Rhode Island unemployment rate rises
KINGSTON — Rhode Island’s unemployment rate rose in August to 4.3 percent, according to the latest report from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it the only New England state with an unemployment rate above the national average.
Warwick gets grant for expert advice
WARWICK – This city has won a $300,000 federal grant to hire consultants to help plan and develop the Warwick Station District. The grant will be administered by the city’s planning department and used to hire consultants who will advise the Warwick Station Redevelopment Agency, the state Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Transportation, the Airport Corporation and other agencies working on the project. The station district is a 70-acre area between T.F. Green State Airport and Jefferson Boulevard where a new Amtrak station is scheduled to be built in 2001.
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FAA awards $7.17 million to Airport corporation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $7.17 million to the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. The funds will be used to rehabilitate the main runway at T.F.Green State Airport ($3.5 million) and soundproof more nearby homes ($3.67 million).
$540,000 awarded to RI for opportunity zone
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded a $540,000 matching grant to the Providence Plan to establish a Community Opportunity Zone Information Network. The grant was awarded under the Telecommunications and Information Infrastucture Assistance Program. The Providence Plan will work with the Community Opportunity Zone Collaborative to create the system which will enable social service providers, schools and libraries to share information about services offered by collaborative members and outside agencies serving members of the Providence Enterprise Community. According to the announcement, the first year of the program will serve residents of the Elmwood and West End neighborhoods in Providence.
MetLife acquires St. Paul companies
WARWICK – MetLife Auto & Home has announced its acquisition of the standard personal insurance operations of the St. Paul companies. The acquisition reportedly moves MetLife Auto & Home from 19th to 11th in the personal lines property and casualty industry.
Inspection stations picked for emissions testing
WARWICK – Keating Technologies, Inc. reported that 248 stations throughout Rhode Island had been selected conditionally to receive emissions-testing equipment for the state’s new emissions and safety test program. Missing from the list are stations in Narragansett and Block Island, where no stations applied. Keating has been required by its contact with the state to put at least one of the stations in each of the state’s 39 cities and towns. The Department of Motor Vehicles is working with Keating to resolve the Narragansett and Blocks Island problems. The program, according to the Department of Environmental Management, will remove 8.76 tons of volatile organic compounds and 7.66 tons of oxides of nitrogen from the atmosphere that is now being produced daily by automobile emissions throughout the state. All vehicles registered in the state will be required to take the test starting in January 2000.
U.S. funds awarded for repair of pier
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Economic Development Agency has awarded $1 million to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to repair Pier 2 at the Quonset Davisville Port and Commerce Park. The pier was built by the Navy in 1956 and has deteriorated though the years. The EDA grant will be matched by state funds.
$3.75 million issued to RI by HUD
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued $3.75 million in rental assistance vouchers to two housing authorities and two health care facilities in Rhode Island. The funds were awarded under HUD’s Mainstream Program which helps persons with disabilities, elderly or not, obtain housing by providing them with Section 8 housing assistance vouchers. The Johnston Housing Authority has been awarded $229,354 for administering 50 certificates and the East Providence Housing Authority will receive $117,158. Also, Gateway Healthcare, based in Johnston will receive five year funding of $1,668,340 and the Kent County Mental Health Center in Warwick will get $1,745,000. Each organization will administer 75 rental certificates.
Metro Global, Fanzine agree to disagree
CRANSTON – Metro Global Media, Inc. has returned its wholly owned subsidiary, Fanzine International, Inc. which Metro acquired in July, 1998 to former Fanzine shareholders and a company owned by them. Metro reportedly will receive payments totaling $4.5 million and the one million shares of common stock held by Fanzine shareholders.
Harvard Pilgrim health centers to be renamed
PROVIDENCE – Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of New England has announced that its five health centers in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts will be renamed Anchor Medical Associates. At this time that will be the only change in the health care centers, a Harvard Pilgrim spokesperson said. The centers in Providence, Warwick, Lincoln, Swansea and Plainville, Mass. serve about 85,000 patients, Harvard Pilgrim reported. The change takes place officially Oct. 18, the announcement said.
