Rhode Island
Breeze Airways to double operations at T.F. Green, launch international flights out of R.I. by 2025. – The Boston Globe
Utah-based Breeze Airways announced this week that it plans to double its presence at T.F. Green Airport over the next five years, making the Warwick airport one of its largest hubs in the United States, if not the largest.
The low-cost airline, which began flying out of T.F. Green three years ago, currently offers 132 weekly flights to 18 destinations. It serves more destinations than any other airline at T.F. Green.
Under the current expansion plan, the airline would offer 200 weekly nonstop flights to 35 destinations by 2029. The airline’s founder and CEO, David Neeleman, said the expansion would include adding flights to “three international or US territory cities.”
“We haven’t been able to fly internationally yet because we don’t have our final approval from the FAA,” Neeleman said in an interview with the Globe. “We hope to have it done this year, and then we’ll start flying internationally. We’re saying three destinations. There could be more, but I think we’ll add one to start and keep adding from there.”
Breeze flies between smaller, secondary airports such as Norfolk International, West Palm Beach International, and Westchester County. When it launched in 2021, its business model was to offer point-to-point service between these underserved airports. In New England, Breeze also operates out of Manchester-Boston Regional, Bradley International in Hartford, and Portland International Jetport in Maine. Service to Bangor International is scheduled to begin this fall. Currently, the longest flight Breeze offers out of T.F. Green is a seasonal service to Los Angeles.
“We reach places that you could previously only get to out of Logan,” he said.
Providence has been an important market for Breeze. The airline’s service was launched there in July 2021, and it became a base shortly after. According to Neeleman, who founded JetBlue and Azul, Breeze is expected to reach profitability this year as it aggressively expands its fleet. Breeze took delivery of its 25th Airbus A220 this month and plans to add 65 more A220s over the next five years.
To increase its footprint at T.F. Green, the airline is receiving $2.9 million in tax credits from the state with the understanding that it will create a minimum of 58 jobs in the first year, increasing annually to 116 jobs by year five. The credits are part of the state’s Qualified Jobs Incentive program, created to expand the workforce of companies operating in the state.
“It’s just a win-win deal,” Neeleman said in describing tax credits. “The airport has been underserved for a long time, and we have a lot of airports we can fly to and a lot of places we can put it and put our service, and so we just always do win-win deals where the city wins, and we win. It’s as simple as that. It’s a good deal for everybody.”
Neeleman said the T.F. Green expansion will increase the number of Breeze employees in Warwick from approximately 200 to 400. The airline will also base 12 aircraft at the airport.
“This is an exciting day for Rhode Island,” Governor Dan McKee said in a statement. “We’re proud to be home to one of the top 10 airports in the world, and we’re even prouder to have Breeze.”
The airline announced a sale to celebrate its third anniversary with 33-percent-off fares. Earlier this year, it launched a co-branded credit card with Barclays.
Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.
Rhode Island
Malfunctioning steam room sets off alarm, prompts evacuation at Rhode Island YMCA
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (AP) — A malfunctioning steam room at a YMCA in Rhode Island pumped out so much steam that it triggered an a sprinkler system alarm on Saturday morning, prompting an evacuation.
In a statement, the Middletown Police Department said officials rushed to the Newport County YMCA in Middletown around 9 a.m. for a possible explosion but later learned an excessive amount of steam had set off the building’s emergency sprinkler system.
A 58-year-old woman was hurt but officials said it was a minor injury. The YMCA would remain closed Saturday, police said.
Rhode Island
North Providence shop owner, 95, still living his life to the fullest
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I (WPRI) — George Bozigian is 95 years young.
The beloved owner of H.K.B. Market in North Providence has been in business for more than seven decades.
And he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
Bozigian and his father built and opened H.K.B. Market in 1951.
Though it used to be a general store, Bozigian has changed his business model to adapt to the neighborhood over the years.
“I gave up groceries,” Bozigian said. “I’ve got a sign over there that says, ‘no food for sale.’”
Instead, HKB Market focuses solely on selling lottery tickets.
“We still get a few customers,” Bozigian said. “But I’ll tell you, they’re the best people you could meet.”
Bozigian’s answer was simple when asked why he continues to come to work every day.
“It’s worth my while,” he explained. “I come because they’re the best customers I’ve got. I don’t care if I never get another [customer].”
To Bozigian, his longtime customers are his friends.
“They’re good to me,” Bozigian continued. “There isn’t a thing they wouldn’t do for me and there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for them.”
Bozigian told 12 News it’s also boring just sitting at home. He loves socializing with his regulars, most of whom swing by at least once a week to buy their tickets.
“My social life is in this building,” he said, referring to H.K.B. Market. “I don’t go to the Foxy Lady to socialize. At 95, you stay away from there.”
Bozigian’s son said his father taught him everything he knows.
“My father instilled in me a love of life, a love of family and a solid work ethic,” Kirk Bozigian said.
H.K.B. Market is open seven days a week with Bozigian at the helm. When he’s not behind the counter, Bozigian usually sits outside and “watches the cars go by” on Smithfield Road.
“People wave to me and I wave to them,” he said. “If there was work to do here, I would do it. But at this age … I don’t work much anymore.”
Bozigian doesn’t plan on ever closing down H.K.B. Market.
“I’m going to do this until the man upstairs calls and says, ‘We need you. We’ve got problems up here,’” Bozigian said. “I’ve lived a good, clean life. I never went out messing around.”
“I was with one woman all my life and I’m proud to say it,” he continued. “We were married for 65 years. I raised two kids — they’re great kids — and they married good people.”
Bozigian’s wife Ann passed away more than a decade ago, which is part of the reason why he had to scale back H.K.B. Market’s offerings.
He spends most of his free time with his family, which includes his two children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Bozigian also has a sixth great-grandchild on the way.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island DEM Closes Fort Wetherill Bulkhead Until Further Notice for Safety Concerns – Newport Buzz
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has announced the temporary closure of the bulkhead behind the DEM’s Division of Marine Fisheries at Fort Wetherill State Park. Effective Friday, June 14, this closure applies to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic and will remain in effect until further notice.
The decision to close this popular fishing and viewing spot along Narragansett Bay was made due to concerns over public safety. The bulkhead’s supports have significantly degraded, and potential sinkholes have emerged, a consequence of historic infrastructure combined with damage from recent storm events.
“This closure to protect public safety is another example of challenges that Rhode Island’s coastal communities are increasingly contending with due to the impacts of climate change,” stated DEM Director Terry Gray. “While enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities and ensuring shoreline and fishing access across Rhode Island remain priorities for DEM, public safety concerns necessitated this restriction. We are working to quickly and safely restore access to this great fishing and sightseeing spot.”
Fort Wetherill State Park, located on 100-foot-high granite cliffs across the water from Fort Adams State Park, is a historical site that once served as a coastal defense battery and training camp, with structures dating back to before World War II. The park, which spans 61.5 acres, was acquired by the State of Rhode Island from the United States in 1972. The DEM’s Division of Marine Fisheries has been based at this location since the early 2000s, and the bulkhead currently serves as a berthing site for the Division’s research vessels.
Despite the closure, parts of the area will remain accessible for authorized vehicles and personnel to continue DEM’s scientific research activities. Public parking will still be available at other locations within the park, including the upper lot near the Division.
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