Providence Journal (Providence, RI) articles from July 2003

Providence Journal (Providence, RI) archives from July 2003

Unemployment Insurance Benefits to Rise for Some in Rhode Island.
July 1, 2003

Rhode Island Indian Tribe Has Promising Session with State Economic Officials.
July 1, 2003

Providence Journal, R.I., Business Briefs Column.
July 2, 2003

Blue Cross to Trim Rhode Island Work Force.
July 4, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 4--The jobs of 85 Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island employees are in jeopardy after the insurer announced last night that it had notified the federal government it wishes to exit its handling of Medicare...

Providence, R.I., Passes $8.3 Million Tax Deal for New GTECH Headquarters.
July 4, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 4--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--GTECH Holdings Corp.'s move downtown is official, thanks to a Providence City's Council's vote last night to approve the company's tax deal with the city. The council voted 12 to 1, to...

Rhode Island Gets High Marks as Magnet for Biotech.
July 6, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 6--When it comes to operating a biotechnology facility, Providence looks like a pretty good place to be, at least according to one recent national survey. The study, released last month by The Boyd Company...

Providence Journal, R.I., Speakers' Table.
July 6, 2003... Jul. 6--MONDAY: Providence Rotary Club will meet at 12:15 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel, Charles and Orms Streets. Speaker: Mindy Weber, Co-director of Providence Summerbridge. Cost: $13. For information, call 782-0926. TUESDAY: The Newport...

Car-Leasing Firms see Green Light in Rhode Island Legislation.
July 6, 2003... Byline: Lisa Biank Fasig Jul. 6--Hold on to those fine-print reading glasses. One of life's big decisions -- to lease or to buy a car -- will idle in Rhode Island for at least another year. The choice was nearly eliminated, as major...

Providence Journal, R.I., MoneyLine Column.
July 6, 2003... Byline: Neil Downing Jul. 6--Want to get rid of those pesky sales calls you get at home? Well, here's your chance. By enrolling in the government's National Do-Not-Call Registry, you can at least limit the number of telemarketing calls to...

Australian Company's Proposal for Rhode Island Power Plant Is Making Waves.
July 6, 2003... Byline: Paul Davis Jul. 6--NARRAGANSETT, R.I.--An Australian energy company has discovered what New England surfers have known for years: the waves here are awesome. "They can reach 10 feet in a hurricane," says Ted Pan, the owner of...

AT&T Adds New Fee for Long-Distance Service.
July 6, 2003

Providence Journal, R.I., Business Briefs Column.
July 6, 2003

Couple Gains Approval for Johnston, R.I., Funeral Home.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Katherine Boas Jul. 7--JOHNSTON, R.I.--For the owners of a generations-old funeral home, the long wait is finally over. Within the year, they said, Johnston will have its first funeral home in decades. Michael and Annette...

Developers Scrap Plans for Lowe's Home Improvement Center in Westerly, R.I.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Megan Matteucci Jul. 7--WESTERLY, R.I.--Developers have scrapped plans to build a Lowe's home improvement center near Westerly Airport because of potential navigation and safety hazards. But Carpionato Properties said it will...

Providence Journal, R.I., MoneyLine Column.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Neil Downing Jul. 7--Good news for all you tax rebate fans. The Internal Revenue Service is quietly working on a system through which you could check, in advance, whether you'll be eligible for a rebate and how much you might...

Popeyes Plans North Providence, R.I., Chicken Restaurant.
July 7, 2003... Byline: S.I. Rosenbaum Jul. 7--NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Popeyes Fried Chicken & Biscuit is back. The chicken chain purchased a vacant lot on Mineral Spring Avenue last month. Franchise owner Aamir Zaidi, who has already built two...

EPA Report Rates Somerset, Mass., Power Plant State's Biggest Polluter.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Jessica Resnick-Ault Jul. 7--SOMERSET, Mass.--An annual report from the Environmental Protection Agency named Somerset's Brayton Point Power Plant as the top emitter of toxic chemicals in Massachusetts during 2001. Another...

New High-Speed Ferry in Rhode Island Strikes Hurricane Barrier.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Amanda Milkovits Jul. 8--The belated debut of the new high-speed ferry between Providence and Newport ended with a crunch yesterday afternoon, when the ferry bumped into the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. The new catamaran Ocean...

Rhode Island Plans Incentives to Save Some Jobs at Honeywell Plant.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Neil Downing Jul. 8--A package of government incentives are in the works to help save up to 50 of the jobs that are scheduled to be eliminated in coming months at a Honeywell International plant in Pawtucket. The company still...

