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 […]
Rhode Island
Posted inCity & Government
New census data shows Rhode Island ranked 24th in child poverty; 4th for children’s health insurance coverage
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT released new data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) today. The ACS provides national and state-level data on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is a statewide children’s policy organization that works to improve the health, economic well-being, safety, education, and development of […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Congressional Delegation announces $82.5 million grant to upgrade Pell Bridge
U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced an $82.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s INFRA Grant Program to upgrade the Pell Bridge. Planned improvements to the deck, suspension system, and towers will extend the life of New England’s longest suspension bridge by an […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: R.I. Board of Elections will meet on Monday to consider recount requests
The Rhode Island Board of Elections today announced that it will meet on Monday, September 19th at 9:30 am to consider recounts requested in the September 13th primary races listed below. Recounts will be conducted and completed on Monday, and the Board will meet again on Tuesday, September 20th to certify final primary election results. […]
Posted inCity & Government
RI Hospitality Association’s 19th annual Economic Outlook Breakfast predicts continued recovery in 2023
The Rhode Island Hospitality Association (RIHA) hosted its 19th Annual Economic Outlook Breakfast for hospitality industry professionals at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island, earlier this week. Industry analysts predict that by 2023, Rhode Island’s restaurant and lodging industries will continue to reshape and recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, international inflation and economic […]
Posted inNews
Three promoted to Vice President roles at Family Service of Rhode Island
By Family Service of Rhode Island Family Service of Rhode Island (FSRI) announced the promotion of three of their own to Vice Presidential roles today, showing their dedication to representing the community they serve. The human service agency provides over 30 programs, each falling under its four H-Divisions– Health, Hope, Healing, and Home. Candace Johndrow, a decade-long veteran of FSRI, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Rhode Island
Food insecurity is a widespread problem in the United States, with people experiencing food insecurity in every single county in the nation. The nonprofit Feeding America describes food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life.” Food insecurity hits children particularly […]
Posted inPolitics
Election 2022: Primary election – no surprises, lackluster turnout – tough day for Progressives
The table is now set for the November election, after a primary campaign that produced few surprises, attracted few voters, was expensive, and showed Rhode Island’s Democratic Party to be more centrist than progressive. It also proved that sports and politics share one certain truth – timing. In all sports you want your team to […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Statewide Primary results
Results for the 2022 Rhode Island Statewide Primary will begin to display after the polls close on September 13, 2022, at 8:00 PM. The following results are provided by the State of Rhode Island Board of Elections and are unofficial until certified. Updates will occur approximately every 5-10 minutes after 8 pm as new data […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Gov. McKee narrowly wins Democratic primary
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee eked out a victory in his Democratic primary on Tuesday, beating back strong challenges from a pair of opponents as he seeks his first full term in office. McKee, the former lieutenant governor who became the state’s chief executive a year and a half ago when two-term […]
Posted inNews
Seth Magaziner wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seth Magaziner wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District. This story is breaking and will be updated.
Posted inReal Estate
Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Rhode Island
Stacker compiled a list of cities with the fastest growing home prices in Rhode Island using data from Zillow. Cities are ranked by the dollar change in Zillow Home Values Index for all homes from the twelve months ending July 2022. The charts in this story were created automatically using Matplotlib. All 43 cities and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Woman King,’ Viola Davis and the culmination of a struggle
By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer TORONTO (AP) — When Viola Davis, sculpted and hardened from months of training, first stood in the full garb of the Agojie warrior women, with her bare feet in the African sand, it was the culmination of not just the years-long push to make “The Woman King,” but of a lifelong […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rupture of Warwick sewer line causes DEM to extend upper bay shellfishing closure
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that it will extend the emergency shellfishing closure of Upper Narragansett Bay Conditional Area A — which was previously closed after extreme rainfall Sept. 5-6 and scheduled to reopen Sept. 16 — until further notice. Any harvesting of shellfish in this area is prohibited indefinitely.
The cause of the closure extension is a rupture of a 24-inch sewer line on Lake Shore Drive in Warwick, resulting in the discharge of sewage to Warwick Pond. DEM first became aware of the discharge Sept. 12 at 8 PM. As of 10 AM today, the Warwick Sewer Authority was working to install temporary bypass pumping and estimates that around 450,000 gallons had overflowed to Warwick Pond. The discharge is ongoing.
As a precaution, DEM and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) are advising residents to temporarily refrain from both primary contact recreational water activities (wading, swimming) and secondary contact activities (canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and fishing) on Warwick Pond, Buckeye Brook, Mill Creek, and Mill Cove and to avoid consuming any fish from these waters (see map above) until further notice. Swimming in any area currently under the extended emergency shellfish closure is not recommended.
For information on emergency and conditional area water quality related shellfish closures, call DEM’s 24-hour shell fishing hotline at 401-222-2900, visit www.dem.ri.gov/shellfish, or sign up for the Office of Water Resources’ listserv here: RishellfishOWR-subscribe@listserve.ri.gov.
For more information about DEM divisions and programs, visit www.dem.ri.gov or follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.
