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In the News… Quick recap of news of the week, ending October 16, 2026
Here is a quick recap of news items of the week – get caught up on an increasingly busy news cycle – local, regional, national, international, and passings of note.
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
RI Hospital nurse reaches settlement over violent attack, crk 15 sued by woman who suffered burns, disfigurement when propane heater ruptured
John Cena joins RI Comic Con lineup, Sun, Nov 8, during November 6–8 convention
RI school test measure results show little overall progress
Brown University fell to 16 on the list of top private universities – lowest rank in over 10 yrs
Budlong Pool in Cranston had 7,200 visits in its first year open, with an average of 250 people a day, 200 was max of people in the pool at any one time, 78% attendees were Cranston residents
Nick a Nees in Providence has rent go up to unsustainable $1,800/mo – asking public for help, wants to buy the building but owners not selling
2-year old who was stabbed undergone 3 surgeries and is in critical con
Olivia Culpo announces second child born, son Roman Augustus McCaffrey
In RI 3,156-pound pumpkin breaks world record, grown by Ron Wallace of Greene
Clam recall from clams sold at Warren’s Tony’s Seafood
Scarborough Beach lost 2-3 feet of sand nearest the walk down ramp, which has been blocked off
Federal Hill fight among 10-15 people at Costantino’s Restaurant on Columbus Day weekend – no charges pressed
Security guard stabbed in the stomach in Kulture, a downtown Providence club, just before 3am Sunday – club closed for 8 days
Maven’s Jewish Deli in Pawtucket opening a bread/pastry shop next door to its location
A $600 million windfall from a settlement with Alibaba coming to police departments, with Warwick, RISP and Warwick, Hopkinton and East Providence in line to benefit.
Hasbro to lay off over 580 people in December (GoLocal)
Newport Restaurant Group will open a “new concept” restaurant where Applebee’s left after a fire in Garden City Center, Cranston
Amazon officials came to RI to meet with the local Amazon people and Johnston/state safety people on repeated fire and health issues
URI now accepting applications for PhDs in accounting
5200 Rhode Islanders cast their vote on the first day of early voting
Richard Charest, former head of HHS in RI now CEO of Charter Care
PVD Airport ranked No. 4 in the nation in USA TODAY 10BEST Small Airports
Stop & Shop cybersecurity disruption – website, app, delivery service offline for most of the week – Customers can receive 10% off one in-store purchase, up to $10 – as of Friday some features still are down
New England Institute of Technology broke ground on a $40 million Innovation Center for Building Sciences
Budlong Pool in Cranston had 7,200 visits in its 1st year, average of 250 people a day, about 200 max at any one time, 78% attendees Cranston residents
MBTA experimenting with free rides for seniors aged 70+ with MA ID
Hasbro offers 587 RI employees to move to Boston end of December, or end employment
Nick-A-Nees in Providence taking to GoFundMe to raise money for increased rent
Providence Journal has no print edition today & will stop printing on selected holidays
Six-year-old boy injured at Scituate Art Festival when a bicyclist struck him in the crowd and left, breaking the child’s leg. He was taken to Hasbro Children’s and is in a full-leg cast. Parents call for stronger pedestrian protections
Not Just Snacks on East Side has substantial fire, no injuries
Family Service Trauma Center for those affected by Brown & Pawtucket shootings opens
Republican Elaine Pelino who did not win the primary endorses Ken Block (I) for Gov
Seven in RI charged in over $1 million in Medicaid fraud by RI AG
Prov. City Council meeting tonight. FLOCK camera ban, no right on red policy, and divesting of investment in Israeli companies, etc. on agenda
Looney Tunes record store in Wakefield is closing
Cliff Walk $23 million repair plan continued, with reopening in 2028
Robert Horton, who maintains the Ladd Observatory telescope for 25 years, will retire
All 100 sampled RI Medicaid claims for an audit had compliance problems, including missing assessments, counseling or documentation. Separately, with approximately $876,000 in potentially improper billing.
T.F. Green’s main runway returns to normal operations
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
8.8 Earthquake hits Panama, massive destruction, tsunami warning issued
Katie Zacharia named new Press Secretary at the White House, replaces Karoline Levit
Indian authorities arrested head of their youth movement group – called the “Cockroach Party” as it bans demonstrations
Israeli-destined plane that was attempted to be taken over by pilot said he was inspired by 9/11 to become a pilot to eventually carry out a large scale aircraft disaster – he had flown “practice” runs at least twice before
President offers Trump Int’l Golf Club in West Palm Beach to be used as “new” Camp David for presidents in the future – more secure, etc.
Pennsylvania shootings: (1) 2 police officers ambushed – 1 dead with 12 shots, another fighting for his life with multiple gunshot wounds – in Philly. (2) Erie – 8 dead, 1 shooter dead in house shooting, little known
Navi Pillay, who received the 2026 Nobel Prize, widely recognized for her anti-Semitism and genocide claims about Israel.
Christa Pike released from hospital – back in prison
Panama declares emergency after numerous high volume earthquakes of 6.0 and higher
President Trump said Ukraine should “get a new president,” following Zelenskyy criticism of US diesel fuel deal with Russia
2 police officers in Philadelphia shot in an ambush – one died, one critical – assailant was state employee, taken into custody
Pope Leo having surgery to remove a lung nodule, says it w
Pres. Trump announces ENERGY CEASEFIRE to Ukraine & Russia – Ukraine agrees. Russia has yet to respond, but has bombed overnight. Bombing of diesel, energy, data centers escalating. Zelenskyy says he’s ready to work with America and to help on Middle East conflict.
