HOT

Infosys

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo joined Infosys and education leaders on Tuesday to launch the company’s new Design and Innovation Center in Providence -- and announce a new partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)

Infosys, which provides next-generation digital services and consulting, spoke to the creation of the Digital Economy Aspirations Lab (DEAL) to develop educational programming that will help prepare CCRI students for the growing number of jobs in the digital economy.
 

HOT

Peter Gaynor

Controversy is rocking the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Director William “Brock' Long is reported to be stepping down due to improper use a federal vehicle, according to the Washington Post.

In a statement, Long said FEMA had provided assistance on "more than 200 declared disasters." 

Peter Gaynor, former head of Rhode Island’s Emergency Management Agency who has served as Long’s deputy since the fall, is slated to take over as the Director of the agency.
 

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Newport Jazz Festival

The Newport Jazz Festival announced this week its first wave of artists for the 2019 Festival.

The First Wave of artists includes Herbie Hancock -- that is right, Herbie Hancock. ,

In addition, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Bad Plus, Buika, Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Sons of Kemet, Makaya McCraven, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Ravi Coltrane/David Virelles, ELEW, Marcus Strickland Twi-Life featuring Smithsoneon, Christian Sands – 3 Piano Erroll Garner Tribute featuring Helen Sung and Tadataka Unno, Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Sun Ra Arkestra, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller’s Parlour Game, Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes,’ Tia Fuller’s “Diamond Cut,” Sammy Miller & The Congregation and Laurin Talese.
 

HOT

Chris Berman

Brown graduate and ESPN anchor Chris Berman will be part of the Boston Red Sox radio broadcast team for the 2019 season, Entercom announced on Thursday.

Berman will join Sean McDonough, Josh Lewin, Mario Impemba, WEEI radio show host Lou Merloni, WEEI radio show host Dale Arnold, NESN anchor Tom Caron, and NESN play-by-play man Dave O’Brien as part of a rotating group of broadcasters alongside Joe Castiglione.
 

HOT

RI Real Estate Partnership

Natick MA-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate on Tuesday announced a merger with East Greenwich-based Rhode Island real estate agency, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gammons Realty.  The Gammons firm services the all of Rhode Island, Southeastern MA and part of Connecticut since its founding in 2001.

The announcement was made by Commonwealth Founding Partner, George Patsio, and Gammons Realty founder, Allen B. Gammons, Jr.
 

NOT

John Picerne

John Picerne’s company Corvias is one of the largest providers of housing to America’s military and their families.
Picerne’s Covias has secured contracts with the United States Army that will generate $1 billion in fees.

At the United States Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, the families of members of the U.S. military told story after story of the substandard housing owned and maintained by the Rhode Island company.
 

NOT

Amazon & NYC

Amazon announced this week that it is canceling plans to build a corporate campus in New York City. 
The company previously planned to build a complex in Long Island City, Queens in exchange for almost $3 billion in state and city incentives.

The deal was expected to create more than 25,000 jobs.

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Trucking Industry

New England Motor Freight on Monday announced that the company and ten related entities have voluntarily filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The company is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit against Rhode Island's truck tolls.  

"This is the largest carrier bankruptcy since 2002 and another blow to Pawtucket where it employed 145 people,” said Chris Maxwell of the Rhode Island Trucking Association.

NOT

Unauthorized Food Delivery

Rhode Island restaurant owners are criticizing food delivery services that they have not partnered with — but are posting their menus and delivering their food. 
“It might be legal, but it’s unethical. Why should some random website make money off my back, and the backs of small businesses — someone with a computer and access to my menu?” said Eric Handwerger, owner of Ocean State Sandwich in downtown Providence.

Handwerger spoke to partnering originally with OrderUp, before they were bought by GrubHub — and then discovering that sites including DoorDash and Postmates.com were posting, unbeknownst to him, what he said were often incorrect portions of his menu online — and his issue with having no control as to the experience the customer had ultimately with the deliveries with the latter companies.