Greetings!
One of Rhode Island’s great economic success stories was in the spotlight recently when Gov. Dan McKee paid a visit to Quonset’s Port of Davisville. While Quonset’s 210 companies and 12,200 jobs make it the state’s leading engine of job creation and economic growth, the Port of Davisville itself is an encouraging example of a Rhode Island success on a global scale.

The state’s only public port, Davisville handles many different cargoes, but primarily specializes in auto imports – in that category, it’s one of the Top 10 auto importers in North America. In 2019 (pre-pandemic) the Port received nearly 300,000 autos on almost 200 ships. Dozens of brands, including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Honda and others get the “white glove” treatment at North Atlantic Distribution (“NORAD”), before ending up in American driveways far and wide. 


Quonset’s success, built on a foundation of broad public- and private-sector support, a consistent plan and leadership to effectively execute is a window into what is possible in Rhode Island. We’re proud to have them as a client, and tell the story of their success.
Nice Ink!
T.F. Green Selected as One of 16 Debut Airports for Breeze Airways 

T.F. Green Airport is gearing up for the Big Travel Comeback of 2021 by adding three new destinations this summer. 

On May 21, Breeze Airways announced that T.F. Green was selected as one of 16 debut airports for the newest “low fare, high flex” flights. Flights to Charleston, S.C., Norfolk, VA and Pittsburgh, PA, are scheduled to launch in late July, starting at only $39 one-way. With the addition of three new routes, T.F. Green will offer 25 non-stop destinations from 11 different airlines.

“T. F. Green Airport is proud to have been chosen to serve as one of Breeze Airway’s inaugural airports,” said Iftikhar Ahmad, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. “We hope that this is the beginning of more good things to come for Breeze Airways and PVD.”

New Harbor Group supported the announcement with a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that garnered more than 3,700 engagements, including dozens of retweets and shares, and reached more than 27,000 people on Facebook. We look forward to building on the momentum at T. F. Green Airport by welcoming travelers back and highlighting “a better way to fly close by”! 

Boston Globe

WPRI

Warwick Beacon
Regency Becomes First U.S. Cigar Retailer to Accept Cryptocurrency
  
 
After 25 years in business, Regency Cigar Emporium remains on the cutting edge. The East Greenwich business recently announced they would be the nation’s first cigar retailer to accept cryptocurrency, both online and in-store.

Owner Michael Correia said he was proud to offer customers “the payment option of the future.” Correia discussed his decision on a recent episode of Stogie Geeks podcast (link below), the Geeks’ first in-studio guest since the pandemic began last year. “Cryptocurrency is here to stay, and has now been seamlessly integrated into our online store, making it even easier for our customers,” Correia said.

“If you want to shop with Regency Cigar, if you want to buy cigars online, you go to regencycigar.com, I don’t care how you want to pay, we accept that payment,” he added on the podcast. “I’ll even consider some chickens for cigars, if you want to barter old-school.”
 
Stogie Geeks
 
PBN
Camp Yawgoog Coming Back Strong for 106th Season


The 106th Summer at Camp Yawgoog should feel normal again for thousands of Scouts who camp there from all across the country.

During a recent broadcast Narragansett Council CEO Tim McCandless told Laura Pugliese of ABC6 that campers won't have to wear masks during outdoor activities. The news came after Gov. Dan McKee announced that after June 2, Rhode Islanders won’t have to wear masks when they're outside.

Founded in 1916, Yawgoog is 1,800 acres and the second-oldest Scout camp in the U.S. McCandless estimated that Yawgoog will see more than 4,000 campers and hundreds of adult volunteer leaders come through its gates during the summer's eight-week season from as far away as Texas and Florida. 

ABC6
Scouts Honor Fallen Heroes at Battleship Cove


Scouts from Troop 21 Somerset served as the honor guard during a Memorial Day ceremony to honor fallen soldiers at Battleship Cove in Fall River. The Scouts saluted family members who dropped carnations off the deck of the USS Massachusetts as the name of each local fallen soldier was read aloud. A wreath of carnations was also delivered to the deck to honor military members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

WPRI

Warwick Beacon

East Greenwich News
Charter School Expansion the Right Move for R.I.


The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) dove into the history, outcomes and funding of charter schools in their latest report, "An Analysis of Charter Public Schools in Rhode Island", released last week. The report comes at a time when the General Assembly is debating a moratorium on charters, new schools have been approved by the R.I. Department of Education and the state is in its 10th year of implementing a school funding formula.

RIPEC's study found that four out of five public charter school students live in the state's four poorest communities: Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls and Woonsocket. Those students are also 23 percent more likely than students in public schools overall — 71.1% compared to 47.8% — to come from low-income families.

The report also found that charter public school students outperformed district students on the 2018-19 Rhode Island Common Assessment System (RICAS) in literature, with proficiency in math being nearly nine points greater, 38.3% to 29.4%.

While charter school performance is strong overall, several still underperform. RIPEC saw room for the Rhode Island Department of Education to "exercise more rigorous action" to improve low-performing schools or revoke their charters.

WPRI

Providence Journal

PBN