The Centurion Foundation, the Georgia nonprofit attempting to acquire two cash-strapped Rhode Island hospitals, is doubling down on its attempt to sell the bonds needed to finance the deal, although the outlook remains uncertain. Initial plans called for closing the $160 million bond sale in late May. Because not enough bonds have been sold — […]
Business
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics
Senate leadership change might open the door for curbing payday lending
Rhode Island Senate President Val Lawson said she supports a bill to cap payday lending in the state — a sign that the long-running battle to curb a practice that critics say traps poor people in a cycle of debt might be drawing to a close. However, Lawson offered a caveat, and opponents of restricting […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics
RI officials backing investment change sought by FM
Top state officials in Rhode Island are supporting an investment change sought by FM to keep the corporation from considering leaving the state. House Speaker Joe Shekarchi tells The Public’s Radio that FM, formerly known as FM Global, approached him within the last 30 days, “and it identified a concern and they asked me for […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Business, Local
Mystic Disc proudly analog and still booming
The fact that Saturday, April 12, is National Record Store Day might leave reasonable people scratching their heads. Why, in an era when you can have instant access to almost any song at the click of a button, do record stores still exist? We visited Mystic Disc to find out. The one room shop has […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Sports
Centreville Bank acquires naming rights for soccer in Pawtucket
The new home of the Rhode Island FC soccer team in Pawtucket will be called Centreville Bank Stadium. The naming rights agreement was announced during a news conference Tuesday. “Centreville Bank Stadium will be the outdoor sports and entertainment epicenter of Rhode Island and beyond,” Rhode Island FC Co-Founder and Chairman Brett M. Johnson said […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Transportation
Breaking Point: A tale of two Rhode Island cities
Hospitality businesses are a more than $5 billion industry in Rhode Island. But the closure of the westbound Washington Bridge has commerce as well as commuters in a jam. According to an economic impact study conducted earlier this year by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and Salve Regina University, the greatest impact was on Providence […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Transportation
What it’s like to (finally) ride the train from New Bedford to Boston
Lea Jarrett rode the train for love. A law student at Boston College, her boyfriend usually has to drive her up to Boston after her weekend visits. But on Monday, he dropped Jarrett at the station in New Bedford. “This is kind of a gamechanger,” Jarrett said. Jarrett was one of about 60 people who […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Metro Desk
Providence businesses see a bounce from March Madness
Whatever might be in your bracket, Providence hotel and restaurant owners were among the big winners in the first day of games in college basketball’s biggest tournament. Downtown streets were packed with fans of all stripes. Not all of them had to travel long distances. One couple in bright blue Jayhawks regalia from head to […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, Local
Reliance on debt sparks concern on deal for two RI safety-net hospitals
The future of two cash-strapped hospitals — Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence and Our Lady of Fatima in North Providence — has become increasingly tenuous over the last four years. Things got even more uncertain when the hospitals’ California-based owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, filed for bankruptcy in January. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics, South Coast Bureau
Fishermen could face stricter catch limits as Trump slashes NOAA
The federal agency that studies the ocean and manages fisheries lost about 1,200 employees in February. But for the fishermen regulated by the agency, it’s still business as usual on the docks. On a recent Wednesday, many crews on New Bedford’s fishing piers were doing gear work for their next trip, as Eric Hansen repaired […]