Posted inNews
How gas prices have changed in Rhode Island in the last week
The national average price for regular gasoline is hovering at $3.71 per gallon, according to AAA. The steady decline in gas prices over the last several months is due in large part to falling oil prices. Prices have fallen by more than 25% since hitting a record high of $5.02 in June. On Monday, Treasury […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Report: Rhode Island is 2022’s 4th Most Vaccinated State
With vaccines preventing 4 to 5 million deaths per year according to the WHO, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s States that Vaccinate the Most. In the report, New England states topped the list with Massachusetts ranked 1st, Vermont ranked 2nd, New Hampshire ranked 3rd, Rhode Island ranked 4h, Maine ranked 5th, […]
Posted inCity & Government
It’s Primary Day – Get Out and Vote
It’s Primary Election Day, and after all the rhetoric, advertising and tons of money spent to persuade voters to support one candidate or another … now, it’s the voters turn. And for the victors, then comes the big dance, the General Election, in November. Those looking for voter information, should visit the Secretary of State’s […]
Posted inColumns
Tiny Kitchen Magic: Roasted beet and goat cheese salad
Well, hello there. Long time no see. I’ve missed you! Sorry for missing last month (and being a day late here). Work obligations kept taking me away on Sundays and I just didn’t have the time or energy to write the column. But, now that summer festival season is over, I’m back and ready to […]
Posted inCity & Government
Some shellfishing areas in Narragansett Bay reopen following emergency closure
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that the emergency closure of certain shellfishing areas in Narragansett Bay ended at sunrise today. DEM put the emergency closures in place after more than 8 inches of rain fell on the Providence metropolitan area Sept. 5-6. Specifically, Upper Narragansett Bay shellfish Area B, West Middle […]
Posted inPolitics
What to watch in last multistate primaries of midterm season
By HOLLY RAMER and JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware will host the final multistate primary elections of the 2022 midterm season Tuesday, with contests to select candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House. Because of their late primaries, the winners of Tuesday’s races will have a mere eight weeks to […]
Posted inNews
URI’s efforts to study plastic pollution get federal boost
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are getting some federal assistance for their efforts to better understand plastic pollution and the threat it poses to the ocean. The university is set to receive $1 million in grant funding dedicated to studying how plastics spread through the environment as well as […]
Posted inCity & Government
Travel Advisory: RIDOT to Begin Removing Temporary Arches at Division Street Bridge
Starting Sunday, September 11, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will begin a series of night time closures of Route 4 to remove the temporary arches at the Division Street Bridge on the East Greenwich/Warwick line. All the closures will take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The southbound lanes of Route 4 will be the first set of closures and will occur as follows:
Sunday, September 11; Monday, September 12; Tuesday, September 13
During these closures, motorists on I-95 south who wish to take Route 4 south should follow a detour using exit 8 to Route 2/South County Trail and Division Street to access the Route 4 south on-ramp just after the East Greenwich Square shopping center. Police details will keep traffic moving through the traffic signals along the detour route.
The northbound lanes of Route 4 closures will occur as follows:
Wednesday, September 14; Thursday, September 15
For traffic wishing to get to I-95 north, all traffic will use exit 9A toward East Greenwich and then get back on I-95 north using the ramp at the next traffic signal. For traffic wishing to get to Route 2 and I-95 south, follow the detour above using I-95 north to exit 10 to reverse direction onto I-95 south. Police details will be on site along the route.
In order to accommodate traffic on the Route 4 north detour, all traffic on Division Street eastbound will need to use the on-ramp to Route 4 south. Take exit 7A to Frenchtown Road and follow the detour to get onto Route 4 north, then take exit 9A toward East Greenwich.
The demolition schedule will be updated daily dependent on the amount of work completed the night before.
The Division Street Bridge is a $22.9 million project to replace a 55-year-old bridge which carries 14,000 vehicles daily.
The Division Street Bridge project is made possible by RhodeWorks and the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Improvement Act [r20.rs6.net]. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.
Posted inNews
Swim Across America Rhode Island will make waves to fight cancer on September 10
By Swim Across America Rhode Island Rhode Island residents will be making a big splash on Saturday, September 10, at the 13th annual Swim Across America Rhode Island open water swim. This swim raises funds for crucial cancer research for the swim’s local beneficiary Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, which focuses on supportinggynecological and breast cancer research. Since […]
Posted inBusiness
Limo business, boat hauling company, and other businesses for sale right now in Rhode Island
The latest listings on BizBuySell and LoopNet show all kinds of businesses currently for sale in Rhode Island. Reasons for selling, when provided, typically do not mention economic hardship, but more often involve the owner retiring or not having time to actively run the business. The names and locations are generally left out, but there are occasional exceptions. Here […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Providence, according to Tripadvisor
Brunch—the portmanteau combining the words “breakfast” and “lunch”—is the best of both worlds. An event as much as a meal, brunches are weekend affairs, where a large meal is served in the late morning and into the early afternoon, featuring not just coffee but drinks like bloody marys and mimosas alongside waffles, pancakes, french toast, […]