In the news… updates for 10/3/22

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

There will be a protest TODAY at 10am in Burnside Park to advocate on behalf of the homeless and RI’s lack of urgency in addressing the needs – as colder weather sets in

URI supports bond issue #1 on the November ballot which will provide funds to modernize and improve buildings and facilities on their Narragansett Bay Campus, a key research component of RI’s ocean economy which includes defense, tourism, marine trades, fisheries and, in the near future, offshore wind.

62,314 housing needs [calls] in 2022 were made in RI to 211. This includes mortgage assistance, rental, shelter, emergency housing and prevention, eviction assistance, housing locator, etc.

Child tax credits in RI of $250 per child for eligible households will begin going out.

Big Blue Bug Tony DeJesus will retire from the company but maintain his show on WPRO on Saturday mornings and stay on as a consultant at BBB.

Jonathan Stone, head of Save The Bay, will be stepping down

RIPTA cutting bus service due to lack of drivers at the end of October – they say they are down by 30 drivers and it takes 2 months to train new ones

Barbara Cottam will leave RI to work on “internet-for-all” initiative with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in DC. Presently she serves as Chair of the RI Education Board

Mt. Pleasant HS opened a food pantry for students/families

Berkshire County MA is now in a high risk COVID category

Bristol, RI named safest college town in US

Bristol bans smoking marijuana in public

Outdoor dining will continue through November in Providence

Outdoor dining in the north end of Boston has ended and traffic resumes 2-ways

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

More than 100 have died in Florida’s hurricane and 2,000+ rescues have been made

Supreme Court set to begin a new term today with 4 women on the court now – 4 key issues are: challenges to clean water legislation, voting rights, affirmative action at universities, and rights of businesses to refuse to do business with people who advocate causes they don’t support such as same sex marriage, etc.

The Army is 15,000 recruits short of annual goal

129 people died in  a stampede at a football game in India

The National Trust says fall foliage will be brighter due to climate issues

Cuba initially left without power on entire island – damage deemed apocalyptic

The pharmaceutical company Biogen has agreed to pay $900 million to settle federal and state claims that it paid kickbacks to physicians to encourage them to prescribe its drugs

Russia granted citizenship to Edward Snowden

Relyvrio, an ALS drug, was approved.

Elon Musk has set up his Starlink system to help connect people through uplink centers with internet service in Florida.

Cubans are protesting in the streets over lack of power after the hurricane

Jimmy Carter turned 98, now the oldest living President\

Amazon adds a 2^nd Prime Day shopping for the holidays – Oct. 11-12:

In a USA Today report hospitals that would be “flooded out” by a Category 2 Hurricane in MA and RI are (no hospital in CT until a Category 3 or 4)

Massachusetts

• Cambridge Health Alliance – Cambridge campus

• Cape Cod Hospital, Barnstable

• Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton

• Martha’s Vineyard Hospital

• Massachusetts General Hospital

• Mount Auburn Hospital

• Southcoast Hospital Group – Tobey Hospital campus in Wareham

• Tufts Medical Center

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Hospital, Providence

• South County Health, South Kingstown

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PASSINGS

Coolio, rapper, 59 years old

Dan Harrop, formerProvidence GOP chair and 2014 GOP mayoral candidate