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In the News… quick recap of the week ending May 24, 2025
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
AG Neronha says there are 10 ICE agents in RI, and the govt wants our law enforcement to be more involved
Hope Health aid fired – caught on video mocking a patient by granddaughter – patient had been there for 3 days and has since passed away
14 y.o. stabbed another at a track meet at Conley Stadium, Mt. Pleasant HS, in Providence
Passion Lounge in Olneyville temporarily closed after shooting Sat. night
New Hampshire lawmakers approve ban on ‘sanctuary’ communities.
CODAC’s community healthcare center opened at Royal Little Drive in Providence
MA to close all emergency hotel shelters – moving them to tax payer homes and providing money for furniture for migrants
Aaron Thomas, former coach in NK, convicted of 2 misdemeanors for assault, acquitted for felonies – sentencing early June. Still has civil charges pending
Atty Molina Flynn, RI immigration attorney now being looked at for charges of mortgage lies, taking clients’ money for undone work, co- mingling funds, etc.
7th nurse at Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s maternity unit diagnosed with benign brain tumor
Significant fire at Matunuck Oyster House – showing extensive damage, primarily on 2nd floor
Major mobile networks go down across Spain on Tuesday
Gov. McKee says that while road tolls must go back up, RI can lower the tolls
Fire at the Flagship Inn Motel in New London
The Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts, is the largest fair in New England and runs from September 12 to September 28 this year.
Pickleball courts coming to Patriot Place – will be open until October
Efforts to make RI casinos smokefree under consideration
Bill Belichick and his girlfriend are rumored to be engaged
Newport Festivals license plate available to order
Charlestown Seafood Festival Aug. 1-3
Wally’s Wieners opened Friday on Federal Hill
Pawtucket Greek Festival Aug. 22-24
Providence unveils a fabric shade screen over the skating rink area
RI State Fire Marshal issued a public safety warning about a dangerous new social media trend known as the “Chromebook Challenge.”
Angelina Santos, Pawtucket’s Accurate Auto Center, crowned Miss Day of Portugal RI 2025.
North Providence Mayor Charlie Lombardi, Fire Chief John Horan, and firefighters’ union president Jay Petrillo confirm that FBI agents visited a fire station in town twice last week to ask about concrete work done at the station.
The legislator in Maine who supported not having boys in girls sports who was censured has had that reversed by the courts and she can now fully participate in the Maine legislative process
A Providence power plant with an iconic triple exhaust stack is being sold to a Texas company in a multibillion-dollar deal involving six others in the U.S.
Free parking in the Providence Place garage is being cut to 30 minutes next month.
PVDFest returns September 5 and 6, 2025
Devons Air Force Base may be rezoned in MA for use as affordable housing
The Breakers front gates have been restored
TF Green launches direct to Bermuda flights
The Dean Hotel is renamed The Neptune
Ex-morgue manager at Harvard Medical School admits to trafficking stolen human remains
MA has lowered the age to serve as a correctional officer from 21 to 19 – though underage cannot have a firearm
Warwick Lighthouse will soon be up for auction
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) “hop-on, hop-off” Newport trolley service, will offer free rides through Oct. 31 on Routes 67 and 68, thanks to a total of $85,000 in funding from Discover Newport and the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
Pawtucket Pride Flag will be raised at City Hall on June 2nd, 5:30pm
Pawtucket Senior Center has a new mural outside the building installed
Prov. Mayor Smiley signs EO on which flags can fly at City Hall (
Seekonk High School will offer five seats per grade for non-resident students through the Inter-District School Choice Program for the 2025-26 school year – comes with state $5K+
RI contestant on Survivor, Eva Erickson, comes in 2nd
Nantucket Book Festival will be held June 12-15
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
1 dead in Palm Springs, CA fertility clinic intentional bombing – suspect Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, left a rambling message about how he never consented to being born.
Mexican ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge with mechanical failure – filled with sailors on the masts under full lighting – apparently had cast off without power – ships rushed to prevent it from hitting the Manhattan bridge. 277 on board, 2 crew members dead, 2 seriously injured, no bridge damage.
Journalism won the Preakness
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning that several models of Chinese-made faucets sold on Amazon, including these KZH brand bathroom faucets, can leach lead into water.
More than 400 homeless are living in the Madrid Airport
Cher is leading efforts to have the elephants at the LA Zoo be sent to a refuge
Old photo of Vietnamese girl running after a napalm attack had the assumed photographer honored for taking the photo – though now there are concerns over who really did
Gary Lineker to leave BBC and won’t host World Cup coverage
Pres. Biden diagnosed with aggressive, metastasized prostate cancer, initially thought to be hormone responsive, meaning able to be treated.
Walmart said on an earnings call it will “eat some of the tariff” extra costs
American basketball player, Shah detained in Indonesia
Verizon will end its DEI programs and acquire Frontier Communications. FCC approved.
