$2 million available for open space projects
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is accepting applications for grants for land acquisition or preservation for open space. Applications will be accepted through September 8. The sum of $2.1 million drawn from open space bond issues in 1987 and 1989 will be made available as 50 percent funding for communities and nonprofit land conservation organizations with acquisition and preservation of land in mind. Jan Reitsma, DEM director, said, “These funds will go a long way toward open space preservation efforts in both urban and rural areas throughout Rhode Island.”
GTECH gets Spanish lottery contact
WEST GREENWICH – GTECH announced that it had been awarded a contract by the Spanish National Lottery to provide new online lottery equipment to the operator of its online system. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. GTECH will provide 2,200 terminals and 5,500 printers, along with software and training.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
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URI gets $232,000 for graduate education
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The University of Rhode Island has received a $232,646 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of the National Leadership Grant to provide professional library education and training. At URI the grant will fund a two-year project that will recruit six Fellows who will be working toward a master’s degree at the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. The program is intended to involve the Fellows in developing programs to work with diverse populations and to provide culturally conscious literacy instruction. The IMLS is a federal grant-making agency composed of the Offices of Museum Services and Library Services created by the Museum and Library Services Act of 1976.
Survey ship visiting Cranston, Providence
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Navy Department announced that the USNS Bruce C. Heezen, named by Cranston fifth graders in a nationwide contest, will sail into Rhode Island this week and welcome those fifth graders from Oak Lawn Elementary School. The Heezen, which was built in Pascagoula, Miss., was scheduled to sail past Cranston on Wednesday morning on its way to Providence where it would be anchored off the India Point Park pier. After welcoming ceremonies at the pier, the fifth graders and their teacher, Mrs. Marilyn Remick, are scheduled to board the ship for its journey to Newport. It will be located at Pier 2 at the Navy Station next to the aircraft carrier Forrestal. The Heezen will open for tours from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The children chose the name for the ship to honor Bruce Heezen who was a pioneer in mapping the ocean floors. He died of natural causes in 1977 while diving in a Navy deep submersible submarine.
Providence jewelry firm gets U.S. grant
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commerce Department has awarded Don-Lin Jewelry Company a $30,000 grant under the New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Program. The award, according to the announcement from the office of Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, will enable Don-Lin to compete more effectively with overseas competition. The company, reportedly, will be able to use the grant for new product research and design, mold making, promotional work and Web-site development. Don-Lin, located on Haskins Street in Providence employs 14 workers.
URI reports 65 percent of goal for center
KINGSTON – With only half of the time period set for raising $15 million for the University of Rhode Island’s Convocation Center, the Blue Ribbon Steering Committee announced that it had raised $9.7 million. The University began demolishing the field house at Meade Stadium more than a week ago to clear the site for the planned Convocation Center. The concrete west grandstand at Meade Field also will be demolished to clear the way for the $66 million project. It will be paid for with a combination of public and private funds, plus state revenue bonds. The state’s contribution is $23 million, with $28 million to be raised by revenue bonds, which would be paid off by income from events at the Convocation Center and the adjacent skating rink that will also be built. The Center will be used for basketball games, commencement and convocation ceremonies, concerts and cultural events.
United Health considering restructuring
WARWICK – United Healthcare of New England is considering shifting some of its service and claims telephone operations out of Rhode Island to a sister company, Uniprise, which operates several call centers around the country, the Providence Journal reported. UnitedHealthcare has told about 120 of its employees in Warwick that their jobs could be affected by the restructuring that is planned, the Journal reported. However, the Journal quoted the company’s chief executive as saying that it was too soon to say how many or whether any of those employees would be laid off because jobs at affiliated companies would be offered as well other jobs with UnitedHealthcare.
Teamsters oppose merger of hospitals
PROVIDENCE – Teamster Local 251 announced its opposition to the proposed merger of Lifespan and Care New England hospital chains. In opposing the merger the Teamsters join the Coalition for Responsible Health Care which includes Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, UnitedHealthcare of New England, Landmark Medical Center, and Employers’ Managed Health Association. Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse, who is examining the merger proposal, has said he expects to have a decision by the end of next month.
(Compiled from news reports and releases, print and electronic.)
