Providence Business News articles from June 2001

Providence Business News archives from June 2001

Mesa joins high tech casualties.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... After 10 years of promise, progress Systems Guild goes quietly While the industry's leading trade organization attempts to put its best face on Rhode Island's technology sector, some of the industry's most prominent companies are either...

R.I. dredging bill surfacing.
June 25, 2001... A new bill introduced late in the Legislative session is gaining momentum, and could, if passed, become the foundation for the first statewide dredging plan in nearly three decades. Addressing in-water and upland disposals, as well as...

Gay business comfortable in R.I.
June 25, 2001... With national recognition as an accepting, liberal place to live and work, Providence is developing a reputation as a welcoming place for gays. The city's combination of education, art and a community that is accepting to gays is...

Route 195 shift process proceeds.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... One of the boldest -- and costliest -- transportation projects in the state's history, the relocation of a generous stretch of Route 195 that runs through Providence, remains on schedule. And while some of the early construction work...

School in the country helps kids uncomfortable in usual setting.(South Kingstown school district's Farm School)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Seventy acres of wooded land with a three-acre pond and chickens, rabbits, cats, fish and a dog isn't exactly a typical public school campus. But the mission of the South Kingstown school district's Farm School (located in West...

Oil reserves are unwelcome in Portsmouth, Middletown.(Bruce J. Long)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Rep. Bruce J. Long, R-Portsmouth does not want sections of Portsmouth or Middletown to be used for storing the state's oil reserves. In an effort to prevent that from happening, he has introduced legislation asking Secretary of the Navy...

Reed discusses 'Patient Bill of Rights'.(Senator Jack Reed)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Last week, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, D-R.I. discussed the section of the McCain-Edwards-Kennedy "Patient Bill of Rights" he authored to protect children enrolled in managed care programs (HMO). Reed's provision requires managed care programs to...

Uncas Mfg. relies on flexibilty to endure.(interview with John M. Corsini, owner of Uncas Manufacturing Company)(Interview)
June 25, 2001... Name: John M. Corsini Age: 57 Position: Owner, president and chief executive officer, Uncas Manufacturing Company Background: Corsini arrived at Uncas in 1966. He was involved in sales and marketing, later serving as liaison...

Public objects, stalls Depot, Lowe's projects.
June 25, 2001... Two hardware giants, hoping to open stores in Warwick and Cranston, are finding that residents in both cases are resisting the developments because they fear they will disrupt their quality of life. In both cases, the developments are in...

RIPTA budget crunch looms.(Rhode Island Public Transit Authority )(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... As Congress-and the Reagan Administration attempt to bring the federal deficit under control, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) officials are wondering what impact federal budget action will have on the bus operation. While...

Blue Cross hits back.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Pity Rhode Island's doctors. Having cut a deal with the fast-growing Ocean State Physicians Health Plan to accept less than full payment for their services, at least initially, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is unilaterally...

Profiting from the graying of R.I.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Believe it or not, consumers age 50 and older possess more market clout than any other age group in the nation. Why not believe it? Take a look at dominant marketing strategies. When was the last time you saw product like a car or a...

R.I. Rivers Council gets state budget boost.
June 25, 2001... For the first time since its founding a dozen years ago, the all-volunteer Rhode Island Rivers Council has found its way into the state budget and gained support for its effort to promote the state's 18 watershed areas. That awareness,...

Polaroid to slash workforce.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... CAMBRIDGE -- Polaroid Corp. announced that it planned to slash 2,000 jobs worldwide -one quarter of its total workforce around the world. Half of the 2,000 jobs lost will be from the various offices, manufacturing plants and distribution...

Globe eliminating early Sunday edition.(Boston Globe)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... BOSTON -- The Boston Globe's efforts to pump up Sunday newspaper sales by publishing an early edition Saturday morning have been less productive than hoped and the so-called "bulldog" edition has been terminated after last Sunday's...

Power plant expansion plans approved by state.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... SANDWICH -- The proposed $400 million expansion of Mirant Corp.'s electric power station here have been approved by the state's Energy Facilities Siting Board. The proposal must still be approved by the Cape Cod Commission. If that happens...

Raytheon reports orders for 35 commercial planes.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... LEXINGTON (Bloomberg) -- Raytheon Co., maker of Hawker and Beech commercial planes, received more than $200 million in orders for 35 aircraft, including 10 of its new Premier I business jets. Raytheon took orders for 15 Hawker business jets,...

