by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current October 16, 2026 The rocky road to restoring Newport’s Cliff Walk has cleared a significant obstacle after the city secured permission from Rhode Island coastal regulators.The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) approved a revised repair plan at its meeting Tuesday. The unanimous vote, made with little discussion, […]
Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
Nancy Lavin is a reporter covering State House politics along with energy and environmental issues for Rhode Island Current.
Posted inCity & Government
RI gubernatorial candidates talk housing, energy and education in first general election debate
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current October 8, 2026 The first gubernatorial debate of the 2026 general election cycle began cordially enough.Moderator Gene Valicenti asked the three candidates if their opponents had the temperament and experience to serve as governor. Republican Aaron Guckian readily acknowledged that each of them was “a smart individual,” while independent […]
Posted inCity & Government
Foulkes wins Democratic gubernatorial primary, marking historic loss for McKee
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current September 9, 2026 Gov. Dan McKee won’t be in office to see through his promised “day of reckoning” over the Washington Bridge closure, after losing his reelection bid to Democratic challenger Helena Buonanno Foulkes on Wednesday, according to preliminary, unofficial results. Foulkes had 62% of votes, compared with McKee’s 38%, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport’s Senate District 13 primary pits a progressive incumbent against a progressive challenger
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 28, 2026 At 47 years old with nine years in elected office, Sen. Dawn Euer is hardly the most seasoned lawmaker in a chamber where many members are retirees with multiple decades in their seats.But her Democratic primary opponent — her first since winning office in a 2017 […]
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What’s next for contentious Tiverton oyster farm proposal? More meetings.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 26, 2026 The more than six-year saga of an oyster farm proposed for Tiverton’s Sapowet Cove continues with no end in sight, after a state coastal lawyer rejected neighbors’ attempt to scrap the project.A small crowd packed the second-floor state office where the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management […]
Posted inCity & Government
McKee narrows gap but still trails Foulkes by 15 points in new WPRI poll
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 25, 2026 Gov. Dan McKee is finally gaining ground among Democratic primary voters, but remains 15 points behind challenger Helena Buonanno Foulkes, according to a new WPRI-TV 12 poll published Tuesday.The survey of 1,000 likely voters, conducted Aug. 21 and Aug. 22 by Emerson College Polling, marks the […]
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Under financial pressure, Brown University Health mum on Newport Hospital birthing center
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 21, 2026 Brown University Health is back in the black, but its financial forecast remains grim as costs associated with uncompensated care, insurance denials and federal Medicaid restrictions take hold.“If you’re sitting at zero, you’re not where you need to be,” Peter Markell, executive vice president and chief […]
Posted inCity & Government
Same arguments, new insults: McKee and Foulkes clash in first TV debate
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 13, 2026 Familiar arguments over opioids, infrastructure and who cares more about everyday Rhode Islanders dominated the first televised Democratic gubernatorial debate of the 2026 election cycle.Yet Gov. Dan McKee and his challenger, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, still managed to infuse their usual talking points with fresh insults during […]
Posted inNews
Influential AFL-CIO opts not to endorse in RI Democratic gubernatorial race
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current July 15, 2026 The focus of the governor’s race temporarily shifted one block west of the State House Wednesday to a nondescript office building where leaders of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO met but opted not to endorse in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. The labor federation boasts more than 80,000 members, […]
Posted inCity & Government
RI coastal regulators reluctant to shore up entire Newport Cliff Walk
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current July 14, 2026 More than four years after a section of Newport’s Cliff Walk collapsed, shutting down public access to a section of the famed overlook, a repair plan has taken shape.But before the city can proceed with the $23 million project — repairing two broken sections of the […]
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CRMC approves key SouthCoast Wind permit over objections from fishing industry
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 10, 2026 The murky future for SouthCoast Wind gained a small but significant sign of clarity Tuesday with a key permit approval from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC).The panel’s unanimous vote — the first decision made by the newly retooled council —- followed a four-hour […]
Posted inCity & Government
Local Democratic party leaders endorse Foulkes and Khamsyvoravong over incumbents
