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In the News… recap of the week ending Jan. 18, 2025
It’s a busy life! Here are snippets of events in the news – from Rhode Island – to China! If you are looking for more indepth on a topic, just email us with what you want to know – or google using the words we put here. Be informed…
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Bajah’s Cat Café now fully open
The Red Parrot sold to Heritage Restaurant Group
James Woods’ home was thought to have burned in LA fires, but it was found damaged, but intact
Fatal accident at the Warwick rotary
The Narragansett Library will keep the name Maury Loontjens Memorial Library
Texting scam asking people to pay their EZ Pass is going around
Olin College president resigns – based in Needham, known for its engineering
Giovanni Giovanni – known as Gio in the Morning who is no longer on WPRO is now on B101, 3-7pm, weekdays.
You can file taxes in RI and federally starting Jan. 27th
Motel 6 in Warwick is the largest homeless shelter in the state. There are 6 sex offenders registered by the state to now be living there as well.
Sly Fox Den in Charlestown to close
The crane in the Providence river that has been there for about 12 years, will be removed – and made into art by the Steel Yard group
Gov. Maura Healey released a statement saying “what’s happening in the migrant shelters has crossed a line” and that she will be launching a formal investigation
Providence Police will add patrols after several assaults and robberies have taken place at the sky bridge
Newport Restaurant Group’s Foodlove Market to close in Newport
Nordstrom closes two stores in MA, lays off 300 workers
Mayor Wu gave birth to a girl – Mia, close to 10 lbs – Mayor will take “no time off” – she and her husband have 2 other children, both boys
Taylor Swift is renovating her house in Westerly
Mayor Smiley appoints 5 to School Committee, per his request
Ruth Taylor, who retired from the Newport Historical Society in 2023, is set to lead the Newport Art Museum as its interim executive director. (WhatsUpNewp)
Amy Moses named Magistrate
Ross Worthington, who graduated from Brown University in 2011, has been named Trump’s head speechwriter, per Politico
Textron unveils line of autonomous maritime vessels
Mail between prisoners and attorneys will no longer be opened, per ACLU victory in court
United Way opens registrations for nonprofits who want to participate in 401 Gives Day
Jason Pezzullo appointed Pawtucket’s next director of commerce, replacing Sandra Cano.
Rocky Hill School will reduce its tuition by 25%
The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation and 47 other state financial regulatory agencies have taken coordinated action against Block, Inc., for violating the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws that safeguard the financial system from illicit use. Block, Inc., which operates the mobile payment service Cash App, agreed to an $80 million penalty. Rhode Island is expected to receive $1.6 million.
Prospect Medical Holdings owes more than $1 billion to creditors but has just $3.4 million cash on hand, the national hospital chain operator acknowledged before a federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday authorized a line of credit needed to make payroll. (Rhode Island Current)
Two RI State Troopers – new to the force – have been terminated after laughing at a video of a young man being hit and killed on the highway – story has made national news
Gov. McKee wants to close the minimum security prison – begin truck tolls – take assault style weapons out
On W. Newton St., in Boston, a first floor condo owner in a brownstone, was arrested, as well as many others doing drugs – described as an inside Mass & Cass operation.
Nantucket Planning Board suggests an island-wide prohibition on pickleball courts, presented as a zoning bylaw amendment that would prohibit pickleball courts in all zoning districts on the island. The growing sport has garnered attention not just for its popularity, but because of the noise it generates at outdoor courts.
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
So. Korean airlines that crashed had black box stop recording 4 minutes before crash
Toyota to require staff to work in-office starting Sept. 2nd – AT&T, Sweetgreen and others requiring staff to return
BP cutting 4,700 jobs worldwide
Rain & landslides will be the next disaster to impact greater LA.
The organizer of the first Women’s March to protest the first election of Donald Trump, Caroline Waterman, said she is so demoralized and ashamed of her fellow white women who voted for Trump that she cannot bring herself to join a planned anti-Trump march this Saturday. (Reuters)
An Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal was imminent, then fell apart – and, at this point, the Israeli Congress has voted for it – so it is back on the table.
