Hasbro turns to Britain again for children’s toy line
PAWTUCKET – Hasbro, Inc., which successfully imported the Teletubbies idea from British television a few years ago, has found another source of entertainment for children in the U.K. This time it’s “Bob the Builder,” an animated, cheery contractor who has become a big hit with pre-school children on the BBC. The TV show is scheduled to be shown in this country starting early next year on Nickelodeon. Meanwhile Hasbro announced that it had signed a multi-year contract to be the North American licensee for “Bob the Builder.” Without disclosing terms of the agreement, Hasbro announced that it would be producing a line of action toys, games and Play Doh features based on Bob and his associates.
Log On America adds leading executive to board
PROVIDENCE – Log On America announced that it had appointed Robert Annunziata Jr., former chief executive of Global Crossing Ltd., a growing telecommunications company, to its board of directors. Annunziata, 52, who was the head of Global Crossing during its period of growth from a company employing 150, with sales of about $420 million to an expanded international corporation with 14,000 employees and $4 billion in sales, will also be the chairman of a newly formed advisory committee. Log On America, which is headquartered here, provides Internet access and telephone service in Rhode Island and other New England states.
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Judge rules airlines must pay contested taxes
WARWICK – A Superior Court judge has ruled that three airlines must pay this city property taxes for improvements they made to their facilities at Bruce Sundlun Terminal at T.F. Green Airport. Lawyers representing the airlines said they would appeal the ruling. The dispute involved about $60,000 in additional property taxes the city sought from American, Delta and U.S. Airways for improvements such as baggage handling facilities and counters. Two additional suits involving city property taxes are pending. They involve the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, which operates the air terminal, and Anton’s Airfoods of Rhode Island, which operates restaurants in the terminal.
RI jobless down slightly, lowest since 1989
PROVIDENCE – The state Department of Employment and Training reported a continuing decline in unemployment, down from 4 percent in March 1999 to 3.7 percent in March of this year. Meanwhile, DL&T reported, payroll employment continued to climb, reaching 461,000 in March of this year, an increase of 8,500 from last year. This continues a pattern, which began in 1992 when 412,900 payroll workers were reported, with employment rising steadily each year since then from March to March. The increase also marked the seventh straight month that Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was lower than the national figure, which last month was 4.1 percent. The strongest job growth was recorded in the services section, which increased by 4,400 jobs, followed by trades which increased by 4,200 during the year.
Cox aims at Barrington, Bristol and Warren
WEST WARWICK – Cox Communications announced last week that it has filed with the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers to provide cable television services in Barrington, Bristol, and Warren. Cox Communications already covers some 90 percent of Rhode Island, offering cable and high-speed Internet access. In February Cox entered the local telephone market, providing telephone service in northern Rhode Island, and most recently in Pawtucket, East Providence and Central Falls. It has applied for pole attachment and permits to begin construction in Barrington, Bristol and Warren.
Rhodes Technologies to expand in Clariant complex
COVENTRY – Rhodes Technologies, which was formerly Napp Technologies, announced that it plans a $30 million expansion of its chemical plant in the Clariant complex here that will result in the addition of 25 or 30 jobs. A company spokesman said the company expected the expansion to take about a year to complete. The company began its operations in Coventry a year ago as Napp Technologies manufacturing a variety of pharmacological products. Growing demand has led to the expansion. The company reportedly will be manufacturing an ingredient for a prescription pain reliever. Napp Technologies, formerly located in Saddle River, New Jersey, moved to Rhode Island in 1997.
Crime Victims Fund receives $615,000 grant
PROVIDENCE – The state Crime Victims Compensation Program will receive a $615,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, an increase of $165,000 over last year, according to Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island and state Treasurer Paul Tavares. The funds are used to help victims and their families pay for crime-related expenses that are not ordinarily covered by insurance.
State receives Superfund grant
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has received $100,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate and cleanup potentially contaminated sites around the state, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI. The funds are used specifically to investigate and clean up Superfund sites. There are currently 12 Superfund sites in the state.
(Compiled from news reports and releases, print and electronic.)
