NEW BEDFORD – The port of New Bedford was the nation’s top port for value of landings in 2004, bringing in $206.5 million worth of fish and shellfish, up $30.3 million from 2003 due to a 35-percent increase in sea scallop catch, the NOAA Fisheries Service said Monday.
By weight, the top U.S. fishing port was Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, with 886.4 million pounds of fish and shellfish, compared with New Bedford’s 175.1 million. Dutch Harbor has held the top landings spot for 16 years in a row, but its catch was only valued at $155 million.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Engel & Völkers Oceanside Leader | The DiSpirito…
Learn More
Total domestic commercial landings for 2004 were 9.6 billion pounds, valued at $3.7 billion.
New Bedford has always been one of America’s top ports, but it fell behind after New England’s groundfish fishery collapsed in 1994 and sea scallop populations declined. Since 1999, however, a resurgence in sea scallops has bolstered the value of landings by 59 percent.
New Bedford fishing volume has also risen sharply, by 61 percent since 2002 alone.
Court overturns ruling on child-care workers
PROVIDENCE – In a ruling that Gov. Donald L. Carcieri called “a clear victory for Rhode Island’s taxpayers,” a Superior Court judge has overturned the state Labor Relations Board’s finding that about 1,300 home-based child-care workers qualify as state employees.
In a 15-page ruling Monday, Judge Daniel A. Procaccini found the board did not have jurisdiction over the matter, and even if it had, “its decision is clearly erroneous as there is no reliable, probative and substantial evidence in the record” to support it.
If the board’s reasoning were followed, the state would have to hire “a myriad of groups that supply goods or services” to it, Procaccini found, and that “offends any reasonable notion of orderly and responsible expansion of the state’s work force.”
The child-care workers, who claim they are subject to extensive and costly regulation but are not compensated accordingly, have been fighting to unionize and be recognized as state workers, aided by District 1199 of the Service Employees International Union.
R.I. agencies awarded nearly $70,000 by EPA
PROVIDENCE – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly $70,000 in Healthy Communities grants to local projects supporting “healthy, livable and safe communities” through education and outreach.
Southside Community Land Trust is getting $30,000 for its “Healthy Soil-Healthy Food Through Urban Agriculture Project,” to educate and train low-income urban gardeners, youth and the general public to assess lead pollution, improve urban garden soils and grow food safely using integrated pest management methods.
The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District is getting $30,000 for “Three Sisters, Many Tribes, One People,” also to teach sustainable urban food production strategies, but targeting Native-Americans living in Providence.
Groundwork Providence is getting $9,497 to promote green space and work with high school youth to implement sustainable tree stewardship programs for elementary and middle school students and neighborhood groups around the schools where they live.
R.I. Hospital unveils 460-space parking deck
PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island Hospital on Monday opened a new 460-space parking deck above an existing parking lot between Willard Avenue and Blackstone Street, to be used by patients and families visiting the adult and pediatric emergency departments, Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the medical offices at 2 Dudley St.
Combined with a new 254-space parking garage opened in April beneath the Emergency Department Bridge Building, the hospital has now added more than 500 new parking spaces.
The helipad in the Willard Avenue parking lot will soon move to the top of the Bridge Building, allowing for easier helicopter access to the emergency department and operating rooms and providing additional parking in the lot.
The next phase of improvements, hospital officials said, includes the opening of the state’s only pediatric imaging center, which will occupy the old emergency department and is scheduled to open next summer. Also, a new pathology lab will open in the Bridge Building to support the new operating rooms.
Retail Store Systems grows Hawaii presence
CUMBERLAND – Hilo Hattie, a Hawaii-based specialty retailer, has selected Retail Store Systems to provide a new IBM eServer pSeries 550 to its corporate office in Honolulu, which will integrate with current infrastructure supporting front and back office platforms as well as a new merchandise solution.
Robert Slike, director of information services for Hilo Hattie, said the new system will provide greater efficiency and minimize downtime: “Having a system this advanced will give us the leverage to stay competitive in the marketplace.”
Retail Store Systems already has a strong Hawaiian presence, having served local clients for more than 12 years, with a local sales presence. The Hawaiian retailers currently being serviced by Retail Store Systems include Hilo Hattie, KTA Super Stores, DFS Galleria, Zippy’s Restaurants, ABC Stores, Crazy Shirts, Waikiki Trader, Marukai, and Food Pantry.
Based in Cumberland, Retail Store Systems is part of the Torex Retail group, which provides software and hardware solutions for retailers.
Citizens-Union employs ‘courtesy pay’ program
FALL RIVER – Citizens-Union Savings Bank has successfully implemented the OverdraftHonor “courtesy pay” program from Louisville, Ky.-based BSG Financial to help with daily overdraft-related decisions and maximize fee-generating opportunities.
OverdraftPro software, the engine behind OverdraftHonor, provides the bank with account risk management and ongoing risk scoring and helps it comply with relevant regulations.
“With OverdraftHonor, we are able to extend our day-to-day services and spare our customers the embarrassment of having a check returned from a payee, as well as the associated returned check fees,” said Julie Raposa, senior vice president for Citizens-Union.
The bank set up OverdraftHonor in August, with BSG Financial’s training and support.
