Robert P. Andrade

Pawtucket, RI – Robert P. Andrade, local businessman and community leader, was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island. Mr. Andrade succeeds William J. Hunt, President of Shove Insurance Incorporated, who served in the role for three years.

President and CEO of Memorial Hospital Martin E. Tursky said, “We look forward to working with our new chairman as we continue to provide a full spectrum of health services for the people of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.”

 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Pawtucket Credit Union (PCU) for more than 15 years, Mr. Andrade has worked at PCU for the past 40 years. He is the Director and past Chairman of the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island, the past Chair of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber and a member of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

 Mr. Andrade is actively involved in other industry and community boards and organizations such as the Credit Union Executives Society, a Rhode Island Representative for the Credit Union National Association’s Credit Union Legislative Action Council and a member of the Credit Union Legislative Action Council Executive Committee.

  He serves on the Board of Commissioners and is Treasurer of The Narragansett Bay Commission. Mr. Andrade is Director and past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gateway Healthcare, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vistana Condominium Association, Director and Treasurer of the Gamm Theatre and Director and President of the Lions Club of Pawtucket. He is a Trustee of the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket and the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Blackstone Health, Inc.

Elected a trustee of Memorial Hospital in 1997, Mr. Andrade served as the Treasurer from 2004 to 2011.

A graduate of Bryant University, Mr. Andrade and his wife, Rosanna, live in Riverside and have three children and four grandchildren.

David Ashley, MD

Pawtucket, RI –  Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island recently appointed David Ashley, MD, to its Medical Staff as the medical director of the Family Care Center.

A Saunderstown, RI resident and fluent in Spanish, Dr. Ashley earned his medical degree at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI. He completed a family medicine residency at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Ashley is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Brown University.

Dr. Ashley is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians, Rhode Island Medical Society, National Guard Association of the United States and National Guard Association of Rhode Island.

In his role as medical director of the Family Care Center, Dr. Ashley will co-lead the new resident rotation in patient-centered medical home practice management. He will work with residents as they provide care to their patients. Dr. Ashley can be reached at (401) 729 – 2304.

 Kicks off on Friday, September 7, 2012

 PAWTUCKET, RI –  The Pawtucket Arts Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 23 at various locations throughout Pawtucket showcasing performing and visual arts, music, photography, and ethnic cuisine. The announcement of this year’s dates is made by Festival Chair John Baxter.

“We’ll begin with the widely popular ‘Festival Gala’ that brings great music plus food samplings from some of Pawtucket’s finest restaurants on Friday, Sept. 7, from 6-11 p.m. at the Historic Slater Mill,” noted Baxter. 

“The 2012 Pawtucket Arts Festival offers the finest representation of performing, visual and culinary arts in the New England region with most events at no cost,” continued Baxter. “Festival goers will delight in the expanded choices in all medium of the arts offered this year, and we are excited to present them.” 

Mayor Donald R. Grebien noted that the Pawtucket Arts Festival is bigger and better with the continued, strong support of the city’s business community and the hard work of the volunteer festival organizers. “We hope to see thousands of people come to this year’s Arts Festival to celebrate and enjoy the arts, Pawtucket-style.” 

Many popular events, including the Gala, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Pops Orchestra, and Open Studios, will return along with new programming. Michael Davolio, Planning Director noted that new faces on the Arts Festival Committee are bringing new energy and enthusiasm, but there is still room for more. There are several committees who could benefit from extra hands.

This year’s Honorary Co-Chairs of the Pawtucket Arts Festival are Rep. Elaine Coderre, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and Kristine Kilmartin and Senator James E. Doyle, II.  

A complete listing of all festival events, locations, times and sponsors will be available at www.pawtucketartsfestival.org.  To volunteer to participate in event planning, please contact Pawtucket Arts Festival Program Coordinator, Diane Agostini at 401-724-5200, or at dagostini@pawtucketri.com.     

On Sunday, January 29, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, in cooperation with the Museum of Work and Culture and the Rhode Island Historical Society, will present the second in a series of Ranger Day Talks at 1:30 pm. 

Rhea Bouchard Powers, the very popular columnist of the weekly Valley Breeze feature titled “My Life” will speak about her experiences and her memories of growing up in a French Canadian home in Manville, RI.  Her sense of humor transforms everyday activities into unforgettable adventures. 

Rhea began writing a weekly column for the Woonsocket Call.  Her column quickly became very popular.  She eventually moved on to the Valley Breeze.  Around the same time that Rhea started writing her weekly column, she began volunteering at Adopt-A-Family, where she is a member of the Board of Directors, and is a past president and vice president.  

In 2008 Rhea was inducted into the American French Genealogical French Canadian Hall of Fame. 

The remainder of the Ranger Talks schedule is as follows:

Feb. 12  Paul Bourget presents “Civil War Sanitary Commission.”

Feb. 26  Sarah Zuier presents “Green Zones:  Rhode Islanders’ Gardens in War Time.”

