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In the News… quick recap of news of the week ending July 24, 2026
Here is a quick synopsis of news of the week – for Rhode Island, the region, national and international news, too. Passings of note…
If you have news items send to: [email protected]
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Gun control is an issue in RI politics. Helena Foulkes, candidate for Governor at first said she wanted to extend the selling ban to a possession ban – now says she would recommend a registry
Crepe Corner in Cranston to close
Newport Creamery bulldozed to the ground in Garden City Center
Lakeshore Learning in Cranston is closing this Fall
Olivia Culpo has a line of baby clothes called “Picolette” at Target
83 y.o. cyclist killed when hit by a truck on the Cape, Rt. 6
Mayor Wu in Boston wants to extend the “fun” events for the city – with later bar hours, public alcohol consumption, etc.
RI has continued SNAP Eat Well, Be Well Pilot Rewards Program, offering extra benefits for fresh fruits and vegetables through June of 2027 – eligible at all RI Stop & Shops, Walmart, and the West African Super Store
Great White Shark tagged and released off RI coast
Boston has settled on a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) with Boston University – an annual cash payment to the city to compensate for police,, fire, city resources. $6.7M this year – up to $8.3M in 2030 – totaling $104M.
Sinkhole opens up in Blackstone Blvd/Irving St. area after heavy rains
20 people arrested (16-39y.o.) at St. Mary’s Feast – changes pledged for next year
REI closing in Boston
Newport Folk Festival this weekend – sold out
Aquapalooza this weekend in Narragansett Bay
Boston Duck Boat narrator averages $1400/week in tips (BosGlobe)
Of the 22,562 properties in the state that could be subject to the Taylor Swift tax, more than 14,000 are exempt due to residency rules, etc. (BosGlobe)
A black bear was spotted walking through a woman’s back yard Scituate
1300% increase in ticks over the last decade. Calls for $150 million multi-year package through the national bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Act Reauthorization, which requests $30 million/yr. Sen. Reed to hold press conference today.
Blessing of the Fleet in Galilee Saturday
Patriots Training Camp begins!
Over 100 Residents at Brown University Health and Care New England walked through Providence – looking for first union contracts with improved pay and benefits.
Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Lucy the Goat died of liver disease
Ex-Boston hospital nurse charged with sexually abusing 2 children
RI District Court Chief Judge LaFazia to retire
Cranston West Little League loses first game out in final
Christopher Lloyd, Back to the Future and Roger Rabbit, will be at RI Comic Con this fall
Former Rhode Island DHS supervisor Nadine Jean Baptiste, and her daughter, have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and SNAP benefit fraud of more than $300,000
West Nile Virus found in Cranston mosquito
Cannabis business to go into Pizza Hut building on Reservoir Ave. paused due to new regulations – company saying owner has lost ½ million dollars in process.
After Rhode Island Republicans called for an independent audit, Secretary of State Gregg Amore requested a DMV review of noncitizen transactions from 2017 through 2019. That means the review stops years before Rhode Island began issuing Driver Privilege Cards to undocumented residents in July 2023.
75 RI cannabis applicants are expected to receive $7,500 refunds as regulators restart the social-equity retail-license process.
Quonset Business Park to add rental housing intended in part for people already employed at Quonset
Providence Restaurant Weeks begins Sunday
Boston Mayor Wu dedicating 2 senior staff to project to help make bike lanes more secure – after death of the leading bike lane advocate when she was struck on her bike in a bike lane
Lindsay Clancy trial jury finalized – first witness will be her husband when trial begins next week in the case where she murdered her 3 children, jumped from a window becoming confined to a wheelchair – case will hinge on issue of being overmedicated by doctors who did not confer with each other
Dem. Troy Jackson will replace candidate in Maine to try to unseat Republican Susan Collins. Jackson is a log carrier from north woods of Maine.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
U.S. companies signed approximately $60 billion in agreements with Iraq, including pipeline projects intended to create alternative routes for shipping oil through Syria and Turkey rather than the Strait of Hormuz.
Republican Ralph Norman will run for Rep. Lindsey Graham’s seat in the fall
World Cup: England defeated France 6–4 to finish third—its best result in 60 years and highest scoring game of the games
World Cup halftime show, with Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber among others extending soccer’s customary 15-minute break
World Cup success celebrated all over the world. Spain will get $50M, Argentina, $33M and England, $29M. All players will receive a commemorative ring for the first time with 89 diamonds and 36 sapphires, valued at $12K.
Andrew & Tristan Tate arrested in FL, extradited to UK for charges of rape, trafficking, etc.
Hungary President steps down – considered puppet of Viktor Orban
Iranian attack in Jordan killed 2 U.S. service members – 1 missing. US retaliates overnight.
VP Vance announced that his wife, Usha Vance, 40, gave birth to their 4th child, Alec Neel Vance on July 19. This is the 3rd boy for the Vance’s. Their children are 4, 6 and 9. They are also leasing a home in Middleburg, VA which is rural and having security installed there by Secret Service.
