In the News… summary for week ending July 27, 2024

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

Oil tanker spills 2,500K gallons of oil on Allens Avenue – a full load of 11K was on board and off-loaded, with RIDEM taking control of the cleanup

Two shot at Cranston’s St. Mary’s Feast on Saturday night – shut down early by RI State Police – seems to be a firearm accident, not a deliberate shooting – 39 West remained closed Sunday night – fireworks and parade went on on Sunday.

Graduate Providence officially joins the Hilton family

Police in Dominican Republican are using ATVs confiscated in Providence and donated to partrol

Forbes ranks RI 13^th most expensive state

Broadway Bistro in Providence closed

Connecticut man died participating in the Nantucket Triathlon after being pulled from the water unresponsive at Jetties Beach. 

Audrain and the Heritage Restaurant Group has acquired another Newport restaurant, The Reef restaurant.

Walden Pond in MA struggling with flooding and high bacteria accounts and comPeting interests of swimmers and fishing community

Botanica 21 Division and Gilligan’s Pub, off Chalkstone Ave in Prov closed due to nearby fire

WeWork closes large Boston location, withholds rent at others

Karen Read re-trial set for January

Mayor of Taunton arraigned for biting her husband – he accompanied her and held her hand during their time in court

IGT Gaming sold to Apollo for $16.3 Billion

Steward Hospitals will close 2 hospitals – Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer.

RI Blood Center has a critical need for types O-plus and O-negative blood types.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pregnant, expecting 3^rd child

RI Ethics Commission says ‘nothing found’ in ethics allegations to Cranston Mayor Hopkins – mayor wants apology from opponent, Barbara Fenton-Fund

Jamestown Tick Task Force will continue their annual plan to combat ticks and Lyme Disease on the island

Martha’s Vineyard has a new plan for homelessness this winter with a dedicated space for women, men, a kitchen, a social space, showers, and laundry facilities for 25 people. M.V. Cares Outreach Coalition, is a coordinated effort of many Island organizations and Businesses and is funded with private funds and grants.

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) on Martha’s Vineyard joins others in a call for a moratorium on offshore wind.

United Way names Kyle Bennett chief of staff

Cases of polio are cropping up in Gaza

Ocean State Job Lot will open a store where Christmas Shop used to be

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI has received a Brand Excellence Award for outstanding performance in member retention of 96.4% in 2023, from the BCBS Association

46% of Generation Z members (age 18-27) rely on financial assistance from parents and family, according to Bank of America…

Harvard’s morgue who experienced the theft of body parts says dozens of people have withdrawn from the school’s body donation program. 

June Rose, Chief of Staff to Prov. City Council President arrested in DC during anti-Semitism rally at Congress

Aquapalooza this weekend – water area closed for 2 weeks

10 public and charter schools in New Bedford received a label of “segregated.” The committee from the state Department of Education found the city’s differences with its suburbs in racial, ethnic and economic composition helps produce the school divisions, and could be impacting the resources students have. (New Bedford Light)

Kraft family is buying multiple properties in the Worcester, MA area

Two water projects were included in a bill that passed the House in DC – and are now being considered by the Senate. They were requested by Rep. Seth Magaziner, and though he voted against the Republican bill in the House, the bill passed funding the 2 projects: $1,105,800 for Cranston to install rain gardens and other stormwater management measures on Garden, an area that is prone to flooding – AND – $674,196 for Westerly to reline sewer pipes to protect the Pawcatuck River and its tributaries from being exposed to untreated effluent and ensure clean water.

The 35th annual Governor’s Bay Day in RI is Sunday. Parking is free at all Rhode Island state beaches, and saltwater fishing without a license is allowed Friday through Sunday.

Standard General, a hedge fund, will buy remaining shares in Bally’s, whose Board Chair Soo Kim, also leads the fund – price is over $4B

LineSider Brewing Co. will close

NBC Sports is coordinating Olympics broadcasting, information, highlights, etc. from a massive center set up in Stanford, CT.

Waterfire will end at 11 now, not midnight, to save costs

JetBlue will fly daily nonstop flights between Rhode Island Fort Myers and Tampa, Florida – and there will be a direct flight from TF Green to Puerto Rico

Reader’s Digest names “Coffee Milk” as #1 beverage in Rhode Island. White Birch Soda in CT; Cranberry Juice in MA

Reader’s Digest names “Calamari” as #1 snack in Rhode Island.Fried clams in MA; Apizza (New Haven pizza) in CT.