March 11  National Park Ranger Kevin Klyberg presents “R.I. and the War of 1812.”

April 1:  Former Woonsocket resident Chip Bishop presents a talk on his newly released book “The Lion and the Journalist.”

“It’s been a mild winter so far but we need people to be aware of what the options and requirements are when the snow starts flying again,” said Public Works Director Lance Hill. “Our goal is to get as many vehicles as possible off the street as soon as possible, for public safety and so our plows can operate in the most efficient manner possible. A little cooperation will benefit everyone.”

Between December 1^st and April 1^st, the City of Pawtucket will typically declare a winter storm emergency if there is a prediction of two or more inches of snow. Once a winter storm emergency has been declared, an on-street parking ban will be put into effect on all city streets and all vehicles must be moved off the street at that time. The parking ban will be posted on local radio and television broadcasts and on the city website at www.pawtucketri.com. You can also call the police station at 401-727-9100 and dial ext. 888 on the auto attendant to check on a parking ban.

During snow parking bans, parking will be available in municipal lots throughout the city as follows. 

West Side parking areas: Morley Field off Moshassuck Street; Veterans Park ball field off Smithfield Avenue; Nathanael Greene School parking lot, 285 Smithfield Avenue; St. Edward Church parking lot, Weeden Street; Elizabeth Baldwin Elementary School parking lot, 50 Whitman St.; Slater Junior High/Cunningham School parking lot, 281 Mineral Spring Ave.; parking lot at intersection of Marrin and Pine streets; parking lot at intersection of George and Grace streets; Francis Varieur Elementary School parking lot at 486 Pleasant St.; Max Read Field off Pleasant Street; municipal parking lot at intersection of Dexter Street and Andrew Ferland Way; parking lot at intersection of Humes and Broad streets; City Hall parking lot along Roosevelt Avenue; School Administration parking lot on Park Place.

East Side parking areas: Parking lot at intersection of Broadway and Exchange Street; Agnes Little School parking lot, 60 South Bend St.; Henry J. Winters Elementary School parking lot, 481 Broadway; Curvin McCabe Elementary School parking lot; 466 Cottage St.; Flora Curtis Elementary School parking lot, 582 Benefit St.; ball field parking lot at intersection of Sweet and Daggett avenues; parking lot at intersection of Littlefield Street and Armistice Boulevard; Fallon Memorial Elementary School parking lot at 62 Lincoln Ave.; Newport Avenue parking lot beside the fire station; Slater Park ball field parking lot.

EARLY PICTURE OF MAIN STREET, CHEPACHET TAKEN OVER 100 YEARS AGO.  PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GLOCESTER HERITAGE SOCIETY.

On Sunday, January 15, 2012, the Museum of Work & Culture at 42 South Main Street, launches the first of this year’s Ranger Talks.  Begun in 1998, the program consists of  a series of six lectures and presentations from January through April, sponsored by the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in cooperation with the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Betty & Carlo Mencucci kick off the 15^th annual Ranger Talk series on January 15 with their presentation of “West of the Seven Mile Line – A History of Glocester.”  Using beautiful videography, old photos, interviews, and stunning aerial shots, visitors will virtually tour the villages of Glocester and learn some amazing history.  The presentation goes back to the 1600’s when the area we know today as Glocester was a howling wilderness called the “Outlands” or the land “West of the Seven Mile Line.”  Some of the stories covered will be the Mehunganug Swamp tragedy when some of the first settlers clashed with the Nipmuc Indians; how the Revolutionary War impacted the lives of Glocester citizens; and how the eyes of the country were focused on Chepachet during the Dorr Rebellion. 

The Ranger Talk lecture schedule is as follows:

January 15   “West of the Seven Mile Line – A History of Glocester” by Carlo and Betty Mencucci

January 29   Rhea Bouchard Powers presents “Rhea’s Random Reflections”

February 12  Paul Bourget presents “Civil War Sanitary Commission”

February 26  Sarah Zuier presents “Green Zones:  Rhode Islanders Gardens in War Time”

March 11   National Park Ranger Kevin Klyberg presents “RI and the War of 1812”

April 1  Former Woonsocket resident Chip Bishop presents a talk on his newly released book “The Lion and the Journalist”

The one hour long Ranger Talks are held on Sundays at 1:30 pm in the museum’s ITU Hall.  All talks are free and open to the public.  For more information contact the museum at 401-769-9675. 

Calling all dancers 9 to 18!

The next audition for “Rhode Island’s Ballet Theatre” will be on Thursday, January 26 at 6pm at RI Ballet Arts Academy.

  Dancers must be interested in being part of a highly motivated group of young dancers.  The Company meets on Thursday at 6:30pm and performs several times a year. In addition, Master Classes and dance field trips are part of the program.

The fee for the audition is $15.00 and if accepted the Dues are $30.00 per month.

Pre – register at 401-847-5301 or at the studio.

