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In the news… for November 18, 2023
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
James Fanale, past-CEO of Care New England has stage 4 lung cancer
The Stellantis plant in Mansfield that will be closed will merge into one in Hudson Valley, NY
Pawtucket Public Library is undergoing extensive repairs and renovations – it is hoped it will remain open throughout
LeBaron Hills golf course in MA will be sold at auction
Gabe Amo will be sworn in at 6:30 on Nov. 13th on the US House of Representatives floor
Wayfinder maps have been mounted and installed along Newport’s Cliff Walk
The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology will relocate from its Bristol site to 1 Davol Square in Providence’s Jewelry District in fall 2025
Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC)’s permanent Boston location, opening 2024. Located in Boston Seaport, Museum of Ice Cream Boston will take inspiration from the history and energy of its surroundings to create an inclusive and interactive environment dedicated to all things ice cream.
Over 4,000 Scouts took part in the 36th annual Scouting for Food drive, collecting over 75 tons of food across Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Connecticut, on November 4th.
Monster Jam® returns to Gillette Stadium on April 20, 2024.
Vineyard Wind, constructing the “largest turbines in the western world” off of Nantucket, made its first mitigation payment of $2.53 million to the town to be administered by the Nantucket Community Foundation.
The Rhode Island Foundation partnering with Trinity Rep and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank for a spirit of giving going into the holiday season, matching every donation the public makes to the theater during its 2023 run of “A Christmas Carol” with an equal grant to the Food Bank, up to a total of $60,000.
The 44th edition of the US Golf Association championship will be hosted for the first time at Newport Country Club, on June 27-30, 2024.
Massachusetts will start hosting work authorization clinics and English classes for migrants staying in emergency shelters this week.
Second phase of construction rehabilitating the Allens Avenue sewer gates, a critical part of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, is underway. It is part of a $3M ARPA investment to rehabilitate the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier levee system.
Jewish groups that had planned a Sunday march in Boston in support of hostages held by Hamas postponed the demonstration. Organizers made the call after public safety officials expressed concern about the planned event’s proximity to a scheduled march in support of Palestinians.
More than a year after scrapping a controversial building proposal in the Jewelry District, Pebb Capital is set to present plans for constructing an apartment complex in the same location
Bryant University men’s hoops coach Grasso resigns
Cape Cod residents say ‘no’ to running electrical lines under beaches from wind farms offshore
A Cranston cardiologist, Dr. Malcolm Kirk, has been reprimanded for performing an operation after he tested positive for COVID-19. He will pay $1,100 in administrative fees after he admitted to The Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline in May that he conducted the surgery on Jan. 12
Acting Mayor of Woonsocket, Chris Beauchamp, has fired the city’s Finance Director
Medicaid renewals for households with children in RI will restart on December 1. The Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), in partnership with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and HealthSource RI (HSRI).
Soccer stadium may be built for The Revolution in Everett, MA
“Topping-off” ceremony of the state’s first offshore wind safety training center at the CCRI Flanagan Campus in Lincoln.
Starbucks workers in RI will attempt to unionize
North Andover raised the Palestinian flag after flying the Israel flag for 30 days – the town will change the rules following this flag flying
Saint, on Federal Hill, is closed down after a fight and stabbing.
RIDOT will have two vehicles patrol all of I-195 in Rhode Island and I-95 from the Massachusetts state line in Pawtucket to the Airport Connector in Warwick during peak travel times in the morning and evening, Monday through Friday to assist motorists who may need it
To address day care worker shortage in MA, the Y has launched a $500,000 apprenticeship program that aims to train 45 teachers a year. They get free schooling, earn $19 an hour (starting wage for assistant teachers) during the 9-month program. They also get benefits, discounted daycare and a free Y membership. Staff salaries will increase from $46,500 to $55,700.
Salem Hospital patients may have been exposed to HIV and Hepatitis due to bad IV practice. Risk should be low.
Henry’s Tree Farm opening on Nov. 17th – but NO Tree Tagging this year
Holiday lights at RWP open from 11/24 to 12/31
The commission formed to redesign the MA logo and slogan was disbanded without work
Pawtucket’s old ash landfill at the city’s waste transfer station, 240 Grotto Ave., will cleaned up, capped and closed
A report of active drug use in a Woonsocket homeless encampment beneath the Clinton Street trestle bridge led to the arrest of five people Sunday on narcotics and other charges.
The Pawtucket Soup Kitchen will host Thanksgiving and Christmas Day meals for those in need.
City of Providence will not re-do Kennedy plaza and adding bike lanes everywhere. Will fix sidewalks and dangerous walkways and create affordable housing fund
No McRib sandwiches coming back to Rhode Island.
