In 2022, for the first time in history, the number of refugees worldwide reached more than 100 million people. Millions of people are fleeing violence, persecution, and economic instability, and attempting to start a new life in a more tolerant and secure country. Recognizing this global issue, the Biden administration has agreed to accept up […]
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Massachusetts elected officials to see pay hike in new year
By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts lawmakers will see their pay jump in the new year, as will statewide officeholders including the incoming governor. Minimum wage workers will also see a modest increase. Lawmaker pay hinges on changes to the state’s median household income. The median household income in Massachusetts rose by […]
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Road Report: Schedule of lane closures and road construction projects (Dec. 31 – Jan. 7)
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. Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority January 1, 2023 – January 7, 2023 Newport Claiborne Pell BridgeEastbound Right Lane Closure- 1/4 […]
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New traffic signals, patterns coming to several intersections around the Pell Bridge Ramps project on Jan. 3
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has announced new traffic patterns at several intersections around the Pell Bridge Ramps project in Newport. These changes are set to take effect during the evening commute on Tuesday, January 3. At the intersection of Admiral Kalbfus Road and Halsey Boulevard, a new signal will allow free right […]
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Woman sues Steven Tyler, alleging child sex assault in 1970s
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who has previously said Steven Tyler had an illicit sexual relationship with her when she was a teenager is now suing the Aerosmith frontman for sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit brought by Julia Misley was filed Tuesday under a 2019 California law that gave adult victims […]
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Recreational marijuana dispensaries on the rise in Vermont
By LISA RATHKE Associated Press MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — In the first three months that Vermont has allowed the retail sale of marijuana for adult recreational use, the number of dispensaries around the state has grown from just three to about 25, with several more are expected to open soon. Vermont is among nearly two […]
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22 of the biggest scientific discoveries of 2022
The year 2022 was an exciting one for science. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope yielded two major breakthroughs: new infrared images of the universe and the first evidence of carbon dioxide outside of the solar system. The ongoing pandemic spurred the innovative development of a nasal vaccine for the latest variants of the coronavirus and […]
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Big winner in RI in 2022 – School building projects
After all the votes were counted in 2022, from the governor’s race to dog catcher (actually I don’t think anyone elects a dog catcher), the most impactful outcomes were likely the billion dollars in school construction projects that voters authorized across Rhode Island. The result is an infusion of not only dollars but enthusiasm and […]
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Charlotte and Liam lead the way as top baby names in Rhode Island in 2022
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has released a preliminary list of the most popular baby names in the state for 2022. For girls, the top names are Charlotte, Amelia, Isabella, Olivia, Emma, Luna, Sophia, Ava, Isla, and a tie between Scarlett and Violet. In 2021, the top three names for girls were Olivia, […]
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Three Rhode Island counties designated as ‘medium’, two as ‘high’ in weekly CDC COVID-19 report
The Rhode Island Department of Health has announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the weekly COVID-19 community levels for the state’s counties. According to the latest data, three counties in Rhode Island are now classified as “medium” risk – Bristol, Washington, and Newport – while Providence and Kent counties […]
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Sea Wall Repair, Beach Facilities Plan on agenda for Newport Beach Commission Meeting
The Newport Beach Commission will be holding its first meeting of the year on January 4, 2023, at 5:00 PM at 35 Golden Hill Street. The agenda for the meeting includes a review of the minutes from the December 7, 2022 meeting, as well as a beach report from Erik Reis. Under old business, the […]
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TSA’s 2022 Top 10 List of most unusual finds at airport security checkpoints includes incident involving a Rhode Island passenger
With the help of a Rhode Island man, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) made it into the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) annual Top 10 List of most unusual items found at security checkpoints nationwide in 2022. TSA released the list in an on-line video it posted on the agency’s YouTube account. The item from the airport that […]
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Passenger caught with loaded gun at Boston Logan Airport checkpoint