John Hancock to buy Royal & Sun's Canadian life unit.(Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group Plc)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... BOSTON (Bloomberg) -- John Hancock Financial Services Inc. has agreed to buy Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group Plc's Canadian life insurance unit for $153 million in cash to expand its annuity and savings products businesses. Boston-based...

MIT sues AOL's Time Inc., Cnet over magazine name.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... BOSTON (Bloomberg) -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued Time Inc. and Cnet Networks Inc., saying their new magazine uses the name that MIT has published under for more than 100 years. MIT said it has published Technology Review since...

Delta starts flights between New Jersey and Boston.(Delta Air Lines Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... ATLANTA (Bloomberg) -- Delta Air Lines Inc., the third-largest U.S carrier, started four daily round-trip Delta Connection commuter flights between New Jersey's Newark International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport. Atlantic...

Unemployment up to 4.5 percent.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Department of Labor and training reports that the state's unemployment rate reached 4.5 percent, surpassing the national unemployment figure (4.4 percent) for the first time since August 2000. "While the...

New state retirement assistant director appointed.(Diane S. Bourne )(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Diane S. Bourne has been appointed assistant director of the Employees Retirement System of Rhode Island, it was announced by General Treasurer Paul J. Tavares and the board of the ERSRI. Bourne has been assistant director in...

City council, under pressure, rejects plea by Carpionato.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... CRANSTON -- The Cranston City Council's ordinance committee, after a three-hour hearing, unanimously rejected Carpionato Corp.'s plea for a waiver that would permit the company to proceed with construction of a Home Depot store at Sockanosset...

Textron cost cutting catches up with 26 in Providence.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Textron, Inc., which last year announced plans to eliminate 3,600 jobs worldwide as part of a cost-cutting technique, reported recently that the bad news had reached Providence where 28 employees at corporate headquarters had...

State acquires Arnold Farm in Charlestown.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- The state has acquired the 64-acre Arnold Family Farm on Ninigret Pond in Charlestown for preservation. The $2,050,000 purchase was paid from two separate settlements from the 1996 North Cape oil spill settlement. The farm has...

Procaccini nominated for Superior Court.(Daniel A. Procaccini )(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Daniel A. Procaccini of East Greenwich, the Johnson town solicitor, has been nominated for the Superior Court to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Frank J. Williams as chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme...

EPA announces plan to seal East Providence site.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... EAST PROVIDENCE -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, after examining the site of the former T.D Mack factory on Dexter Avenue, announced plans to fence the area in, hire a security firm to protect the area from intruders, and finally...

Regulation sought for ballast water discharge in bay.(Rep. Suzanne M. Henseler)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Rep. Suzanne M. Henseler, D-North Kingstown, has submitted legislation that would regulate ballast water discharged by large vessels entering Narragansett Bay, based on federal guidelines. Rep. Henseler's bill directs the...

Rhode Island Stock Watch.(Illustration)
June 25, 2001... Rhode Island Stock Watch DOWN Dow Jones: 10596.67 351.71 (-3.21%) S&P 500: 1212.58 43.27 (-3.44%) NASDAQ: 1992.66 177.29 (-8.17%) Russell 2000: 488.73 18.2 (-3.59%)...

Is we is or is we ain't in recession?(National Bureau of Economic Research)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... WEST TISBURY, Mass. -- For Hamlet, Shakespeare's tortured prince, the question was, to be or not to be. For tortured economists, the relevant question is, are we or are we not -- in recession, that is. The National Bureau of Economic...

Corporate Profile: Astro-Med, Inc.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 25, 2001... Astro-Med, Inc. 600 East Greenwich Ave. West Warwick, R.I. 02893 401-828-4000; fax 401-822-2430 Astro-Med is organized into three groups to serve the Test and Measurement, Product t Identification and Life Sciences markets,...

All you ever wanted to know about trademarks.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... It can be confusing -- what is a trademark, what is a copyright? Last month, we talked about patents. This month, we tackle the issue of trademarks and why they are important. Let's start off by defining a trademark. It is a word, phrase,...

Redistricting a volatile tonic at legislature.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Ten years have passed since Rhode Island last drew its district lines, and as the state legislature sits poised to embark on the process once again, it also faces the challenge of shrinking its size. It's expected that 25 legislators...

