STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly today approved a bill sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio and Rep. Deborah Ruggiero to substantially increase renewable energy production and supply by requiring that 100 percent of Rhode Island’s electricity by offset by renewable production by 2033. The legislation, which now heads to the governor’s desk, institutes a firm […]
Rhode Island
Posted inCity & Government
Gemera; Assembly approves training requirements for planning and zoning boards, historic district commissions
STATE HOUSE – The training for members of local planning and zoning boards and historic district commissions will be more robust under legislation sponsored by Rep. Lauren H. Carson and Sen. Bridget Valverde and passed by the General Assembly today. Currently, local planning and zoning board members are required once every two years to complete two […]
Posted inCity & Government
Homelessness in RI up 50 percent in four years
Homelessness grew in Rhode Island by nearly 50 percent over the last four years, and by 20 percent in just the last year, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Those numbers, considered by many at homeless shelters in Rhode Island, are low, with the real number, homeless advocates say, more like […]
Posted inNews
Report: Smoking bans no longer a threat to casino revenue
By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — For decades, it was accepted wisdom in the casino industry that eliminating smoking would automatically lead to revenue declines and customer losses. But a new report examining how the coronavirus pandemic has changed gamblers’ habits says that may no longer be the case. The report […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Counties with 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, News
Rhode Island House approves $13.6B state budget proposal
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A $13.6 billion state budget passed the Rhode Island House late Thursday, sending it to the Senate for a vote. The House version of the budget for the 2023 fiscal year accelerates phasing out the car tax, eliminating what would have been the final year of the tax next year at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
How marriage rates have changed in Rhode Island
Marriage rates in the U.S. have been on the decline for several decades. Giggster looked at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention marriage rate data in Rhode Island, you can read the national story here. Cultural critics and numerous sociologists have bemoaned declining marriage rates, citing concern over the deterioration of the traditional family structure […]
Posted inNews
Six Picks: The best in local music this weekend (June 17-19)
Some big names in rock and roll make up this week’s “Six Picks,” where we highlight some of the best live music around town. Have a great weekend! Friday: Do the Mardi Gras Mambo! Head to a New Orleans street party Friday night at Bold Point Park in East Providence when Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown […]
Posted inCity & Government
Ruggiero broadband proposal included in state budget bill
STATE HOUSE – The budget bill approved by the House of Representatives today includes an initiative proposed by House Innovation, Internet & Technology Committee Chairwoman Deborah Ruggiero to establish a strategic plan to access federal dollars for broadband infrastructure projects for municipalities, public housing, and businesses. The budget bill (2022-H 7123Aaa), which is expected to be […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Gayle Walsh
On the night of June 10th our beloved mother Gayle Janet Walsh took her own life after a long and courageous battle with grief over the loss of her youngest daughter Caroline to suicide in August of 2020. Gayle was born February 29th, 1968 in Baltimore, Maryland. She is profoundly missed by her daughters Alexandra […]
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 May 2021 to May 2022. The charts in this story were created automatically using Matplotlib. All 43 cities and towns […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIDOH recommends closing Fogland Beach and Gooseberry Beach for swimming
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends closing Fogland Beach in Tiverton and Gooseberry Beach in Newport for swimming because of high bacteria levels. Historically, beach closures in Rhode Island have been closely tied to precipitation. Stormwater runoff from roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces transports contamination (including bacteria) to our fresh and […]
Posted inSports
Gillette Stadium to host Army-Navy Game in 2023
Gillette Stadium t will host the 2023 Army-Navy Game Presented by USAA for the first time on Dec. 9, 2023. The announcement was made earlier today by Chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group Robert Kraft, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, Naval Academy Director […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Rhode Island
Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island General Assembly approves bill to provide tax relief to year-round Newport residents
STATE HOUSE – Newport will be able to establish a residential tax structure that encourages owner-occupied housing under legislation sponsored by Rep. Lauren H. Carson and Sen. Dawn Euer and approved by the General Assembly today. The bill now goes to the governor for consideration. The legislation (2022-H 8182, 2022-S 2898A) which is specific to only Newport, allows […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Amy Schumer bringing ‘Whore Tour’ to PPAC on October 2
Emmy-winning standup comedian AMY SCHUMER announced additional dates to her upcoming tour including a stop in Providence, RI at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 5P. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 17 at 10 am local time at ppacri.org. Fans will also have access to a special venue presale starting Wednesday, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
John Mulaney will bring his ‘From Scratch’ tour to PPAC on November 12
Emmy Award-winning writer, actor, and comedian JOHN MULANEY is bringing his From Scratch tour to the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 7 pm. Currently, Mulaney’s 2021/2022 John Mulaney: From Scratch tour has sold out massive venues around North America from Madison Square Garden multiple times to the Hollywood Bowl and he continues to add more […]
Posted inNews
Celebrating our rivers: 7 Rivers Festival, June 25-26
We may be the Ocean State, but on June 25 and 26 we’ll be celebrating some of Rhode Island and nearby Connecticut rivers at a 7 Rivers Festival that recognizes the wild and scenic status of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed in Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut Events are being held in 11 towns, all along the […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rep. Solomon, Sen. DiPalma laud funding in proposed budget to study feasibility of bridge barriers
STATE HOUSE — Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) and Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton, Little Compton), who introduced legislation earlier this year to erect barriers on the bridges of Narragansett Bay, say they are gratified that money has been included in the proposed state budget to study the […]
Posted inNews
2 firefighters hurt battling blaze at vacant home in North Kingstown
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) — Two firefighters were injured battling a blaze at a vacant Rhode Island home early Monday morning, officials said. The fire in North Kingstown was reported at about 5 a.m., officials said. One firefighter was taken to the hospital for heat related injuries, Chief Scott Kettelle told reporters at the scene. […]
Posted inNews
How gas prices have changed in Rhode Island in the last week
The price of regular gasoline reached a record high on Monday, June 6, hitting $4.86 per gallon. Diesel prices also set a new record of $5.64 per gallon at the start of the week, according to AAA. According to a CNN analysis, roughly one out of every five gas stations in the U.S. is charging […]
Posted inNews
Highest-paying jobs in the Providence Metro area that don’t require a college degree
From the moment they arrive on campus, today’s high school students are inundated with messages about the importance of receiving a college education. They hear it from their guidance counselors, teachers, parents, family members, neighbors, and coaches. While graduation from a four-year college can certainly work wonders for students’ future careers, it’s not necessary for […]
Posted inNews
Keeping our pets safe during the summer
Windows open in your car on a beautiful spring or summer day. Your dog nudges its head out the window, ears flapping, mouth open and obviously enjoying the experience. But is it safe? And how safe is it to leave a dog untethered in the cargo area of a pickup truck, or left inside a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Census wants to know how to ask about sexuality and gender
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The 2020 census questionnaire drove Scout crazy. With no direct questions about sexual orientation and gender identity, it made him feel left out of the U.S. head count. Among LGBTQ people, the census only asked about same-sex couples living together, and Scout didn’t live with his […]
Posted inBusiness
Regenerative Medical Clinic, Dumpster Business, Chopmist Charlie’s, and other businesses currently for sale in Rhode Island
The latest listings on BizBuySell, LoopNet, and Kirby Properties 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 […]