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In the News… quick recap of the news of the week ending August 21, 2026
Busy, busy week in the news! Get caught up on some of the major news stories in Rhode Island, the region and beyond and passings of note…
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Kelly Clarkson to sing at PC Midnight Madness
RI Councilman John Goncalves using endorsement of AOD and Pressley on campaign literature when he has not received those endorsements (GoLocalProv)
Boston Red Sox will play on August 12, 2027, at the Field of Dreams field in Iowa
Lynne Urbani has resigned as House policy director after holding the position under the previous three speakers, will go to Neighborhood Health Plan as vice president of strategic initiatives.
A House spokesperson reports Blazejewski is now engaged in a broader reorganization of the House Policy Office, though Urbani’s successor has yet to be named.
40% of Springfield, MA residents are on SNAP
Blank Street Coffee will open on Thayer St in Providence
A tractor-trailer overturned Sunday at Point Judith and Galilee Escape roads, closing the area for more than seven hours while crews scraped squid from the pavement.
North Providence police used Flock technology to identify a motorcyclist accused of striking a vehicle and fleeing with that driver suffered minor injuries; the motorcyclist was arrested on hit-and-run and other outstanding charges
Hayden Panettiere dies at 36. The Heroes, Nashville and Remember the Titans actress died days before her 37th birthday. No cause announced. Two years ago her brother died from cardiomyopathy. Panettiere was to appear at RI Comic Con.
Jared Kushner meets with Hamas and then Israel in attempts to get the pathway to peace underway
RI Senate President Val Lawson (D) of East Providence is President of the NEARI (National Education Assoc of RI) – RI Ethics Commission ruled that Lawson could serve, replacing Sen. President Ruggerio, provided she recuse herself from votes involving her union
If Nantucket can’t locate bus drivers for the start of school, they may call in the Guard to pitch hit
$13,500,000 in federal funding to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to support upgrades to the Providence Ferry Terminal, located at 25 Portugal Parkway (Fox Point).
De La Comunidad Bilingual Charter Public School filed motion in District Court to immediately block enforcement of the state’s new charter school moratorium, arguing the law was written specifically to keep their approved school from ever opening.
Providence adds new enhanced-equipped 10th rescue and staffing to better respond
Amy Olson, URI Hillel’s Executive Director, will retire after 40 years in that position in June ‘27
44-year old woman with 2 outstanding bench warrants slashes man with a box cutter in Kennedy Plaza
Mosquito samples collected in Cranston, North Providence and Providence tested positive for West Nile virus
Ocean State Bluegrass Festival runs through Sunday at Frerichs Farm in Warren
Lawrence, MA. Mayor Brian DePeña, arrested for fraud, embezzlement of COVID and SBA loans
Pat’s Pastured recovering from $150,000 truck fire but has returned to Farmers Markets
Thousands turned out Saturday for the traveling Wheel of Fortune audition in Lincoln
The ELISHA Project distributed free school supplies to nearly 500 at the Second Annual Teacher Appreciation Even – classroom supplies, notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, mor
Taste of EG Stroll held this week
Nantucket may have to use the National Guard as school bus drivers due to lack of drivers
4 communities met about Flock cameras last night with only 1, North Kingstown, taking action, voting to end their contract
Lock Down at South County Hospital over a potential shooter was due to a crank call under investigation
Girls Flag Football in RI high schools will be an official sport this spring
Kelly Clarkson will be the entertainer at PC Midnight Madness
Rudy Giuliani will be in RI TODAY for Vic Mellor campaign – at Park Cinema
Gladstone School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony today in Cranston
Truck filled with squid overturned at Point Judith and Galilee Escape roads
Lynne Urbani, RI House policy director leaves to go to Neighborhood Health Plan
No. Providence PD hales FLOCK cameras for solving hit and run motorcyclist
Considering FLOCK restrictions today – Woonsocket, North Kingstown and Westerly
Iran puts bounty of $30K on head of US soldiers, dead or alive
Governor asks for a statewide pause on installation of new cameras for 60 days – this applies to state camera initiatives and cities and towns can see it as a recommendation
Almost all of the 36 RI State Police cameras have been installed before the ban
RI State Police Chiefs Assoc says people need to know the facts and not make decisions out of fear or misinformation
Bally’s stock has dropped over 35% and they have issued warnings about ability to survive
Neighbors join to do something about noxious odors from Quonset asphalt plant
3 groups of National Guard moving into one spot in Quonset
Barrington Creamery to open in Barrington
79 yo woman fell in a nail salon in Barrington when she walked into the wrong doorway and fell into the basement and died of her injuries
The Arch at the entrance of Federal Hill, up for 47 years, will be reinforced, repaired, and the pine cone (la pigna) will be gilded gold, for a cost of approx. $425,000.
