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In the news… for February 24, 2024
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Bill signed into law permanently allows outdoor dining at restaurants
The Newport Restaurant Group sold the Newport International Boat to South Florida Ventures.
Fidelity & Deutsche Bank will require employees to work 2 weeks out of every 4 in the office
Principal of Shea HS, Gavin Adams, leaving – Pawtucket is recruiting
FEMA has declined applications for disaster money for Bristol County – Bristol, Barrington, & Warren
RI Day of Portugal will be held on June 8th and 9th and moved to downtown Providence’s District Park, at the pedestrian bridge
Pawtucket Bus/Train Shelter construction is to begin this to begin this year and completed at the end of 9025 or early2006. Nothing further available on a start date so if interested call RIPTA. Doesn’t appear to be a high priority, so the more calls the better.
Online casino gaming will go live in Rhode Island next month.
Local bill requiring employers to pay employees weekly is working its way through the RI legislature
A Valentine’s Day fun “rate the best chocolate” at the RI State House produced a winner: Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Caramel won a decisive victory this Valentine’s Day.
NY System wiener restaurant on Smith St, Prov. is having financial problems, owner says 6 months or less to closing
Brockton school committee and others want the state to call in the National Guard due to how difficult the students have become – saying parents, teachers and staff are afraid of them. So far the city and governor have opposed this request
Mt. St. Charles will transition into a “prep school” model for all its sports
Norovirus spreading across Rhode Island
Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy resting at home after heart surgery
Massachusetts tosses out 40% of DCF neglect charges
Six correctional officers were assaulted at the ACI over the weekend.
Japanese food market – Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli – to open in Providence
A Latina-led and Chelsea-based social services organization that aids Latinx immigrants — is opening a new day shelter today to provide space, meals and other services for up to 200 families and individuals during business hours on weekdays. United Way of Massachusetts Bay administered state grant funds to support the shelter, and La Colaborativa plans to provide transportation for families staying at Cambridge’s overnight-only overflow shelter.
Delta will offer direct flights between Boston and Honolulu starting next winter
Matthew Slater announced his retirement from the New England Patriots
Teacher resignations in Providence have more than doubled in the past five years
Governor Maura Healey said she wants Steward Health Care out of the hospital business in Massachusetts, telling the for-profit it must transfer its facilities to other operators.
Central Falls newly renovated Pierce Park, with a new little league baseball field and basketball court has opened
Rhode Islanders and nonresidents holding standard fishing licenses, multipurpose licenses, shellfish over 65 licenses, and nonresident standard licenses that their renewals are due by close of business on Thursday, Feb. 29.
Narragansett Beach road parking will have signs this year which means tickets can be given out for exceeding the 3-hour limit
Lighthouse Hotel in Galilee being demolished and will be a maintained and landscaped area – the RI DEM will decide its next purpose.
RIPTA has raised its starting rates from $21.71 per hour to $25.33 per hour.
IRS offices in Providence will be open 9am to 4pm TODAY, Saturday – no appointments needed. The IRS Center in Warwick is open 8:30 to 4:30, closed 1:30 to 2:30, week days. To make an appt. call 844-545-5640.
Electric Boat will hire 1,900 at RI shipyard
Report on the I-195 Bridge released with results showing serious repairs must be made or more likely the bridge will need to come down and be built.
Erosion in Nantucket will probably cause the sewage treatment plant to be rebuilt
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
US vetoes NATO resolution demanding an immediate cease fire by Israel
Jeff Riley, Massachusetts Education Commissioner, steps down
Egypt is building a wall between it and Gaza
National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre will need to repay $4.4M in misspent funds used from the nonprofit organization for personal use.
Measles outbreak took place in Florida in Broward County – said to be due to international travelers and religious exemption from immunizations
The IRS will be giving a tighter review of corporate jet use
Tiger Woods has started his own athletic line, available May 1st: https://www.sundayred.com
Pres. Trump has started his own sneaker line: https://gettrumpsneakers.com/ – gold sneakers he debuted at Sneaker Con, selling 1,000 pre-orders in hours – now sold out ($399K) – but with other items available
Southwest Airlines will begin a makeover of their cabin seats, device holders, even new uniforms for staff
Manchin says he has decided not to run for President
Smoking fentanyl surpasses injections as cause of overdoses
National shortage of substitute teachers
Top universities, such as Yale, have gone back to requiring SATs
Ukraine nuclear power plant is a severe threat to the planet if it were to lose power, be attacked, etc.
William Byron won the Daytona 500, his first time winning
Russia is detaining a Russian-US dual resident who studied ballet in Maryland and worked in LA, but went to Russia to see family – the crime was raising funds for Ukraine
Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children and that a person can be held liable for destroying them. Reproductive rights advocates say the case could have implications for fertility treatments such as IVF.
Commander, president’s dog that bites, has bitten over 25 secret service agents
Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia
First moon landing in 50 years – Odysseus – was made by a private company
500 sanctions have been imposed against Russia by US
Giant Anaconda – 20 feet long – discovered while a film crew was
VICE will cease publication
Republican primary is being held TODAY in So. Carolina. Former President Trump is expected to win handily over former SC Governor Nikki Haley
Research on people’s streaming behavior showed that old shows were the most watched, particularly classics
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PASSINGS
Dr. Anthony Epstein, 102, founder of Epstein-Barr researcher
Julia Lieblich, 65, suicide, a journalist who wrote about torture and death, and suffered from bi-polar disease
RI Senator Frank Lombardo, 65, of cancer, of Johnston
Arthur Robbins, 65, entrepreneur, who worked with many nonprofits
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