Providence Journal, R.I., MoneyLine Column.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Neil Downing Jul. 8--In less than three weeks, the U.S. Treasury will start mailing $14 billion in rebates to about 25 million American families. Will the government know where to send your check? That's the issue raised by a...

Two Cranston, R.I.-Area Residents Charged with Felony Drug Offenses.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Barbara Polichetti Jul. 8--A Cranston-based physician and a local business owner have both been charged with several felony offenses for allegedly using drug samples to fill prescriptions at Cameron's Pawtuxet Pharmacy, according...

East Providence, R.I., Tractor-Trailer Driving School Builds Truckers.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Richard C. Dujardin Jul. 8--EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I.--It was Brian Bateman's first day behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer, and already he was feeling exhilarated. He had arrived -- as most of those who show up for the first...

Rhode Island Releases Data from Survey of Gasoline Prices.
July 8, 2003

Rhode Island Continues Land Dispute with Smithfield Property Owner.
July 8, 2003

Busy Travel Season Brings Long Waits at Warwick, R.I., Airport Security Lines.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Daniel Barbarisi Jul. 9--WARWICK, R.I.--The ticket lines at T.F. Green Airport snaked back and forth through the lobby yesterday morning, just like they do every summer, always the busiest season of the year. But travelers now...

Rhode Island's Biggest Convention Worth $10 Million.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Michael Corkery Jul. 9--About 10,000 police officers and their families are expected to descend on Providence next month for what tourism officials say will be the largest convention ever in Rhode Island. The 56th National...

Out-of-State Driving School Can Continue to Teach Rhode Island Teenagers.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Linda Borg Jul. 9--Rhode Island students can continue to take driver education at a popular Massachusetts auto school, thanks to a last-minute reprieve from the General Assembly. Last spring, the General Assembly passed a bill...

EMC Corp. to Acquire Data-Storage Rival Legato Systems for $1.2 Billion.
July 9, 2003

Rhode Island Governor Vetoes Budget, Criticizes Assembly.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Scott Mayerowitz Jul. 9--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Governor Carcieri yesterday vetoed the General Assembly's $2.8-billion, state-financed budget for this year, saying legislators failed to rein in spending and relied on one-time fixes to...

Textron Sells Wisconsin-Based Maker of Telescopic Machinery to JLG Industries.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Lisa Biank Fasig Jul. 9--Textron Inc., the conglomerate that lately has been shifting operations as often as some people get their oil changed, said yesterday that it has agreed to sell its OmniQuip business unit, purchased in...

Providence Journal, R.I., Business Briefs Column.
July 9, 2003

Brown University-Founded Biotechnology Firm Snags Venture Capital Financing.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 10--Cyberkinetics Inc., a biotechnology company spun out of Brown University, has closed a $4.3-million round of venture capital financing. Although the news is good for the young company, bringing its...

Providence, R.I., Technology Firm Makes Screen-Cleanup Software Versatile.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 10--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Sitting in Mathematical Technologies Inc.'s dining room turned conference room, William Foulkes watched the squiggly lines jumping on the computer screen disappear with a wave of the...

Johnston, R.I., Zoning Board Rejects Low-Income Housing Plan.
July 10, 2003... Jul. 10--JOHNSTON, R.I.--The town Zoning Board rejected a proposal for a low-income housing development yesterday at 12:15 a.m., after more than 200 residents gathered at the Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School to protest the plan. Tuesday's...

Lawmaker Pushes Bill to Close Fall River, R.I., Landfill.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Jessica Resnick-Ault Jul. 10--FALL RIVER, R.I.--Browning Ferris Industries' plan to expand its landfill will be challenged today at both the city and state levels. On Beacon Hill, Rep. David B. Sullivan, D-Fall River, will go...

North Kingstown, R.I., Council Gives Restaurants Time to Make Improvements.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Erin Emlock Jul. 10--NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.--Instead of revoking their licenses, the Town Council is giving more time to two restaurant owners who need to make improvements to their properties. The council this week held show...

Warren, R.I., Businessman Resurfaces as Shipbuilder.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Jessica Ullian Jul. 10--WARREN, R.I.--With a crack of a champagne bottle, Luther Blount launched a 312-foot catamaran and a new era in his shipbuilding empire yesterday. The 86-year-old Warren businessman's family, friends, and...