Fire at St. Luke’s Church in Barrington – will have services relocated – caused by incense in mulch
Lynne Urbani, RI House policy director will go to Neighborhood Health Plan
Extended hours at Budlong Pool, Cranston, ends – closing back to 5pm
RI goal to decrease chronic absenteeism by students to 10% within 4 years
Zoo New England in Dorcester is being revamped
Harvard Medical School will pay $53 to settle the case of an employee selling body parts
12 Cannabis centers in MA ordered to recall and relist cannabis products found to have over-inflated levels of potency by the state’s “secret shopper” quality control program
MA Gov. Healey allocates $8.5 million for gender-affirming care for minors
Rhode Island early voting has begun – through 4 p.m. September 8. The statewide primary is Wednesday, September 9.
Federal Hill’s arch being restored. La Pigna will be gilded in 24-karat gold by same company that gilded The Independent Man atop the RI State House
20-ton Narragansett squid spill
Providence Equity Partners LLC, with minority investor Varsity Healthcare Partners, has acquired a majority stake in CheckedUp, a leading specialty point-of-care education and engagement platform connecting patients, healthcare providers and life sciences companies within the clinical environment.
RI License Plate being offered for Dominicans
RIPTA unveils another plan to move their buses from Kennedy Plaza. New location would be next to the train station, at the foot of the RI State House and along the street across from Providence Place Mall, taking much of the open land where the World Cup event was held. Gov. supports this.
40 Rhode Islanders filing to fight the Taylor Switft Tax
2 killed in head-on car crash on Route 295 in Cumberland that stopped traffic for hours
Golf Ranch purchased Cranston’s Mulligan’s. TrackMan technology. Opening spring 2027
The Holy Ghost Festival of New England in Kennedy Park in Fall River, Massachusetts, from August 26–30.
After not willing to debate, Vic Mellor will debate with Stephen Skoly on NBC10 Friday, Sept. 4th which will air on Sept. 5 & 6
Magnet fisher at Rocky Point pulls up 2 granades within weeks of each other
Newport Playhouse will close this year
PUC approves $170M in Rhode Island Energy credits — Credits begin in October and should offset the approved electric-rate increase.
Narragansett free beachfront concert begins tonight at 8 at Sand Castle By-The-Sea. 60th birthday celebration for Joseph Healey, a state native and New York hedge fund founder – headliner is Maroon 15
Lanternflies seem to be everywhere in the area
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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Jason Arday, the youngest-ever black professor at Cambridge University who was recently accused of plagiarizing his academic writing, has been found dead, coming after the university launched an investigation into plagiarism and false statements
DFW Airport cancels planned Islamic footwashing station.
Maternity wear has decreased by 45%
Caitlyn Jenner said on transathletes in sports: “XX you’re in, XY you’re out. It’s that simple.”
NYC Mayor Mamdani wants to require DoorDash, Amazon and independent deliver drivers to be hired by company as opposed to being independent contractors – seen as a way to better promote the Democratic vote through unionizing them. Companies say they will take their corporate offices outside of NYC if that goes through.
Univ. of Michigan to move to pass/fail rather than letter grades to reduce mental strain
Judge rules in the Alex Murdaugh retrial that it will be moved to new venue.
Presidential primary now beginning in South Carolina, not New Hampshire
Former Democrat Mayor of Lumberton, New Jersey, Gina LaPlaca and her husband charged with Fraud for faked signatures to obtain ballot placement in the 2026 primary
After France was to put in place a ban on social media for children under 15, French courts have blocked that action.
Democrat Primary will be held first – not in New Hampshire – but in South Carolina
Hurricane Lala is damaging Hawaii but not expected to hit land as previously predicted
Taylor Swift, who has cut her long hair to just below her shoulders, has been making public appearances with and husband, Travis
Military drills with South Korea have been scaled back by the President
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona being sued by wife of former bodyguard; she admits to an affair while in office. Wife is suing in North Carolina which has an alienation of affection cause to sue
Cheese banks in Italy run on Parmesan, as it accepts large wheels of cheese as collateral – large climate controlled warehouses hold the wheels much like Fort Knox hold gold.