Elizabeth Beretta-Perik named chair of the RI Democratic committee
Soloviev Group wants to give $40M to renovate McCoy Stadium which would be part of the high school development – no word from city yet
Massachusetts may ban logos and images of indigenous people for their public school sports teams
A cannabis worker in MA died of an asthma condition – working with cannabis can be dangerous to those with a tendency to asthma-like breathing problems.
Efforts continue to rename Feneuil Hall, named after a slave owner.
Nantucket is installing 150 Christmas trees and Pres. Biden’s planes and cars are landing in preparation for their traditional Thanksgiving visit with the entire Biden family.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is being redone. When the new form comes out before Dec. 31, it will include updates to student aid calculations that will make 2,859 more Rhode Island students from low-income backgrounds eligible for Pell grants. Another 6,096 Rhode Islanders will qualify to receive the maximum Pell grant award of $7,395 (per RI Current).
Christmas in Newport on Long Wharf starts early, Saturday, November 25 at 4 pm. This free community event features visits with Santa, and kids’ crafts, music, and a tree lighting. Details: www.ChristmasInNewport.org.
A man was shot, with non-life threatening injuries, outside the Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence. Not known if this was a hate crime or personal.
One of the Battleship Cove ships, the German corvette Hiddensee, was removed and is being scrapped. Funds from that process will help to preserve the other ships. The CEO of the Cove has also resigned for a new position elsewhere.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Pope forcibly removes leading US conservative, Texas bishop Joseph Strickland, who has been critical of the papacy
Largest discovery of brand name “knock-off” heist in NYC
Named loneliness ambassador for NYC – Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Columbia Univ suspends anti-Jewish service orgs, Studennts for Justice in Palestine and jewish Voice for Peace
Acapulco is overwhelmed with piles of garbage as they clean up after Hurricane Otis
Chef Gordon Ramsay and wife welcome their 6th child – they now have 3 boys and 3 girls
Mt. Etna in Italy has erupted again
COVID new variant HV.1 now prevalent – called the grandchild of Omicron
Tim Warren, (R) has withdrawn from the Presidential race
President Biden met with Chinese President XI in California
LA route 10 closed indefinitely while rebuilding takes place following a fire among homeless possessions underneath the ramp – 3 to 5 weeks to repair
Senator from Oklahoma, who is also a former MMA fighter, challenged the head of a labor union who was testifying in a hearing to a fight, live on the Senate floor. Sen. Bernie Sanders intervened.
House votes to prevent government shutdown with temporary measures by bipartisan vote
Chicago legislature gives $160M to winter housing/heat for homeless
Alaska rushing to find temporary emergency housing for the homeless after 3 feet of snow
QAnon Shamin who served over 2 years in prison for Jan 6th incident is going to run for Congress from Arizona, as a Libertarian
Amazon is looking at selling cars online – buyers would pick them up in a car dealer
Jill Stein, who ran for President years ago, has filed to enter the race, with the Green Party
Mayor Adams cooperating in an investigation into a building owned by the Turkish government being given special occupancy permitting that could be tied to campaign contribution bundling and straw donations that may have been paid back to Turkish contributors. A mistrial for the police officer charged with shooting Breonna Taylor was called.
NYC built a massive tent city for its migrant population, but they are mostly walking away from it – some with families and children already in schools in another area of NY, others turning away from the arrangements, having come from hotels.
Volcanos in Iceland, Italy, Japan, Philippines and Russia are all having activity. This week, Mexico began. Yellowstone is on a watch list.
SCOTUS has adopted and signed a Code of Conduct
Between 200,000 and 290,000 Jewish people and supporters marched on Washington on Tuesday, one of the largest on the mall
Harassment, assaults etc. on Jewish people have risen by 400%
Chicago business owners say the new local law saying they must grant 10 paid days off per year for families with children will be the last straw for their businesses
Palestinian supportive protests outside the DC headquarters of the Democratic party turned violent, 6 Capitol police injured.
Toys R Us opening at the Mall of America. Hoping to open in other malls.
Donald Trump’s gag order found to be unconstitutional – he’s free to speak publicly, for now
2 Israeli hostages found dead outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza
LA freeway damaged and closed by fire should reopen by Tuesday
Former 1st lady, Roslyn Carter, 96, diagnosed with dementia, goes into hospice care at the Carter home
Stacey Abrams brother arrested for human trafficking
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PASSINGS
Dex Carvey, 32, son of Dana Carvey, of accidental overdose
Sanford Kirshenbaum, 89, well known RI attorney and founder of law firm
Dave Stenhouse, 90, RI former MLB player
Maryanne Trump, 86, Donald Trump’s oldest sister