Business

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Gas prices in Rhode Island have climbed for the fifth straight week to an average $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded.

AAA Southern new England says in its weekly survey released Monday that the price of a gallon of gas rose two cents from last week.

Since this time last year, prices have risen 39 cents a gallon, up nearly 15 percent.

AAA says prices in Rhode Island are 11 cents above the national average of $2.95 per gallon.

By FLO JONIC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Years of planning and construction will become reality today with the start of commuter rail service from Warwick to Providence and on to Boston.

Rhode Island's two United States senators will join Governor Carcieri in a special train ride from Providence to Warwick this morning. When the train pulls up to the new intermodal facility at T.F. Green Airport the Pilgrim High School marching band will be playing.

By FLO JONIC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Remember all the detours caused by the Iway project? Well, something similar is about to start in Pawtucket.

A portion of Taft Street will be closed today in Pawtucket, the first of many road closures prompted by the replacement of the Pawtucket River Bridge. This section of road will remain closed for approximately three years.

By ALEX NUNES

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – At Roger Williams University in Bristol, water rushes into a bathtub-sized tank on a dock at Mount Hope Bay. Dale Leavitt, an associate professor of marine biology, removes a cover revealing quahogs and oysters.

"If you look in here, these are all baby oysters that we've reared up this summer," Leavitt says. "We like to think of them as about the size of a quarter."

By FLO JONIC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – One in every seven Rhode Islanders is food insecure and a record number are relying on food pantries to put food on the table. That, according to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank's annual report which will be released later today.

The number of people using food pantries for assistance has risen by 17,000 a month since the Recession began three years ago. Food bank CEO Andrew Schiff says the current pace of nearly 10 million pounds a year is unsustainable.

By MEGAN HALL

Providence, RI – By MEGAN HALL
The Rhode Island Retail Federation is feeling optimistic about sales this coming holiday weekend.

Executive director Paul DeRoche says it's the first time in two years he's felt positive about sales on so called Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

He's predicting a slight increase in purchases- up about 1.4% from last year. "Particularly in the technology field," DeRoche says. "I-Pads, I-Phones. I think we're going to be pleasantly surprised after Black Friday."