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In the news… for December 10, 2022
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Cellar Stories bookstore will close in Providence
Residents of Rhode Island have an additional 24 months to obtain their REAL IDs, a document that will be necessary to board domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings, after the Department of Homeland Security on Monday extended the enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025.
Fane tower has been redesigned, with 2 floors of parking eliminated and 4 floors of residences added – it will not be until spring for approval/disapproval
Wayland, MA police chief fired after several inappropriate relationships, one as far back as 2003, with a subordinate he supervised
Lisa Baldelli Hunt sworn in – again – as Mayor of Woonsocket
Some RI nursing homes seeing spike in Covid among patients and staff
Alana Cerrone will not be returning in a communications role with the Governor’s office
Swansea Police will be doing compliance tests of liquor stores
Deborah L. Perry, after 24 years, will step down from the role as President and CEO effective July 31, 2023.
Another NEON Marketplace has opened – this one in Providence
A group of undergraduate computer science teaching assistants have announced their intentions to form a union, at Brown University
New Bedford has revived its free smoke alarm program where individuals can call their fire department and get free smoke alarms with installation by a fire department professional.
Special agents and officers with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Rhode Island arrested William B. Cotton, 53, of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the United States Court for the District of Columbia. He was taken into custody without incident and is charged with the following: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building or Grounds, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing. This is the 3rd person arrested from RI.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising the public of a recent data breach of protected health information. Between July 28, 2022, and October 20, 2022, a link to a spreadsheet was accidentally included in emails sent by RIDOH staff. The file contained information about people receiving food box deliveries while in COVID-19 isolation or quarantine. This file contained information for approximately 8,800 people. The people listed in this spreadsheet are being notified directly of this breach through postal mail. Anyone who was impacted by this breach will receive a letter from RIDOH by December 20. To RIDOH’s knowledge, this file was inadvertently emailed to 46 people, all of whom were on the list to receive food box services. RIDOH is not aware, at this time, of any security concerns related to this breach. No medical information or financial information was included in the breach.
405 Rhode Islanders are living outside, including 57 households with children, according to Karen Jeffreys with Horizon Healthcare Partners, with approx. 80 encampments around RI
Breeze Airlines will be re-adding flights from T. F. Green to LA in 2023
The homeless living on the grounds of the RI State House were served with eviction notification and must leave by Friday morning at 9am – they were promised a bed and transportation and storage if they need it. Couples would be split up as men-only shelters are available and women would go to another shelter/hotel room. At least 4 men left immediate for Emmanuel House, which is run by the Diocese of Providence.
A carpenter at Eleanor Slater Hospital was arrested due to possession of a ghost gun
2 hotels destined for conversion into homeless shelters are meeting with community opposition
Providence Mayor-elect Brett Smiley said about reparations for the black and Indigenous communities that “whatever comes next is likely going to need to come from philanthropy and state or federal government and maybe the corporate community. I don’t expect and certainly am not committing any additional city funds to that effort.” Smiley on bike lanes: The bike lanes stuff is complicated, and, for me, it is a priority to make sure we listen to the voices of the impacted entities, both residents and businesses, and be willing to not go forward if that’s not what they want.
Lifespan will close their RI Hospital Surgery Center in Wayland Square on the East Side of Providence in January as the not-for-profit corporation works to cut costs. About 20 employees will lose their jobs, but can apply for other positions at the hospital.
Nantucket has approved ordinance where anyone can go topless on their beaches.
In the city of Boston, drug programs are giving out free pipes to addicts
Michaela Johnson leaving WPRI’s Rhode Show
Kait Walsh be the morning anchor on WPRI
In Boston homeless families come into Boston Medical Center seeking shelter at night after the state’s intake center in Nubian Square has closed
More Rhode Islanders are turning over their pets to rescue groups due to lack of funds to care for them
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
LA county has 75% spike in COVID, rise in deaths
Canine influenza can spread quickly through shelters, kennels and day care facilities, although most dogs will recover on their own
Moira Walsh, who was voted out as a Providence representative, and started a podcast with a friend, Jen, announced the end of her podcast.
States with new gun laws rolling out are seeing gun purchase surges
NPR has had deep cuts and layoffs – 137 layoffs, 11% of workforce
Gannett lays off 200 more
CNN laid off approx. 400 news staffers
Fox News ends paid contributor relationship with Lara Trump
New York Supreme Court reinstates all state employees terminated for being unvaccinated, and requires back pay
1,000 NYT writers are threatening a walk-out
Paul Pelosi made his first public appearance with Nancy Pelosi at the Kennedy Honors event – wearing a hat, and glove on one hand
North Carolina had a targeted attack on 2 power stations
Disney will permanently close Splash Mountain because of its portrayal of plantation life
China has new COVID guidelines allowing people to quarantine in their own homes, in response to no mass lockdowns of neighborhoods, reduce mass testing, accelerate vaccinations for elderly where 2/3 of people over 80 are vaccinated.
Governor’s inauguration will be at the Convention Center and not the RI State House
AOC is under federal ethics investigation
Time’s Person of the Year was announced – Zelenskyy of Ukraine
25 were arrested in Germany in a potential plot to overthrow the government
Warnock wins over Herschel in Georgia
Peru’s president is ousted from office
NYT writers go on strike
The governor of Texas just banned Tik-Tok on all state issued devices.
Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic party and is now an independent
Celine Dion announced she is suffering from Stiff Body Syndrome, a rare neurological disease and will not be performing
Google merges Maps & Waze teams, says apps will remain separate
US sending Ukraine $275M more
US Soccer journalist Greg Wahl dies while covering games in Qatar
The Twitter Files drop for 3 installments have been released on Twitter by Elon Musk detailing a coordinated effort to squelch and respond to requests to block messages during the 2020 campaign.
Iran executed Mohsen Shekari, a demonstrator and has warned that other protesters will be executed in an attempt to end protests around the country.
LA county anticipates enforcing an indoor mandatory mask wearing policy in the next 2 weeks as the tripledemic increases
Medical experts are advising people test themselves for COVID before going to family events and stay home if they have cold symptoms.
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PASSINGS
Kirstie Allie, 71, of cancer
Greg Wahl, 49, soccer journalist, cardiac episode while covering soccer tournament in Qatar