In the news… update for Nov. 4, 2023

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

Gov. McKee announced that homeless service agencies will be held accountable for a full accounting of money used going forward and a review of what has been spent and how they were used.

Southwest will fly direct to Denver and Dallas from T.F. Green

Mayor Smiley supports Gov. McKee’s firing of a staff member who was active on a political issue (support of Gaza) and made anti-Semitic remarks.

Mayor Smiley expressed his unqualified support of Israel and the Jewish people, particularly in Rhode Island – he also does not support the City Council’s resolution in support of Gaza.

Homecoming canceled at Worcester State College after on-campus shooting of two, in an unrelated incident.

Cranston City Council passes resolution in support of Israel.

Sarah Morgenthau, who ran for Governor last time, in the primary was named by the US State Dept. as its special representative for commercial and business affairs.

Steamship Authority has significantly raised the cost of taking a vehicle to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket for this season.

RIHousing, the principal housing finance agency for Rhode Island for the past 50 years, received the 2023 Annual Award for Program Excellence in Management Innovation: Technology from the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) for the submission ‘Expanding Agency Capacity Through Data Management.’ 

HypedWire says the 3 states Rhode Islanders are moving to are: Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Florida, while the 3 states where people are moving to Rhode Island are: Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont

There are over 7,200 families in the MA shelter system with half in hotels or motels. The Healey Administration announced it is partnering with federal officials to hold a clinic to help those that are qualified to find work, on the hope that employment will help them migrate into the general housing population.

Shattuck Hospital in Franklin, MA is proposed for into supportive housing for people struggling with addiction and homelessness.

Callie Crossley has stepped down as regular host of “Basic Black,” the longest-running public affairs show of its kind on television.

Newport Restaurant Week runs Nov. 3-12

COVID clinics will be held in the late afternoon and evening at schools for the entire community. To register, go to covid.ri.gov/vaccination and click “Community Clinic Registration.” People can register for either COVID-19 vaccine (for people ages 5 and older), flu vaccine (for people ages 3 and older), or both vaccines. It is safe to receive both vaccines at the same visit. There is no insurance requirement and no cost.. People can get the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine even if they have not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past. 

ComicCon runs through Sunday night in Providence

In Nantucket, the iconic water fountain was destroyed by a late night hit and run with a truck

Over 1300 Rhode Islanders have received support from the state’s Statewide Down Payment Assistance Program that offered $17,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers. The program is now exhausted and closed.  

The Woonsocket Call and the Pawtucket Times have merged – will be known as the Blackstone Valley’s Call & Times

Downtown Boston office buildings are seen to be selling at a loss

November 13, the City will start the second phase of construction rehabilitating the Allens Avenue sewer gates, a critical part of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier.

McCoy Stadium will auction off memorabilia in the spring, with proceeds going to a city organization.

HealthSourceRI open enrollment – enroll, change by 12/15 – for activation 1/1/24

Two RI restaurants will be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives – Edgewood Café in Cranston and Crazy Burger in Narragansett

RI received $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

• $2.5 million for the Providence Police Department to hire twenty police officers;
• $400,000 to the South Kingstown Police Department to implement Crisis Intervention Teams;
• $220,514 to fund a Providence Police Department De-Escalation Program; 
• $67,500 to fund a Tiverton Police Department School Violence Prevention Program; and
• $132,518 to the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission to enhance existing law enforcement accreditation entities.

102 Mass & Cass residents in Boston have been cleared out and moved into shelters, rehab facilities, with families, or otherwise housed.

RI Authors Expo will be held on 12/2 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick

Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies will be opened on Monday at RIC

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

2% of kids and 7% of adults have gotten the new COVID shots

Walgreens cutting bonuses, retirement fund matches

COVID vaccine recipients are at 7% adults, 2% children – ½ of adults said they won’t get it or give it to children. Especially low in minority groups. Vaccine recommended for those 6 mos or older, and especially in senior populations.

Jeff Bezos will move from CA to Miami, FL. His parents and his company are in FL.

CEO of National Assoc. of Realtors resigned after allegations of realtor commissions being inflated

Extensive flooding in Mecca

Mike Pence has withdrawn from the Republican race for President

NY AG Letitia James says that people should not be able to own or buy assault rifles.

Pres. Biden enacted AI control initiatives and put Commerce Sect. Gina Raimondo in charge

The woman who was kidnapped from Israel, who worked as a tattoo artist at the concert, was killed – her head found. She was ID’d via her DNA.

Courts have upheld that fencing on the border and that they must stay up

5,000 migrants are walking to US border from Mexico

Abercrombie & Fitch accused of sex trafficking young boys and abuse of young models

Maryland veteran lived for 2 months with a genetically-modified pig heart

600,000 “got-away” migrants have come into the US

WeWork is expected to file for bankruptcy – they were billed as a company to revolutionize virtual and shared space working

Egypt opened the door in Gaza for people to evacuate to safety – including Americans – and will continue for several days – 500 people got out on day 1.

Crypto king, Sam Bankman-Fried guilty on all charges. 7 counts of fraud

Birds in North America will no longer be named after people, the American Ornithological Society announced as it begins to rename over 60 birds

Cranston St. Armory – James L. Brooks hopes to film ‘Ella McCay’ at the armory beginning next month and going through May 2024.

Cornell Univ. cancels classes for Friday over tensions on campus when student issued death threats to Jewish students. He was charged and brought into court.

The editor of the Harvard Law Review, a prestigious position, worked with other students to surround and threaten a Jewish student on campus.

Censure efforts in Congress for House Rep. Tlaib for antisemitic remarks

Lung scans, CTs, beyond 15 years from quitting smoking are now recommended

Infant deaths in US have risen for the first time in 20 years – considered a bellweather for a nation’s health

Conde Nast will let go approx. 270 employees, 5% of its staff

China, faced with a demographic crisis, a slowing economy and what it views as a stubborn rise of feminism, the party has chosen to push women back into the home, calling on them to rear the young and care for the old. The work, in the words of Mr. Xi, is essential for “China’s path to modernization.”

SuperBowl ads are nearly sold out

14% use of e-cigarette use has fallen to 10%, but 2% increase in cigarette smoking

Ukrainian general says the war has reached a point where there is a stalemate.

6 Democratic Mayors went to DC to ask for help with migrant influx

Roger Krone, a retired businessman and Eagle Scout, was named Friday as the new chief executive of the 113-year old youth organization, the Boy Scouts of America

More than 10 million Americans lost coverage as Medicaid extensions are unwound, returning to normal qualifications

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PASSINGS

Ady Barkan, 39, ALS health care activist

Michael Chellel, 74, Rhode Island’s famous Santa Claus

Tyler Christopher, 50, soap actor, of cardiac incident

Coach Bobby Knight, 83

Matthew Perry, 54, accidental drowning in his hot tub