Thursday, May 17, 2012
The head of the state's Economic Development Corporation has stepped down following the controversy of Curt Schilling's 38 Studios.
Keith Stokes has stepped down as the head of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation amid the controversy surrounding Curt Schilling’s videogame company 38 Studios, according to the Providence Journal. The company, headed by the former Red Sox pitcher, defaulted on a $1.125-million payment to the state on May 1. On Wednesday, Schilling and members of 38 Studios met with state and EDC officials in an emergency meeting that was closed to the public. In 2010, EDC approved a $75-million guaranteed loan to the videogame company following 38 Studios’ promise to bring 450 jobs to the state by the end of 2012 and moved its business from Massachusetts to Providence. Stokes, a longtime board member of the EDC, was appointed by former Gov…
41.83155
-71.412882
82 Smith St, Providence, RI
/articles/edc-head-resigns-ehrhardt-calls-for-loan-caps-following-38-studios-controversy-d8d87d3f
/locations/7046976
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The city Finance Committee will consider a motion to ask the General Assembly to approve $2 million in bonds and notes to finance bus fleet replacement.
The school district's aging bus fleet has been an increasing cause for concern for city and school officials and there's an indication action could be taken soon. The City Council's Finance Subcommittee meets tomorrow night and on the agenda is a resolution asking the General Assembly to authorize the city to issue no more than $2 million in bonds and notes to finance the purchase of a new fleet of buses. According to the ordinance, the buses are "old, in disrepair and in some cases, unsafe." A new fleet of buses would "be safer for children, get better gas mileage saving the [city] money in fuel costs and be more environmentally friendly than the current school buses." The subject of the bus fleet came up during the school district's …
41.77923
-71.43681
Cranston City Hall
869 Park Ave, Cranston, RI
/articles/city-begins-steps-to-replace-aging-bus-fleet
512500
/locations/7034360
Citing contamination risks, the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Federal Food and Drug Administration is recommending no consumption of Korean shellfish.
The Rhode Island Department of Health is advising consumers not to eat any fresh or frozen shellfish that comes from Korea. So far, nobody has been sickened. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that all fresh and frozen shellfish, and many products made from these shellfish, shipped from Korea to the United States may be contaminated. This includes frozen breaded shellfish products from Korea. Effective immediately, FDA has removed all certified dealers in the Korean Shellfish Sanitation Program from its Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List. This stops the shipment of fresh and frozen molluscan shellfish from Korea to the U.S. Molluscan shellfish include oysters, clams, mussels and scallops. States have been…
Monday, May 14, 2012
Fresh from the Rhode Island General Assemly Legislative Press Bureau.
State revenue picture brightens The Revenue Estimating Conference – composed of fiscal advisers from the House, Senate and administration – has released the outlook for this year’s state revenues, which are expected to be about $62 million higher than expected. The group, which meets twice per year, also projects state revenue to be almost $18 million higher next year. The extra revenue will help ease next year’s projected $120 million budget deficit. Senate approves compassion center amendments Legislation developed to address concerns about Rhode Island’s medical marijuana compassion centers passed the Senate, moving the state one step closer to allowing patients to safely purchase the drug. The legislation (2012-S 2555 A), sponsored by …
41.83155
-71.412882
82 Smith St, Providence, RI
/articles/last-week-at-the-general-assembly-1be02674
/locations/7003264
Friday, May 11, 2012
Don Botts said he just doesn't have the time for the commitment and needs to devote his time to personal and family matters.
And consider he works in Boston and commutes three hours each day.The realization came to him during a run on a rainy afternoon this week. "There is only one way to run a campaign and that is a full-time commitment at full-speed. And this time around, I cannot do it," Botts said in an announcement on his website. That run is part of a new lifestyle that Botts said has helped him lose 45 pounds and get healthy enough to stop taking his blood pressure medication per his doctor's advice. He's watched his waistline shrink six inches. He and his wife have boot camp classes two nights a week "when the schedule allows." He plays soccer two days a week. His daily work commute to Boston eats three hours each day. "My wife and kids would like to see…
41.77923
-71.43681
Cranston City Hall
869 Park Ave, Cranston, RI
/articles/botts-bows-out-of-dist-16-race
512500
/locations/6992536
The Barrington School Committee is considering accepting 10 such students next year, for tuition of $12,800 per pupil.
