In the News… quick recap of news of the week – Dec. 27, 2025

Here is a quick recap of news of the week!  Hope it helps you to catch up at such a busy time.

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

NOTE:  4 inches or so of snow is expected from Friday night into Saturday with a second round on Sunday night – parking bans in effect in several RI cities/towns 

On Nantucket, vandals cut the lights on the Christmas tree prior to its ceremonial lighting – the lights were replaced just in time

Baby Jesus statue was found in Taunton after being taken from local creche scene

Coyotes have attacked 2 dogs in their own backyards – people are warned not to leave their dogs out for any length of time – and to take in their trash, etc.

Citizens extends Brown Health $50M line of credit

CVS asks RI Judge to throw out PBM-GoodRx case

Providence Police urging RI colleges to share security cameras with them. Only Johnson & Wales does so now.  RISD and Brown reviewing campus safety plans, saying privacy issues raised by RI ACLU remain a key issue.  RIC weighing options.

Circle Furniture suddenly closed – with stores in MA and NH

Angelica Infante-Green is being considered to lead the largest school system in US –

RI federal judge Mary McElroy blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to reallocate federal Homeland Security funding away from states that refuse to cooperate with certain federal immigration enforcement.

New Bishop of Providence, Lewandowski, led prayers at Wyatt Detention Center

David Ciccilline’s salary is approx. $840K, as reported by a media outlet. Ciccilline is head of the Rhode Island Foundation

Club Wyndham Newport Overlook owners association files for bankruptcy

Fire Cantina Grill, opening in the former Roast House Restaurant in Pawtucket

Manton Ave. abandoned building factory fire – a person trapped, evacuated, and in serious condition

The story of Cranston Democratic committee chair and former candidate for Cranston Mayor, Maria Bucci, being arrested for DUI in East Greenwich, and her interactions with police have gone viral – including: Blaze, TMZ, FOX News, CNN, New York Post, and social media. Calls for her resignation from her positions, which include 1st VP for the state’s Democratic Committee

A media outlet reports that David Ciccilline, head of the Rhode Island Foundation makes $70K/mo – or approx. $840,000/yr

Banana Republic leaving Providence Place

ACI guards issue complaints about prison safety against leadership of RIDOC Director

Town of Foster council person, Heidi Rogers, will pay a $1000 fine for helping her husband keep a job in town in public works

All states in New England – except Vermont – are said by Moody’s to be at or near recession

Lake Mishnock Fire Dept. fire station siren returns, going off on a regular schedule – some neighbors welcome it, others do not

The owners and operators of David Burke Prime, a steakhouse at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, have filed a $10 million federal lawsuit against The Preserve for “damaging their business by “deliberate and malicious interference” when it used the celebrity chef’s name on its own restaurant. 

A Rhode Island Capitol Police recruit has died, no other information is known at this time

The pilot flying and radioing Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, describing a small, silver cylinder hovering near the wing of his aircraft, saying it appeared to be standing still, was flying off the coast of Rhode Island

In a PAGE SIX article on the Brown University shooting, writer said, “Your average Walmart has roughly four times the camera density trained on its toothpaste than Brown has protecting its students.”

Rhode Island will require annual human‑trafficking awareness training for hotel staff and short‑term rental operators and others in the hospitality industry, starting Jan. 1, resulting from a new RI law

Rhode Island has the most expensive monthly utility costs in New England with residents paying an average of $579 a month (PBN)

Newport Creamery in Garden City closes on Sunday, Dec. 28th. after WS Development, owner of the shopping center ends their lease effective 12/26 – then tells them to be out in 30 days, in 2025, because of a loophole in their lease saying they can do so if they recruit an “anchor store” for the area – thought to be an Apple store.

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Bristol Myers to provide their #1 prescribed drug, Eliquis, free to all Medicaid insureds

Called Civilization Suicide: Australia, France, and Germany have all cancelled their New Year’s Celebrations, and some their Christmas events, because they say they can NO LONGER keep their citizens safe from Radical Islamic Terrorism.

Australia to begin a new gun buy back program in response to the anti-Semitic terrorist attack on Jews on Bondi beach – notably there are more guns in Australia now since the last buyback

Florida is hiring 500 new correctional officers & increasing their starting pay from $22 to $28 dollars an hour.

Putin says the war will end when Ukraine “subjugates” itself to Russia. This is not a hopeful statement.

Second oil tanker was seized in international waters

Michaela Benthaus, a wheelchair-using engineer and disability advocate, joined a milestone Blue Origin flight that delivered minutes of weightlessness

Medicare-negotiated price cuts will apply to 10 drugs prescribed to treat cancer, heart disease, autoimmune conditions and diabetes. The drugs are Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara and NovoLog. Medicare enrollees will save an average of more than 50% on out-of-pocket costs for these drugs under their insurance plans

Over 30 US diplomatic ambassadors have been removed

Coach Ed Cooley suspended – for one game – after he flung a waterbottle and it hit a child in the audience

Jim Beam will halt production of Bourbon for all of next year in Kentucky

CVS Health predicts a successful 2026 after laying the groundwork in 2025

Arnold Schwarzenegger says when a president is elected by the people, we all must get behind that person, because if he succeeds, America succeeds, we all succeed.