Consolidation of building, fire codes near.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... The target date for completion of a new code consolidating Rhode Island's building and fire codes into a single user-friendly statewide rehabilitation code for existing industrial and commercial buildings has been pushed back at least six...

Web links to sources, information on business.(Bay State Business Connection)
June 25, 2001... Starting a business? Looking for a company s annual report? Need more staff?. Local, state and national government offices and Web sites have the resources to help you get the job done. Here are some links, to get you started: Bay State...

Rhode Island Cities and Towns.(Illustration)
June 25, 2001... Rhode Island Cities and Towns (listed alphabetically) City or town Contact information Barrington 247-1900, Fax: 245-5003 283 County Road, Barrington, 02806 www.town.barrington.n.us.ci...

R.I. Fruit and Syrup--since 1948.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Company: Rhode Island Fruit and Syrup Owners: John Mottola and Walter Vigneau Location: 250 Putnam Pike, Johnston Type of business: Beverage wholesaler and distributor Year founded: 1948 Employees: 12 Annual...

OOP! a finalist for Merchandising Achievement award.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... OOP! an award finalist OOP! a, Providence based gift gallery has been selected as one of four promotion finalists in the national magazine, Gift & Decorative Accessories' 50th annual Merchandising Achievement Awards competition. OOP! was...

It's how you manage the course as well as how you play the game.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... I'm not much of a golfer, but I was watching the bizarre conclusion of the recent U.S. Open Championship, where everyone in contention to win at the end of regulation putted on the 18th green the way I would have, or slightly worse. Even the...

Business Notes.
June 25, 2001... ACCOUNTING John A. Lynch has been named president at the South Shore Economic Development Corporation. He is the principal at the CPA firm of Needel, Welch & Stone, P.C. where he directs of accounting and auditing services for privately...

FleetBoston joins other banks to target women entrepreneurs.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... BOSTON (Bloomberg) -- FleetBoston Financial Corp., the seventh-largest U.S. bank, has teamed up with three international banks to help promote global access to financial markets for women. FleetBoston, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of...

A public record.(Gov. Lincoln Almond)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Gov. Lincoln Almond and his "quasi public" Economic Development Corporation are acting in the public's worst interest by stonewalling the release of a white paper on the development of a container port at Quonset Point. For Almond to...

Sound advice.(Uncas Manufacturing Co.)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... With our front-page story detailing the downfall of yet another high technology company -- the Warwick-based, Mesa Systems Guild -- we find it refreshing to further reflect upon the continued success of a Rhode Island jewelry manufacturer...

If you're reading this you're in good company.(Providence Business News)(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... If you're a regular reader of Providence Business News it would appear that you are in pretty good company. You like the theater and music, are well educated, believe that technology is having a significant impact on you personally and in...

Chief Justice Williams' first 100 days.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2001... Recently I completed my first one hundred days as your Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Maybe it is no coincidence that this anniversary. came on June 6th-D-Day. In many ways it has been a difficult hundred days. as I have begun the work...

Grants encourage innovation.(Slater Center for Design Innovation)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Slater Design Center's message In a state fraught with old and traditional companies, many of which often resist innovation, an effort is under way that not only funds start-up design companies, but also could stimulate innovation among...

Children's dental needs.(Elizabeth Roberts)
June 18, 2001... There is a child in Providence in pain today. He is suffering from severe tooth decay and he needs to have two teeth extracted. His appointment to have the procedure is scheduled for some time in August. Perhaps the saddest thing is...

Boutwell buys S.P. Harris.
June 18, 2001... After almost a century in operation, East Providence manufacturer S. P. Harris closed its doors Friday, June 8, eliminating some 70 jobs. The company, which was located at 55 Pawtucket Avenue 'and manufactured folding cartons and blister...

Local scouts honor Gilbane CEO.(John H. Chafee)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... The Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America bestowed its John H. Chafee Distinguished Citizen Award on Paul Choquette, chairman and chief executive officer of Gilbane Building Company Choquette, who joined the Boy Scouts in 1950 and...

RItech to set legislative agenda.(Rhode Island Technology Council )(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... The Rhode Island Technology Council (RItech) is forming its first legislative action committee, which will meet on Tuesday, June 26. The newly formed committee will work with lobbyists and reach out to state legislators and other...

