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In the news… for April 15, 2023
LOCAL & REGIONAL
Boston University was granted an early win in a proposed class action brought by students who claimed the school breached its contract with them when classes were forced online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Lifespan and CNE have stopped universal masking
Gov. McKee announced a 365 day extended education plan for cities and towns to buy into
DCYF will use the abandoned state psychiatric institution in Exeter for a new 16-bed residential treatment facility for adolescent girls who otherwise must leave the state to receive specialized care.
Newport Restaurant Week 4/14-23
Wavemaker Fellowship is reopened, a program that offers student debt relief in the form of refundable tax credits of up to $6,000/year to professionals working in the STEM, design, and healthcare fields.
Los Angeles under fire for blaring classical music in train stations to deter homeless people
Ocean State Job Lot and Ecogy Energy held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a 250kW solar array on the roof of their store in Richmond. It is the company’s third, and part of the retailer’s ongoing plan to host the largest rooftop solar portfolio in Rhode Island, hosted atop its stores from Westerly to Woonsocket.
Governor of MA to buy 1 year worth of abortion medication to prevent the impact on women of the state and protection for violation by physicians
Biogen cuts another 885 jobs, including the entire line of MS drug development
A summer Pickleball multi-day event will be held at Fenway this summer
JetBlue expanding direct flights from Worcester (Orlando, Ft. Myers)
Mayor Hopkins confirms COSTCO will come to RI in mid 2024, over in the Chapel View area
TopGolf won’t open until the fall.
Matunuck Oyster Bar, URI team up for new, $2.4M shellfish hatchery.
Rep. Stephen Casey of Woonsocket will run for Congress
Arlene Violet will not run for Congress
Steven Skoly, DMD, will consider running for CD1 as a Republican
Former RI Gov. Raimondo on Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential” list
WEEI closing Rhode Island office
Peter Pan Bus Co. will pick pp the canceled New Bedford – Boston bus service
Brown University plans to add 3 “affinity groups” on campus by the start of summer 2023 – The Global Brown Center – The Undocumented, First-Generation College and – The Low-Income Student Center
In February, Brown office of EMS advertised CPR training to its internal community and all classes were full almost immediately. “From students to faculty and staff, it was clear a large portion of our community wanted to know what to do if somebody fell ill in front of them”.
Block Island has elected to drop out of #RIIL baseball’s Division III.
RIPTA is saying if not fully funded, they will have to do significant layoffs and cuts in service.
Over 700 acres were burned on Friday in the Exeter area – about 20 people spent the night in a shelter and several homes were evacuated
Warwick’s police department will be featured on “On Patrol” television show
An 11 story, 150 apartment building is proposed for the 195 land in Providence
The Boston Marathon is Monday
The Swan Boats in Boston Commons are now open
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
First human death from H3N8 bird flu recorded in China, WHO says
Sen. Blumenthal fractures femur at parade for U-Conn. basketball team when someone trips and falls on him – he finished the parade but later was found to have had a fracture – screws were inserted to aid in healing
Rental rates in Portugal are up 50%
Justice Thomas has said he was advised by colleagues in the judiciary that the trips were “not reportable.”
3 shot at Delaware shopping mall
DACA recipients may be extended health insurance through Medicaid
Grand Canyon north delayed in opening due to snow
Derailment in Pittsburgh – no toxic chemicals involved
Deadly bacteria linked to eyedrops has grown resistant to nearly all treatments, CDC says
Tiger Woods pulls out of Masters just before the 3rd round
Moderna executive has said: vaccines for cancer, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases will be ready by 2030.
Biden administration weighing cutting milk from WIC reimbursements for poor families
Ports Of Los Angeles And Long Beach Close Due To Widespread Worker Shortages
Terrorism level raised to severe in northern Ireland – ahead of Pres. Biden’s visit
Golfer John Rahm of Spain wins the Masters
Mike Pompeo says he has decided not to run for President
“Super Mario Bros.” hauls in $204M domestically, $377M globally over Easter weekend, the best opening global box office debut ever for an animated film
New York City has 130,000 places for 3- and 4-year-olds in its pre-K and 3-K programs, but only 100,000 students. 30K spots are empty, and several areas with the highest rates of vacant seats are among the city’s poorest, among them Brownsville, Brooklyn; East Harlem; and several neighborhoods in the southwest Bronx.
At least six people have died following an avalanche in the French Alps
Minnesota law now guarantees free breakfast and lunch for all students in the state, regardless of how much money their parents make.
Tupperware says it may go out of business
Pres. Biden will look to social media influencers to boost votes in his next campaign
Whole Foods closes San Francisco store due to rampant crime, drugs – says to “ensure the safety” of its employees
Granger Smith, a country music star says he is dropping out of music and going towards a faith based life and career – he wll go into the seminary
Chinese professionals are quitting high level positions for manual jobs in record numbers – offering time for family, creativity, and less stress
NRA convention underway, noting importance of keeping citizens rights to own guns, extending rights across state lines, and calling for a fast-tracked death penalty for mass shooters
Virtual veterinary/pet visits are becoming more popular
FBI now warning about using public charging stations – better to use your own charger.
Survey shows 50% of Americans may want to buy an electric cars
Germany to shut final three nuclear power plants as concern over green energy targets grows
Portland, Maine is asking residents to take in homeless now living in tents
Italy declares state of emergency over influx of immigrants
Puerto Rico declares state of emergency over coastal erosion
In NYC, Uber is working to help people get e-bikes off the streets due to the battery fire situation
NYC has hired its first Rat Czar to clean up the rat problem in the city
21-year-old who shared highly classified documents on the internet arrested in No. Dighton, MA
Florida puts 6-week limit into law for use of abortion pill
Mitch McConnell to return to Congress next week after extended recovery
Diane Feinstein (CA) wants a fill-in appointed to her committees while she recovers from shingles
US govt workers told they must substantially increase their time in the office – particularly those working in the DC
Budweiser is saying it did not know the marketing direction the Bud Light division was taking with promotion with the trans YouTube star
JP Morgan Chase says bankers must work 5 days a week in the office
California wants to ban the use of K9s because they could bite criminals
Just over 50 million adults in the U.S. were living with chronic pain in 2016. In 2021, that became 1 in 5 Americans – with 1 in 14 living in high-impact pain, restricting daily activities. Studies have linked such pain to depression, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, higher suicide risk, and substance use and misuse.
Kevin O’Leary says NYC is not invest-able – he is going to move all his companies out because of safety – savings on taxes – etc – “I wouldn’t ask anybody to live there or work there” – no go states: New York, Massachusetts (punitive taxes), New Jersey, and California.
Supreme Court temporarily restores full access to abortion medication
France age increase for retirement pensions held up by courts – protests take place and a major protest planned for May 1st. Unions plan to continue their protest – all while Pres. Macron signs changes into law.
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PASSINGS
Richard Bornstein, 73, RI philanthropist
Al Jaffe, 102, Mad Magazine chief cartoonist
Mary Quant, 93, fashion designer known for 60s fashion
Mimi Sheraton, 93, NYT Food Critic