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In the News… recap for week ending February 1, 2025
IN THE NEWS is a quick recap of stories to help orient you to developing news of the week here in RI, and beyond, with passings of note at the very end. If you are interested in any of the topics, you can use the phrase to google or get in touch with us at [email protected].
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RHODE ISLAND & REGIONAL
Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket closed for several weeks to make repairs from a water line break – no exhibits were damaged
Bristol parade concerts moved to Roger Williams Univ. Campus for safety of crowds
MA is considering adding sales tax to the sweet treats
500 people involved in a fight at Motion Nightclub on Broad St. in Providence
Phil’s Main St. Grille in Wakefield closing
Bridge building companies involved in the Washington Bridge lawsuit want the judge to dismiss it
Chick-fil-a coming to Logan Airport
3.9 magnitude earthquake off York Maine, felt in RI
Construction has begun on REGENT Craft Inc.’s new seaglider manufacturing facility at Quonset Business Park.
4 Mayors, including Mayor Wu of Boston, have been summoned to appear before Congress in a hearing on Sanctuary cities. (others: Denver, NY, Chicago)
Former RI Gov. Raimondo (former Sect. of Commerce) is now a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
Newport Folk Festival – July 25-27 – tix on sale now
Johnston moves to take land developer wanted to build a 200+ low income housing unit on, for a new municipal complex, by eminent domain – voted unanimously to do so by Town Council
Blount Fine Food looking to relocate from Fall River to Rhode Island
Critical repairs to the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier will focus on the street gates located on Allens Avenue and at the Manchester Street Power Station, ensuring the barrier’s ongoing functionality and storm resilience.
The Providence Preservation Society awarded nearly $75,000 from the National Park Service to research sites associated with LGBTQ+ history and to nominate a location for the.
Patrick Kennedy, former RI Representative, came out in support of Bobby Kennedy, Jr. for HHS Secretary
R.I. Airport Corp. head of security Joseph Perkins abruptly resigned
Employees Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI) Executive Director Frank Karpinski to Retire at End of Fiscal Year
Fire at church on Elmwood Ave in Providence, under renovations
The Brown/Trinity Rep Master of Fine Arts Programs in Acting and Directing will indefinitely pause its new student admissions, program leadership. Run in partnership with Trinity Repertory Company, the program “combines technical training from Brown University with real-world experience”. The University paused admissions to the program following analysis and discussion among Brown and Trinity leaders, as well as an external expert review. One comment noted that audiences, after COVID, have not returned to previous levels.
6 people from Boston Skating program in Norwood died in helicopter-airline crash in DC – a mother and son died in Barrington. Spencer Lane was a relatively new, but very talented skater.
TF Green union votes no confidence in head of airport
Newport Polo season’s tickets go on sale TODAY. First game is USA vs. Morocco on June 7th. – Governor’s Cup is July 26th – Newport Cup is September 20th.
Cranston woman and her husband give birth to quadruplet girls – they already have a 1 and a 3 year old
Jennifer Webb new CEO of Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket
The fatal shooting of a Border Patrol agent in Vermont appears to be tied to a fringe group of vegan activists on the West Coast whose members have been linked to at least three other slayings (Boston Globe)
Attleboro City Council approves $500K to buy water from Mansfield, Pawtucket
The Hudson Public Schools have been recognized by the Portuguese for being a role model when it comes to valuing and promoting the teaching of the Portuguese language.
Massachusetts names Feb. 4th as Rosa Parks Day
The rest of winter in New England may be warmer than average
Gull Air is launching a limited weekend service between Hyannis and Nantucket at $85 per seat, one-way, starting Friday, January 31st.
Open Table named The White Horse Tavern, Newport and the Boathouse Waterfront Dining, Tiverton, as two of the “top 100 most romantic” restaurants in US.
RI AG Peter Neronha co-leads multistate coalition to block federal funding freeze
Cogswell Tower in Jenks Park, Central Falls, is being renovated with $200K placemaking grant from RI
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Cleveland Clinic lays off 114
COSTCO to raise hourly raise to over $30
Chuck Todd, former “Meet the Press” moderator, is leaving NBC News, to pursue ventures outside the NBCUniversal empire.