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 9, 2026 The Democratic challengers for governor and lieutenant governor, Helena Buonanno Foulkes and Xay Khamsyvoravong, won the backing of local party leaders during a closed-door meeting at the Rochambeau Library in Providence Monday night. The Rhode Island Association of Democratic City and Town Chairs did not disclose vote […]
Posted inNews
House approves $15.2B FY27 budget with marquee acquisition: millionaire’s tax
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 5, 2026 A record $15.2 billion fiscal 2027 budget breezed through the Rhode Island House of Representatives in near record time Friday, with the 65-10 vote finalized with an hour to spare before sunset. The approved budget is almost identical to the version given preliminary vetting by the House […]
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As Brown Health operating losses deepen, pressure mounts to save Newport Hospital birthing center
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current May 21, 2026 Staring down another quarter of operating losses, Brown University Health executives are unwilling to contribute a share of the $4.9 million needed to keep Newport Hospital’s birthing center open.“We want to see the money come from outside Brown Health,” Peter Markell, executive vice president and chief […]
Posted inNews
Brown Health wants state aid for Newport Hospital birthing center. Lawmakers want answers first.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current May 5, 2026 Brown University Health made a hazy promise to keep Newport Hospital’s birthing center open if it can secure an extra $4.9 million in state and philanthropic aid. But lawmakers aren’t ready to deliver any taxpayer money without assurances.“We don’t just take what somebody puts on a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Hospital birthing center will stay open. But it needs another $4.9M a year to survive.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentApril 3, 2026 Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center will remain open, Brown University Health announced on Friday. The commitment comes amid doubts over the award-winning labor and delivery unit’s future, which appeared in jeopardy due to decreasing births on Aquidneck Island and financial strain across the health care […]
Posted inNews
Outlook for Newport Hospital birthing center dims after Brown University Health logs $18M Q1 loss
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentMarch 19, 2026 Executives at Brown University Health never mentioned the Newport Hospital birthing center during a 30-minute call with investors Thursday, nor was it included in a 17-slide PowerPoint presentation detailing the health care system’s first quarter financial results. But the accredited labor and delivery unit — the only […]
Posted inCity & Government
We’ve got the power: Revolution Wind begins delivering electricity to regional grid
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentMarch 16, 2026 Rhode Island’s electric grid now includes some power from its first utility-scale offshore wind project, Revolution Wind, project developers announced Friday night. The initial power delivery is not the final achievement: The 65-turbine project is 93% complete and not expected to hit its full 704-megawatt nameplate capacity […]
Posted inCity & Government
Shekarchi opts out of governor’s race
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentFebruary 3, 2026 After more than a year of hinting at a possible gubernatorial run, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi released three paragraphs to explain why he decided against it. “The best way for me to serve the people of Rhode Island is to continue my work as Speaker of […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport lawmaker proposes comprehensive review before closing hospital maternity unit
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current January 26, 2026 Aquidneck Island residents breathed a sigh of relief when Brown University Health committed to keeping the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital open through Sept. 30, 2026. But Rep. Lauren Carson, a Newport Democrat, remains worried about the future of the award-winning labor and […]
Posted inCity & Government
CRMC approves Jamestown oyster farm expansion
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current January 16, 2026 A Jamestown oyster farm is poised for expansion, after receiving unanimous approval from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council on Tuesday. The council’s swift stamp of approval lets Rocky Rhode Oyster Co. owner Brad Boehringer add 3.5 acres to his existing, 7.8-acre oyster farm in […]
Posted inCity & Government
Federal judge grants RI and CT attorneys general request to join Revolution Wind developers’ lawsuit
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current January 8, 2026 Rhode Island and Connecticut attorneys general and the Revolution Wind developers are now taking on the Trump administration under one lawsuit rather than two. Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday granted the request made two […]
Posted inCity & Government
RI, CT attorneys general move to join forces with Revolution Wind developers in case against feds
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current January 6, 2026 Rhode Island and Connecticut attorneys general in legal filings Monday asked to consolidate their federal lawsuit against the Trump administration with a separate complaint lodged by the developers of the Revolution Wind project. Both lawsuits were initially filed in the wake of an Aug. 22 stop […]
Posted inNews
