Rhode Island Current

Rhode Island Current

@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The Rhode Island Current is an independent, nonprofit news outlet covering state government and the impact of public policy decisions in the Ocean State. https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/

6.3K followers311 following10K posts

Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Rhode Island AG @peterneronha.bsky.social claims Meta reaps billions by allowing the same advertising machinery that helps legitimate businesses find customers to be used by scammers to target victims. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com?p=34323

rhodeislandcurrent.comRhode Island is first state to sue Meta over alleged profits from scam ads • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island is the first state to sue Meta over scam ads, alleging the social media company let fraudulent advertising flourish and misled consumers about online fraud.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Work begins next year on two solar carports, battery storage and electric vehicle charging station projects for Capitol Hill campus parking lots across from the State House in Providence. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/26/9...

rhodeislandcurrent.com$9M renewable electricity project coming to Smith Hill next year • Rhode Island CurrentA $9.3 million project to add solar carports, a battery storage system and an electric vehicle charging station on the state's Smith Hill campus has received a $4.5 million federal earmark with the pr...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

A new national report shows how everyday costs have increased for Americans, defining many political campaigns ahead of November’s midterm elections. By @stateline.org .https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/26/repub/rising-prices-squeeze-more-americans-ahead-of-pivotal-midterm-elections/

rhodeislandcurrent.comRising prices squeeze more Americans ahead of pivotal midterm elections • Rhode Island CurrentAmericans’ growing frustration over high prices has defined many political campaigns ahead of November’s midterm elections. As the political environment continues to sour for Republicans, a new analys...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs spent less on a recruitment advertising campaign to address staffing shortages than the Rhode Island State Police did and ended up with more applicants. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/26/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comRecruitment efforts bring mixed results for state law enforcement agencies • Rhode Island CurrentThe Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs spent less on recruitment advertising but drew more applicants than State Police, whose 2027 training academy received its fewest applications in years.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

GOP Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy tries to reframe controversial ad, claiming it wasn’t about child sex abuse amid protests. Via @ohiocapitaljournal.com ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/10/25/r...

ohiocapitaljournal.comRamaswamy tries to reframe controversial ad, claiming it wasn’t about child sex abuse amid protests • Ohio Capital JournalOhio candidate for governor Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is attempting to reframe his controversial ad featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother as protestors have started gathering at ...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Lawmakers in many states have enacted or are considering tougher regulations for e-bikes and e-scooters as their popularity – and safety concerns – grow. By @acvollers.bsky.social @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/25/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comE-bikes now rival motorcycles for speed. State and city laws haven’t caught up. • Rhode Island CurrentEarlier this month, a 50-year-old man riding his personal electric scooter in Washington, D.C., was killed when he collided with a woman on a rideshare scooter. In June, a 12-year-old Massachusetts gi...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Many of this year’s ballot measures don’t include summaries to supplement the titles. And many voters don’t read beyond a measure’s title before deciding how to vote, researchers found. By @acvollers.bsky.social @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/23/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.com2026 ballot measures are written at a graduate-school reading level, report finds • Rhode Island CurrentThis year’s statewide ballot measures are written, on average, at a graduate-school reading level, according to a new report. Research has found voters are more likely to skip ballot questions that ha...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The percentage of working-age adults without health insurance has grown in the past two years, according to a new report. By @chatlanis.bsky.social @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/23/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comThe percentage of people without health insurance is growing • Rhode Island CurrentThe percentage of working-age adults without health insurance has increased in the past two years, largely because many people can no longer afford Obamacare coverage after Congress allowed federal su...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

For the third consecutive year, HousingWorks RI finds no municipality had a home affordable to a household earning the state’s median homeowner income. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/23/m...

rhodeislandcurrent.comMore pressure on cost-burdened Rhode Islanders, more calls for housing • Rhode Island CurrentAs voters weigh state and Providence housing bonds, a new HousingWorks RI report details how rising costs continue to put homes out of reach for many residents.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Providence School Board emerges from behind closed doors after agreeing to "a restorative circle." By @ohnocastro.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/22/p...

rhodeislandcurrent.comProvidence School Board postpones vote on president’s removal after six-hour meeting • Rhode Island CurrentThe Providence School Board postponed a vote to remove President Ty’relle Stephens, agreeing to review bylaws and hold a "restorative circle" amid ongoing leadership disputes.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Trump's 1M number includes both voluntary returns and people turned around at the border, according to a new analysis by the former chief statistician for the Department of Homeland Security. rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/22/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comAnalysis: Trump deportations near 1M, but few are criminals • Rhode Island CurrentThe current Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts claims to have expelled nearly a million people through July of this year, but those include both voluntary returns and people turned around...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Rep. Jenni Furtado of East Providence will replace former Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Liz Beretta-Perik, who resigned after her husband’s indictment on federal fraud charges related to his former education firm in Ohio. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/21/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comRep. Jenni Furtado to lead state Democratic party • Rhode Island CurrentRep. Jenni Furtado will replace Rhode Island Democratic Party chairwoman Liz Beretta-Perik, who resigned Tuesday. Furtado, a first-term state representative from East Providence, was the first…
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Rhode Island cannabis regulators revise guidance for farmers and retailers subject to new THC potency limit. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/21/h...