Putin says he is open to negotiating on Ukraine – and wants to talk to president about energy
Chinese companies have set up all along the Panama Canal – while not controlling the canal, in a time of war they could take it over easily – Panama has signed 47 agreements with China
Allstate is being sued for allegedly tracking and selling the location data of 45 million Americans—without asking.
The French can still retire at 60, with a pension and full benefits
Pres. Trump suggests Gaza be razed and constructed anew
17 Inspector Generals terminated at federal level
The Louvre now has a Haute Couture exhibit – celebrating and showing the fashions of France
Kristi Noem confirmed for Director of Homeland Security
Netanyahu is planning to visit Washington on February 3-5.
Tesla says it will lower the price of its cars next year
Pres. Trump visits Las Vegas on his “thank-you” tour and reiterates his promise of no tax on tips
Spirit Airlines rejects merger offer from Frontier
$24M will be paid by META for lawsuit brought by Trump campaign
CVS promoting an app that can unlock cabinets in their stores, for qualified customers
GE Vernova will invest $600M in US manufacturing over next two years
State of the Union to Congress – set for March 4th
SuperBowl ads will go for a record $8-9 million for 30 seconds
The CIA says COVID is the most likely to have come from a lab leak
Dr. Phil has a production crew documenting ICE activity in Chicago
Jim Acosta out at CNN
College enrollment in the U.S. increased last fall, the first rise since before the pandemic
TB outbreak in Kansas City largest ever in US
All federal grants and loans will be on pause, per White House
Starbucks to cut menu by 1/3 – also will revamp use of bathrooms to paying customers
US Navy tells staff not to use Deepseek A.I. over security concerns
SpaceX will work on returning the 2 astronauts still in space
Jonas Bros to do a Christmas movie on Disney+
Drones over NJ said to be US govt doing research and then local hobbyists, also – the statement did not reference drones seen elsewhere
Pres. Trump attempts to do a federal fund and loan freeze – stopped by a federal judge until Monday hearing – probably headed to SCOTUS
The largest healthcare data breach in US history: UnitedHealth has confirmed a ransomware attack on its Change Healthcare unit, exposing sensitive information of 190 million Americans, twice what was previously predicted.
The Louvre will be “re-done” and a new room for the Mona Lisa will be created. “The Louvre will be redesigned and restored to become the epicenter of art history for our country and beyond,” French President Emmanuel Macron announced
U.S. will cancel student visas of Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, White House says.
French researcher on bird flu – “60% of human diseases come from animals”
The ‘Daily Mail’ is cutting “a number” of jobs as it merges its print and digital sides.
Giogia Meloni, Italy, put forward a bill to follow the US and withdraw from the WHO
67 people died in helicopter-airline crash in DC – many of whom were with the US Figure Skating program. The NYT says the staffing of air traffic controllers was “not normal”, which would have had one designated controller for helicopters and others for air traffic.
National News Literacy Week, presented by the News Literacy Project, will take place from February 3rd to 7th.
NYC wants to open in the Bronx a massive male-only migrant shelter. Neighbors are out demonstrating. Former warehouse could house over 2,000 migrant men – most are asylum seekers with a 30-day stay limit. 13 shelters around the city will be closed.
Portugal has estimated there are 3,600 Portuguese, with Portugal – along with China and Spain – being one of the three countries with the most ‘overstayers’ or immigrants who travel to the United States on a 90-day visa waiver and then stay longer. The country’s president says they are fully prepared to take them back, working with the US.
Students had record low reading and math scores. 70% of 8th graders below proficient in reading.
More than 10K “journalists” want to participate in the White House briefing rooms and have submitted applications to participate. First one was a podcast, The Ruthless Podcast, and the host joined the Friday presser.
Black History Month proclamation will be signed by Pres. Trump on Saturday
Dell is retiring hybrid work – all workers who can need to come back into the office 5 days a week, exceptions for those living a distance away.
A T & T workers and Amazon staff having problems with desk space and parking as they begin to return to the office
Orsted the Danish wind farm company working offshore RI has a new CEO Rasmus Errboe. Mads Nipper, who was CEO since 2021 steps down today.
Tariffs: 25% to Mexico and Canada – 10% with China – effective TODAY
US hostages held in Venezuela released
American Keith Siegel now released from Hamas
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PASSINGS
Dick Button, 95, ice skater
Marianne Faithful, 78, singer