Revolution Wind developers seek second court order against Trump administration
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJanuary 4, 2026 The year is new, but the argument is the same: The Trump administration has no constitutional authority to halt work on a major offshore wind project nearing completion south of Rhode Island’s coastline. Hundreds of pages of legal filings submitted in federal court on Jan. 1 and […]
Posted inCity & Government
R.I. lawmakers are back in action on Tuesday. Here’s what awaits them.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJanuary 2, 2026 Heading into his sixth year leading the chamber, Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has mastered the art of satisfying a flurry of funding requests despite an ever-present budget deficit. This year feels different. “It’s going to be a challenging year,” Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, said […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island Energy proposes increases in customer electric and gas service charges
More bad news for Rhode Islanders struggling to pay their energy bills: Hikes are coming. Rhode Island Energy unveiled its long-anticipated request to increase service charges for gas and electric customers in a press release the day before the Thanksgiving holiday. An application was simultaneously submitted to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission for review. […]
Posted inNews
Revolution Wind developer records $77M impairment due to stop work order
Revolution Wind is back on track, but the monthlong pause prompted by the Trump administration continues to ripple down the project developer’s balance sheet, according to third-quarter earnings reported Wednesday. Ørsted A/S, the Danish renewable energy company co-developing the project, ended the three-month period $261.8 million in the red, a marked reversal from the $795 […]
Posted inCity & Government
R.I. energy regulators approve SouthCoast Wind transmission line plan
The financing and federal permitting for SouthCoast Wind remains murky. But the path is clear for the Massachusetts offshore wind project to run power lines up the Sakonnet River and across Portsmouth to Mount Hope Bay, with approval from the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board on Tuesday. Power purchase agreements between the project developer […]
Posted inNews
Good news for Revolution Wind. Bad news for Rhode Island union painters
Orimartin Lima’s graduation from a weeklong offshore wind safety training program last Friday was bittersweet. The completion of the global certification through the Community College of Rhode Island was supposed to lead directly to a union job with the Revolution Wind project. But instead of shipping out to sea to climb towering turbines in Rhode […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island food pantries slammed as SNAP beneficiaries brace for funding to run dry
Six hundred dollars can’t cover an entire month of groceries for Yolanda Robertson’s family of five. But it’s a critical piece of how the 36-year-old single mom can put food on the table. Or at least, it was. Robertson is among the 42 million low-income people nationwide, including 140,000 Rhode Islanders, who stand to lose […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Coast Guard revises buoy removal plan after public feedback, but 20 markers still at risk in R.I.
Guided by the comments of more than 3,000 New England boaters and advocates, the U.S. Coast Guard has scaled back plans to remove hundreds of navigational buoys across the region, including in Rhode Island.Rhode Island is now poised to lose 20 buoys, rather than 37, under a revised plan unveiled by the Coast Guard in […]
Posted inNews
‘No risk free path:’ Fed Chair Jerome Powell calls for moderation on monetary policy
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave no indication that future interest rate cuts are coming, despite mounting pressure from President Donald Trump and Trump-appointed officials for the central bank. Speaking to more than 500 business, nonprofit and political leaders at The Crowne Plaza in Warwick Tuesday, Powell emphasized the need for a cautious approach to […]
Posted inBusiness
Hasbro to move to Boston Seaport by end of 2026
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current September 8, 2025 Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc. will abandon its century-old Rhode Island roots with a move to the Boston Seaport by the end of 2026, the company announced Monday. The announcement cements the fate Rhode Island officials and business leaders have spent the last year trying to avoid by […]
Posted inCity & Government
State regulators seek public feedback on banning new gas connections on Aquidneck Island
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 20, 2025 Do supply problems and state decarbonization goals warrant an end to new natural gas connections on Aquidneck Island?State regulators are asking Newport residents to weigh in at a 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday night at Innovate Newport. The event kicks off an exploratory review over the abstract […]
Posted inNews
Sewage-contaminated water made 60% of R.I. beaches unsafe for swimming in 2024
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 11, 2025 Steven Spielberg never made a cult-favorite thriller about the dangers of sewage-infested waters. But the amount of fecal matter lurking in the water surpassed federal safety recommendations at least one time in 2024 at nearly six in 10 of the 66 Rhode Island beaches tested, new data […]
Posted inCity & Government