AIW rewires 'Pearl' for games.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Pearl Harbor, restored to the nation's consciousness by the current motion picture, is also fertile ground for business -- in this, the 60th anniversary of the bombing that brought us actively into World War II. American Insulated Wire,...

Workforce shortages causing intense pressure for hospitals.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Hospitals in Rhode Island and nationally are facing unprecedented workforce shortages, according to a survey released June 5 by the American Hospital Association and the Hospital Association of Rhode Island. Nationwide, hospitals have...

Miriam develops niche in cardiac care.(Interview)
June 18, 2001... PBN: You've spent most of your career working at The Miriam. Tell me what you think its strengths are. What makes it a unique place? HITTNER: Well I've been here 22 years in June. I started as an anesthesiologist and then became very...

RIPEC report targets state's reliance on property tax.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 18, 2001... The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council has released its 2001 edition of "How Rhode Island Compares -- State and Local Taxes and Expenditures." The report presents a state-by-state comparison of major sources of state and local...

Consolidation is the word for student loans--after July 1.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Waiting until after July 1 to consolidate your student loan will pay off in the long run with a lower fixed interest rate. Charles P. Kelley, executive director of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA), a non-profit state...

Dunkin Donuts Center is the name starting now.(Providence Civic Center)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... What's in a name? Plenty if that name is Dunkin Donuts and you attach it to the Providence Civic Center. That's just what the city did last week, reaching a 10-year deal with the doughnut-giant that sources tell the Providence...

Somerset getting condos--first since '95.
June 18, 2001... Ground was broken last week on the first condominium community to be built in the greater Fall River area since 1995, and the first condominium community ever built in Somerset, Massachusetts. The community, dubbed "The Meadows," will be...

Setting health care's brave new agenda.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... As the competition between for-profit and non-profit HMOs and other health insurers heats up in Rhode Island, the state Department of Health is planning an aggressive monitoring program to ensure that quality health care does not suffer from...

Merger mania hits N.E. ad agencies.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Opportunity isn't just knocking on the doors of New England ad agencies. It's pounding. As the recent spate of mergers, acquisitions and sales suggests, the industry is going through a period of unprecedented change. Multimillion-dollar...

Commission opposes Olin Hunt proposal.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... LINCOLN -- Olin Hunt Specialty Products is running into local opposition over a $4 million proposal to expand its Lime Rock chemical plant and close its facility in Saylesville. The town Conservation Commission has asked the Zoning Board...

She needed a topic; he got a business.(East Coast Embroidery founders Constantine and Maureen Valovotis)
June 18, 2001... When Constantine Vavolotis first opened the doors of his East Providence embroidery shop he knew it would be successful. His wife told him so. His wife Maureen, then a graduate student at Bryant College in Smithfield had, at the...

Coastway Credit Union assists facility.
June 18, 2001... Alzheimer's day care facility Coastway Credit Union has presented Cornerstone Adult Services, Inc. with a donation of $5,500 to assist with the development of an adult Alzheimer's daycare facility, to be located at 140 Warwick Neck...

Billboard, mayor, buyers focus interest in old mills.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... It's hard to ignore the issue of mill redevelopment these days. Awareness is being raised by Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci, Jr., who recently submitted ordinances to the Providence City Council for the Mill Restoration Program. ...

Efficiency, expediency key courts' reviews.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... The Rhode Island Judiciary Report 2000 has been released and the year-long look at activity in the state's six major courts has found that efficiency and expediency are key issues. Supreme Court The Supreme Court, which handles all...

A. G.'s report.(Attorney General)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... The Attorney General's office has just released its 2000 Law Enforcement Report. The year 2000 was the 350th Anniversary of the Department of the Attorney General in Rhode Island, and the second year of Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse's...

A quiet legislative session for small business.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... Back in November 2000, newly elected Senate Majority Leader William V. irons outlined his priorities to business leaders and state officials at a Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting at the Providence Marriott. A...

Infinite to work with Air Force lab.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... WARWICK -- Infinite Group, Inc., last week said it had signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory, to establish a developmental research facility for high power semiconductor diode lasers.

Electric company launches Web site.(Narragansett Electric Co.)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Narragansett Electric Co. recently launched a comprehensive educational section on its Web site, www.narragansett.com, offering free materials about electricity, electric safety, and the need for conservation to all schools.

