Subscribe!
In the News… recap for the week ending March 1, 2025
A very quick recap of news locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally – and passings of note:
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Zillow ranked Providence as one of the top housing markets in US for 2025
Stop & Shop workers settle – avoid strike
Providence has converted 453 apartments from office buildings – way below goals of most major cities, and not falling in the top 20 cities, which includes Boston and the Bridgeport, CT area
RIDOT says phase I of the Washington Bridge demo has been completed
Mark H. Amundsen, the director of maintenance and engineering at the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, has been named the organization’s new chief operating officer.
COSTCO will open 6 new stores in US this spring – closest is in Sharon, MA in March
Hasbro said to cutting $250M
Bill submitted in RI to allow conjugal visits – 6 a year, 4 hours at a time. Sponsored by: Reps. Perez, Felix, Hull, Lombardi, Fellela, DeSimone, Batista, Diaz, Bennett, Morales
YMCA terminated their housekeeping staff, and outsourced it – some have claimed racist tinge to firing as most employees are minorities
Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos holding a “know your rights” event for immigrants
Maine legislators speaking up to say that Gov Mills does not represent the people’s feelings on women’s sports
Save Bristol’s 4th tops $20K raised to fight moving of concerts to RWU campus
Brown Univ. Health is being looked at to reopen Norwood Hospital in MA
AFL-CIO says most people support a smoking ban at Bally’s casino
ProJo staff down by 11%
Olneyville New York System bought by Heritage Restaurant Group
The RI Health Professional Loan Repayment Program is being proposed to provide a $400K fund to help primary care providers and pediatricians with loan repayment – they would commit to 2 years in federally designated health professional shortage areas for 2 years.
Butler Hospital is the oldest hospital in RI
A Fall River developer plans to erect a five-story building of 52 apartments and an adult daycare center on a site currently occupied by a used-car lot and an auto-body shop (Herald News)
Nantucket officials have heard from Vineyard Wind that a radar system would allow nighttime blinking red lights to turn on only when airplanes are nearby, not constantly
3 Islamic women from Revere, MA died in their hotel room in Belize while on vacation – drug overdoses or CO poisoning suspected.
RWPZ has plans to move the elephants out by 2027
8 have applied to be RI Historian Laureate (replacing Pat Conley) (ProJo)
Safe Harbor Marina sold to Blackstone (owner of many other RI marinas)
MIT tuition-free if family income is under $200K
Boston police detective, 51, dies of flu complications
The Museum of Fine Arts has brought Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies, Reflections of Weeping Willows” to Boston for the first time.
The total lunar eclipse March 13 to 14 is the first visible over Rhode Island since 2022
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, who has been battling cancer, has a “touch of” pneumonia, and is hospitalized at Fatima
Completed Newport Pell Bridge on-ramp from Jamestown now open
Ricotti’s in Johnston closes after 50 years
Brown U. says due to the lack of affordable housing in the immediate area for its students, they will build more housing for their stuents
Brown U. was named the top producing school of Fulbright U.S. students for the 2024-25 academic year, earning the recognition for the fifth time in the past decade. Salve Regina also named a top producer.
RIC cafeteria manager arrested for putting a camera in the women’s bathroom
3 arrested in Swansea for sex trafficking by a police sting
When Michie House, homeless shelter, on Thayer Street in Providence evicted their tenants, it was the Providence Fire Department that appeared on the scene, ready to ferry residents willing to move to shelters at Crossroads, Emmanuel House and the Providence Rescue Mission. Several residents opted to move to encampments, even though slots were open to them.