Fourth delay for SouthCoast Wind contract comes with a first: a warning it might not happen at all
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 30, 2025 Rhode Island’s plan to bring in more offshore wind power appears at risk of washing away after a fourth delay to a scheduled contract signing with a project developer.Caroline Pretyman, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Energy, confirmed in an email Monday that the utility provider has […]
Posted inCity & Government
Former Newport mayor fined for campaign finance violations
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 24, 2025 Three-time former Newport mayor and current city council member Jeanne-Marie Napolitano faces a $1,000 fine for violating state campaign finance laws over the last year. The Rhode Island Board of Elections voted to approve a consent agreement with Napolitano at its June 17 meeting, following results of […]
Posted inCity & Government
R.I. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, dean of chamber, friend of working class, dies at 76
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current April 21, 2025 Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, the “dean” of the chamber who married an uncanny listening ability with shrewd negotiation strategy, died early Monday morning from his third battle with cancer, according to a statement from his office. He was 76. “It is with deepest sorrow that we […]
Posted inCity & Government
R.I. Senate plays musical chairs after divided caucus vote for Ruggerio
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current January 7, 2025 Senate President Dominick Ruggerio repeatedly assured colleagues there would be no retribution against those who voted against him in a contested caucus election two days after the November general election. But the new leadership roles bestowed upon his supporters and taken away from opponents might suggest […]
Posted inNews
$16M deal reached to open biotech and medical incubator in Providence’s 195 District
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentDecember 4, 2024 Aspirations to bring a dedicated life science incubator to Rhode Island became a legally binding reality under a trio of agreements approved by the Rhode Island Life Science Hub board on Wednesday. The board’s unanimous vote, with one abstention, authorizes the sublease, operations and escrow agreements — […]
Posted inElection
Rhode Island saw highest voter turnout in Nov. 5 election since 2008
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current November 25, 2024 Nearly 66% of Rhode Island’s registered voters cast ballots in the Nov. 5 election, with the highest turnout in 16 years, according to certified results approved by the Rhode Island Board of Elections on Friday. The board’s 5-0 vote followed a report presented by Miguel Nunez, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Late to the livestreaming party, R.I. Commerce finally arrives with remote access to board meetings
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentNovember 13, 2024 Rhode Island’s economic development agency has finally embraced livestream meeting culture, complete with its own YouTube page. Rhode Island Commerce Corporation quietly debuted its first livestream at its Oct. 28 meeting, notifying participants that they could watch the meeting, live or later, on the agency’s YouTube page. […]
Posted inCity & Government
SouthCoast Wind clears federal environmental hurdle
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentNovember 12, 2024 A 147-turbine offshore wind project planned off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard will not harm local species and habitat any more than climate change already is, according to a federal review published on Friday. One exception: North Atlantic right whales, which could face “moderate adverse” direct and […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Red and blue R.I. voters take different views on green energy in polling on offshore wind
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentOctober 4, 2024 Political affiliation sways Rhode Islanders opinions on offshore wind far more than how close they live to the coastline, according to a new Rhode Island Current poll. The poll, conducted by MassINC Polling Group with funding from the Knight Election Hub, surveyed 800 likely voters from Sept. […]
Posted inCity & Government, Environment & Health, News
R.I. regulators resume review of SouthCoast Wind transmission lines
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 23, 2024 A proposal to run underwater power lines from a Massachusetts offshore wind farm through Rhode Island waters is back before state regulators, following a 14-month pause. The Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board voted unanimously Monday to resume consideration of SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC’s application to run […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
R.I. Energy’s seasonal electric rate hikes will be partially offset by $27M refund
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 20, 2024 In the end, the much-maligned winter electric rate hikes won’t be as burdensome as initial calculations suggested, thanks to a nearly $27 million refund distributed to Rhode Island Energy customers. Still, the 500,000 state residents who opt to get their electricity from Rhode Island Energy — rather […]
Posted inCity & Government
‘Democracy is not about agreeing 100%’
