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In the News… quick recap of the week’s news locally and beyond – Nov. 15, 2025
A quick recap of a busy week of news in Rhode Island, regionally, nationally, and internationally – and passings of note.
RHODE ISLAND
A group of 400 sharks spotted off Block Island
Gov. has reserved the RI State House rotunda for his state of the state address
New stores coming in to Garden City Center: Evereve, PolkaDog Bakery, Kendra Scott and J. McLaughlin
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont it would drop Medicare Advantage coverage in 2026 – UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plan is also ending. Two Advantage plans – operated by MVP and WellCare – folded this past January.
Brown Univ. decreases PhD applications by 20%
Capitol TV will run the Washington Bridge oversight hearings, live, starting at 2pm, Nov. 13th
Running for Lt. Gov. is Sue AnderBois a Providence City Councilor
Rob Gronkowski signing a 1-day contract with New England Patriots – to retire as a Patriot
Whole Foods will go into where East Side Marketplace was on the East Side of Prov.
Hasbro Children’s, part of the Brown University Health health system, has been listed among Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2025
Brown U. will no longer permit residential theme or program house leaders to select their residents – will now be selected through a “randomized lottery,” with those not selected being moved through to the general selection lottery.
Gov. Maura Healey urged SNAP recipients to buy food and ignore the conflicting headlines
Chick-Fil-A will open in Warwick, near Showcase
Greg Stevens, owner of Pat’s Italian Restaurant, announced he will run for Governor as a Democrat
Providence to spend $180K on sound detection system for traffic
Rocky Point Chowder House coming in to Warwick Mall
Melissa Carden, board member of RWP has been named director of the RWP Conservancy
Nantucket Fast Ferry out of commission due to a crack above the water line
RI Manufacturers Exec. Director David Chenevert to retire after 40 yrs
RI expects to be made whole on 100% Nov. paid SNAP within a few days
MA COVID #s for the first week of November: 524 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 3 confirmed death – 75 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 (7%) – BosGlobe
Blackstone Valley Community Health Center’s clinic at 42 Park Place has reopened, after being closed for about 5 years
Chapel View in Cranston will add Nothing Bundt Cakes, Ugly Dumpling and Wonder
The RI Home Show takes place this weekend at the RI Convention Center
The 6 firefighters in Pawtucket who were suspended for on work use of cannabis have sued to be reinstated
Organized Crime arrests in school sports gambling ring includes a Rhode Islander, 22 years old
Offshore Wind Hearing: Trump vs. New York, Nov 18, 2025
Employees at Roger Williams University are asked to schedule a 1-week unpaid furlough in 2026, amidst a growing budget problem
Rhode Island Energy has ended its negotiations with SouthCoast Wind to purchase power from the project.
5-Year Turkey Study at URI with RIDEM of the North American Eastern Wild Turkey to track its health and population in RI. – More, HERE: https://rinewstoday.com/outdoors-in-ri-deer-on-the-move-talking-turkey-red-flag-law-in-maine-get-your-blessing/
Grants of $2,500 are available from Providence for RI Food Bank members impacted by the SNAP crisis
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NATIONAL
2025 will be 20 years for Elf on the Shelf
New dietary guidelines coming in December
Former VP Dick Cheney’s funeral will be held at the National Cathedral on 11/20
Cornell will pay $30M fine to US govt for failing to get control of racial discrimination and antisemitism activities. That will end funding termination and further investigations.
Labor Dept. social media campaign features all white male workforce
Syrian President visits Washington, DC & White House
UC Berkeley having a Turning Point event – many events asking for protests
Survey shows in NYC – where people who are considering moving because of the election, will move to: 14% stay in NY, but not NYC, 13% New Jersey, 11%, Pennsylvania, 10% Florida, and 5% North Carolina.
Luis Ortiz, MLB pitcher and Emmanuel Clase to be arraigned for taking bribes to rig games
Starbucks apologies for not having enough Bear-ista cups to handle the demand
ByHeart Baby Formula recalled for causing botulism
Italian pasta set to become scarce as 103% tariffs have producers saying they will not ship to US
SCOTUS refuses to hear case to make changes in same sex marriage
Catholic Diocese approves mergers in West Warwick, Pawtucket, and Providence
Target new policies require staff to be friendlier and more helpful and outgoing
YouTube TV subscribers will get $20 refund back
NYC floats a plan to rezone 54 blocks of Long Island City (warehouses and parking lots) to build 14,700 homes, 4,300 of which would be permanently affordable – however, they are not single family “homes” but large-scale multi-unit/height development
Nancy Pelosi’s daughter is now running for congress
The US Mint will officially STOP minting pennies this week
UCal San Diego, with approx. 45,000 students, one of America’s highest-ranked public universities: “The number of entering 1st-year students whose math skills fall below middle-school level “increased nearly 30-fold” from 2020 to 2025—to roughly 1 out of every 8 new students.
Italy’s birth rate has dropped to a record low of 1.13 children per woman – 370000 babies born last year the lowest since 1861
Six Democratic Senators, from swing states, who crossed party lines to enable government to re-open. Pres. signed 10:30pm 11/12. Henry Cuellar, Texas Don Davis, North Carolina Jared Golden, Maine Adam Gray, California Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington Tom Suozzi, New York
Top 10 Dog Names on Chewy poll: Bella – Luna – Daisy – Lucy – Max – Charlie – Bailey – Cooper – Buddy – Sadie
3 Bob Ross paintings auctioned for $600K
Sami Hamdi, British journalist who is pro-Palestinian, agrees to return home after being in the country illegally and being detained by ICE
17,000 CDL drivers from CA and more who obtained licenses illegally and can’t read or speak English will have their licenses revoked – could be as many as 200,000 on the road – blame going to driving training “mills” schools illegally issuing licenses for a fee
Blue Origin successfully launched for private assignment to put science equipment on Mars – and safely landed on a platform in the ocean – duplicating success of SpaceX
Airline controllers to receive 70% of back pay immediately – balance within a week
Weather reporter, Janice Dean, of Fox, is taking a break after a trip to Rome. Dean has suffered from MS for 35 years – says she “will be back”.
Sen. John Fetterman had a fall while out for a walk, and has a bruised face after having an episode of AFib made him lightheaded – he has tweeted that he is ok, just looks badly from the fall – Fetterman has been doing many media interview with a “common sense” view expressed on many political issues – he stayed in the hospital to have his medication protocol reviewed.
New research on how consuming unprocessed foods cause colon cancer in women
TSA officers who worked through the govt shutdown without pay were given a $10K bonus
Italian pasta tariffs could be 107%
College football coach John Beam, who was featured in the Netflix series “Last Chance U”, has passed away after being shot on the campus of Laney College in Oakland, California.
Michelle Obama says the US is not ready for a woman president – “you all have a lot of growing up to do”
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell considering a run for Governor of California.
Starting 11/15 airlines can operate at 97% capacity
SimpliSafe sold to a private equity company
Some of the 450 S. Korean workers detained at the Georgia Hyundai plant were returned to their country as S. Korean officials sent a plane to get over 300. Some of those obtained new, legal working papers and have returned to Georgia to work.
Tariffs on a large quantity of food items will be lifted, to encourage prices to come down for Americans
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PASSINGS
John Carlevale, 82, State of the State RI founder and active in RI politics
Cleto Escobedo, 59, Jimmy Kimmel band leader and friend
Sally Kirkland, 84, actress “The Sting”, others
Paul Tagliabue, 84, former NFL Commissioner
James Watson, 97, discovered DNA