In the news… update for July 29, 2023

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

Savoy Bookstore in Westerly closing

Clydesdale, 10 years old, Mounted Police Command Horse of the PPD passed away

Jay Leno is performing at PPAC on 9/27

100,000 people were estimated to have attended the St. Mary’s Festival in Cranston

The pilot of a small plane that crash-landed on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard last weekend after he suffered a medical emergency has died.

The TV show, “American Pickers” will be filming in RI this August

There may be bus driver shortages – Warwick is already concerned

Providence Hurricane Barrier part 1 investment of $1.5M begins, should end by mid-August. Part 2 of another $1.5M to be done in 2024.

Everett, MA hotel for immigrants having an outbreak of respiratory disease

Berklee School of Music will not have their president, Erica Muehl, return after being appointed in 2020 as the first woman to head the school

RI Anime Con will be held this weekend in Providence

TMZ reports Aaron Hernandez brother, DJ, who was an asst. football coach at Brown, was arrested for planning school destruction at two universities, one of which is Brown Univ.

The Cambodian community is upset that the Lindemann Center for Performing Arts was named that at Brown University because of the family’s connection to owning antiquities from the Koh Ker, the capital of Cambodian

Wallet Hub rates RI schools as “Highest Spending – Lowest Performing” – the performance score was 29 when factored with a 9 for safety – without the safety consideration, it would have been in the mid-30s.

RI Child Advocate, Jennifer Griffith, has resigned and a search has begun for her permanent replacement

RI Ethics Committee has decided that there is reason to investigate Gov. McKee’s luncheon with a lobbyist

Rep. Marvin Abney, of Newport, currently chair of the Finance Committee, found to have taken $50K loan from a friend for his proposed run in CD1. Calls for him to step down as chair of Finance.

Rep. Enrique Sanchez visited an after hours club more than once against police advice, saying he wants to represent all the people and he was there on his own time.

24% increase filed by RI Energy, could raise individual electric rates by $34+ per month

114^th national NAACP convention will be held in Boston this week

Boston-based Biogen will cut 1,000 jobs, 11% of its global workforce – just as it is set to release its new Alzheimer’s drug

PVD Fest – change that on Friday night they can have block parties, use parking lots, NO open container – Saturday night headline singer with Waterfire  

The US DOJ:  Grieco Honda, Grieco Toyota, and Grieco Hyundai engaged in sales and pricing tactics that violated the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, including charging more for vehicles than they were advertising on their website, automatically charging every customer a fee for a $249 paint and fabric spray (a “Zurich Shield”), and describing vehicles as available for “auction” or “wholesale” prices. The agreement settles 2 lawsuits brought by Attorney General Neronha in March of 2022 against the dealerships.

Miriam Hospital wins reaccreditation for hip and knee replacement

The RI Department of Housing is adding 21 new full-time positions. Five postings are now listed at Apply.RI.Gov, the State of Rhode Island Job Board. Applications will be taken on a rolling basis.

After successfully helping more than 1,700 Rhode Islanders stay in their homes, RIHousing announced its Homeowner Assistance Fund Rhode Island (HAF-RI) program is closing to new applications.

Cumberland and other cities are monitoring “illegal golfing” – as damage is seen from people hitting golf balls in public parks, etc – which is illegal in RI.

RI has a new website for affordable housing: HousingSearchRI.org

From Jack Partridge:  On the Pawtucket Train station:  RIPTA’s Board of directors recently gave staff approval to execute an engineering contract with BL Companies of Warwick for the design and engineering for the passenger building at the transit center. There will be engagement opportunities throughout the development of the facility, so passengers get ready with your ideas as to how it can successfully facilitate usage and utility of the Center. Ridership on the MTA trains  and RIPTA buses remains strong and interest in the transit oriented station by developers continues.

Pawtucket will auction off McCoy memorabilia, per Prov. Bus. News

RIPTA announced today the extension of its year-long “Ride Free Central Falls” pilot program through December 31, 2023. 

ACI solitary or disciplinary confinement cannot be longer than 30 days.

Aquapalooza off Prudence Island Sat, July 29^th. RI DEM is asking boaters to steer clear of the event.

Courts ruled that the smell of marijuana in a vehicle is reason enough to search the vehicle.

Beyonce will perform at Gillette next Tuesday

The Lone Star tick which is beginning to be in this area can make you allergic to an item contained in red meat and other foods.

Pink plays Fenway Park on Sunday & Monday

Newport Folk Festival this weekend

Pawtucket is about to change their Main Street area – again – to try and revitalize it.  They want to support the business community with direct support, attracting new tenants and make downtown what it once was. They plan to do “a lot of little things that add up to something big,”  (Valley Breeze), including sidewalk improvements, roadway enhancements, crosswalks, more public art, more green infrastructure and street trees, all to make downtown a more attractive place to do business and nicer to walk around. Also, signage, façade improvements…

Newport Avenue, Pawtucket’s Carpionato development has changed eliminating some of the residential component going back to more of a mix of retail, restaurant, residential and office space. Everything but the Stop & Shop will be demolished and more of the development will be in EP rather than Pawt.