BOSTON – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a Massachusetts resident from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane on Wednesday, December 28 at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). During Wednesday evening security screening in Terminal A, TSA officers detected a firearm in a man’s carry-on bag. A Supervisory Transportation Security Officer approached the man […]
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Preview: Jamestown Town Council to discuss budget and committee vacancies at Jan. 3 meeting
The Jamestown Town Council will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at 5:30 PM at the Rosamond A. Tefft Council Chambers in Jamestown Town Hall. The meeting will be held in person only and the public is welcome to attend and participate in the Open Forum. During the meeting, the Town Council […]
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Rhode Island’s new legislative session set to begin
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Improving Rhode Island’s educational system is a top priority for the governor and state legislative leaders as the General Assembly’s new session begins Tuesday. Leaders of both parties said in interviews in the days leading up to the session’s opening that they’re concerned about educational outcomes, the state of school buildings […]
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What’s Up Today: Friday, December 30
Good Morning! Today’s newsletter is 1,017 words — a wicked good 5-minute read. 🥾 The Department of Environmental Management and America’s State Parks are inviting everyone to start the new year off enjoying time spent in nature, and tapping into the health benefits of being outdoors by joining a #FirstDayHike at Fort Wetherill State Park […]
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US Census Bureau redefines meaning of ‘urban’ America
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press More than 1,100 cities, towns and villages in the U.S. lost their status as urban areas on Thursday as the U.S. Census Bureau released a new list of places considered urban based on revised criteria. Around 4.2 million residents living in 1,140 small cities, hamlets, towns and villages that lost […]
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Northwestern wins 5th straight, 63-58 over Brown
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Chase Audige scored 24 points, Boo Buie added 15 points and Northwestern beat Brown 63-58 on Thursday for its fifth straight victory. Audige and Buie combined for 23 of Northwestern’s 33 second-half points. But Audige and Buie both struggled from the field, going 12 of 33, and Northwestern shot just 34.5% […]
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Recreational advisories lifted at several Rhode Island water bodies due to decreased Blue-Green Algae
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have recommended lifting the recreational advisories at Upper J.L. Curran Reservoir in Cranston, Wenscott Reservoir in North Providence, Mashapaug Pond in Providence, and three lakes in Roger Williams Park (Pleasure, Cunliff, and Elm) in Providence. These advisories were put […]
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Influential Supreme Court decisions decided by 1 vote
From issues concerning freedom of speech to college admission, many Supreme Court cases that shape the daily lives of U.S. citizens were not decided by a landslide but rather by a single vote. The Supreme Court can decide appeals on all federal or state court rulings dealing with federal law. The Supreme Court hears less […]
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Maine gives Sugarloaf ski area permission for big expansion
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (AP) — A big expansion that would add new ski trails, a lift and hundreds of units of housing at the Sugarloaf ski resort in Carrabassett Valley has been approved by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. In an order released on Tuesday, the department approved the $104 million project for Sugarloaf’s […]
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Rhode Island General Assembly convenes for 2023 Session on Jan. 3
The General Assembly of Rhode Island will convene for its 2023 session on Tuesday, January 3. The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. in the House Chamber, with the senior representative from Newport, Rep. Marvin L. Abney, presiding until the election of a new speaker. The House Democratic Caucus has endorsed […]
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College scandal middleman blames ‘winning at all costs’
The consultant at the center of the nationwide college admissions scandal blamed his “winning at all costs” attitude, which he said was caused in part by suppressed childhood trauma, for his actions in a letter to the judge scheduled to sentence him next week. William “Rick” Singer, 62, who pleaded guilty in March 2019 to charges including […]
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Rhode Island reaches settlement with voting machine vendor over primary election errors
The Rhode Island Department of State has reached a settlement with voting machine vendor Election Systems and Software (ES&S) following programming errors that were discovered during the 2022 primary election. As part of the settlement, ES&S will provide a credit of $47,644 for all project management services provided during the election. In addition, the company […]
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Jobs projected to grow the most in the next decade
With the pace of work speeding up, and demands on workers and companies ever-changing, it’s no secret the jobs of the future will be quite different from today’s jobs, much less the jobs of the past. Although technology has been a significant factor in changing many workplaces in the United States, the tech industry is […]