Though the Ocean State’s homeless population decreased nearly 10 percent in the last year, government and community organizations continue to make efforts to ease the burden faced by the approximately 4,000 people who still have no place to live. Rhode Island’s homeless population shrank by 8.5 ...
This series will explore the racial dynamics of Rhode Island’s school-to-prison pipeline. This story, the first of three, will look at the racial disparities present in the disciplinary decisions of R.I. public schools. Stumbling late into class and hurriedly sliding into her seat, the high school ...
HIV transmission bill faces backlash The House heard discussion Tuesday on a bill that would criminalize sexual activity, blood donation and the sharing of needles by those who knowingly are infected with HIV. The bill also prohibits individuals with an HIV infection from engaging in the already-illegal ...
Two bills introduced this month in the state legislature call for substantial changes to wage minimums. One bill would hike the state minimum wage from $9.00 to $10.10, while another would gradually increase the subminimum wage for tipped workers to equal the regular minimum wage by 2020. If passed, ...
Rosanne Somerson P’11, a renowned studio furniture designer, became the 17th president of the Rhode Island School of Design Wednesday. For the past 13 months she served as interim president following the departure of her predecessor, John Maeda. Every member of the RISD Board of Trustees voted to ...
As more than 40 inches of snow have blanketed the Ocean State in just the past month, municipalities are struggling to deal with quickly evaporating winter budgets and limited space to store snow. Significant winter storms, which began occurring on a near-weekly basis in mid-January, have made driving ...
An act to improve relations After its termination in the House of Representatives last year, the “Comprehensive Community – Police Relationship Act of 2014” has been reintroduced to the General Assembly by Sen. Harold Metts, D-Providence, in response to the recent murders of several black men ...
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission is currently working with the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society as part of a new $25,000 grant to research black history in the College Hill Historic District. The state was one of 13 to receive a grant through the National Park Service’s ...
A “right to try” bill introduced to the General Assembly Feb. 3 proposes allowing terminally ill patients in Rhode Island to have access to experimental drugs not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As of 2014, five states had passed similar legislation: Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, ...
A bill introduced in the General Assembly last month would increase funding for new full-day kindergarten programs beginning next fall. Seven Rhode Island communities — Cranston, Johnston, Warwick, Coventry, East Greenwich, North Kingstown and Tiverton — do not offer full-day kindergarten programs ...
Rep. David Bennett, D-Warwick, introduced legislation Jan. 28 that would require nurses in public middle and high schools to be trained in the use of naloxone, marketed and sold as Narcan. The substance, which is already used by state police, can temporarily relieve potentially fatal respiratory depression ...
The international search for the Rhode Island School of Design’s 17th president — which began following the sudden departure of President John Maeda in December 2013 — has reached the preliminary interview process. More than 100 members of the RISD community have been nominated, some of whom will ...
Rep. arrested for misappropriation Rep. Joe Almeida, D-Providence, the House deputy majority whip for the General Assembly, was arrested Feb. 10 for misappropriating campaign contributions, the Providence Journal reported. The former police officer has been proactive about strengthening relations between ...
Gov. Gina Raimondo, now a month into her first term, broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female governor of Rhode Island. Throughout her campaign, Raimondo made promises to forge a path for other women to rise to leadership positions. In a position paper on her campaign’s website, Raimondo ...
In the midst of an active Rhode Island Superior Court case, a hotly-debated $40 minimum fare for public motor vehicle operations — non-taxi car and van services — will go into effect today, the Providence Journal reported. While ride-sharing app services such as Uber and Lyft are not public motor ...
Richard Baccari II, a key developer in Rhode Island and principal of Royal Oaks Realty Ventures, entered into a purchase and sale agreement Jan. 20 with the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission for Parcel 8 — a LINK land site directly adjacent to property at 39 Pike Street that Baccari II owns. ...
Rhode Island may soon be among the first states in the country to ban the use of disposable plastic checkout bags at retail establishments. If passed, the bill would require large-scale retailers with total annual retail sales of at least $5 million to stop using plastic checkout bags by Jan. 1, 2016. ...
New Year, new session, new ideas With the General Assembly session in full swing, representatives are submitting new bills every day. It is the third or fourth time that some bills — such as one proposal to offer tax credits on student loan payments — are being introduced for consideration. Diverse ...
A first draft of a strategic plan for the Rhode Island Department of Education was released Monday by the newly-formed Ambassador Design Team. The team comprises 26 community members, including high school students, parents and educators, who were chosen to determine state public education goals for ...
In an effort to improve the Ocean State’s retention of college graduates, local representatives recently introduced the “Stay Invested in R.I. Tax Credit” bill, which would offer a financial incentive to reside and work in Rhode Island, in the form of a tax credit on student loan payments. College ...
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