Gold is at its highest price ever

Savannah Guthrie will take time off from NBC as she undergoes throat surgery in early 2026 to remove vocal nodules and a polyp

Turkey being replaced by beef and chicken, more, for Christmas in Europe

Google and Apple employees on visas are advised not to travel outside of US

Barry Manilow announced he has a small cancerous spot on his lung, which is believed to be contained, that will be removed with surgery – no radiation or chemo expected.

Wegovy approved in pill form

Kansas City Chiefs moving from Missouri to a new stadium in Kansas

SCOTUS blocks deployment of National Guard to Chicago saying high crime rates are not enough for regular chaos issues – LA was violent protests in the streets – DC was due to president being authority in DC. All this changes if govt requests the president to deploy Guard. Means you may have to first call a branch of the military out – if they fail, then the Guard

Huge Data Centers are expected to consume 12% of nation’s energy in the next 2 years

54% of companies are using AI in the creation of their ads – a major transition

Japan will soon open a nuclear power plant, 15 years after the disastrous plant meltdown

Louvre installed more security in theft area

President Trump participated in calls with Santa on Christmas Eve

1 million more documents having to do with Epstein found

CVS sues Bausch, Teva in RI District Court – Bausch Health (BHC.TO), opens new tab and Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA.TA), opens new tab were sued on Monday for allegedly conspiring to delay sales of a generic version of Bausch’s blockbuster diarrhea drug Xifaxan, causing buyers to pay inflated prices.The proposed class action, opens new tab filed in Rhode Island federal court by the Rhode Island Laborers Health & Welfare Fund said Canada-based Bausch allegedly paid Teva in 2018 to delay launching a generic version of Xifaxan 550 mg, violating antitrust laws.

Americans who are defaulted on their student loans will begin having their paychecks garnished starting next month Up to 15% of an employee’s pay can be taken out and withheld for defaulted student loan payments “Starting the week of January 7th 2026, borrowers in default will get a notice of their status. They’ll be given 30 days before payment is withheld” “Right now, about 5 million borrowers are in default and millions more are expected to miss payments.”

Average 30-year mortgage rate now 6.18%

Man in Ghana claimed to be a prophet – getting villagers to build 8 large “Noah’s Arks” – saying that the world would end in a Christmas flood. No flood occurred. Thousands rushed to the arks. He now says the end has been delayed, and is asking for more donations to build more arks.

Princess Kate and daughter Caroline played a piano duet on Christmas Eve

Venus Williams married model-actor Andrea Preti

The United States strikes ISIS targets in Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government on Christmas Eve

Hunter Biden referred to his father’s exit from Afghanistan as an “obvious f-ing failure”

New Banksy mural appeared on wall in London

Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance on his aggressive cancer diagnosis in 2023 – “I came into this world alone, I shall leave it alone. When God calls, I will gladly answer.” – BBC interview

The country of Niger (not Nigeria) will no longer issue visas to US citizens

Carter’s, a prominent children’s and baby apparel retailer in North America, intends to close 150 stores across the region over the next three years

Macy’s has plans to close 150 locations through 2026

Select Saks Off 5th stores will close in early 2026

Three REI stores in the first quarter of 2026.

The odd design of former President Barack Obama’s new presidential center is supposed to evoke unity according to an Obama Foundation official, who explained its oft-criticized austere, monolithic design – “The shape of the building was actually meant to mimic four hands coming together to show the importance of our collective action.”

Leslie Beyer, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management has stepped down from her post as the leader of the Dept of the Interior’s offshore energy programs. She spoke recently about the importance of the offshore oil and gas program.

Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, announced she is pregnant with a baby girl, due in May 2026

After the crystal ball drops on New Year’s Eve in NYC, it will go up again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off months of celebrations for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday

The Housing First philosophy for homeless, providing housing regardless of having to address issues such as addiction or mental illness, is to be replaced by contingent programs requiring treatment for mental illness and/or addiction for housing

Palau, located in the western Pacific Ocean, and described as 6 times smaller than RI signed a deal exchanging US foreign aid of $75M for agreement to take prisoners no other country will take.

Mar-a-lago visits expected from Ukraine President Zelenskyy and then Israel President Netanyahu over the New Years break

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PASSINGS

Pat Finn, 60, actor, of cancer

Mickey Lee, 35, reality star, “Big Brother”, of multiple cardiac arrests

Vincent Pella, creator of

James Ransone, 46, actor, of suicide

Chris Rea, 74, singer songwriter

Imani Dia Smith, 25, actress played Nala on Broadway’s Lion King, killed by her boyfriend, leaves 3 year old son

Dr. Ezra Stieglitz, 81, Professor of Holocaust Studies, Rhode Island College