We reside in the Ocean State. We should know about the America’s Cup race, since for so many year’s it was contested in the waters off our shores.  Our Providence Manager, Ed Hardie, told me about the first race of this year’s America’s Cup over a month ago. But just last night, my spouse informed me that the America’s Cup race is OVER – three weeks ago! She heard that at a luncheon meeting.

What happened, where were we, this is the event that anointed Newport as the sailing capital of the world for years!

The good news is a United States team won.  It is the first time since 1992 that America’s Cup is back in the US.

The website for the 33rd contest in Valencia, Spain will impress you with the size of the competing crafts. The winning boat is a massive trimaran with airplane wing-like “sails” and was sponsored by Larry Ellison of Oracle fame and BMW. They sail out of the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club.

Here’s the question Rhode Islander’s – can we get them to bring the race back to Newport? The word is that the race might be held in San Francisco, San Diego, Newport, or even back in Valencia Spain. There is a Rhode Island group petitioning to get the cup race back to Newport.

When I saw Peanut Butter in the headline of a Providence Business News article, my eyes were stuck to the page – like peanut butter to the roof of the mouth.

We’ve all read the statistics of more families needing assistance with the basics like food.  This March and April Rhode Islanders are being asked to help.  The PB Xpress fundraiser, sponsored by The Washington Trust Company, asks for donations of jars of Peanut Butter.  In turn, they will be given to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

“It’s easy for those of us who are not struggling to pick up a jar of peanut butter and make a donation. And by doing so, a hungry family can make up to 16 peanut butter sandwiches,” says Joseph J. MarcAurele, Washington Trust’s President and chief operating officer.

Donations are accepted at any of the 18 Washington Trust branches and are forwarded to the Food Bank after 300 cans have been received at an individual location.

Since the inception of this fundraiser in 2001, Washington Trust has collected 77 tons of peanut butter. In this 10th year, the goal is to reach a total of 100 tons of peanut butter. That’s 23 tons in two month, or 46,000 sixteen ounce jars.

Washington Trust also created the PB Xpress Pledge to End Hunger and partnered with Cox Communications. They will be providing public service announcements and have created an incentive for donations. Donors are entered for a chance to win tickets to see “101 Dalmatians Musical” at Providence Performing Arts Center.

Peanut butter donations will also be accepted by the bank at the “Washington Trust/PB Xpress Night” at the March 26 Providence Bruins game. Washington Trust will also hold a “collection day” at its Governor Francis branch in Warwick on Saturday, April 24.

We are finally getting the statistics showing what I have been witnessing in our offices – activity in the last couple of months has been higher than the recent past.   Just this morning, Clear Capital reported that the Providence Metropolitan Area had the highest rate of growth in housing prices in the nation at 6.1% for the latest rolling quarter ending in February.

In more positive news, the Rhode Island Association of Realtors reported 395 sales in January, a 9% increase from January 2009. The median price rose 14% to $200,000, and days on the market fell 24% to 83.  Condo sales rose 28%, prices remained virtually the same, and days on the market rose 2 percent.  Multi-unit sales fell 21 percent, while price increased 21 percent and days on the market fell 36%.  While January is typically the slowest month for home sales, weather has been on our side unlike other parts of the country that have been paralyzed by record snow this season.

However, the housing market remains vulnerable with unemployment at high levels and consumer confidence lagging. When looking across the country, the housing market is flat.  We also have a long way to go to recover to the home values of 2006.  So, we are not out of the woods just yet, but clear fields are getting closer.

And if the trend is your friend, moving upward or even sideways is better than having a further contraction. Getting back to the activity level, our offices are operating at high levels in this traditionally slow time of year. Maybe it is all the rain we’ve been getting instead of snow. Hopefully, this will continue into the spring market.

Searching through Providence’s Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism’s newsletter, several interesting events are coming up in March.  As always, the city is bustling with activity. Here’s a couple that support good causes.

To start off, how would you like to be treated like the stars?  The Rhode Island International Film Festival is the only officially sanctioned host for an Academy Awards party. It is being held at the VMA on March 7 starting at 6:30pm – complete with the red carpet treatment. The cost is $55 per person, and the proceeds of this “dress to impress” event benefit the RIIFF.

If you are not into the movies, how about live theater? Perishable Theater is having a fundraiser which features internationally-acclaimed mandolinist & bandolimist Marilynn Mair performing choro, samba, bossa nova and some of Marilynn’s original Rio-inspired compositions. This is also on the 7th but starts at 5:00pm and costs $25 per person.

For more detailed information, go to the Providence Arts, Culture and Tourism site.