag that is Vera Bradley's trademark.

She's now experimenting with some of Vera Bradley's signature prints in those styles, as well as developing styles in other fabrics for a fall line the company will introduce under a new name.

The acquisition is a first for Vera Bradley, which Miller and Baekegaard began in 1982. It also will take them into a new distribution system, the accessory market, rather than the gift market which has been the Fort Wayne company's focus. Vera Bradley bags, luggage, clothing and accessories are sold throughout the United States and internationally.

Benson didn't worry about distribution at first. She opened her own retail stores, first in Rockport, Mass., then in Port Townsend, Wash., where she moved in 1993. Femtio bags also are sold in boutiques on the East Coast and in Florida and Aspen, Colo.

The retail shops also gave Benson immediate customer feedback, which in turn guided her designs.

Benson began the business at her son's suggestion that she could earn money from her sewing hobby. She had used leftover fabric from the gowns she sewed for her daughter's wedding party to make bags for the bride and her attendants. The raves those bags drew were the basis for her first successful designs.

Femtio -- Swedish for 50 -- came from the 50 friends who invested in the company to get it going.

At first Benson bought fabric at retail stores and sewed all her creations. But early on she began attending fabric shows in New York to order from manufacturers.

She hired an outside sewer when she moved to Port Townsend: "We'd start at 7 o'clock in the morning and sew until 6 and sew like madwomen," she said of their marathon, once-a-week sewing sessions.

  She was considering growing   her company when, at a wedding last year in Connecticut, she met Baekegaard's son. Learning about Femtio, he said, "You should meet my mother," Benson said. 

Benson wanted to discuss overcoming her production limits with the veterans at Vera Bradley last summer. Instead, the conversation turned to bringing Benson and her designs within the Vera Bradley fold.

Vera Bradley had started talking about bringing out velvet or dressier bags five years ago, Miller said, but never followed through. "Fortunately, we found someone who already had developed a beautiful bag," she said.

Benson will devote full-time to design. "This is what I love to do -- and what I'm good at," she said.

"Sonja has unlimited wonderful ideas, and we seem to know how to manufacture," Miller said.

Added Benson, "This gives us both a chance to do what we like to do."

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ON THE INTERNET:

Visit News(at)Sentinel, the World Wide Web edition of The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind., at http://www.fortwayne.com/ns

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(c) 1997, The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) News-Sentinel. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News.

NETSCAPE AND HP TEAM TO DELIVER WEB SERVERS AND ONLINE APPLICATIONS TO HP CUSTOMERS

NETWORLD+INTEROP, ATLANTA, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Netscape Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: NSCP) and Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) announced today that HP will make Netscape's server family of software products available to HP customers and for internal use at HP. As part of this agreement, HP will ship and support the Netscape Communications Server(TM), Netscape Commerce Server(TM), and Netscape Proxy Server(TM) to its customers on the HP 9000 servers and workstations platform for use on enterprise networks and the Internet.

"Hewlett-Packard is excited about its relationship with Netscape, the industry leader in Internet solutions," said Wim Roelandts, senior vice president of HP's Computer Systems Organization. "By offering Netscape's full suite of server software on the HP-UX platform, we can provide customers with the building blocks for enterprise applications on internal networks and electronic commerce applications on the Internet."

"The combination of HP's leading UNIX systems-based product family and Netscape's premier web server technology will result in world-class solutions for commercial customers," said Jim Barksdale, president and CEO at Netscape. "Users who are looking to build web based-applications can now get integrated Netscape and HP solutions, combined with HP's superior service and worldwide customer support capability."

Netscape's full line of open software includes four families of products: Netscape Navigator(TM) client software, Netscape server software, Netscape Internet Applications(TM), and Netscape development tools. The products deliver encrypted communications, advanced performance, and point-and-click simplicity to companies and individuals who want to create or access information services on enterprise networks and the Internet.

HP 9000 servers and workstations, based on HP's industry-leading HP-UX operating environment and PA-RISC technology, provide the high-performance and systems-management capabilities required by data center environments as well as graphics solutions that lead the industry in performance, scalability and functionality.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 99,900 employees and had revenue of $25 billion in the 1994 fiscal year.

     -0-                         9/27/95 

/CONTACT: Rosanne Siino of Netscape Communications, 415-528-2619/

(NSCP HWP)

CO: Netscape Communications Corp.; Hewlett-Packard Co. ST: California IN: CPR SU: PDT

DS-LW -- SJ003 -- 0769 09/27/95 08:31 EDT