rhodeislandcurrent.comHemp businesses don’t have to destroy their stock after federal ban starts. They just can’t sell it. • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island regulators are letting hemp businesses hold onto products soon to be barred under federal law, but questions remain about what they can do with that inventory if Congress changes course a...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

US Supreme Court allows gender-affirming care for trans people in federal prisons. By @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/21/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comUS Supreme Court allows gender-affirming care for trans people in federal prisons • Rhode Island CurrentThe U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday denied the Trump administration's emergency request to implement a rule that would terminate gender-affirming care for transgender people incarcerated in federal priso...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

A Harvard Kennedy School survey of nearly 5,000 public servants reveals high job satisfaction alongside widespread burnout, workplace harassment and employee turnover risks. Via @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/21/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comCity, state employees are proud of their work but face burnout, harassment • Rhode Island CurrentState and local government employees report high levels of job satisfaction across the country, but face significant rates of burnout and on-the-job harassment. That’s according to a new national surv...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Three RI gubernatorial candidates spar over tax returns, transparency and polls in their final debate before the Nov. 3 general election, moderated by @wpri12.bsky.social's @timwhiteri.bsky.social & @tednesi.bsky.social. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/21/n...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNew controversies bring fresh disagreements to final RI gubernatorial debate • Rhode Island CurrentThe Washington Bridge got only a fleeting mention during Rhode Island’s final gubernatorial debate Tuesday night at Rhode Island College, eclipsed by fresh controversies over CVS, tax returns and publ...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Past support for humanities bonds has been mixed. Will the state’s usually generous voters support Question 4 this year? By @ohnocastro.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/20/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comRhode Island voters love history and bond issues. But not always at the same time. • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island voters will decide on Question 4, a $50 million bond for a new State History Center and preservation. Past cultural bonds have struggled.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Single-family home completions fell in every region, especially in the Northeast (-17%) and South (-15%) in new U.S. Census Bureau survey results. By @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/20/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNew home completions are stuck at 2020 levels • Rhode Island CurrentSingle-family home completions remain stuck at early pandemic levels as of September as costs, labor supply shortages and high interest take a toll on home builders, especially in the Northeast and So...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Helena Buonanno Foulkes was 13 years old when the Blizzard of '78 stranded her and her toddler sister at home with their panicked babysitter. Here's how she weathered the storm. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/20/h...

rhodeislandcurrent.comHelena Buonanno Foulkes has always been unflappable. Is she now unbeatable? • Rhode Island CurrentAfter losing in 2022 to Gov. Dan McKee, Helena Buonanno Foulkes began a comeback campaign focused on community relationships, including in Central Falls. Having defeated McKee in the 2026 Democratic g...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Democrats are expected to flip fewer U.S. House seats than wave elections this century, but analysts project the party still carries momentum heading into the final two weeks of the election cycle. By @fischler.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/19/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comWith 2 weeks until midterms, analysts say Dems still on track to win US House majority • Rhode Island CurrentDemocrats enter the final two weeks of the 2026 midterm elections with momentum, eyeing 10–20 House seat gains and a potential Senate majority.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

ACLU of Rhode Island says the guidance RI State Police delivered Gov. Dan McKee Monday after a review raised “fundamental concerns." By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/19/m...

rhodeislandcurrent.comMcKee extends pause deadline on Flock cameras indefinitely • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island’s pause on new Flock camera installations will continue indefinitely after Gov. Dan McKee left binding safeguards to lawmakers Monday, just as state police released interim guidelines for...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

With only modest name recognition and even less campaign cash, independent gubernatorial candidate Ken Block looks to polling as proof he can beat Democratic rival Helena Buonanno Foulkes. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/19/n...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNo-nonsense Ken Block ran for governor twice and lost. Will his third time charm RI voters? • Rhode Island CurrentKen Block, an independent candidate for Rhode Island governor, hopes his focus on pragmatism over partisanship will win over voters. Recent polls suggest Block has gained momentum though he still trai...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

15,000+ Rhode Island voters have already cast ballots since the start of early voting Wednesday. #NoKings volunteers were out to make sure more folks know about early voting at the Hope Street Farmers Market on Saturday morning. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/17/n...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNo Kings volunteers bring early voting message to Hope Street Farmers Market in Providence • Rhode Island CurrentCivic education was on the menu at the Hope Street Farmers Market Saturday, where a dozen volunteers with flyers and signs tried to spread awareness about early voting in Rhode Island. The community e...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo and two other New England Democrats made an unannounced visit Friday to ICE regional headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/16/u...