The Barrington School Committee made a splash earlier this week when they said the School Department would accept out-of-district students willing to pay $12,800 a year to attend Barrington schools. They have since stepped back a bit, but with ever-tightening school budgets, we wondered what people in Cranston think of such a proposal when this city's school leaders say the district is woefully underfunded. “We’re looking at new sources of revenue,” said Barrington Supt. Robert McIntyre in a story on the topic in Thursday's Providence Journal. “This is new. It’s different. It’s an opportunity for us.” Two things drove the decision, the Journal reported, the need to raise more revenue and a decline in enrollment. As reported by RI Future, …
41.77896
-71.43578
Cranston Public Schools Administration
845 Park Ave, Cranston, RI
/articles/pollshould-schools-accept-out-of-district-students-for-a-fee
1601314
/locations/6992346
Rev. Gene Dyszlewski announced he will be running for the Dist. 26 seat.
Phenix Ave. resident and ordained minister at the United Church of Christ Rev. Gene Dyszlewski announced he will be running for the Dist. 26 State Senate Seat. “Working families in Rhode Island are struggling to hold on to their homes, put food on their tables and pay their medical bills,” Rev. Dyszlewski said. “Some legislators are sensitive, decent people who understand that and are trying to stop the hurt. However, some seem to live in an alternative universe where getting re-elected is the prime directive. We need less of that. Helping Rhode Island families should be the prime directive. We should assess every piece of legislation with, ‘How does this help Rhode Island families? How does this promote economic fairness for families?’ ” …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
State Sen. Frank Lombardo III (D-Johnston) sponsored the legislation to require Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to install four new monitors for air quality.
In the hopes of preventing another bout of odor probems this summer, the Rhode Island Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Sen. Frank Lombardo III (D-Johnston) that requires Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to install four new air monitors for the Central Landfill. In a statement released this afternoon, Lombardo said the bill is meant as another step to prevent the odor problems that happened last fall in Johnston and Cranston. “Resource Recovery has an obligation to the health and welfare of its neighbors and the safety of the environment,” said Lombardo. “Fixing a problem after it happens is not satisfactory. The corporation needs to be prepared, to be aware of what is going on before it gets too bad.” Under the new bill…
41.760875
-71.477573
65 Shean St, Cranston, RI
/articles/landfill-air-test-bill-clears-senate-c676848f
/locations/6978312
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Superintendent Peter Nero has announced he will retire.
Superintendent Peter Nero has announced his retirement. So ends a career in education that was seeded, grew and flourished right here in Cranston, starting with his days as student. "Superintendent Nero is a great friend, a spirited educator, and a true gentleman. He will be missed more than words can express. I'm proud to have been a part of Peter's team and wish nothing but the best for him!" said School Committee President Andrea Iannazzi on her Facebook page. Nero is a product of the Cranston School District, graduating from Cranston High School East and getting hired to teach electronics and power mechanics at Cranston High School West in 1978. He taught at Bain Middle School, Western Hills Middle School and became an administrator in…
41.77896
-71.43578
Cranston Public Schools Administration
845 Park Ave, Cranston, RI
/articles/nero-announces-retirement
1601314
/locations/6968553
Monday, May 7, 2012
A chart of what employees would have received and will receive for raises next year after the City Council cut raises from 3 percent to 2 and 1.5 percent depending on current salary.
Here's a chart of all nonunion municipal employees, their current salaries and what their raises will look like next year. Mayor Allan W. Fung proposed a 3 percent salary increase for these employees, but the City Council chopped that figure to 1.5 percent for employees making $60,000 or more and 2 percent for those that make less. All told, the final adjustments to the fiscal 2013 budget made by the Finance Committee on Wednesday resulted in a surplus of $18,320, according to data provided by the city's Finance Department. The remainder of the adjustments made to the budget were revenue neutral. The committee moved $3.7 million out of the police and fire operating budgets for Other Post-employment Benefit (OPEB) contributions into the …
41.778811
-71.435074
City Hall Barber Salon
830 Park Ave, Cranston, RI
/articles/raises
510800
/locations/6950726
Joe Richer
9:12 am on Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sorry to hear this Don - but it sounds like you're doing the right thing. Keep on going! more ›