ON Semiconductor announces layoffs.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... EAST GREENWICH -- ON Semiconductor Corp. has announced it plans to lay off 900 of its total of 13,000 employees worldwide, including about 100 in East Greenwich. The company said it would close its East Greenwich facility, as well as one in...

TRW buying Network Six.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... WARWICK -- Network Six is being purchased by TRW, the aerospace and automotive product giant for $3.3 million, the Providence Journal re ported. Network Six is a 25-year-old Rhode Island company that offers computer services principally to...

EMC drops plans for Bellingbam offices.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... HOPKINTON -- EMC Corp., the data storage giant., announced that it was withdrawing its plans to build a 147-acre office complex in Bellingham, Mass., because of a dispute with the town's zoning board. The company which had announced that it...

Teradyne partners with E&M Engineering.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... BEDFORD, Mass. (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Teradyne's Integra Test Division announced that E&M Engineering, based in Israel, is offering J750 test programming services to fabless companies in Israel. E&M Engineering represents Teradyne in Israel and...

Atrion activates network services.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... WARWICK -- Atrion Networking Corp. activated its Network Services Division on June 1, offering voice and data solutions, including Customer Premise Equipment. Atrion hopes to become a "true" single point of contact for voice, data, networking...

Criminal records online.(SCFM[TM] Court Connect available at www.courts.state.ri.us)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... PROVIDENCE -- Online access to the judiciary's adult criminal database will soon be available to the public. RI Supreme Court Justice Frank J. Williams recently unveiled SCFM[TM] Court Connect, which provides Internet access to public...

APC selected to provide backup for Optical Solutions.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... WEST KINGSTON, R.I., and MINNEAPOLIS /PRNewswire/ -- To address the powering needs of fiber-optic solutions that deliver voice, video and high-speed data directly to the home, American Power Conversion and Optical Solutions Inc. today...

Aerovox files for bankruptcy protection.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... NEW BEDFORD - Aerovox Corp., financially in jeopardy since facing environmental cleanup demands in 1997, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company announced that it planned to reorganize under terms of the bankruptcy and had...

Gillette announces 600 more lobs to be cut.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... EAST BOSTON -- As he criticized previous management decisions, the chairman and chief executive of Gillette Corp. announced that the company would eliminate 600 more jobs worldwide this year. After the cuts, the company would have about...

US Airways drops plans for Hanscom.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... BEDFORD -- USAirways announced that it was bowing to the, fierce local opposition to its plans to begin flying out of Hansom Field here and canceling its proposal. The airline had announced that it would begin four daily flights to and from...

New owner of Houghton-Mifflin says firm to be in Boston.(Vivendi Universal acquired Houghton Mifflin Co.)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... BOSTON -- The chief executive of the growing French communications. and entertainment giant assured-employees of Houghton Mifflin. publishing that their jobs were safe and that the company would remain in Boston Jean Marie Messier, chief...

Duro Industries buys apparel lining business.(acquired Balson Hercules)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... FALL RIVER -- Duro Industries announced it had acquired the Balson Hercules apparel lining business from the company, a subsidiary of Consoltex of New York City. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. A Duro spokesman said Balson...

Banknorth to buy Two Mass. banks.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 18, 2001... PORTLAND, Maine (Bloomberg) -- Banknorth Group Inc., Maine' s largest bank, agreed to buy Andover Bancorp Inc. and MetroWest Bank of Framingham for a total of $490 million, bolstering its share of the Massachusetts banking market. Banknorth...

Boston Scientific asks court to settle Medinol rift.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... NATICK (Bloomberg) -- Boston Scientific Corp., a maker of products used to clear heart arteries, asked an Israeli court to intervene in a buyout dispute with Medinol Ltd. and name a new Medinol chief, executive while bids are pending. Boston...

Survey shows state index holding steady.(Professor Leonard Lardaro's Current Conditions Index)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 18, 2001... KINGSTON - Based on indications from University of Rhode Island Professor Leonard Lardaro's Current Conditions Index, Rhode Island's economic condition, though shaken by employment conditions and the continued decline in manufacturing, was...

Westerly Hospital catheterization unit approved.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2001... PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island director of health has approved Westerly Hospital's proposal to open a Cardiac Catheterization Unit as part of the hospital's $18 million capital development. The director, Dr. Patricia A. Nolan approved the...