FL AG Ashley Moody to replace Marco Rubio as Senator
Prime Minister of Greenland says he is open to talks with Donald Trump about becoming part of the United States. They are open to discussing cooperation and independence, not acquisition. “We do not want to be American.”
Walgreens will close 12 stores in San Francisco
Home Alone house wells for $5.5M
Egg advice to avoid Bird Flu now in all 50 states: Fully cooking your eggs and poultry to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill bacteria and viruses. Soft, runny, and undercooked eggs don’t reach a high enough temperature to stave away pathogens. Safest way to eat eggs is to cook them all the way, meaning both the white and yolk are firm. Also buy eggs labeled “pasteurized”.
Vatican says it will allow Italian gay men to train for the priesthood, provided they are celibate
Mike Vrabel named coach of the New England Patriots
LA will be the site of a World Cup, Superbowl and an Olympics in the next few years
Starbucks reverses its past policy on store use and now says if you want to hang out, use the restroom, etc. you must make a purchase. A new code of conduct – which will be posted in all company-owned North American stores – also bans discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling.
Carrie Underwood will sing at the inauguration
Biden commutes sentences of over 2,500 for drug offenses
First deportations may be done in Chicago
As politicians announce they will not attend the inauguration, former VP, and Trump’s VP Mike Pence, will attend
Pete Hegseth’s hearing for the cabinet post of Secretary of Defense will result in his confirmation, per the statistics
Over 100 Executive Orders will be presented – Pres. Trump may not sign all of them.
‘If you want to take it outside …’: Rep. Nancy Mace challenges Rep. Jasmine Crockett at House hearing
META letting 5% of its staff go, said to be “based on performance”
Donald Trump will create a new government agency called the External Revenue Service “to collect tariffs, duties, and all revenue” from foreign sources as he readies new import tariffs.
The House passed a GOP-led bill that would ban transgender athletes from women’s and girls’ sports at federally funded schools and educational institutions – it will be taken up by the GOP-controlled Senate next week.
Sheinelle Jones taking time off from TODAY show, weekdays to deal with a personal family health matter
New York governor to announce free tuition plan at city and state colleges
U.S. regulators ban Red Dye 3 from the food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.
Walgreens CEO says anti-shoplifting strategy backfired: ‘When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them’
Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA is now serving as the fire command post for the California fires
Vivek Ramaswamy may take Ohio Governor seat vacated by JD Vance
Rashida Jones steps down from MSNBC after 4 years – the first Black woman to run a major television news network
Joann (Fabrics) files for bankruptcy for 2nd time
TikTok employees will not lose their jobs even if company is shuttered
Pres-elect Trump wants TikTok decision delayed by several months – Biden admin. Inclined to let any ruling to unenforced to allow that to happen
Nonprofit raises $200M to resurrect the Wooly Mammoth from DNA
Wendy Williams, former talk show host, thought to be “disabled” with dementia, called into Charlemagne’s talk show to say she is being held captive by a conservatorship and is not impaired
LA evacuees asked to stay away for one more week
A lithium manufacturer/energy plant caught on fire in CA and will burn itself out – area evacuated
Rudy Giuliani came to a settlement in the lawsuit that would have meant he would lose his homes, collections and autos – under this he can keep all with a monetary payment to those suing him
Inauguration address, prayers, speeches moved indoors (not since 1985) due to extreme cold weather. Parade changing to partial indoors – Capital One Arena being used for thousands who came to DC for the event.
Hoda Kotb has now signed an agreement with The Today Show to do select feature interviews – she is also developing a “happiness” app
30 people still missing in LA fires – from 49 to 93 years old
Nation Archives is looking for volunteers to “read” hundreds of thousands of documents that are in cursive – calling the skill a superpower – that is not being taught anymore. While MA and NH require cursive to be taught, Rhode Island does not.
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PASSINGS
Christian Juttner, 60, known most for being a child actor with Disney productions
Hugh Lena, 76, Providence College’s first provost
David Lynch, 78, filmmaker
Brother Michael J. McKenery, FSC, 87, former president of La Salle Academy
Sam Moore, 89, of Sam & Dave duo
Bob Uecker, 90, “Mr. Baseball”, broadcaster for Milwaukee Brewers