PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island resident previously convicted of bank robbery pleaded guilty Wednesday to being in possession of a gun that a juvenile used to accidentally shoot himself in the knee, federal prosecutors said. Branden Eddie Smith, 37, was prohibited by law from having the gun because he was convicted of bank […]
Rhode Island
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island sets ambitious target for 100% renewable energy
Rhode Island’s governor signed legislation Wednesday setting the most ambitious target in the nation to require the state to be powered completely by renewable energy. The legislation accelerates plans for the electric grid to operate with 100% renewable energy, so the goal is achieved in 2033. It’s the most ambitious timeline in the country — […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island man who hid drugs in child’s backpack gets 7-year sentence
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man who stored more than 1,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine or fentanyl in a child’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles backpack in the Rhode Island apartment he shared with his three children has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. Davith Hoy, 42, was […]
Posted inBusiness
America’s scallop harvest projected to decline again in 2022
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — America’s scallop fishing industry will continue to decline in catch into next year due to a decrease in the availability of the oft-pricy shellfish off the East Coast, federal regulators say. The decline in scallops is happening as prices for the shellfish, one of the most lucrative seafoods in America, has […]
Posted inNews
Best school districts in Rhode Island
A good school can lead to a lifetime of opportunities. Myriad data shows that lifetime earnings dramatically increase with every degree obtained. Bachelor’s degree holders will earn an average of roughly $26,000 more each year than high school graduates. And for those who decide that pursuing a college degree is not the best postsecondary option, […]
Posted inNews
Wind farm, environmentalists agree on ways to protect whales
BOSTON (AP) — The developers of an offshore wind farm and three environmental organizations announced Monday that they have reached an agreement to further protect rare North Atlantic right whales during construction and operation of the energy-generating project. The agreement involving Orsted and Eversource — developers of South Fork Wind off the coast of New England […]
Posted inNews
Ben Tuff is back for another record-setting swim of Narragansett Bay, this time from Providence to Newport
On July 22, Jamestown resident Ben Tuff will swim 25 miles from Providence to Newport, in an endurance effort to raise money for Clean Ocean Access. This marks the third marathon swim for Tuff, who has raised more than $160,000 to date for Clean Ocean Access, an Aquidneck Island-based environmental non-profit. In August 2020, Tuff swam around […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Counties with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in Rhode Island
The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises […]
Posted inCity & Government
Off-duty Providence Police officer charged with assault at abortion protest
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island police officer accused of punching a woman at an abortion protest while he was off-duty has now been charged in connection with Friday’s demonstration at the State House. In a Saturday evening news release, state police said Providence patrolman Jeann Lugo, 35, was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct. […]
Posted inNews
Providence Police Officer suspended for off-duty actions at abortion protest
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island police officer accused of punching a woman at an abortion protest while he was off-duty was suspended from his job with pay Saturday while the Providence Police Department conducts a criminal investigation into his actions. Jennifer Rourke, Rhode Island Political Cooperative Chairwoman and a state Senate candidate, told […]
Posted inCity & Government
Candidate filings begin Monday
Aside from general offices and Congress, few candidates have emerged in the runup to the candidate filing deadline next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. That will certainly change as candidates file with their local Boards of Canvassers, and for statewide candidates with the Department of State’s Elections Division. Those filing will usher in what is expected […]
Posted inJobs
Now Hiring: 90+ job opportunities available right now in the Newport area
Looking for a new gig, job, or career? Here’s who’s hiring right now in the Newport area. All jobs were posted or provided to us within the last seven days and are located within five miles of downtown Newport. Current Job Opportunities 7-Eleven – Sales AssociateAldi – Full-Time Store Manager TraineeAllied Universal – Security Officer […]
Posted inNews
Road Report: RIDOT, RITBA schedule of lane closures, road construction projects (June 25 – July 2)
The following road and lane closure notices have been scheduled by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA). All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. RITBA Weekly Lane Closure Updates June 26 – July 2 Newport Claiborne Pell Bridge There are currently no lane closures planned […]
Posted inCity & Government
Highlights from this week at the Rhode Island General Assembly
Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the Rhode Island General Assembly this week. This recap was put together by the Rhode Island General Assembly Legislative Press Bureau. For more information on any of these items visit www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease Assembly approves 2023 state budget bill The General Assembly approved a $13.6 billion […]
Posted inBusiness
Manufacturers struggle to keep pace with vinyl record demand
By DAVID SHARP Associated Press The arrival of the compact disc nearly killed off record albums, with vinyl pressing machines sold, scrapped and dismantled by major record labels. Four decades later, with resuscitated record album sales producing double-digit annual growth, manufacturers are rapidly rebuilding an industry to keep pace with sales that reached $1 billion […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Candidates respond to Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade
Gubernatorial and Congressional candidates were quick to condemn the U.S. Supreme Court’s action this morning to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Ruling The Supreme Court today, as expected, released its ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade that some 50 years ago established the right to abortion in the United States. The vote was 6 to […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Counties with the highest COVID-19 infection rates in Rhode Island
The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises […]
Posted inCity & Government
Assembly approves bill seeking major offshore wind energy development
STATE HOUSE – Rhode Island would open the door to significantly more renewable energy for the state under legislation passed by the General Assembly today seeking the development of 600 to 1,000 megawatts of new offshore wind capacity. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer and Rep. Arthur Handy at the request of Gov. Daniel […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: As the weather warms, so does the gubernatorial race
The calendar barely turned from spring to summer, but the climate surely began heating up in Rhode Island’s very competitive Democratic primary for governor. A television as by Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, among the gubernatorial candidates, generated some quick retorts from Gov. Dan McKee and Helena Buonanno Foulkes, another of the gubernatorial candidates. Nellie […]
Posted inNews
States with strict gun-permitting laws consider next steps
By The Associated Press undefined The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a New York state law that had restricted who could obtain a permit to carry a gun in public. Under the law in place since 1913, New York residents needed to show proper cause, or an actual need, to carry a concealed […]
Posted inNews
Head of drug trafficking ring gets 15-year prison sentence
The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that imported millions of doses of cocaine and fentanyl to several U.S. states has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, federal authorities in Rhode Island said. Juni Rafael Jimenez-Martinez, 47, a Dominican national who had previously been deported but was living in Providence, attempted to insulate […]
Posted inNews
Offshore wind boosted as Biden, East Coast governors team up
By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is launching a formal partnership with 11 East Coast governors to boost the growing offshore wind industry, a key element of President Joe Biden’s plan for climate change. Biden and other top administration officials will meet with governors and labor leaders Thursday at the White House […]
Posted inNews
Portsmouth students win Presidential Environmental Award, raising funds to accept award in Washington D.C.
A group of Portsmouth students has been awarded The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA), a prestigious national award that recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects developed by K-12 youth, according to a press release from the Eastern RI Conservation District & Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm. Their winning project is the establishment of the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm, a […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion – Rep. Ruggiero: CRMC Study Commission makes bold recommendations
I want to publicly thank the members of the CRMC Study Commission for their thoughtful, deliberative work reviewing and assessing the Coastal Resource Management Council. This diverse group of professionals included representatives of Save the Bay, the Audubon Society, town administrators, planning professionals, a town council member, the dean of the University Of Rhode Island […]
Posted inHistory
Counties in Rhode Island with the most pre-war homes
Pre-war homes—those built before 1939—are architectural gems. They are sturdy, charming, and often what people are referring to when they look at the prevalent colorless, linear designs of today and lament “they just don’t make them like they used to.” In some ways, that’s a good thing. Pre-war homes often contained materials we know to […]