Future Is Here at University of Rhode Island Biomedical Lab.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Andrea Stape Jul. 11--SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.--An activated cell sorter may sound like a dull piece of machinery, but it could help cure cancer -- and the University of Rhode Island just got one. URI yesterday showed off the...

Narragansett Bay Cruises' Daily Tours Give Locals, Visitors a View of History.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Rob Margetta Jul. 11--FALL RIVER, Mass.--The 65-foot cruise ship Martha Washington chugged south along the Taunton River Sunday with 42 passengers aboard and 7-year-old Jacob Perreira at its wheel. "Jacob, watch out for the...

Owner of Burned South Kingstown, R.I., Bar Wants to Build Pharmacy, Offices.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Jennifer D. Jordan Jul. 11--SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.--The owner of a popular bar on Route 1 that was gutted in a fire this winter wants to raze the structure and build a large pharmacy with a drive-through window, an office building...

Private Industry to Bear Costs of Rhode Island's New Fire Laws.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Arsenault Jul. 11--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--The new state fire laws enacted in response to The Station nightclub tragedy could cost private industry statewide $100 million, Governor Carcieri estimated yesterday. Carcieri signed...

Fall River, Mass., Board of Health Revokes BFI's Landfill Permit.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Jessica Resnick-Ault Jul. 11--FALL RIVER, Mass.--Browning Ferris Industries will not be allowed to expand its landfill, the city Board of Health ruled last night. Members argued that expansion of the facility could contaminate the...

Budget Battle Goes to Dogs -- Literally -- in Rhode Island State House Stunt.
July 11, 2003... Jul. 11--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--In what quickly turned into a spectacle -- even by State House standards -- two greyhounds bearing the nametags "Tax" and "Spend" competed with House and Senate Democratic leaders yesterday for the spotlight. The...

Upgrade Puts Rhode Island's Pell Bridge in Fast Lane of Toll-Collection.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Richard Salit Jul. 11--The next time you drive up to the toll plaza at the Claiborne Pell Bridge be sure to smile. As part of $2.8 million in improvements, 22 cameras have been installed to increase security and law enforcement...

Cost of Filing to Do Business in Rhode Island Could Increase.
July 12, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 12--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--A move by Governor Carcieri to make Rhode Island more attractive to startup companies with growth potential will mean higher fees for many entrepreneurs when they file corporate papers....

Rhode Island Officials Find Savings in Drug Coverage.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Liz Anderson Jul. 12--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--State officials say they have saved an estimated $600,000 per year on state employee health benefits by seeking an adjustment to prescription drug charges that were out of whack with market...

Providence, R.I., Realty Company President Faces Gas-Theft Charge.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Karen Lee Ziner Jul. 12--Patricia A. Voccola-Forte, daughter of Plunder Dome defendant and convicted felon Edward E. Voccola, was charged yesterday with stealing nearly $40,000 in natural gas by bypassing a gas meter for more than...

Tiverton, R.I. Man Sues BJ's Wholesale Club, Wisconsin Sausage Company.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Richard Salit Jul. 12--NEWPORT, R.I.--Anthony Ramos and his family were enjoying a barbecue in their Tiverton backyard just after Independence Day three years ago when he bit into a sausage hot off the grill. Suddenly, Ramos...

Providence Journal, R.I., MoneyLine Column.
July 13, 2003... Byline: Neil Downing Jul. 13--NEW TAX LAW DOESN'T AFFECT LOSS TALLIES: How will the new tax law affect you if you sell stocks, mutual-fund shares or other such assets? What if you suffer a loss? That, in essence, is the question a man from...

Rhode Island Cities, Towns Face Pension Contribution Hike Next Year.
July 13, 2003... Byline: Scott Mayerowitz Jul. 13--Most communities in the state will have to increase their contributions to the state retirement system in the coming year, some of them by sizable amounts, largely because of the poor performance of the...

Rhode Island Narragansett Tribe Gives up on Alternatives, Opens Tobacco Shop.
July 13, 2003... Byline: Zachary R. Mider Jul. 13--CHARLESTOWN, R.I.--The Narragansett Indian Tribe opened a tax-free smoke shop on tribal lands yesterday, saying that the tribe would no longer wait for the economic-development initiatives that Governor...

Providence Journal, R.I., Business Speakers Column.
July 14, 2003... Jul. 14--MONDAY: Providence Rotary Club will meet at 12:15 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel, Charles and Orms Streets. Speaker: Robb Hoffman, Providence Maritime Heritage Foundation. Cost: $13. For information, call 782-0926. TUESDAY: The...