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 16, 2024 Forty-five years and a world of ideological differences separate Senate President Dominick Ruggerio from Sen. Tiara Mack. But that didn’t stop Mack, a 30-year-old Black, queer woman who describes herself as an abortion fundraiser, from pounding the pavement in North Providence for 75-year-old Ruggerio in his primary […]
Posted inCity & Government
Critics sound off on proposed winter utility rate hikes at PUC hearing
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 10, 2024 The prospect of winter utility rate hikes drew sharp criticism Monday night from residents, activists, and elected officials, who blasted Rhode Island Energy for its proposed gas and electric rates during a public hearing. The nearly-two-hour-long hearing held at the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission’s Warwick offices […]
Posted inCity & Government
R.I. wanted 1,200 megawatts of wind power. But it’s only buying a fraction of that.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 6, 2024 Rhode Island’s second attempt to grow its offshore wind portfolio proved successful. Kind of. The tentative contract announced Friday between Rhode Island, Massachusetts and developers of the SouthCoast Wind project will bring another 200 megawatts of wind-generated electricity to the Ocean State, providing enough electricity to power […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
The biggest problem facing offshore wind energy isn’t broken blades. It’s public opinion.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current September 4, 2024 Jim Boyd’s heart sank the first time he saw the now-infamous image of a fractured wind turbine blade dangling above the Atlantic Ocean. Not because of the fiberglass and styrofoam debris collected from the waters and shoreline along Nantucket in the month that followed. Not because […]
Posted inBusiness
Orsted to expand R.I. HQ, double local workforce
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 29, 2024 The Danish company developing Rhode Island’s first commercial, offshore wind project is expanding its footprint in the Ocean State. Orsted U.S. on Thursday announced plans to open a new engineering, procurement and construction hub in Rhode Island, centered in a new headquarters up the street from its […]
Posted inCity & Government
State regulators grant five-year license, with conditions, for Portsmouth LNG facility
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 22, 2024 State regulators gave long-awaited authorization Thursday to a long-term plan to expand liquefied natural gas storage on the Portsmouth-Middletown line. But it’s not the carte blanche approval Rhode Island Energy wanted. Rather than a permanent LNG storage and equipment facility, the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board […]
Posted inElection
Mail ballot applications due Tuesday; early voting starts on Wednesday
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 19, 2024 It’s a big week for Rhode Island elections, with upcoming deadlines for mail ballot applications and the start of early voting ahead of the state’s Sept. 10 primary. Rhode Island registered voters have until 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, to apply for a mail ballot for the […]
Posted inCity & Government
Campaign reports show potential rematch shaping up for 2026 R.I. governor’s race
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 1, 2024 Two years before the bell rings, Gov. Dan McKee and Helena Bounanno Foulkes are squaring off for what could be the premiere rematch for governor. In McKee’s corner are liquor store owners, state government employees and a disgraced jewelry company CEO, according to campaign finance reports filed […]
Posted inNews
R.I. Democratic delegates to vote Wednesday on Harris endorsement
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 22, 2024 As Democratic officials and party leaders nationwide line up behind Vice President Kamala Harris for their party’s presidential nominee, Rhode Island’s Democratic delegates remain tight-lipped about who they are backing as a group. But not for long. The 35 elected and appointed delegates chosen to represent the […]
Posted inCity & Government
Eleven state legislative hopefuls drop out of signature certification deadline
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 19, 2024 Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has an unobstructed path to victory in the November election, after a would-be Republican challenger failed to turn in the required 50 signatures of district voters needed to make the November ballot. Dana James Traversie, a Warwick Republican whose campaign […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election-related wins and losses from the 2024 legislative session
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 5, 2024 For seven years, a four-letter mistake has haunted Common Cause Executive Director John Marion. In drafting legislation to require a post-election review verifying accuracy and security of primary and general election results, Marion wrote “statewide” rather than “state.” In doing so, Marion inadvertently let legislative races skirt […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Stefan Pryor resigns
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 27, 2024 Rhode Island’s housing department is losing its second cabinet head in less than three years, Gov. Dan McKee’s office announced on Thursday. Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor will be stepping down in two weeks for an unspecified private-sector job, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKee’s office, said […]
Posted inCity & Government
Incumbents are unopposed in nearly half of General Assembly races