4 people who stole 2 Renoirs have been caught and paintings returned
50,000 Russians have died this week in combat
HHS starting a portal for people to report vaccine problems
Child died in Philadelphia house fire caused by exploding EBike battery, trapping people
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup still #1 Halloween candy in US
50% of Americans dread work on Monday – called the Sunday Scaries
Saudi Arabia‘s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 41, forced into hiding as Houthi rebels continue to hit Riyadh with missiles – moving between heavily guarded palaces with bunkers
In Florida hurricane, at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, snakes sheltered in coils in trash cans; male billy goats took shelter in the rabbit exhibit; and 30 flamingos waited it out in a bathroom, having fun with the mirrors.
Selma Blair arrested after a violent episode while on a plane
Russell Brand, British actor and comedian, 51, begins trial in UK for crimes including rape, and sexual assault being made by 6 women
Kimberly Guilfoyle, Ambassador of Greece, asked to resign over pressuring a Trump supporter to pay off her $100K credit card bill
Six Flags accident in Georgia – 1 man dead, others injured on rollercoaster – 9 similar roller coasters in US & Canada shut down
Collin Gosslin one of the 8 Gosslin children wrote a tell-all book about the physical abuse he suffered from his mother
About 500 supermarkets, primarily in France, were cyberattacked to raise freezer temperatures – destroying food throughout. Freezers run by electronics that can be controlled with a secure internet connection. Other countries have also been cyber hacked.
Duane Keith Davis gets 40 years to life for killing of Tupac Shakur
Cornell has banned all campus frat parties through the rest of the year
Mamdani moves to ban NYC’s iconic horse-drawn carriages after more than 150 years, striking a deal with City Council leaders to end the practice in 2028.
Bank of America to pay $1.21 billion in federal penalties for anti-money-laundering failures and sanctions violations, including failing to report more than $5 billion in suspicious transactions. Bank admitted Bank Secrecy Act violations and will invest billions in technology and thousands of employees to strengthen compliance.
Florida executed a prisoner by a 3-drug injection and he was dead in 10 minutes
Greta Thunberg, career protester known most for her climate change actions, has joined the French protests on behalf of better schools
Pres. Trump overrules the decision to livestream the execution.
Taliban suspends BBC in Afghanistan
CVS will pay $315M in illegally filled opioid prescriptions, resolved by settlement with no determination of liability.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup still #1 Halloween candy in US
50% of Americans dread work on Monday – called the Sunday Scaries
HHS Sect. Kennedy begins agencywide process to report suspected vaccine injury
Child died in Philadelphia house fire caused by exploding EBike battery, trapping people
Pope Leo having surgery to remove a lung nodule, says it was “caught early”
Court says White House has to allow MSM into the building while more decisions are being considered – but this does not mean Air Force One or the Oval Office
Netflix lays off 1,000 employees, 6% of their workforce
Barbie released a Celine Dion doll
Revolution Wind under renewed federal pressure to reconsider the project’s approval, citing effects on fishing, research and historic scenery
Pakistan school collapse kills over 20 children and teacher and injured over 50
Hundreds of troops from New York’s 10th Mountain Division have begun deploying to Panama. Positioned for forward staging at U.S. Southern Command, these personnel are ready to take the fight directly to drug traffickers and cartel networks operating in the region.
Kai Trump had her 2nd surgery on her wrist – she is on the golf team at Univ. of Miami
Hillary Swank, 52, having her 3rd child
New White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia acknowledges failing the bar exam, but defends calling herself an attorney – at end of Friday she was out in her position, with supportive statements from the president
Tesla debuted a roadster that “flies” with turbo boosters – showcase not for average use
NYC Plaza Hotel will close for years-long renovations
Zelenskyy now says the power plant ceasefire is off because of Russian attacks on Ukraine
Several sanctions on hold against Russia, seemingly for production of diesel to continue
189K people lose double coverage health insurance under the ACA, which has cost $738M unnecessarily
Melissa Gilbert’s husband, Timothy Busfield, had his case dropped involving sexual abuse of children
Oregon shooting, what we know: Father of 2 daughters at the school, Kalub Giamanco, a carpenter, armed with a concealed carry permit, was on a lunch break when he drove by the building and saw the shooter enter the school. He followed him in and shot him dead. A teacher had also thrown her phone at him, tackled him and tried to take his gun. The shooter, 16-year old, Griffin John II, had once attended the school, receiving special ed services, shot through the locked glass doors then targeted a special needs classroom. Shot 15 rounds with a pump action rifle, 44 remaining rounds found on his person and in his backpack. He had jumped a fence and shot at a pickup truck whose driver saw him. His mother purchased the gun legally. She described her son as always “a good boy”. Three boys, ages 5 (Rhoam Summer), 8 and 11, were killed along with a teacher, Megan Lambert, 25. An unidentified 7-year-old girl and Becky Drury, a 54 yo teacher, were hospitalized, both with serious injuries. The school had recently undergone security renovations, including to the doors.
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PASSINGS
Helen Branswell,, 69, renowned health and infectious disease reporter for the Canadian press
Curtis Flowers, 59, died of advanced diabetes. Flowers was released in 2019 after serving 23 years in jail, wrongly convicted. He was free for only 7 years
RJ Mitte, 34, actor, “Breaking Bad” actorm reportedly died by