2 South County restaurants have closed – The Coastal Cabin and Tavern on Main – Wakefield
2 “tax help” offices of IRS set to close
Homeless man died in Fall River, out in the cold on 2/18 – Mayor says he had pleaded with a service program to open their conference room for emergency shelter, and they declined
Speaker Shekarchi introduced a package of housing bills
Judge denies effort to toss out the case on the Washington Bridge
Person struck and killed by a train going to Boston in the Olneyville section
Track 15 set to open at the old train station, downtown, on March 15th
Pawtucket’s St. Patrick’s Day will be held TODAY
Pawtucket School Committee has put Supt. Patricia Royal on leave, and potentially will replace her for unknown “HR” reasons
A couple from Johnston has purchased a deli in Pascoag, the Cow’s Tail Deli & Creamery
Pyramid top of the Apex building pulled off in high winds
Potential cuts to RIPTA service trying to be averted by redirecting some budget money – a group called “Save RIPTA” formed
URI has stopped a $67 million program with 11 full time positions focusing on food insecurity in Philippines, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Republic of Madagascar, The Gambia, and Ghana. – saying it is likely to be cut by DOGE. URI is expected to find other positions for the 11 impacted. (Boston Globe)
Ozempic has caused $800M financial loss for 2 MA health insurers – BCBS and Point 32 Health
Skype, owned by Microsoft, will be shutting down
$425M allocated to homeless programs in MA to fund them through June, 2025
RI Senate will publish public commentary to proposed legislation on-line
Gov. McKee set to announce his re-election on Monday with a campaign video
Calls for investigation into RI Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse over conflicts of interest with his wife’s work with renewable energy
___
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Coffee companies such as Dunkin and Starbucks will no longer charge more for non-dairy creamers
Byron Donalds (R) running for Gov of Florida (endorsed by Pres. Trump)– he will face DeSantis’ wife
New York Yankees changed policy and players can now have neatly trimmed beards
NSA workers accused of using DEI sites for graphic sex chats – all had their security clearances revoked and were terminated
Michael Jordan opens fourth health clinic in home state of North Carolina to serve people without insurance.
Joann will shutter all of its approximately 800 locations after failing to find a buyer
Sicily’s Mount Etna is erupting and drawing tourists – officials are working to keep people from getting too close
A federal judge indefinitely suspended New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ criminal case
29 members of a drug cartel were extradited to the US from Mexico, all arriving on a plane and taken into custody
META will lay off 20 employees for leaking confidential information
Blue Origin will host a flight of all women, including Jeff Bezos fiancé, Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King
Pentagon will terminate its 5,400 probationary workers and implement a temporary hiring freeze
57% of all characters in kid’s programming launched in 2023 were people of color
American Bar Association voted to suspend enforcement of Rule 206 – a DEI requirement for the student bodies and faculties of law schools.
Zelenskyy considering rare minerals agreement as payment back to US
Pres. Trump has a proposal to sell $5M gold cards to come into the country with citizenship
Betty White stamp to come out in March by USPS
Congo offered the US their hold of more than half the world’s Cobalt and Colton. They also have substantial deposits of Gold, Copper, Tin, Lithium, etc. – to help the country against Rwandan war.
Jake Tapper, who repeatedly supported Pres. Biden as being ok, saying he “just has a stutter” now has a book out on Biden’s condition, how it was hidden and his disastrous decision to run again
A customizable mRNA vaccine is offering hope to pancreatic cancer patients in clinical trials
A look at the FAA shows they are using their own internet which doesn’t communicate with others – still using floppy disks
An international shipping platform leaked 14 million customer shipping records – names, addresses, and tracking details from eBay, Shopify, and Amazon
The Resolute Desk, given to the White House by Queen Victoria in 1880 was sent out for high level security scans after a listening device was found embedded in the structure of the desk.
MSNBC eliminates Joy Read’s show, moves Rachel Maddow to 5 nights a week, and other schedule changes – Alex Wagner also let go from show – reassigned to ‘on assignment’ – Jonathan Capehart also out – and Katie Phang (who will stay on as legal adviser)
EU pledged billions to help Ukraine
Independent report and analysis reports $2.8Trillion has been paid out by Medicaid
Starbucks to eliminate 1,100 corporate positions
“Barney” movie being made – described as “surreal, adult take on children’s TV icon”
Dan Bongino named Deputy Director, FBI. Past experience as NYPD officer, then with Secret Service, training with SS, Presidential protection for Pres. Bush & Obama. Lately a TV commentator and podcaster
Apple to invest $500 Billion in US – new Apple academy in Detroit
The govt of North Korea has stolen $1.5bn in cryptocurrency thru use of a hacker
NYC Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter closing as federal funds dry up
US forces begin withdrawing from EU – US base in Greece shutting down.
EU Parliament member Rima Hassan who defended Oct. 7th massacre, lands in Israel – and is expelled from country
A new disease has killed 50 in the Congo, originating with 3 children who ate a bat – symptoms resemble Ebola, but it is not that.