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 26, 2024 Former Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt will not attempt a comeback run for the Rhode Island Legislature this year, despite commissioning a voter survey and telling local news outlets she was considering challenging Rep. Jon Brien, an independent, for the seat she once held. In an emailed statement […]
Posted inNews
Sailing away on the Block Island Ferry will cost more for fast ferry users
Sailing away on the Block Island Ferry will cost more for fast ferry users by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 26, 2024 Bad news for travelers to and from Block Island: the fare for taking the high-speed ferry between Point Judith and Block Island is going up starting Thursday. The Rhode Island Public Utilities […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Senate approves $13.96B FY25 budget in 34-1 vote
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 14, 2024 A $13.96 billion fiscal 2025 budget awaits Gov. Dan McKee’s signature following passage in the Rhode Island Senate just after the clock struck midnight on Friday. The spending plan, approved by a 34-1 vote, mirrors the version that sailed through the Rhode Island House on June 7. […]
Posted inCity & Government
Nearly-$14B budget plan breezes through Rhode Island House on 69-5 vote Friday
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 7, 2024 Finalizing the state’s annual spending plan is often a contentious, drawn-out process. Not this year. A $13.96 billion fiscal 2025 budget breezed through the Rhode Island House of Representatives Friday night. The 69-5 vote came after a mere 3 1/2 hours of discussion that included high […]
Posted inCity & Government
Eleventh hour bottle bill reignites debate between environmental, business groups
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 5, 2024 Disagreement over a state bottle recycling program is as pervasive as the piles of recyclable bottles and cans littering Rhode Island streets, beaches and waterways. So it’s no surprise that controversy again clouded the bottle bill conversation Wednesday night. Hours of debate unfolded in an airless second-floor […]
Posted inNews
Amid calls to reform politically appointed CRMC, another member resigns
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentMay 29, 2024 Rhode Island’s embattled coastal regulatory agency has lost another appointed council member, leaving three open seats on a panel that has struggled with attendance woes and vacancies for years. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council Chairman Ray Coia announced at the agency’s May 28 meeting that council […]
Posted inBusiness
Keith Stokes to lead state diversity office, including minority business contracting program
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentMay 13, 2024 A familiar face in Rhode Island government has returned to Smith Hill, this time leading the state division charged with overseeing its minority business contracting program. The Rhode Island Department of Administration announced Keith W. Stokes as new associate director of its Division of Equity, Diversity and […]
Posted inNews
Salve Regina poll: Most Americans back founding democratic values over ethnic, religious identities
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentApril 24, 2024 NEWPORT — There’s a glimmer of hope in what seems like an increasingly divisive national political atmosphere: Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they value the nation’s founding principles of equality and pursuit of happiness, according to a new survey out of Salve Regina University’s The Pell Center. […]
Posted inCity & Government
With federal money filling funding hole to repair Newport Cliff Walk, why bother with a state bond?
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentApril 9, 2024 Now that a newly awarded federal grant will cover most of the cost to repair Newport’s Cliff Walk, borrowing $8 million in state bonds appears unnecessary. Members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced on Monday that the city was awarded a $11 million federal grant to shore […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Turnout cracks 5% as Rhode Island primary voters back Biden and Trump
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentApril 2, 2024 Rhode Island’s lackluster presidential contest fizzled to a close Tuesday, with President Joe Biden and Donald Trump declared winners by the Associated Press 10 minutes after polls closed. Both Biden and Trump have already clinched their party nominations unofficially based on delegate counts from prior states primaries […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Rhode Island has a new political party. But it still hasn’t picked any candidates
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentMarch 20, 2024 Rhode Island voter registration forms will soon have a new political party for voters to choose from: No Labels. Yet the bipartisan group planning to prop up a third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election still hasn’t named a ticket. Meanwhile, alleged signature fraud on its petition […]
Posted inNews
Portsmouth Town Council begrudgingly approves host agreement with SouthCoast Wind
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJanuary 17, 2024 Faced with receiving $23 million or nothing, the Portsmouth Town Council begrudgingly approved an agreement that allows a Massachusetts offshore wind farm developer access to town property under which to bury power cables. The 18-page host community agreement, approved by a 5-1 vote of the council Tuesday, […]
Posted inCity & Government
