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In the news: Quick recap of the week’s news… 6.14.25
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Pawtucket: June 23: Slater Park Carousel opens daily, 11am to 5pm. June 28th – Pawtucket Vets public pool opens. Aug. 29 – Sept. 7, Pawtucket Arts Festival
An unintentional overspend of Rhode Island’s motion picture tax credit program requires lawmakers to backfill a $3.2 million shortfall to production companies awarded incentives in 2022 (RI Current)
New office building will rise high above Fenway’s wall
Legislation proposed that would allow Matunuck Oyster Bar to open outdoors only this summer
Portsmouth Portuguese American Club has staircase collapse – a 15-yo died, 2 other 17-yos are critical as well as a person in their 50s. 75 others were inside at the time
La Salle Academy principal Donald Kavanagh will serve as Interim President as a permanent replacement is sought for retiring Br. Dennis Malloy
Providence City Council authorized Mayor Smiley to sell a city-owned property in Narragansett, commonly referred to as Camp Cronin
Officer involved shooting in Pawtucket with a man pointing a gun, later to be identified as a replica gun which can’t be distinguished from a distance – shot in the shoulder and treated
UNFI hit with cyberattack – they supply Whole Foods
Wally’s Weiners won the Great Meatball contest on Federal Hill
Cynthia Coyne, former RI State Trooper and Senator announces she will run for Lt. Gov.
$251M “15 Bridges” project to be repaired in RI has been signed with the federal govt and RIDOT
Finn’s restaurant in EG will partially reopen July 3rd
Providence City Hall will be renovated at a cost of $40M
Navigant Credit Union has merged with Postal Employees Regional Federal Credit Union (PERFCU), welcoming 500 new members their network
URI named #1 public university in New England by the Wall Street Journal
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is laying off 100+ workers and consolidating its real estate footprint in Rhode Island after ending a clinical program for Type 1 diabetes.
The Taylor Swift property tax for people who own a vacation home in RI valued over $1M leaves Taylor, herself, with a $130,000 tax bill to the state
Beth Israel will open 2 new clinics – in Plymouth and Quincy
Brown University Health negotiations with UnitedHealthcare are over and United plans will not be accepted at Brown Health’s 4 Rhode Island hospitals starting July 1.
Ash Cigar Lounge has opened in Johnston, 7 days a week, 10am to 10pm
A ground stop at Logan International Airport after a JetBlue plane arriving in Boston rolled off a runway and onto grass.
The 4th Annual Rhode Island Senate Open charity golf tournament raised $35,000 for Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
The 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration, a free, family-friendly event organized by Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM), has been canceled this year due to a health issue with one of its organizers, and rescheduled for June 21 at Eisenhower Park.
Buttonwood Zoo announced Thursday that Marie, the first female red panda to call the zoo home, died on May 28. The cause of death was likely liver failure due to embolisms. (WPRI)
RIPTA employee stabs another over relationship with a woman
Tom Brady statue will be unveiled on Aug. 8th a Patriots stadium
Beaches open, including Roger Wheeler State Beach that had been closed for renovations
AEDs now required at all RI golf courses – legislation passed
Budlong Pool will not open this season in Cranston because of the time involved in repairing an undisclosed drain under the pool area
Human remains that washed ashore on May 14, 2025, in Westerly have been positively identified as belonging to Eric Wein, 31, of Massachusetts, reported missing on April 18. His vehicle was found on Ocean Avenue in South Kingstown on April 10.
Al Fresco dining returns to Federal Hill
Canadian wildfire smoke expected to impact RI weather as long as all summer
Eight “No Kings” demonstrations set in Providence, Middletown, and Block Island—this Saturday (June 14), part of nationwide protests – main one at RI State House – events happening in every state
Barletta Heavy Division and Aetna Bridge Company have filed a counterclaim against RIDOT, alleging that a key 1992 inspection report was withheld when bidding for the 2021 Washington Bridge rehab contract.
Rhode Island state minimum wage will go to $16 per hour on January 1, 2026, and $17 per hour on January 1, 2027.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is selling the team to billionaire investor Justin Ishbia, ending his nearly 50-year tenure as the club’s head
Boat Greta Thunberg is on to protest the need for aid to get through to Gaza was detained by Israel – most of the supplies they were bringing were consumed by those on the boat – Israel said they will deport those on the boat back to where they came from and called it the “selfie boat”.