Fox commentator, Kat Timpf, diagnosed with breast cancer hours before delivering her first baby, a son – says she will recover, then have a double mastectomy.
Goya board votes out Bob Goya as head of company due to his political advocacy on human trafficking and other issues
Denny’s adding an “egg surcharge”
50 previously eliminated National Park Service jobs were restored, and increasing the number of planned seasonal hires this year to 7,700, up from 5,000 announced earlier.
PepsiCo rolled back its DEI practices, eliminating its chief DEI officer roll
Blackwater has offered to help with mass deportations
Hooters is preparing to file for bankruptcy in the next few months
Republican leaders are advising their fellow reps and sens not to hold town hall meetings because of how badly they are going – they should hold them online or “vet” their attendees
2 more states asked to comply with no men in women’s sports or there will be a problem with federal funds – states are: Maine, New Jersey ($1B in federal funds)
79% of Americans are against trans athletes in women’s sports
USDA coming up with a new strategy to fight bird flu, which is driving up the price of eggs
BP says it will ease up on its green energy initiatives and refocus on oil and gas production
House passes budget resolution – on to Senate
First measles death reported in West Texas
IRS scandal – person who released Pres. Trump’s tax returns leaked 400,000 returns
Jeff Bezos says editorials at the Washington Post will only focus on personal liberties and free markets. Also seeking a new opinion editor.
King Charles invited Pres. Trump to a state dinner, he accepted his 2nd invitation
Judge orders Fani Willis, DA in Georgia to testify before the Senate on how/why she hired her boyfriend to investigate in the case against the President
White House bans Huff Post reporter, S. V. Date, man who wrote “Useful Idiot”, a book about President Trump
Pres. Trump holds first Cabinet meeting of his term of office
SSA will transfer responsibility for processing Equal Employment Opportunity complaints, reasonable accommodation requests, and other statutorily required functions to other SSA components to ensure compliance with existing legal authorities – closes duplicative office of EEOC and Civil Rights.
Eli Lilly is changing operations
An undocumented registry sign up will be required by all people in US who do not have legal status over 14 – bringing back a registry that existed decades ago, the Alien Registration Act of 1940 and one established after 9-11. Those who don’t could face fines, imprisonment or both.
IRS will close 120 “tax help” offices in US
50 previously eliminated National Park Service jobs restored while increasing the number of planned seasonal hires this year to 7,700, up from 5,000 announced earlier.
Pres. Trump will address both houses of Congress this coming Tuesday
5% of 12,000 workers at NOAA (National Weather Service) laid off
Simone Biles and her husband, Jonathan, announced the birth of their son.
Barnard College several days of anti-Israel demonstrations involving students and professors intensifies
Former Pres. Biden’s spox, Karine Jean-Pierre, says it was “shocking” what happened to Pres. Biden – Dems were like a “firing squad”
The U.S. Mint hid its five DEI staffers and then covered their trail, a whistleblower says
New trend called “sleepmaxxing” – maximizing your nightly rest by applying a bevy of sleep hacks all at once, such as sleep masks, red light therapy, mouth taping, “sleepy girl” mocktails, weighted blankets, etc.
EO signed by President making English the official language of the US
Investigation into the death of Gene Hackman and his wife, and dog so far has shown no carbon monoxide involved. Hackman’s pacemaker shows last incident on 2/17, meaning they had died about 2 weeks ago.
Pope Francis suffered an isolated bronchospasm and had aspiration procedure of his lungs
Month long recognition of Ramadan began
Unique public sparring occurred in Oval Office meeting with Ukraine leader, Zelenskyy, who left the White House without signing the agreement.
Investigation into egg prices possibly being raised artificially by producers in response to the bird flu awareness
VP Vance and family said to be at Sugarbush in VT this weekend
___
PASSINGS
David Depetrillo, 78, tourism civic leader in RI
Roberta Flack, 88, artist known most for “Killing me softly with her song”
Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife found dead in their home
Clint Hill, 93, known for jumping on the back of the limo after JFK was shot
Sha’Vi Lewis, 39, Project Runway, fashion designer
Bruce Selya, 90, former federal judge and writer in RI
Lynne Marie Stewart, 78, co-star of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse
Michelle Trachtenberg, 39, actress of Gossip Girl, Harriet the Spy