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In the News… summary for January 27, 2024
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Like No Udder vegan “ice cream” will close due to an eviction notice, and is looking for a new location.
Nantucket auto ferry reservations which start earlier than for the general public postponed due to technical software issues
A sheriff was shot by another sheriff, in error, while transporting a prisoner at the ACI
Newport Folk Festival tix go on sale on Feb. 1st
CCRI faculty did an informational picket for better wages, benefits
Boston media reporting homeless migrant families are sleeping on the floors at Logan Airport – could be over 100 families with children – where they are going during the day is a question
COSTCO and land owner are trying to negotiate a “bump in the road” about locating the store there in Cranston
Ethics case about trip to Philly and the Gov’s staff dismissed
“History’s Stories, Today’s Storytellers” – student artists from Ponaganset High School, South Kingstown High School, and Beacon Charter High School for the Arts have paintings, mixed media, pottery, and other artistic forms to help show the story of Rhode Island through a new lens at the RI State Archives, which can be viewed Mon through Fri, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Roger Williams University School of Law is launching an Institute for Race and Law to work on diversity and inclusion.
A Rhode Island woman has sued Panera Bread for severe cardiac issues coming from consuming a highly caffeinated lemonade drink.
Lumina light festival — a free public art and light installation is in downtown Providence
Seaview Railroad broke its annual record for rail car volume at Quonset Business Park in 2023 with 7,513 cars transported.
Massachusetts has predicted it will need to spend $915 million in fiscal 2025 to keep its emergency family shelter system afloat amidst an upsurge in homeless families— an amount that could consume most of the limited new revenue the state expects in fiscal 2025.
Catalytic converter thefts have plummeted in the past year in the Providence metro area
Jamie Lehane announced today that he is stepping down as CEO of Newport Mental Health.
June Rose is the new Chief of Staff for the Providence City Council.
The House Oversight Committee on the Washington Bridge plans to hold a public hearing about the status mid-February
Patrick Kennedy is joining Healthsperien LLC, a D.C.-based health care consultancy, as a partner, and will lead the firm’s “new national mental health and addiction policy practice
In Boston, while homeless families have been approved for shelters, they are sitting on a waitlist with no other options —sleeping in cars in sub-freezing temperatures and sleeping at Logan Airport. As the waitlist grows, overflow shelter space diminishes and are almost always full, and there are plenty of communities with no overflow sites at all.
The Mental Health Association secured $6.5M through MassDevelopment to finish purchasing new headquarters in Chicopee
The organizers of the annual Beach Road music festival have canceled this year’s event and say they’ll stage the three-day event somewhere on Cape Cod starting in 2025.
Barnstable named happiest place to retire in the nation by SoFi
Hasty Pudding event set for Friday was postponed by Harvard due to “unforeseen circumstances”
RI participated in the annual Point in Time count of the homeless on Friday 1,055 in 2019, 1,104 in 2020, 1,267 in 2021, 1,576 in 2022, and 1,810 last year.
The application period to enroll in a charter public school is open until March 14, 2024. Families and students can apply online through EnrollRI, or contact the individual charter public schools for more information. Charter schools are public schools, free and open to all. The application if free and admissions are based on a blind lottery.
Historic church in New London, CT collapses – 1 person inside, no injuries
Historic fishing shacks in South Portland Maine area have washed away
Allan Fung, former Mayor of Cranston, has left PLDO Law where he was a partner, and is now “of counsel” with Lepizzera & Laprocina – working with Woonsocket and Johnston on several issues
Massive solar farm turned down by Johnston zoning commission
King Phillip Motors car dealership charged by RI AG with selling and reselling car with bad engine
US DOJ and Inspector General have informed RI they will be investigating the Washington Bridge failure – demand for documents is late February.
RIDOT officials told a group in the East Bay who have asked for weekly updates that there are 7 engineering firms working in RI on investigations deemed forensic and moving forward but will not have reports done until late February or early March.
The SBA Business Recovery Center in East Providence will move from its current location at the Weaver Memorial Library to East Providence City Hall on 1/29, and its time will be extended
Small senior cottages are being planned in Barrington for lower income on the Carmelite property
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
50% of CDC employees go on to work in Pharma industry
Macy’s will close these stores in 2024: Arlington, Virginia; San Leandro, California; Lihue, Hawaii; Simi Valley, California and Tallahassee, Florida.
Valerie Bertinelli cut from “Kids Baking Championship” TV show
Ron DeSantis, candidate for President (R) withdrew from the campaign and threw his support to Donald Trump
Sarah Ferguson, 64, Duchess of York, is now fighting melanoma, after surviving breast cancer
2 cent increase in postage – now 68 cents
Alaska Airlines says many of its Boeing 737 Max 9 planes were found to have loose bolts
Mass shooting in Illinois of 8 people, all died, at 3 different locations, believed to be all related – shooter found dead in Texas, self-inflicted.
Donald Trump wins New Hampshire Republican primary – 54.6%, over Nikki Haley (43.2%) – Haley says she will continue on – next primary is South Carolina.
TikTok cuts hundreds of jobs
Saudi Arabia will open the country’s first liquor store, catering exclusively to diplomats, breaking with decades of strict alcohol prohibition
John Stewart to return on The Daily Show once a week
$115M settlement with Johnson & Johnson on opioid issue crisis
Britney Spears is now banned from the four seasons hotel in Los Angeles for going topless at the pool.
3 football fans found dead at a watch party in the backyard of a friend with no known cause at this time
Alabama executes murderer with nitrogen gas
Top diversity officer leaves White House as DEI backlash grows
Texas is pushing back migrants, telling them to go back, blocking entrances with razor wire and blockades. Pres. Biden threatens to nationalize the national guard in Texas. Over 25 states have issued statements supporting TX Governor Abbott’s efforts. In New England, New Hampshire is one of the states.
Pres. Biden at 6am Friday put a pause on all new LNG export facilities – seen as a payback to state of Texas. Industry experts say this could be the end of LNG.
UNRWA – UN Agency Aid staff found to have been involved in Oct. 7th massacre in Israel – US cut off funding and invetigating – this agency is also involved in “aid” relief in Lebanon and other countries
Cornell donors say the university is a toxic environment, want president out and DEI programs closed
Today is National Holocaust Remembrance Day – Jan. 27th
WWE founder resigns amid sex trafficking allegations, while denying the charges
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PASSINGS
David Gail, 58, actor, of cardiac arrest
Adam Harrison, 39, of drug overdose. Son of Pawn Stars creator Rick Harrison
Dexter Scott King, 62, youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr. dies of cancer
Charles Osgood, 91, CBS Today personality, journalist, announcer