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In the News… quick recap of the news of the week ending Aug. 2, 2025
We all lead a busy life! Here is a quick synopsis of news of the week happening that impacts Rhode Island, national news, international news – and passing of note – just copy and search the items for more information, or let us know and we will help you.
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Bryant Univ buys Parente’s Restaurant
Patriot Place opened a large Pickleball facility that will be open to the fall.
The Vanderbilt Hotel in Newport named RI’s Chicest Hotel in the State by Far & Wide
Smug Brewing in Pawtucket closing after 7 years
Edesia is now shipping Plumpy’Nut with private donations as USAID terminated, or paused. Also with the assistance of Ocean State Job Lot and other partners, shipments are now moving
Single engine plane from NY crashes on Block Island, all 3 in 70s, 1 dead on trip to Rhode Island Hospital – a legislator from NY- other 2 passengers are expected to be ok
Brown University will have $510M restored in research funding, make a $50M donation over 10 years to RI for workforce training, and have a serious of concessions, including Title IX, etc. to make.
Butler Hospital employees reject “best and final offer” of Care New England
New wrong-way alert system being installed in Pawtucket
Mass General Brigham, MA largest health care system, will join forces with CVS to expand primary care in Massachusetts, targeting areas with acute shortages of providers
Boston Globe editorial says involuntary commitment should be on the table in opioid crisis
Medicare Advantage providers who lost coverage will have 60 day extension to get other coverage – again
UnitedHealth credit outlook downgraded by Fitch
Pawtucket elected officials sent a petition out protesting the RIPTA cuts for the city
Bar advocates offered small pay raise but not enough to assume cases
1st case of West Nile Virus in a mosquito found in RI – 2nd in MA
Newport Jazz Festival this weekend in Newport
Cranston City Councilor has a resolution to present requiring the police firearms shooting and training range to comply with noise standards and to eliminate outside groups from using the facility.
Providence City Councilor Helen Anthony to step down September 1st, on the advice of her doctor after her serious accident last year – a special election should be held within 90 days of that date
Gov. McKee will sign legislation into law that increases Rhode Island’s minimum wage from $15 to $17 over a two-year period on Mon at the RI State House.
MA Gov. Healey closes all emergency shelters, primarily hotel/motel space
Former head of Mashpee Tribe faces 42 mos. in prison for extortion
East Providence school buses will be equipped with interior/exterior cameras
Brown Univ. borrows another $500M – 2nd loan
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Duke University will be the next to be investigated for anti-Semitism policies and possible withdrawing of funds
Feds leave interest rate unchanged
NASA will lose roughly 3,870 employees through a voluntary resignation program,
Tsunami alerts after 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Russia – Hawaii, Japan, west coast of US, etc.
Virginia City Councilman set on fire at his place of work – said to be a personal matter. Councilman taken to hospital
Kamala Harris says she will not run for Gov. of California
MARS will invest $2Billion in US candy manufacturing
25% tariffs with India announced
UVM cuts 145 positions
Justin Timberlake shared he has Lyme Disease, responsible for his exhaustion and reason for canceling some concerts
Sally Jenkins, sportswriter of the Washington Post is leaving – will write for The Atlantic
ESPN is parting ways with Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, whose girlfriend accused him of sexual assault
Amazon will pay the New York Times corporate entity $20M for access to its content, products and demographics to be used to train its AI service
Canada will recognize state of Palestine
2 ICE officers were attacked by illegals in Black Forest, CO, and they were shot at by ICE – and are now on the run
Pres. Trump signs Executive Order bringing to the Presidential Fitness Test in schools
Ghislaine Maxwell has quietly been moved from a federal prison in Florida to one in Texas
Starbucks to end drive-up-only locations, goes back to in-store formats
Moderna to have a 10% cut in employees – bringing it below 5,000
Bronze status of Olympian Suni Lee in St. Paul was taken, cut off at its base
Labor Dept. official fired, claims that he manipulated the jobs numbers, which were not positive
Baby born from 31-year old frozen embryo
Paula Dean closed her two Savannah restaurants, but kept 4 others outside of Savannah open, with no explanation
Linda McMahon, head of US Dept. of Education has met with Governors as the Department begins to transition to state control, saying returning education to the states “just means giving them back the part that is now provided by the federal government”
The proportion of never‐married adults in the US has increased from 15% in 1960 to 31% in 2021
Plans for a national speed limit and auto devices to control speeding will not happen
George Santos reports to prison for 7 years
https://grant-witness.us/ is a new website that will track national govt grant cancellations
Dentists are seeing more “teeth grinding” attributable to stress
You can now help to pay down the US national debt by making a donation via Paypal or Venmo
RFK Jr. to Oust Advisory Panel on Cancer Screenings, HIV Prevention Drugs
Friendly’s has been bought by Amol Kohli, owner of Red Mango and BRIX Group – owns 30 other Friendly’s franchises around US. Kohli started working at a Friendly’s when he was 15.
Gov. Walz of Minnesota and Gov. Kelly of Kansas is “stepping back” from bipartisan Governor’s Association because they feel the group is not pushing back enough against Pres. Trump
Stabbing of 11 at a Michigan Walmart, assailant arrested
EU Trade/Tariff deal struck in Scotland.
Sears has 6 stores remaining, of a top # of 3,000
Shooting at Vegas casino – 2 dead, others wounded
Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this year, had his bladder removed, and had one rebuilt – he encourages men not to ignore symptoms
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PASSINGS
Dame Cleo Laine, 97, jazz singer
Ryne Sandberg, 65, Chicago Cubs legend, of prostate cancer
I didn’t create the national debt so why would I donate? Let’s see – a $200 million dollar ballroom, a ‘free’ jet that is going to cost at least $900 million to refurbish and then given away to the current idiot for his personal use, The DHS overspent its budget 2 months ago, is given more money to ‘recruit’ 10,000 thugs at $50,000 each and the head (Boem) probably built her $50,000 Gulfstream into the budget, a paved over Rose Garden turned into a patio, 2 flagpoles that the idiot-in-chief said he was paying for (may I see the receipts, please?) and $4 million dollar trips to Florida to play golf.
Meanwhile, we can sit back and watch them slash Medicaid (over 300K in RI), SNAP (130K in RI), Medicare, Social Security, raise prices via tariffs (why did the French and American Revolutions take place), and more.
Sorry, but I’m too broke to donate. They have already taken any money I had.
It would be interesting to learn how much people are donating for “sins of the past” – as for the ballroom, and the flagpoles, Pres. Trump is paying for those himself. On top of not taking a salary, again – he didn’t for his first term either – that gets donated to national government work of his choice. At least the DOGE team has caught millions, if not billions – DOGE claims: Roughly $190–199 billion total savings. Independent estimates: Far less—possibly $16–18 billion. That’s a wide spread!
It’s not EEE, it’s West Nile Virus that was detected in East Providence July 21st in the Asian tiger mosquito.
TY!