‘Painstaking choices’ and ‘difficult decisions’ await legislators this year
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJanuary 2, 2024 The Rhode Island State House awakened from its winter slumber Tuesday afternoon with the bang of a gavel, springing lawmakers to attention for the 2024 legislative session. Leaders of both chambers reiterated their policy priorities for the year in opening remarks, striking a mix of optimism and […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island has a long way to go to fix problems caused by short-term rentals
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentDecember 7, 2023 The complex web entangling short-term rentals in Rhode Island has a new twist. Namely, that the licensing process more than half a dozen cities and towns have adopted to regulate Airbnb, VRBO and other short-term rentals, might be breaking state law. That’s what Michael Marcello thinks. The […]
Posted inNews
Protecting Newport’s Gilded Age mansions takes a new turn: Suing the feds.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentNovember 29, 2023 Trudy Coxe relentlessly pursued funding to preserve Newport’s acclaimed mansions. She helped bring the city’s “Gilded Age” icons before a national TV audience through the HBO series by the same name. Now, she’s turning that single-minded focus to protecting Newport’s cultural and historic identity, including its iconic […]
Posted inCity & Government
Regulators approve temporary extension on Portsmouth LNG facility for upcoming winter
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentOctober 2, 2023 For the fourth consecutive winter, a Portsmouth liquified natural gas facility will serve as a temporary, backup heating source for Aquidneck Island. The Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board (ESFB) on Monday unanimously approved extending a temporary waiver allowing the LNG storage tank and vaporization facility for […]
Posted inCity & Government
PUC approves 25% hike in winter electric rates despite protests
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentSeptember 26, 2023 Despite warnings that a nearly 25% hike in winter electric rates would hurt financially struggling residents, state regulators approved Rhode Island Energy’s seasonal supply prices within minutes on Tuesday. The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) 3-0 vote authorizes the state’s primary electricity supplier to increase rates […]
Posted inCity & Government
Revolution Wind project clears major federal regulatory hurdle
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 22, 2023 The first utility-scale offshore wind farm powering Rhode Island cleared another major hurdle with federal regulators on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) record of decision allows developers of the Revolution Wind Farm to move ahead with plans for a 704-megawatt […]
Posted inBusiness
Report: Newport leads post-pandemic hotel rebound
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentAugust 14, 2023 Newport summers are back in earnest, having exceeded pre-pandemic tourism levels in at least one marker of activity. Indeed, the $1.9 million in inflation-adjusted tax revenue Newport hotels brought in fiscal 2022 is 32% more than fiscal 2019, according to a new report by the Rhode Island […]
Posted inCity & Government
Matos breaks silence on signature scandal, pledges to remain in the race
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 21, 2023 Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos condemned fellow candidates for using the signature fraud scandal surrounding her campaign for their own political gain, while affirming her commitment to the race, and to voters. Her comments – breaking silence on the allegations that began swirling earlier this week – came […]
Posted inPolitics
Jamestown police investigating Matos campaign for alleged signature fraud
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 18, 2023 The Jamestown Police Department is investigating potentially fake signatures submitted by Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos’ campaign in the 1st Congressional District race. The police investigation was spurred by the island community’s Board of Canvassers, which asked police to look into the signatures on a candidate’s nomination papers […]
Posted inNews
State energy regulators press pause on Sakonnet River transmission line review
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 13, 2023 It doesn’t make sense to review a project application when there’s no money to fund it. So concluded state energy regulators, who on Thursday opted to pause their review of an offshore wind farm’s transmission line if and until the developer secures new agreements guaranteeing the project’s […]
Posted inBusiness
Cannabis dispensary lawsuit challenges labor provisions of recreational marijuana law
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 11, 2023 Amid growing tensions with its workers over labor standards and unionization, a Portsmouth marijuana dispensary is taking aim at the state’s recreational cannabis law. On Monday at Greenleaf Compassion Center a process server delivered the summons and filed a complaint in federal court, marking the official start […]
Posted inNews
R.I. GOP endorses Jamestown Marine Corps veteran in CD1 race
This story originally appeared on Rhode Island Current. It has been republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. A Jamestown resident and former U.S. Marine Corps officer has secured the backing of the Rhode Island GOP in the 1st Congressional District special election. The Rhode Island Republican Party endorsed Gerry W. Leonard Jr. in […]