In the news… summary for Jan. 28, 2023

RHODE ISLAND &  VICINITY

Island Moving Company Announces New Name: Newport Contemporary Ballet As the dance company begins its 41st year and breaks ground on its new performing arts center located at 435 Broadway, it has re-branded with a new name, logo, and website.

Maine joins several other states in banning TikTok on government devices

Kennedy Plaza in Providence has more drug overdoses than any other part of RI

The most filmed location for movies in Rhode Island is – Brown University

47 affordable apartments are planned as part of the Broad Street Homes project near Central Falls City Hall, 30 of those to be located at the former Dunkin’ at 542 Broad St. next to City Hall, and another 17 across the street at the former police building at 499-511 Broad St.

Seth Klaiman has joined the New Harbor Group

The RI House of Representatives will allow reps to vote remotely after 5 consecutive absences if they are unable to be physically present due to a health or medical condition

Mayor Smiley has said he agrees that recycling bins should be smaller than the garbage bin – and there may be a change coming

Cranston Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins has announced that the city ended the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2022, with an approximate $643,000 budget operating surplus.

In the past 10 years, enrollment at Rhode Island College has dropped by 33%

The Iron Stag Brewery is opening in the Rolfe Street area of shops in Cranston

Past-gubernatorial candidate, Helena Foulkes, will be the Executive Board Chair of Follett High Ed, providing retail services to college campuses

Tufts Medical lays off 70

RI Rep. Megan Cotter has a bill to limit self-checkout machines in grocery stores because they limit jobs

Rhode Island is one of 8 states joining the federal government in suing Google for having a monopoly on digital advertising

Maven’s will open in May in Pawtucket, a Jewish delicatessen, patterned after Katz’s Deli in NYC

All RI Stop & Shop stores will extend their Flashfood discount shopping where shoppers save up to 50% off items nearing their best-by date, such as meats, dairy, seafood, fresh produce, baked goods, and more. Shoppers conveniently browse and buy discounted items directly through the Flashfood app on their mobile phone, and then simply pick up their order from the Flashfood Zone located inside their participating store.

In Boston, South Station used to allow the homeless to sleep in the station overnight – now it is locked

The LEGO Group announced it has selected Boston for its future head office in the Americas and will move its current office from Enfield, Connecticut by the end of 2026.

The RING Airshow will no longer perform in Rhode Island – for the forseeable future

Yankee Candle to close its western MA corporate office, with plans for layoffs, and consolidation in Atlanta

Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore announced the launch of Rhode Island’s Address Confidentiality Program, a mail-forwarding program designed to protect the home addresses of victims of domestic violence. 

The Greystone Bridge in North Providence will become a bike/pedestrian bridge

3 RI chefs are in the James Beard semi-finals: Pizza Marvin, Little Sister in Providence and Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown

A bill to ban smoking in casinos was submitted to the RI legislature by Rep. Tanzi

Gov McKee announced investing $7 million to preserve 800 Pre-K seats that are currently funded with expiring federal funds, and otherwise would close after this school year without state investment. The Governor’s budget also invests $1.3 million to prepare additional classrooms to be ready to provide Pre-K in the 2024-25 school year, if future operational funding is available.

Hasbro’s CEO will leave and over 1,000 employees will lose their job across the company – impacting a small percentage in RI.

Infant, 3rd child, has died from the Duxbury incident where mother killed her other 2 children and then jumped out the window. Children were 5, 3, and 8 mos old. Cora, Dawson and Callan. Mother was a labor/delivery nurse

A Mt. Pleasant Vice Principal sent out an email asking for donations for a student to pay a “Coyote” the balance of $5,000 owed – another memo was sent out by the principal saying this was inappropriate and any money collected (in cash before school started) would be returned. The incident is being investigated.

The New Bedford smokestack called “The Cigarette” was imploded in a synchronized explosion

Mayor Smiley told WPRO’s Gene Valicenti about ATVs: “There’s a new mayor in town – and they are not welcome. Providence will be stepping up surveillance in the spring & summer”.

The new president of the NAACP in Providence, Gerard Catala, was charged by the Attorney General with violating campaign finance laws when he ran for Providence City Council. Sources say several people have asked for his resignation. Later the AG’s office is said to be rescinding their $40K grant to the NAACP.

Jay Leno, who has a Newport home, suffers a broken collarbone, 2 broken ribs, 2 cracked kneecaps in fall from 1940s motorcycle he was trying out – crashed when he drove into a parking lot and there was a wire without a flag, across the area.

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Amazon opens RXPass, a service to provide over 53 generic medications to Prime members – no government insurance

Serta has filed for bankruptcy

Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

Paris Hilton welcomes first baby, born from a surrogate

Ronzoni is discontinuing Pastina No. 155

20 states, all Republican led, are suing the US government over an illegal migrant parole policy

Italy recovers over $20M in looted artifacts

Sen. Jack Reed getting national attention for his call for an investigation into inflated egg prices

Actor Julian Sand went hiking in the California mountains and remains missing

New Orleans named the Murder Capital of the US

Germany is about to send tanks to Ukraine, though they will take weeks to get there

Walmart starting wage to go from $14 to $19 an hour

2 students killed and 1 teacher injured after charter school shooting in Des Moines, Iowa

The percentage of US workers who are members of a union is now at an all-time low of 10.1%, compared to a high of 20.1% in 1983.

Daughter of Democrat Rep. Katherine Clark was arrested for assaulting an officer and defacing statues in Boston

12 people shot in New Orleans nightclub in a “targeted attack”

Mass shooting with more than 11 dead at Lunar Year celebration in LA – and 9 injured. The shooter killed himself – he was in his 70s and most of the people who were shot were middle aged or seniors. So far, people believe it could have been a relationship issue, and not racism.

In Atlanta, violence with Antifa involved has erupted on the streets with destruction of malls and stores and burning of police cars

Beyonce performed at a casino opening in Dubai

2^nd mass shooting in California – with 7 killed in northern California. Gunman was Asian and was captured.

Spotify to cut 6%, or about 600 employees

The FDA is considering a switch to a once a year COVID shot – similar or in combination with a flu shot

A NYC meteorologist was beaten in a subway as he tried to help a man who youth had set his hair on fire – they were captured and then released

A stone has been found in Africa resembling “Vibranium”, a rock that can store electrical energy

Confidential documents found at the home of VP Mike Pence in Indiana

US and Germany as well as other allied countries are sending sophisticated tanks and training to Ukraine

Donald Trump has had his accounts restored on Facebook and Instagram

Judge rules police bodycams and other videos in attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband must now be released and they were, showing the break-in and attack, as well as the 9-1-1 call.

IBM will cut 4,00 jobs

Key ISIS leader killed in Sudan by US operatives

Travel warnings in Cancun due to a clash between Uber and private taxi drivers

The videos of the Memphis killing of Tyre Nichols was released at 7pm Friday night. Many protests were held throughout the country.

Videos of the assault on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi were released Friday morning.

A terror attack on an Israel synagogue killed 5, injured 10 or more.

Jeff Zientz replaces Ron Klain as Chief of Staff to President Biden. Zientz coordinated COVID response
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PASSINGS

Joseph Almagno, 81, former Supt. of Providence schools

Vincent Confreda, 93, founder of Confreda Farms, Cranston

Alfred Gemma, 85, former RI representative

Lloyd Morrisett, 93, co-creator of Sesame Street

Billy Packer, 82, Hall of Fame broadcaster

Vincent Vespia, 85, former So. Kingsstown Police Chief