Good luck  if you decide to try out.

Nancy McAuliffe, Artistic Director  

            You Are Not Alone provides an opportunity for cancer patients and their significant others to be with people who understand them and what they are experiencing.  The purpose of the group is to increase participants’ knowledge of cancer, focus on coping skills, and help participants adapt to living with cancer.  The support group also provides an opportunity for cancer patients to express their experiences and emotions, and will introduce participants to specialists in the field of oncology.

            For further information about You Are Not Alone, contact Gilda Medeiros at (401) 729-2789.

PAWTUCKET – Pawtucket-based Hasbro, Inc., long one of the city’s leading businesses, has assembled an eye-catching display in the City Hall lobby highlighting many of the toy-making giant’s landmark toys and games, from Monopoly and Scrabble to My Little Pony, Play-Doh and Transformers, among numerous others.

The display by Hasbro includes two large clear cases, an easel sign
declaring, “Hasbro, proud to be a part of Pawtucket,” a brief history of the company and a colorful mobile of Mr. Potato Head suspended from the ceiling high above the entryway.

Hasbro, which has approximately 6,000 employees worldwide, including 1,400 in Rhode Island, and more than $4 billion in annual revenues was founded as the Hassenfeld Brothers in Providence in 1923 before moving in the late 1950s to Pawtucket, where its global headquarters has remained ever since. Fortune recently ranked Hasbro No. 59 on its “Best Companies to Work For” list. Hasbro is the world’s largest producer of board games and the second leading toymaker. The company also has a
distinguished history of charitable giving and corporate community involvement, including giving monthly paid time off to employees who work with children and its ongoing support of Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

Hasbro setup team: (l-r) Kathy Carpano; Senior Executive Assistant, Corporate Communications; Terri Hidenfelter, Director, Global Shows & Events; Alicia Bell, Associate Manager, Global Shows & Events; Ben Russell, Manager, Global Shows & Events

“Like our display sign says, we’re proud to be a part of Pawtucket and appreciate the opportunity to highlight our long and mutually beneficial association with the city,” said Wayne Charness, Hasbro Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications. “We especially hope that children will enjoy the display because bringing joy to kids is a big part of what we do.”

“Hasbro was a natural choice, especially at this time of year, to be the first Pawtucket business to be displayed in the City Hall lobby,” said Mayor Donald R. Grebien. “We’re very pleased they agreed to take part because Hasbro continues to be such an important corporate citizen and good neighbor in the city, and their thorough professionalism is shown by the outstanding display they assembled and installed for the public
to enjoy.”

Grebien said displays by city companies will continue throughout the year to highlight businesses that have contributed significantly to Pawtucket. The Hasbro connection came about last spring when the new mayor, along with several of his key directors, met with top executives including David Hargreaves, Chief Operating Officer, to tour the company’s 1027 Newport Ave. facility as part of the Grebien administration’s “Top to Top” initiative.

“Top to Top, which was suggested to us by City Councilor Chris O’Neill who also took an active role throughout our visits, was our outreach effort to leading businesses in the city. We learned a lot from all of them, including that the long tradition of Pawtucket as home to leading manufacturers is alive and well. They contribute so much to our community in so many ways and provide hundreds of jobs for our local workforce. We look forward to inviting more of them to display their products and innovations in City Hall during the coming year,” Grebien said.

From time to time – especially around Christmas time it seems – it actually is possible to get what you want. Since I began working on this project back in August, nothing has occupied my wishes quite as much as the Micro-Enterprise Grant Program. This program was begun almost three years ago with the intent of helping struggling businesses pay for the kinds of aesthetic improvements the Regeneration Initiative had envisioned.

Well, three years and one Great Recession later and much of that scope has changed. The first batch of recipients did get some money for new signage. But they also received money to buy stock, to expand their store – even in one case, to install a new kitchen. In all the MEGP pledged almost $84,000 to Businesses in Pawtucket, Central Falls and Cumberland.

The only snag with this otherwise fantastic program was that, at the time of my arrival, a fairly sizable chunk of it – a little more than twenty percent – had yet to go out. There were, of course, innumerable reasons for this. And it took us almost four months of meetings, phone calls, wrangling and organizing to find all the kinks and work them out.

By December, with the help of some fantastic people at the Cumberland town hall, we had gotten the backlog down to just a handful of clients. We did as well as we could to get these last checks out before the end of the year, but as we approached the Christmas break, it was looking increasingly like most of those clients were going to have to wait just a little longer.

Then, much to my surprise, Santa came by early. In a single day we were able to collect and deliver more than $15,000 in outstanding grant payments. These payments will fund improvements in businesses as diverse as hair salons and insurance agencies. What’s even better is that we finally have the room to expand the program. Starting next month, we’ll begin reaching out to local businesses along Broad Street, looking for new applicants and new opportunities.

If you or someone you know owns a business on Broad Street and are interested in this exciting program, please email us at mybroadstreet@gmail.com.