News

RI Election 2022 — Magaziner, McKee, cannabis sales win big: Democrats sweep all state general offices

Republican candidates, expected to mount strong challenges in marquee races, went down to defeat against Democratic opponents in RI in the Nov 8 election, although by varying margins. For the seat being vacated by retiring James Langevin (D) in the US House of Representatives for the 2nd congressional district, Allan Fung (R), who served as […]

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EcoRI News Roundup: November 2022

R.I. Supreme Court Ends Years-Long Battle Over Block Island Marina Expansion The RI Supreme Court has rejected a controversial agreement between the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and Champlin’s Marina & Resort that would have allowed the Block Island marina to expand, ending a nearly 20-year-old legal battle. In its 54-page decision, the court affirmed […]

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Uprise RI: Neighborhood Land Bank: Creating interest in underused property

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza announced the creation of the Providence Neighborhood Land Bank, a new program through the Providence Redevelopment Agency, funded by the Providence Housing Trust Fund, that will acquire, hold, and transfer underused vacant land throughout the City with the goal of generating new affordable housing and revitalizing Providence neighborhoods. The City is […]

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It’s About More Than Land: Raymond Two-Hawks Watson and Dr. Taino Palermo establish Center for Indigenous People’s Rights

In 2006, Raymond Two-Hawks Watson’s grandma passed away. She had raised him in PVD and been his principal connection to his Narragansett Indian heritage. Before that, Watson says, he was just tenuously connected to his Indigenous culture, attending an occasional powwow on special days; after her passing, he decided to take his grandma’s example more […]

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Moving Morely? Not so Surely: Pawtucket’s plan to relocate Morely Field hits legal snags

PAWTUCKET, RI: The City of Pawtucket’s latest effort to reallocate greenspace in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Pawtucket to the Oak Hill neighborhood has found some obstacles.  Over the past several months, the Pawtucket City Council and mayoral administration has worked to allow for the expanded footprint of the Blackstone Distribution Center, a trucking center planned […]

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ARRRRR I Basketball: Pirates in Providence

The Providence Pirates are here to show you that there is quality professional basketball right here in Rhode Island. “This is a basketball state,” Sercan Fenerci, president & CEO of the Pirates said. “From the high-level college teams (Division I schools Providence College, Bryant, URI and Brown) to the lower levels (Division III schools such […]

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Opinion – Cannabis Bans on 31 of 39 Local RI Ballots: Revenue implications could be substantial

[See how this turned out.] Prohibiting licensing of cannabis-related businesses directly defies the underlying principle of the new Cannabis Act that legalized adult recreational use, which is to regulate it like alcohol. Allowing local bans of cannabis-related business was a necessary political compromise to get the legislation passed after well over a decade of stalling […]

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Early voting now open to all in RI: No explanation or application required

Motif has analyzed a few of the hotly contested races and the statewide referendum questions (“News Analysis – Elections 2022: Few contested races remain after primaries”, by Michael Bilow, Oct 5). Every registered voter in RI is allowed to vote early with no need for explanation or pre-approval: just show up at your local city […]

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Lending Library of Things: PVD Things opens in Olneyville

PVD Things held its grand opening on Sun, Oct 23, at its new space at 12 Library Ct in Olneyville. The multi-room facility was open for tours, and free hot dogs (with vegetarian options) were being served from a grill. “We are a non-profit co-operative tool-lending library, and what that means is we’re a non-profit […]

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