Places where $100K still buys an average home for a family: Jackson and Natchez, Mississippi – Pine Bluff, Arkansas – Albany, Georgia – Monroe, Louisiana
There have been 7 Prime Ministers in 10 years – this week Andy Burnham became the 7th
A US service member killed while performing a controlled detonation in northern Iraq
Boston Red Sox won their 13th game in a row
Dollar Tree closing 75 stores – to open 400 stores around US
Former RI Speaker of the House, Joe Shekarchi, will have his day in court about judgeship appointment wait times – or no wait
Presidential plane going out of service for security upgrades the Secret Service wants to see
Andy Burnham now the 7th Prime Minister of UK in 10 years – says his first step will be to sign a document to end “rough sleeping” in England.
Defense Department said in a statement that 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in Jordan,
Australia has removed 4.5M youth social media accounts
Darline Graham, serving out her brother’s term of office said she will run for a full 6-year term after this term expires
Canada is upset with insufficient help from US to fight wildfires; US is upset at issues caused by Canada’s wildfires
Young Protesters in India were beaten by police with batons and pepper sprayed to disperse them as there is no right to protest in the country
1.5 Billion watched part of the World Cup
Vanilla is world’s favorite ice cream flavor
Hearing to be held by House on Smithsonian Museum’s attempts to rewrite American history
NYC Mayor Mamdani exploring legal venues to see if Israel leader, Netanyahu, can be arrested in the fall when in NY for the UN
Top toys for Christmas: Tickle Me Elmo – Talking Mr. Potato Head – Arcade style games – Squishy toys – Digital cameras
Australia removes 4.5 Million youth social media accounts
43 y.o. Army veteran from Poughkeepsie, NY armed with a machete, knives, weapons, set fire to the outside of NYC immigration center. Quickly arrested. Had signs with him that said “end ICE” and was known to law enforcement
AHA says drinking 5 cups of coffee a day can lower risks of heart problems and diabetes
The Epstein-Barr virus increases by 32-fold the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis
$1 billion of Medicaid payments being withheld in CA and MI for anyone over 18 until fraud charges are answered
New Jersey had a flaw in their voter registration through their DMV, resulting in 6,600 non-citizens being registered to vote
Zelenskyy fires his commander in chief, offers him government position
Court rules NYC Mayor cannot arrest PM of Israel
President attended the signified transfer of 4 US military – one family went back on Air Force One with the president
Miss Universe Tegucigalpa runner-up Wualys Fuentes Aquino was found dead in her apartment in Honduras; investigation underway. She was 23.
The parents of one of the fallen service member surprisingly introduced by Pres. Trump at a Georgia live rally. They had taken the trip back from the dignified transfer of their son with the President on Air Force One.
62.8 Million watched the World Cup in one way or another
Growing use of Facebook Marketplace to buy prepared foods from each othe
Cost of war with Iran so far is $37.5 Billion
France social media ban for youth under the age of 15, adding 1 more country doing so
CVS now filling prescriptions for pets
US reaches deal with Saudi Arabia allowing them to build reactors with US product and technology
Louvre in Paris opens with no jewelry on display after their recent theft
Oil prices have gone to $100/barrel – first time since late May
Open Table reports reservations for 1 are up 23% – average amount spent $93
The U.S. Powerball jackpot is going international for the first time, with players outside the United States able to participate
VW Autos are eliminating thousands of jobs in Europe
Oil goes over $100/barrel as Iran war continues with strikes in Bahrain and Iraq by Iran
New tariffs imposed on goods from 60 trading partners, nationally
Effort to rename Penn Station, Trump Station
PM Netanyahu comes to DC on Monday – may attend Lindsey Graham’s funeral on Tuesday
William Shatner, 95, and his daughter, 61, disclose both had 4th stage cancer 2 years ago and are now cancer-free. Shatner had melanoma which had metastasized and his daughter had breast cancer
Fast food giant Chick-fil-A is warning Rhode Island residents with customer loyalty accounts to be on alert after the company said their personal data may have been compromised in a recent hack.
Saying “The Show Must Go On”, the President spoke at the White House Correspondents Assoc. Dinner – and an amazing performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman
Jon Bon Jovi, 64, abruptly ended a concert because he said he was “hurt” and people not getting his best performance – later said to have a sinus infection
Sean Diddy Combs now in solitary confinement after a fight in prison
USA Today sports columnist wrote that Caitlin Clark complaining about getting assaulted on the basketball court is dangerous… because of the history of white women being used to harm Black people. Referencing Emmett Till.
Paramount pauses deal with Warner Brothers
Wildfires continue burning in Spain – hundreds being evacuated around Madrid
Record-breaking Measles cases in US – most contagious virus known – national vaccination rates fallen from 95.2% to 92.5%
4 more states experiencing cyclospora outbreak from lettuce – unrelated to the larger outbreak
LeBron James will go to the Philadelphia 76ers
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PASSINGS
Antonio Cardi, 89, co-founder of Cardi Construction,
Brenda Fricker, 81, actress best known for “Pigeon Lady” role in Home Alone 2
Kaylee Hottle, 18, deaf actress, “Godzilla vs. Kong”, in a car crash
Hal Williams, 91, actor, Sanford & Sons