Rhode Island Senate Panel Fails to Act on Bill to Protect Funeral Contracts.
July 14, 2003... Byline: David McFadden Jul. 14--WOONSOCKET, Rhode Island--A bill proposed by Woonsocket Rep. Todd R. Brien that would have set up a state fund to cover losses in case a funeral home defaults on its customers' prepaid burial contracts...

Housing Developer to Fight Johnston, R.I., Zoning Board's Rejection.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Tanya Caldwell Jul. 14--JOHNSTON, R.I.--The developer of a proposed senior citizens housing development that was turned down last week by the Zoning Board hopes to revive his project. The Housing Opportunities Corporation will...

Consumers Fear Products with Radio-Frequency ID Chips Will Cost Them Privacy.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Lisa Biank Fasig Jul. 14--Consumer groups may want to give the chip the slip, but the world's largest retailer says nothing is going to stop it from having information-collecting devices implanted in all of its product shipments....

Zoning Board Approves Variances for Dunkin' Donuts Complex in Pascoag, R.I.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Kate Bramson Jul. 14--As plans for the Dunkin' Donuts-Baskin Robbins business and apartment development in Pascoag move forward, the co-owner of the coffee shop across the street says he is miffed. The Zoning Board has given D...

Contract Talks Begin for North Providence, R.I., Police, Public Works Workers.
July 14, 2003

Coventry, R.I., Police Arrest 17 in Connection with ATM-Card Bank Scam.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Meaghan Wims Jul. 15--COVENTRY, R.I.--The Coventry Police have arrested 17 people allegedly involved in a banking scam during the last few months which netted a total of $45,657. Two Providence men, Eric Snead, 26, of 212...

Providence, R.I.-Area Businesses Exchange Counterfeit $20 Bills.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Jessica Ullian Jul. 15--The $20 bill is the most commonly counterfeited note in the country, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. On Sunday, businesses in Barrington and Warren learned that lesson for themselves. ...

Judge Sentences Former Lawyer in Warwick, R.I.-Area Real-Estate Fraud.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Erin Emlock Jul. 15--WARWICK, R.I.--A former lawyer for the Providence Gas Co. and Newport Electric was sentenced to serve five years at the Adult Correctional Institutions yesterday for misappropriating more than $1 million in...

Woonsocket, R.I., Seeks Millions in Aid for Redevelopment.
July 15, 2003... Byline: David McFadden Jul. 15--WOONSOCKET, R.I.--The city is asking that three proposed capital improvement projects, including a $2.53-million upgrade to Cumberland Hill Road which could spur an ambitious redevelopment of the area, be...

Dotting i's Delays Signing of North Smithfield, R.I., Teachers' Contract.
July 15, 2003... Byline: John Hill Jul. 15--NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I.--The School Committee's new contract with its teachers' union will be signed before the start of school, representatives for both sides said yesterday, but not as soon as they'd hoped. ...

Rhode Island Smoke Shop Melee Reflects Breakdown between Tribe, State.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Scott MacKay Jul. 15--Yesterday's melee at the Narragansetts' smoke shop was the latest skirmish in four centuries of misundertanding and lost opportunities between Rhode Island's government and its Native Americans. On both...

Violent Police Raid Closes Rhode Island Indian Tribe's Tax-Free Tobacco Shop.
July 15, 2003... Jul. 15--CHARLESTOWN, R.I.--State troopers stormed the Narragansett Indian tribe's newly opened tax-free smoke shop yesterday, seizing cigarettes and cash and leaving its leaders bruised and bloodied. The melee sent eight people to the hospital...

Narragansett, R.I., Beach Tourism Hits Record Pace.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Adam C. Holland Jul. 15--NARRAGANSETT, R.I. -- What a difference a few sunny days make. After one of the slowest starts to the summer tourist season in recent memory, Narragansett Town Beach is on a record-setting pace, fueled...

Hasbro Loses Round against Toymaker Ohio Art over Super Soaker.
July 15, 2003

Pawtucket, R.I., Program Seeks to Place Teenagers in Summer Jobs.
July 15, 2003

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Hikes Premiums for Direct Subscribers.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Timothy C. Barmann Jul. 16--Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has raised premiums by as much as 33.5 percent for a small group of subscribers who buy health insurance directly from the company. One of its standard Direct...