Woonsocket’s splash pad is behind schedule in opening.

Tufts Health has been approved to open a 144-bed behavioral hospital in Malden, MA

Cumberland woman chosen by Playboy after she threw her bra at a Drake concert and he wanted her to be found – she owns Café La La coffee shop

Nearly 60 Providence preschool students who need special education are not receiving services required under federal law, according to the Boston Globe.

Boston Globe is hiring a “Media Reporter” – to “…help readers make sense of all these modern woes and tell stories about people and companies in New England that are trying to save us from ourselves (and also profit from us).

The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is suggesting Republicans vote in the Democratic primary for the CD1 race, and to vote for the most conservative candidate running, thereby voting strategically.

Central Falls has formed a Domestic Violence Task Force

RI Anime Con will be held this weekend in Providence at the Convention Center

Rhode Island Foundation President and CEO David N. Cicilline announced that students from across RI are headed off to college with the help of nearly $4 million in scholarships. Hundreds of recipients and their families received support. 

Five, including a Johnston probate judge, were charged by the RI AG with various crimes related to the theft of items from the estate of James Barbieri, including collections of sports cards with an estimated value of more than $1 million and firearms worth more than $100,000.

In July there have been 6 fatal drownings, water accidents in Rhode Island.

James Taylor performed at the Newport Folk Festival as a fill in for Noah Kahan who could not perform.

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Admiral Lisa Franchetti nominated to lead the US navy – if confirmed, she would be the first woman to head a military service branch of the Pentagon

COVID Booster shot expected in the fall targeting those most at risk

Israeli’s Netanyahu admitted urgently for a pacemaker – discharged same day – this, after having an implanted monitor from his heart incident a week ago. Expected back at work almost immediately.

Twitter logo changed to an X on a black background

Rhodes, Greek luxury tourist island, has series of wildfires and many residents & vacationers are being evacuated – this added to temps in the low 100s. Greek spokesperson said ½ of Rhodes is in flames.

Wildfires in Greece trigger a series of explosions after flames reach an air force ammunition depot

3 Christian church worshippers in Moscow, Idaho who sued because they were arrested for not wearing masks during COVID in an outdoor service where everyone stood in their own circles drawn on the pavement so they could sing will receive $300,000. Pastor among them.

Marijuana approved to be sold at New York special events

In Seattle, homeless individuals are building shelters up in the trees – and some have dug tunnels in the parks.

Conimicut Point sand bar will have a new warning system designed by Mayor Picozza

More flooding in Nova Scotia

Actress Tori Kelly collapsed at an event and is hospitalized with blood clots around her lungs and legs

Obama’s personal chef died while paddleboarding in a pond on the past president’s property

Speaker of the House says allegations have now risen to impeachment levels and is raising it for consideration

Alabama woman who said she was kidnapped after seeing a young child walking on the street now admits she was not

The IRS has announced it will send letters, rather than make unannounced visits to homes and businesses for people who own taxes

A grizzly bear killed a female tourist at Yellowstone

White House reports that Pres. Biden’s dog bit 7 people in 4 months

LeBron James son suffers cardiac arrest while at a practice basketball game. Was in the ICU for one day, then in the hospital and on Thursday went home.

Tick borne disease is on the rise, worldwide

A large crane caught fire at the top arm, and collapsed in NYC, going through a scaffolding on the ground and landing on a dump truck – no injuries

Miami researchers believe sharks are ingesting cocaine floating in the water and want to study this as well as their possible ingestion of pharmaceuticals that may be present in wastewater making it into the ocean.

Mitch McConnell had a health scare when he “froze” and stopped speaking while at a press conference podium – he returned in a few minutes and continued saying he felt light-headed. There are reports that he has fallen several times this year – after his head injury.

US has ended funding for Wuhan lab in China that had been going on for decades

Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum has been removed from power, according to a group of soldiers who appeared on national TV. Colonel Amadou Abdramane declared the borders were closed, a nationwide curfew was in place, and all institutions were suspended.

Florida water is estimated to be 100-102 degrees – world record is 101

Florida coral is bleaching in the heat – researchers are harvesting it to store to return when oceans are less hot

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg adding $1 million home office to Lake Tahoe estate

Emmy’s postponed due to actor’s strike

Anheuser-Busch to lay off 350 employees, roughly 2% of staff

Richmond, VA has announced they have added 20 days to the school calendar as their research shows students are now behind nearly 2 years in learning due to COVID.

Pres. Biden has now publicly acknowledged his 7^th grandchild, a 4-year old named Navy

US issues evacuation orders for citizens in Haiti and advises no travel to the country

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PASSINGS

Randy Meisner, 77, The Eagles

Sinead O’Connor, 56

Dana DeLuca Shechtman, 70, owner, Barrington Books

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