LA is experiencing extraordinary protest – both the National Guard and locals were working to restore order. Marines are on standby
Sovereignty wins Belmont Stakes, wins over Journalism
ABC News senior correspondent Terry Moran suspended for bad tweets about the White House and about Chief of Staff Stephen Miller – From AP: Correspondent Terry Moran out at ABC News, two days after suspension over Stephen Miller post
2 dead in shooting at the fountain outside the Bellagio Hotel
Ivy colleges are forming a coalition to fight the President’s restrictions
RFK Jr. will replace the scientific committee that advises the CDC on vaccine use
Williams College turns down federal funding because of DEI mandates
US Rep. LaMonica McIver indicted on charges of “forcibly impeding” immigration officers at a New Jersey detention facility.
10 killed in shooting in Austrian school
GMA kicked off its last week in Times Square after 26 years of calling the iconic space its home he show will move to downtown New York City in Hudson Square.
Elon Musk says losing 25% of his value to help the American govt. was “worth it”
Uber now offering boats and helicopters for Italy travelers
Both the Chinese American Museum and the Italian American Museum in LA were damaged by rioting
June 14th will be the 250th birthday celebration of the U.S. Army – a parade is planned in DC – the event coincides with Pres. Trump’s 79th birthday. A national “No Kings” protest event is planned to take place, simultaneously, in states across US.
Tony Awards up 44% viewership than last year
FEMA set to be closed and given over to the states
Sakonnet River Bridge renamed in honor of Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts, a Tiverton native, was 38 years old when he gave his life in service to his nation in Iraq in 2004
David Hogg removed as DNC Vice Chair
World’s top TikTok star Khaby Lame allowed to ‘self-deport’ by ICE after attending Met Gala – and then overstaying visa
K-Pop band members are back together after completing mandatory military service in So. Korea
New So. Korea leader has turned off loudspeakers that pummeled No. Korea with music, news, and noise 24/7, seen as a cooperative move
$10M raised for Kennedy Center on opening night of Les Mis
8 new members have been named to RFK Jr’s vaccine panel of experts after all 17 of the previous panels were dismissed
Airplane going from India to London crashes upon takeoff into a bldg. housing doctors – more than 245 killed
Silver Airways, a regional airline in Florida, abruptly canceled all flights and closed
Hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans that their temporary permission of 2 years to live and work in the US is revoked and that they should leave the country.
Israel attacks nuclear areas in Iran, knowing they were days away from nuclear capability.
The Trump Card website is up – people pay $5M to come to the US – https://trumpcard.gov/
Sen. Padilla caused a scene at a press conference with Kristi Noem when he forcibly tried to approach her at the podium and ask a question. He resisted removal and was hand cruffed briefly.
Nightclub in Dominican Republican where roof caved in with over 230 deaths and nearly that many injuries had the owner and his wife come under arrest for gross irresponsibility
‘Snow White’ becomes Disney’s worst-performing live-action remake in nearly 10 years
Cheerios has pulled Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios, and Honey Nut Cheerios Minis from production.
Army’s 250th birthday celebration to be held today in DC with a parade, military demonstrations and fireworks set for 9:45pm
A federal judge presiding over Mahmoud Khalil’s case ruled on Friday that the Trump administration can continue to detain the Columbia University activist, after another judge ruled he had to be released pending his case
Western demonstrators who traveled to the mid-East for the “Global March to Gaza” have been physically ousted by Egyptian citizens who don’t want the event associated with them.
4 detainees at the New Jersey federal detention facility have escaped, while protesters continue to engage with law enforcement outside the facility
Israel and Iran continue to engage with drones, missiles, etc. Iran is now targeting residential areas, while Israel is targeting nuclear and ammunitions areas. US helping to shoot down some missiles that were overwhelming the Iron Dome defense system of Israel.
Sat, June 14th is National Flag Day
Deportation orders will hold on “all work site enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants and operating hotels”, and focus on “worst of the worst” criminals
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PASSINGS
Frederick Forsythe, 86, author, “Day of the Jackal”
Frank Graham, 100, environmental writer, Audubon Society
Ananda Lewis, 52, former MTV VJ and Talk Show Host, of breast cancer
Jillian Sackler, 84, Sackler family
Sly Stone, 82, of Sly & the Family Stones
Brian Wilson, 82, founder, The Beach Boys
Harris Yulin, 87, actor, “Scarface”