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Losers from the 2023 legislative session
Even $14 billion can’t buy happiness for everyone. The state’s fiscal 2024 spending plan and flurry of end-of-session legislation still left policymakers and reformers hanging on high-profile topics ranging from police reform and gun safety to the controversy-ridden Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Here are the biggest losers from the 2023 session. (There were […]
Scenic views coming to airport connector
WARWICK — For travelers who fly into Rhode Island, the 1.1 mile Mary Brennan Parkway connecting T.F. Green International Airport to the state’s highways is the first and last road they will see during their trip. Funding comes from the sale of excess state land, RIDOT spokesperson Charles St. Martin said in an email Thursday […]
Patten conducted questionable behavior day before Philly trip, memo alleges
The now infamous trip to Philadelphia was not the only time David Patten, the state’s property management director, displayed questionable behavior. Former DOA director responds to Philadelphia trip allegations Gov. Dan McKee on Friday revealed another incident in which Patten made unprofessional and offensive statements during a work meeting at a Providence bar the day […]
General Assembly approves iGaming and more
Rhode Island lawmakers raced to the finish line as the clock ticked away Thursday night at the State House. As of 10 p.m., here is our report on the latest developments of democracy in action on the final day of the 2023 Legislative Session. After a fiery debate, the Rhode Island House approved bills that […]
Former DOA director responds to Philadelphia trip allegations
The state’s former Department of Administration director denies seeking any preferential treatment during a March business trip to Philadelphia that has sparked an investigation by the Rhode Island State Police. Executives of Scout Ltd., a Philadelphia-based company vying to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory in Providence, sent an email to Gov. Dan McKee’s office alleging […]
One year after legalization, Rhode Island finally has a Cannabis Control Commission
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island now has its long-awaited Cannabis Control Commission. The Rhode Island Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed the appointments of Kimberly Ahern as the chair of the three-member commission, along with Robert Jacquard and Olayiwola Oduyingbo. All three have legal backgrounds and experience in public service. Cannabis Control Commission nominees vow to prioritize […]
General Assembly approves controversial RIPTA board changes
PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) may likely get additional oversight power over the state’s sole bus operator. The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 46-21 to approve legislation that adds an additional member to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) eight-member board and designates RIDOT Director Peter Alviti […]
House to vote on controversial RIPTA board changes
PROVIDENCE — A proposal to restructure the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) Board of Directors is scheduled for a floor vote Tuesday afternoon. Just four days after holding its initial hearing over the matter, the House Finance Committee voted 11-3 Monday to advance a bill that would add one additional member to RIPTA’s eight-member […]
R.I. fears missing out on sports betting revenue. Is it prepared to address problem gambling?
Rhode Island lawmakers look across state lines to Massachusetts and Connecticut to see how they enacted sports betting, and all they see are dollar signs. In just the first month after sports betting began in Massachusetts, the Bay State saw more than $568 million worth of bets placed and nearly $12 million in tax revenue. […]
Everyone’s talking about the email Gov. McKee had to release. Here are 5 things to know
Blatantly sexist, racist, and unprofessional. That is how a company vying for a state contract to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory in Providence described the behavior of two state officials during a business trip to Philadelphia last March. Those comments are described in a four-page email dated March 12 from Scout Ltd. to Gov. Dan […]
Part of Route 6 to close this weekend
Beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will close the Route 6/10 Connector inbound to Providence in order to level and pave uneven sections of the highway. The roadway is scheduled to reopen on Monday, June 12. Additionally, the off-ramp from Route 10 South to Union Avenue will be temporarily […]
Johnston slaughterhouse admits to violating federal meat inspection law
PROVIDENCE — A Johnston-based beef slaughterhouse admitted in federal court Thursday that it defrauded customers over falsified meat inspections in 2019. Rhode Island Beef and Veal and one of its owners, Michael A. Quattrucci, pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding customers by claiming that beef had been inspected under the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The […]