FleetBoston Financial Posts Second-Quarter Earnings of $624 Million.
July 16, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 16--An increased focus on consumer banking and a shift away from riskier businesses appear to be paying off for FleetBoston Financial Corp. as New England's largest bank yesterday posted its best quarterly...

After Much Debate, Rhode Island Legislature Overrides Governor's Budget Veto.
July 16, 2003... Jul. 16--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--After two hours of screaming and yelling that one legislative leader compared to a raucous session of the English House of Commons, the House yesterday voted to override Republican Governor Carcieri's budget veto. ...

Bancorp Rhode Island Posts 8-Percent Drop in Second-Quarter Earnings.
July 16, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 16--Higher expenses and low interest rates combined to push down earnings at Bancorp Rhode Island for the second consecutive quarter, the company announced yesterday. The parent company of Bank Rhode Island...

Hasbro to Appeal Lawsuit Loss against Ohio Art over Super Soaker Patents.
July 16, 2003

Sovereign Bancorp Posts 15-Percent Rise in Second-Quarter Earnings.
July 16, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 16--Sovereign Bancorp reported a 15-percent increase in second-quarter earnings yesterday as loan activity helped offset a squeeze on profit margins caused by low interest rates. The parent company of...

Despite Good Intentions, New North Kingstown, R.I., Dock Causes Friction.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Erin Emlock Jul. 17--NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.--A dock constructed by homeowners in the Shore Acres neighborhood is prompting complaints from neighbors who say that it inhibits their ability to use a town-owned launching area. But...

Council Unveils Economic Plan for Exeter, R.I.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Megan Matteucci Jul. 17--EXETER, R.I.--The Ladd School could be turned into a conference center. Route 2 may become a small shopping village and Route 3 could be the next restaurant row. Town officials and residents have tossed...

Data-Storage Firm EMC Corp. Continues Profit Gains As It Climbs Out of Slump.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 17--Continuing to live up to its promises, EMC Corp. yesterday reported a second consecutive quarter of profitability as the company continues its steady climb out of a two-year slump. The Hopkinton,...

Opponents of Barrington, R.I., Affordable Housing Development Find Little Hope.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Jessica Ullian Jul. 17--BARRINGTON, R.I.--The residents who attended last night's Barrington Citizens for Responsible Development meeting came seeking information, but they received a harsh dose of the truth. Louis Larisa,...

Federal Official: Workers Laid Off in Warwick, R.I., Eligible for Benefits.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Lynn Arditi Jul. 17--About 150 workers who were laid off from Leviton Manufacturing Co.'s Hillsgrove Division in Warwick may be eligible for extended unemployment benefits or retraining under a federal program that assists workers...

U.S. Labor Department Sues Trustees of Rhode Island Union's Benefit Plan.
July 17, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 17--The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking to remove the trustees of a benefit plan that provides legal services to members of the Rhode Island Laborers' Union. In a lawsuit filed in federal court, the...

Smithfield, R.I., Town Offers to Join State Landfill Closing Program.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Thomas J. Morgan Jul. 17--SMITHFIELD, R.I.--The town will enter a state program that deals with old landfills, such as the site on Ridge Road that has been closed for many years, but only if the state Department of Environmental...

Philadelphia-Based Sovereign Bancorp Willing to Entertain Offers, CEO Says.
July 17, 2003... Byline: David McPherson Jul. 17--Little more than an hour after Sovereign Bancorp announced record earnings, the head of the Pennsylvania-based bank said he would consider selling the company at the right price. Sovereign chairman and...

Cranston, R.I., Subcommittee to Review Contractor's Ordinance.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Daniel Barbarisi Jul. 18--CRANSTON, R.I.--Instead of dealing with the so-called fair contractor's ordinance at its meeting last night, the City Council's Ordinance Committee formed a new subcommittee to study the issue over the...

Rhode Island Leaders Discuss Balancing Economic Growth, Environmental Health.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Andrea L. Stape Jul. 18--PROVIDENCE, R.I.--In this corner, weighing in with a hunger for 20,000 new jobs, is the Rhode Island economy. In the opposing corner, weighing in with just over a thousand square miles and 39...

Rhode Island Jobless Rate Rises to 5.3 Percent in June.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Lynn Arditi Jul. 18--More Rhode Islanders are competing for fewer jobs this summer. And that spells higher unemployment. After two months in a row of job growth, employers last month shed 1,100 jobs and the unemployment rate...