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In the news… for Feb. 5, 2023
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Cranston St. Armory is set for development once its use as a homeless shelter is done in April
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has removed Representative Charlene M. Lima as deputy speaker and taken her parking space away
The Rev. Donnie Anderson, a transgender woman, has been elected chairwoman of the Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus
27,000 cases are eligible in Rhode Island for criminal expungement where possession of marijuana was the one and only charge
Approx. 4,000 season tickets have been sold to soccer at Tidewater Landing
BHDDH director Richard Charest up for reappointment
On March 2nd, Kellyanne Conway will speak for the RI Republican party in Warwick
RI Veteran Empowerment Day will be held on Sat, Feb. 11th at the Wyndham Newport Hotel
John Fernandez named new Lifespan President/CEO
Johnston’s Joe Mazzula picked as coach of the NBA Allstar game
Vice Principal of Mt. Pleasant HS was suspended with pay while an investigation takes place about the fundraising email she sent out to raise funds to pay a student’s “coyote”
Cyberattack at Nantucket school department – students were released early and school was closed for a day
CommerceRI grants and innovation grants have been made to support these businesses: Avocet LLC, Xmark Labs, Flux Marine, A-Team Coastal (d/b/a Rhody Wild Sea Gardens), Fulford Manufacturing Co, Town Made, Hope & Main, Social Enterprise Greenhouse, Olneyville Housing Corp, and DESIGNxRI.
Gov. McKee became a grandfather with the birth of his son and daughter-in-law’s first baby, Mabel James McKee who was 7 lbs. 13 oz. James is the Governor’s and his father’s middle name.
A 35-year old Providence woman was shot and killed when she, as a landlord, tried to enter the 3rd floor apartment of her tenant to evict him. She was with others, one of who kicked open the door, and the person in the apartment shot her with a ghost gun. He said he believed he was defending himself against intruders.
Plans are underway to put apartments in the Emerald Square Mall, where Sears used to be.
Hero payments for essential workers have begun to be paid out in Connecticut
Bob Kraft said he will “do everything in his power” to bring Tom Brady back to play and retire from the New England Patriots
Providence’s orange giving meters cost $8,000 more to install than they generated in donations over a five-year period between 2017 and 2022 (per Boston Globe)
Mayflower Wind has changed its name to SouthCoast Wind Energy
Pawtucket Central Falls Train Station – update: On the first day of service on January 23, they had approximately 150 boardings. By Thursday of last week that increased to about 400 boardings. Numbers are expected to continue to increase and at the end of this week when the new MBTA monthly passes are issued for Pawtucket-Central Falls station. The 200-car parking lot is also trending to capacity. We expect that this construction season, we will be expanding the parking lot to double the current capacity.
To reduce a backlog, the RI DHS offices will close to outside contact for citizens on “Processing Wednesdays” so staff can work on their processing without interruption.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
FedEx to cut 10% of its management
A cyberattack closed the Suicide 988 system for one day
Many CVS stores will cut hours of their pharmacies in March
Supreme Court document leaks have happened before – ahead of the abortion ruling leak – both inserting them in emails, or documents getting out of secure procedure areas
May 11th will be the day the emergency of COVID will be declared over by Pres. Biden – going forward it will be treated as we do the flu
A bill in Maryland incentivizes employers to try a 4-day work week
Wildfires in Chile have burned 100,000 acres with 20 dead
The bankruptcy court has rejected appeals from Johnson & Johnson over talc settlements
CNN will air Bill Maher comedy in their 9pm hour as their ratings plummet to all new lows in the past 9 years
FedEx warning of shipping delivery delays due to nationwide weather issues
Dr. Phil will end his show – has a new venture coming up in prime time
Former Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey announces he will run for President as a Republican
Bed Bath & Beyond will close 87 more stores – none in RI – 5 of the stores to close are Buy Buy Baby stores.
North Korea is warning the US that it is creating a huge dangerous arsenal in the area
Rep. Ilman Omar was removed from the Foreign Relations Committee of the House, by vote
New Jersey Republican Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour assassinated outside her home.
Attorneys General in over 24 conservative states have warned CVS and Walgreens about selling abortion pills to the public
China buying private/parochial schools in NY, FL and elsewhere – putting Confucius Institutes in elementary and high schools with ROTC programs, as universities have disallowed the institutes on their campuses
Chinese spy balloon flying over western US – US officials are aware and decided not to shoot it down due to potential civilian casualties, though it has been seen over extreme rural America. On Saturday when it entered water areas off the coast of North Carolina, fighter jets shot it down and are now trying to recover the equipment. China has said we over-reacted to their meteorological balloon and they will retaliate.
A Brazilian aircraft carrier is being towed in circles as no one will take it for decommissioning because of the amount of asbestos it contains – attempts to sink it are being opposed
ATF inspectors have repeatedly raided the Littleton, MA gun dealers club
Wind chill reached -104° F on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, becoming the coldest ever recorded in the United States
50% of workers who left the office to work remotely have returned to the office
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PASSINGS
Bobby Hull, 84, hockey star
Carol Sloane, 85, jazz singer, of Smithfield, RI
Cindy Williams, 75, actress famous for Laverne & Shirley