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Nationally relevant

RI Prepares for Dangerously Cold Extreme Weather: Emergency action by state and local governments

Dangerously extreme cold weather is predicted Fri, Feb 3, through Sat, Feb 4, that will combine ambient temperatures dropping to -6F with sustained winds of 25MPH and gusts of 45MPH to produce wind chills below -20F. (See motifri.com/wx-2023-02-02 for forecast details.) State and local governments are taking emergency actions to keep the public safe and, […]

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RI Baby Names 2022: Popularity contest

In a New Year’s tradition, the Center for Vital Records at the RI Department of Health this morning announced the most popular names chosen for male and female babies born in 2022, based upon preliminary statistical data; the final results will be compiled in February. “Charlotte” skyrocketed in popularity for girls, while “Liam” maintained leadership […]

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News
Cannabis

RI Recreational Cannabis Sales Begin Dec 1: Five retail venues licensed to open

Recreational cannabis sales begin Thu, Dec 1, under a new state statute signed into law on May 25. “Five licensed medical marijuana compassion centers have been approved for hybrid retail licenses, which allow them to sell both medical and adult use marijuana products in retail settings,” the office of RI Gov. Daniel McKee said in […]

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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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Nationally relevant

Opinion – Fung Squirms as Magaziner Treads Water: 2nd Congressional District a Toss-Up

See how this turned out. In a three-way contest to represent the RI 2nd congressional district in the US House – among Republican Allan Fung, independent William Gilbert, and Democrat Seth Magaziner – polling has consistently shown a dead heat between Fung and Magaziner with considerable uncertainty as to whether Gilbert could serve as a […]

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Cannabis

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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News

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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Nationally relevant

News Analysis — Elections 2022: Few contested races remain after primaries

For information about the upcoming RI general election on Nov 8, see the web site – vote.sos.ri.gov – that explains how and where to vote, options for early voting, and lists of candidates for all offices. RI has early in-person voting Oct 19 through Nov 7 at city and town halls; no special application is […]

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Destroying Twitter in Order to Save It: Elon Musk Throws Around Billions

Bilow’s Law of Twitter: “No worthwhile ideas can be expressed in 140 characters, and even fewer in 280.” My public journalist Twitter account (@MikeBilow) was created in 2015 by which time Twitter was fairly mature, although still long before the 2016 election and 2020 pandemic that saw social media sink into a swamp of misinformation […]

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