MA encampments in Boston & Salem are being dismantled – New Bedford next online

17 new recruits sworn in for the Cranston Fire Department

Solar array roof of a company in Cumberland caught fire and posed a significant challenge to firefighters who eventually put it out

Boar’s Head deli items pulled off shelves in multiple states, due to listeria outbreak, sickening over 35 people in multiple including RI – Stop & Shop closes all delis out of precaution

FBI confirms it was a bullet that hit Pres. Trump

Cranston Western Girls Little League is the New England Region Champion – and will go on to their World Series

Providence is experiencing a spike in overdose incidents

Nantucket residents and visitors continue to find smaller and smaller shards of fiberglass and debris from the large blade of the Vineyard Wind turbine that came apart and washed up in pieces – this is one blade of one turbine of the 19 built – 68 are planned. Construction is halted as this situation is investigated.

Macy’s at Providence Place Mall may close, due to unconfirmed news reports and financial analysts’ statements

IGT Gaming, headquartered in Providence, sold to Apollo for over $6M, in an all cash deal

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NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Brittney Griner announces birth of son, who will call her “Pops”

Taiwan involved in large Military drills, preparing for possible interaction with China

CDC said 2 have died and 28 hospitalized due to listeria from eating pre-packaged turkey, liverwurst and ham deli meat – 2 cases of sickness in Massachusetts.

A Brazilian musician died after he was electrocuted during a live performance when he hugged a fan who was wet from the rain

New Hampshire Gov. Sununu signs bill banning transgender girls from girls’ sports

Russian spokesperson said Pres. Biden ran away from elections and caused trouble all over the world

Bruce Springsteen has achieved billionaire status

McDonald’s extends its $5 value meal

Olympics have equipped their athletes’ dorms with “anti-sex cardboard beds”

Hundreds of migrants leaving Mexico for US in fear that Donald Trump would be voted President

Secret Service advises candidate Pres. Donald Trump to only hold indoor rallies – some close to the campaign says he has agreed to not do this for now.

Secret Service director resigns

El Chapo’s second son and head of a cartel manufacturing ring arrested

Investigation into why Delta didn’t recover from the cyber outage – to date 5,400 flights were canceled, total – Atlanta airport a week later still had numerous missing luggage and some people unable to get where they need to go, as well as unaccompanied children being reported.

The White House has not held a press briefing in over a week, after normally holding them daily.

Harvey Weinstein hospitalized with COVID and double pneumonia

A geyser erupted in Yellowstone Park

Netanyahu of Israel addressed Congress and met with Pres. Biden, VP and candidate Kamala Harris and former President and candidate Donald Trump while he was in the US

During Netanyahu visit anti-Israel demonstrators destroyed property, defaced statues and stole and burned American flags. Only a few dozen were arrested.

Snoop Dog will carry the torch at the opening of the Olympics

4 or more terrorist attacks have been thwarted prior to the Olympics

Escalator fire at JFK Airport caused evacuation this week

Southwest Airlines will assign seats and premium seating for customers who want more legroom

Las Vegas is experiencing its hottest summer on record, with temperatures climbing above 115 degrees Fahrenheit or higher over seven days in July.

The CDC ways rates of obesity are up 42% in adults and 20% in children – attributed to high cost of healthy food and increased consumption of cheap, fast food and other choices

Gov. Newsom issues order to remove homeless camps in California – commenting he said his Executive Order is about “getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job”. Many who are being moved say they will come back – to another area – until being moved again.

US intercepts Russian & Chinese fighters over Alaska airspace

Six Democrats sided with Republicans on Thursday on a House resolution that condemned the Biden administration and Vice President Harris for their handling of the Southern border.

Fox News invited candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump to a Sept. 17 debate.

Resume Builders reports that 3 in 10 full time workers may quit their jobs by year end

Olympics opened in Paris in pouring rain, in the first outdoors opening. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion performed. Snoop Dog is a commentator and carried the torch. Production was challenged due to the rain, but the torch was lit – a sculptural hot air balloon – which will stay “afloat” over the city. Follow standings, news, here: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024

First medal ceremony in Olympics to be awarded Saturday morning – synchronized diving and mixed team shooting

Pres. Trump says he will return to the site of the shooting to hold a rally once again.

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PASSINGS

Jack Connors, 82, Boston advertising titan, philanthropist

Abdul Fakir, 88, last surviving member of the Four Tops