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In The News… for November 25, 2023
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Legend Bike Shop on Wickenden St will close in early December – the 2nd bike shop to close in the past few months – the other was on Hope St.
John “J.R.” Pagliarini is the new Manager of Business Development at United Way
21 states now require teaching cursive writing. Rhode Island is NOT one. Only state in New England requiring it is Massachsuetts.
Maven’s Delicatessan, a Jewish delicacy deli will open on Nov. 27th in Pawtucket
Spurwink School closed early for Thanksgiving due to COVID concerns
Mt. St. Charles withdraws from RI Interscholastic League – they will join the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council
The Washington Trust Company was named one of the nation’s Best Banks to Work For by American Banker magazine.
Chuck E Cheese in Warwick will remove animatronic characters and depend more on digital images and projections – in alliance with stores all around US
Pawtucket City Hall tower is falling down – staff will need to be moved out of the building because of mold caused from water leaks; could be a $22 Million fix – building may be sold
First Student and Providence Public Schools deploy first Electric School Buses
Stadium Fish & Chips in Cranston is closing
Bryant Da Cruz, a former South Kingstown councilman, to a long-open seat on the RI Ethics Commission.
John Ward elected the new president of the Woonsocket City Council
Rhode Island Commerce announced visitor volume in 2022 grew 5.4% to a record 27.7 million people, per Tourism Economics, one year after the state recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Citizens Bank to close its wholesale mortgage lending division.
Five years after Northampton’s mayor made the first legal recreational cannabis purchase in 2018, 16 licenses have been returned and many businesses are sitting idle.
Pro-Palestinian protestors shut down the Providence Place Mall after walking over from the RI State House with a Friday protest to stop shopping. Security and police blocked the entrances so protestors could not get in.
Anti-Israel protestors blocked people from peacefully shopping at the Providence Place Mall, after holding a rally at the RI State House. Police prevented them from entering the building. No one was arrested or forced to move – there is an open field directly across from the mall.
Rep. Gabe Amo takes his first vote, and controversially votes “no” on defunding schools allowing anti-Semitic activity on campus.
The new Henderson Bridge roundabout in Providence is causing serious confusion with people not knowing how to drive it – RIDOT is responding with a promise of new signage.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONALLY
Amazon laying off hundreds in Alexa division
Le Bernardin, in NYC named Best Restaurant in the World by La Liste for 2024
Booths, a small chain that has sold groceries in northern England since 1847, has announced it will eliminate self-checkouts in all but two of its 28 stores, bringing back staff.
Napolean Bonaparte’s hat sold for $1.6Million at auction
Taylor Swift’s Brazil concerts marred by now 2 deaths – one from heat, one stabbed on a beach – as well as muggings and vandalism
Biden for president ads will air during the SuperBowl game
Federal appeals court ruled that private individuals and groups such as the NAACP do not have the ability to sue on voting cases under a key section of the federal Voting Rights Act
Ford moves ahead with construction of EV batteries, but cuts new job demands by 30% and production by 40% – responding to lack of interest and capability to purchase EV autos.
Ultimate goal of government on transportation, after EV projections have been fraught with problems, are mass transit, subways, buses, etc.
Hostages taken from Israel – deal structured to release 50 over a 4-day truce. Deal includes release of 120 Hamas hostages
The explosion of a car crossing the US-Canada border at Niagara Falls was first called terrorism, and now a terrible accident involving a local couple from New York. The couple were driving a Bentley going to a KISS concert in Canada and had been having problems with the gas pedal in days prior.
Gun ownership has risen 10 percentage points from 42% to 52% in 10 years
40% of Americans say they are afraid to walk alone at night. 1/3 are afraid to drive in their community
As many as 30 US House of Representatives members could be leaving after their terms expire, saying that “congress is broken”
Oscar Pistorius to be granted parole from January, nearly 11 years after murdering girlfriend
Derek Chauvin, killer of George Floyd, was stabbed in prison – serious injury, but recovering
World’s biggest iceberg – twice the size of London, is moving off Antarctica, first time in 30 years, about 3 miles a day
Anti-Israel protestors attempted to disrupt the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, tried to glue themselves to the road – parade went on and protestors were removed
Univ. of Michigan will hold a student vote on the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), effectively separating students into pro-Hamas and anti-Hamas.
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PASSINGS
Rosalynn Carter, 96, former first lady and wife of President Jimmy Carter, of dementia
Suzanne Shepherd, 89, actress from Soprano’s and Goodfella’s