Publix recalling their name-brand pouch baby food out of concern for lead poisoning
ACE Hardware will give away 1 million American flags on 5/24 – and will have certain “American” products on sale, leading into July 4th
CBS News Chief has RESIGNED amid President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit re: 60 Minutes
Canada suspends tariffs with US
Newark Mayor has charges dropped while Congresswoman McIver has charges brought for assault and interfering with law enforcement at the federal prison in NJ
Israel announces it will take “full control” of the Gaza strip – also allowing Gazans to leave the country with an easing of regulations to do so
Illinois audit finds $1.6 billion spent on healthcare for non-US citizens in the last three years
California spent $9.5 billion – with expected $12 billion next year.
Hamas senior officer killed who kidnapped of former hostage Arbel Yehud
Sesame Street moving to streaming on Netflix – dropping 3 shows at a time
Conan O’Brien will be in Toy Story 5 – “Smarty Pants” – comes out in a year
Regeneron set to buy 23 & Me
After reports of bird flu in humans were expected to soar, case reporting has nearly stopped
The Stuttgart Ballet is coming back to the Kennedy Center for first time in over 30 years
Ashley Babbitt’s family receive a settlement of approx. $5M from the US govt for her death on Jan. 6th
Dilbert creator, Scott Adams, has same cancer as Pres. Biden, says he expects to die this summer
President Donald Trump said he plans to call for a “major investigation” into the celebrity endorsements that Kamala Harris received during the 2024 campaign, alleging without evidence that Bruce Springsteen, Oprah Winfrey, U2’s Bono and Beyoncé were paid to publicly support the Democratic nominee.
Golden Dome protection system for US announced – could take 3 years to build
Lia Thomas loses her legal battle and will not have the chance to qualify for the Olympics, marking a major victory for women’s sports and facing the heaviest penalty in sports history for fraudulent conduct
Kermit the Frog will deliver his first commencement address in 30 years at Univ. of Maryland
Senate passes no tax on tips legislation
Friend of 20 year old who fell from the stadium wall charged with giving him alcohol
COVID shots narrowed to Americans over 65 and anyone older than 6 months with at least one risk factor for severe illness.
Former Gov. Cuomo investigating for lying about nursing home deaths
1st blood test for Alzheimer’s could be ready this summer
Honda will focus on Hybrid sales rather than EV sales and manufacture
Sudan’s military says it has taken full control of Khartoum state, ousting all rebel forces
Michael Jordan ’90s Bulls jersey sells for $2.6M
Pres. Biden said to have had a PSA in 2014
Liberty Univ. will pay Jerry Falwell, Jr. $15M over a bogus sex scandal charge
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D) of Virginia died just days after announcing he was stepping down as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee, of esophageal cancer
Qatari jet has been accepted by the US Defense Dept. – Pentagon
So. Africa President in the White House – Pres. Trump showed him film of white farmers being executed and their land being sold. A contentious and transparent confrontation for over an hour about genocide claims
Israel talking about attacking Iran
Kevin Spacey honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at Cannes
Kim Kardashian is now an attorney
“Tush Push” remains a play in NFL
Army will change notations of its members to note sex at birth
Big, beautiful bill passes with 2 votes in House
Moderna pulls application for combined COVID/flu shot
Disney CEO and ABC News President have advised the hosts of The View to tone down their political rhetoric, particularly their criticism of President Trump, per NYP.
Harvard will no longer be able to participate in foreign exchange program – responsible for nearly 18% of their freshman class and 27% of their total enrollment
Edesia is back in business providing emergency food for many of the world’s starving children. All manufacturing lines and shipping areas are going full tilt
SNAP waivers will be enacted soon to eliminate sugary drinks and food out of the system
South Korea had a new boat launch, with officials at the event, and the ship sunk and tore in two – it is now covered with a tarp
In Scandinavian countries, it’s common to let babies nap outside during winter
The Penny will no longer be made – it cost 4 cents to make
A plane crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, setting about 15 homes on fire and leading to evacuations along several blocks
MAHA Commission Report and EO released
Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia “student” jailed, met his newborn son, Deen, in a court room, along with his wife.
Kim Jong Ung furious after launch of a new destroyer failed and the ship is now on its side in the water
Supreme Court deadlocks on what would have been the nation’s first religious charter school
Harvard University went to court seeking to block the enforcing what the school called an unconstitutional and retaliatory ban on enrolling foreign students, granted temp injunction
British Airways has suspended all flights to Israel through the end of July
50% tariff on the European Union, effective June 1, 2025, announced by Pres. Trump because negotiations are going “nowhere”.
Today Show co-host Sheinelle Jones’ husband, Uche Ojeh, died of brain cancer
Federal EMA help approved, due to storms and tornadoes, for Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas
Billy Joel cancels concerts due to rare hydrocephalus on the brain. Very treatable – will have a shunt put in to drain the fluid. He is expected to be able to perform again.
Record setting travel this Memorial Day weekend
25% tariffs proposed for iPhones not made in the US
Another breakout from a jail in Louisiana. One person.
No-Go zones for Jewish students discovered on campuses of prestigious colleges, including Columbia
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PASSINGS
Jennifer Moffat, RI 2A advocate, of cancer
Latonya Pottain, 40, a northern Louisiana woman on “My 600-Lb. Life“
George Wendt, 76, “Norm” from Cheers TV show