Job-jumping in UK to get better pay, etc. has transformed to Job hugging, keeping jobs amidst uncertainty and opting for stability
14 charged at Penn State in a cocaine drug trafficking ring – a father was involved – SnapChat and Venmo used to make deals, using people’s real names – officials called this “very sophisticated” – drugs coming in and out of other cities, states. One arrested had 8 grams of cocaine, nearly 8 ounces of marijuana, more than 200 amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills and a .45-caliber handgun in his room
Iran puts $30K bounty on the head of US military, dead or alive
Fake poll results disclosed by polling company in the L.A. Mayoral race – showing Mayor Bass leading.
Joseph Mickens, former vice mayor of Columbus, Mississippi, arrested on felony charges of money laundering and offering inducements to influence the awarding of city contracts
French courts blocking government block on social media for children under 15
Jared Kushner meeting with Hamas and then Israel to get the pathway to peace underway
Attempted assassin of Treasury Secretary Bessent sentenced to 73 years, said he was influenced by killer of Luigi Mangione.
Anti-Jewish incidents remained the majority of religion-based hate crimes, accounting for 63 percent of the religion-motivated hate crime incidents reported in 2025 in the United States (ADL)
Bill Clinton turned 80 this Wednesday
Travis Kelci partnering with Tekta, a new agency to connect advertisers with college athletes and universities.
5 Americans killed in Safari helicopter crash in Kenya – one person was an exec of Telemundo – Ecuadorean officials also killed
Pumpkin Lattes back TODAY at Dunkin’ – and Panera – soon at Starbucks
Anti-Jewish incidents make up 63% of all US religion-based hate crimes
Marilyn Monroe Barbie Doll out to honor her 100th birthday – $81
Former Gov. Mike Bloomberg funds the The William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common, in honor of his parents at the Museum of Science in Boston – opening mid-October
FDA Commissioner named – Dr. Heidi Overton
Airfare rates are going up – buy tickets now is the advice – rates are staying up because people continue to travel as never before
Prince Harry & Meghan to move back to UK – children to start school in England (ages 5 & 7).
Rare 9/11 Pentagon footage released after 25 years – view it HERE: https://the911legacy.org/pentagon-response-series/
White House grass that is burned out, patchy and sunken in being replaced by Scott’s Miracle Grow, free.
White House Helipad finishing up – now helicopters don’t land on grass.
U.S. debt surpasses $40 trillion.
Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the FDA.
Jalapeño-linked salmonella outbreak expands. The CDC reports 431 illnesses across 32 states and 57 hospitalizations, with no deaths. The peppers came from Sinaloa, Mexico; many patients reported eating at Mexican-style restaurants.
“Economic warfare” being looked at against countries supporting Iran.
ICE arrests illegal alien who was navigating a boat in New York Harbor when a mother and child were killed in a boating accident
FBI seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s electronic devices at San Francisco airport and from his Washington, D.C., home last weekend as part of a probe into sexual misconduct
1st Lady Melania Trump announces $2 Million in scholarships from NASCAR for foster children
8 killed in an Alaska crash of a charter plane
NY terror plot to bomb the NY State Capital uncovered – local woman who had converted to Islam – plot associated with Isis – said she wanted to “kill the Senators while they are meeting”
Inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. this weekend – main event Sunday
Pizza Hut wants to be called just The Hut
Chipotle will offer 2 for 1 entrees after 3pm on Sundays you can get a 3rd for free – through Sept. 6th
Turkey issues arrest warrant for Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla
President Trump announced a 90-day deal to lower imported beef prices by 25% to help Americans save money at the grocery store.
US military’s “Stars & Stripes” editor of 19 years terminated because of an interview said to be “insubordination”
Some colleges will start taking payments from Paypal and Venmo
SCOTUS rules construction on White House Ballroom/Security Bunker can continue – just as construction in high gear, with 250 workers are working 20 hours a day
Walmart posting slowest sales in years – will lower prices on select items to lure back shoppers
Alex Jones judgment cut — A Texas appeals court reduced a $50M Sandy Hook judgment to roughly $6M
SNAP enrollment drops 13% — Participation fell from 42.2M to 36.6M in one year as expanded work requirements and administrative problems take effect.
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PASSINGS
George Barber, 100, RI veteran who had a parade in his honor this year
Frank Beard, 77, drummer with ZZ Top, was in Hospice care
Tommy John, 83, played for Yankees – elbow surgery named after him
Hayden Panettiere, 36, actress best known for ‘Nashville’ and ‘Heroes,’
Bill Rasmussen, 93, founder of ESPN
Jose Suarez, NBC, on board a helicopter in Nigeria