Bank collecting school supplies
All Citizens Bank branches in Massachusetts are collecting school supplies to donate to local kids in need at the beginning of the school year as part of the Gear for Grades back-to-school program. Donations may be made through Aug. 10. According to a
National Retail Federation survey, the average American family spent $603 in 2011 on back-to-school expenses. For low-income, at-risk or homeless families, the cost of even basic school supplies can be a burden.
Citizens Bank is partnering with
Cradles to Crayons in Massachusetts to help students start their school year with the tools they need. In addition to the school supply drive, Citizens Bank awarded Cradles to Crayons a $50,000 grant for the distribution of backpacks filled with notebooks, folders, pencils and calculators for the 2012 school year. The donation will help support Cradles to Crayons’ goal of distributing 30,000 backpacks to Massachusetts children in need this fall.
Gorton’s revamps fish packaging
Everyone needs to freshen up their look once in a while, even an iconic Gloucester brand.
New packaging for
Gorton’s Seafood
will keep the yellow color and the Gorton’s Fisherman at the helm, but now key nutritional information is on the front panel, where consumers can quickly find it.
“We’ve made distinct looks for each of our different product segments to help consumers locate their preferred items,” said Zach Soolman , director of consumer marketing. “Now our packaging contains key information right on the front of the package, like the assurance that there is no MSG in any of our products, or that our products contain 100 percent real fish and no fillers. We have also made the calorie count and the gluten-free labeling on our Grilled Fish items more prominent.”
For more information about Gorton’s gluten-free products and coupons, please visit http://www.gortons.com.
Gas prices
down a penny
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BOSTON (AP) — The average price of a gallon of gas in Massachusetts has dropped a penny in the past week.
AAA Southern New England reported Monday that self-serve, regular fell to an average of $3.55 per gallon. That’s still 19 cents higher than a month ago but 20 cents less than at the same time last year.
On Cape Ann, prices Monday ranged from $3.58 to $3.69.
The price in the Bay State is seven cents above the national average.
AAA found self-serve, regular selling as low as $3.44 and as high as $3.79 per gallon.
To find the cheapest gas prices on Cape Ann, visit gloucestertimes.com/gas.
State, tribe
finalizes casino pact
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BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick has formally signed a compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag
tribe, allowing them exclusive rights to develop a resort casino in southeastern Massachusetts.
Joined by tribal leaders, Patrick signed the agreement, which was ratified by the Legislature, in a short ceremony Monday afternoon.
The agreement calls for the Mashpee to return 21.5 percent of future gaming revenues to Massachusetts, the highest figure ever negotiated between a state and Native American tribe.
Patrick said the compact reflects a collaborative relationship between his administration and the tribe.
The U.S. Department of the Interior must approve the compact and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
’ must give its permission to place the land into federal trust, before the tribe can move forward with a proposed $500 million casino in Taunton.
Lawmakers advance energy bill
BOSTON (AP) — State lawmakers have approved a bill that would require utilities to purchase more of their electricity from renewable sources.
The measure approved in the Senate and House on Monday would also require competitive bidding for long-term
renewable energy contracts and reduce from 4 percent to 2.75 percent the guaranteed annual return that utilities would receive from those investments.
Attorney General Martha Coakley has called the 4 percent requirement a “sweetheart” deal for utilities.
Starting in 2016, utilities would be required to purchase 7 percent of their power from long-term renewable contracts, up from 3 percent.
The measure also creates a task force to help transition the coal-fired
Salem Harbor Power Station, which is slated to close in 2014. A New Jersey developer recently purchased the plant with the intention of converting it to natural gas.
Send us your business news We want to publish news about your business -- new contracts, new hires, promotions and events that are open to the public -- on our Business pages. Send a brief notice with the basics. Please be clear about the person's connection to Cape Ann. Include the name and phone number of someone we can call if we have questions. Send your news by email to gdt@gloucestertimes.com; by fax to 978-282-4397; or by mail to Business Briefcase, Gloucester Daily Times, 36 Whittemore St., Gloucester, MA 01930. For more information, call 978-283-7000 x3457.
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