rhodeislandcurrent.comU.S. Rep. Gabe Amo joins Democratic colleagues for unannounced Massachusetts field office visit • Rhode Island CurrentU.S. Rep. Gabe Amo on Friday joined two New England Democrats on an unannounced visit to an ICE facility in Massachusetts where detainees have reportedly spent days awaiting transfer. Amo said the fac...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

When it comes to Connecticut’s increasingly troublesome relationship with black bears, both candidates in this year’s governor’s race agree that hunting is a solution. By @ctmirror.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/16/o...

rhodeislandcurrent.comOn Connecticut bear hunt, Gov. Lamont and GOP challenger Fazio find common ground • Rhode Island CurrentDemocratic Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and his Republican challenger Ryan Fazio both support regulated black bear hunting amid rising human-bear conflicts and growing concerns over public safety.
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The rocky road to restoring Newport’s Cliff Walk has cleared a significant obstacle after the city secured permission from Rhode Island coastal regulators. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/16/c...

rhodeislandcurrent.comCoastal regulators OK revised Cliff Walk repair plan; path could reopen as soon as 2028 • Rhode Island CurrentThe Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council approved a revised repair plan for the Cliff Walk in Newport at its meeting Tuesday. The unanimous vote paves the way for reconstruction of the co...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Rhode Island’s two-month pause on new automated license plate reader installations is set to expire Monday, the same day State Police may be ready to announce new policies governing the surveillance technology. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/15/f...

rhodeislandcurrent.comFlock camera opponents say they were left out of state-led policy review • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island’s two-month pause on new Flock camera installations is set to expire Monday. As Rhode Island State Police prepare new rules for automated license plate readers, civil liberties groups say...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

California sued by Trump administration over demand to purge 20,000 voters from rolls. By @fischler.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/15/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comCalifornia sued by Trump administration over demand to purge 20,000 voters from rolls • Rhode Island CurrentThe Trump administration sought a federal court order Thursday to force California to purge 20,000 people from its voter rolls over claims they are not U.S. citizens, a major development less than thr...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

“The wins from this could be very very big ones," U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said. By @statesnewsroom.com rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/15/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comBipartisan permitting bill in Congress could speed energy projects, but draws green critics • Rhode Island CurrentTop Republican and Democratic U.S. senators have unveiled a 417-page bill to overhaul the approval process for new energy projects, a pathway for what’s known as “permitting reform.”
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Forget retirement. Richard Charest is jumping from Rhode Island state government back to industry after all, raising ethics questions. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/15/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comRI Health and Human Services head to replace Roger Williams, Fatima hospitals CEO • Rhode Island CurrentRhode Island Health and Human Services Secretary Richard Charest has been chosen as the new CEO for CharterCARE Health of Rhode Island, the local owners of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady o...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

BHDDH failed to flag problems with sampling of Medicaid claims over a two-year period, state auditors say. By @ohnocastro.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/15/s...

rhodeislandcurrent.comState auditors find widespread compliance failures in opioid treatment oversight • Rhode Island CurrentA recent state audit of 100 Medicaid claims over a two-year period by all five opioid treatment providers that billed Rhode Island Medicaid during that period found at least one problem with every sin...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

$2.2M in federal funding makes possible a safe space to heal in Providence for those affected by Brown and Pawtucket mass shootings. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/14/n...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNew resiliency center offers free trauma support for those affected by Brown and Pawtucket shootings • Rhode Island CurrentA new federally funded center in Providence will offer free, trauma-informed support to survivors, families and others affected by the Brown University and Pawtucket shootings. Its services will inclu...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The Ever Hope Center, a federally funded resiliency center for people affected by the mass shootings in Pawtucket and at Brown University, officially opened at One Union Station in Providence Wednesday. By @krish-eh.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/14/n...

rhodeislandcurrent.comNew resiliency center offers free trauma support for those affected by Brown and Pawtucket shootings • Rhode Island CurrentA new federally funded center in Providence will offer free, trauma-informed support to survivors, families and others affected by the Brown University and Pawtucket shootings. Its services will inclu...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

The last consumer price inflation report before midterm elections finds 3.7% inflation in September was the highest since May, when it was 4.2%. Via @stateline.org rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/14/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comPowered by spikes in energy prices, inflation surges to 3.7% in last report before midterm elections • Rhode Island CurrentInflation grew to a 3.7% annual rate in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from 3.4% in August. Spikes in energy prices were largely responsible: Gas is now up 34% for the...
Rhode Island Current
@rhodeislandcurrent.com

Blistering court decision comes after the Department of Justice pressured or sued states for their voters’ information and then, court records say, turned over the data to a sub-agency of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. By @jonshorman.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/10/13/r...

rhodeislandcurrent.comTrump pressed states for info on millions of voters in the midterms. It's mostly failed. • Rhode Island CurrentThe Trump administration’s sprawling project to send sensitive personal information on millions of voters to the Department of Homeland Security has been declared illegal by a federal judge.