Government
Public services and government action
Killingly Connecticut: Not Another Power Plant
Living in Glocester I have the extreme misfortune of being right smack in the middle of 2 proposed power plants - the Clear River Center to the north in Burrillville and the Killingly Energy Center to the west in Connecticut. On Wednesda...
Rhode Island interfaith leaders decry separating families at the border
The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, in partnership with the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island and representatives from the interfaith community held a press conference in response to the Trump Administration's family separ...
Rhode Islanders call for an end to family separations at the border
At its height around 400 people crowded the south steps of the Rhode Island State House on Wednesday afternoon to oppose the Trump Administration policy of separating families at the border. Organized by the March for Racial Justice Rhod...
As calls for a veto pile up, Governor Raimondo says she will sign Kristen's Law
As she was entering the hotel to deliver the keynote at the Second Annual Community Overdose Engagement Summit in Warwick, I asked Governor Gina Raimondo if she still intends to sign Kristen's Law. https://youtu.be/z_lV45uHckE "I do plan...
RI Latino PAC urges Governor Raimondo to veto Kristen's Law
Last week, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed H7715, also known as Kristen’s Law, introduced by House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (Democrat, District 15, Cranston). Kristen's Law would allow for the prosecution of drug deale...
Rhode Island passes law protecting DACA recipients' ability to obtain drivers licenses
Rhode Island Dreamers with current or past DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status will now be able to apply for and receive drivers licenses in Rhode Island regardless of what happens to the program at the federal level tha...
Ignoring reason and compassion makes for bad policy: RI House passes Kristen's Law
Violating the tenets of both reason and compassion, the Rhode Island House of Representatives approved Kristen’s Law on Thursday, a bill sponsored by Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (Democrat, District 15, Cranston) to strengthen penalties fo...
Silent vigil held in opposition to family separation policy at the border
"I do this in part because someday my grandchildren will read about this in the history books and be distraught over the travesty and inhumanity of it and will ask me, 'Grandma, how could you have let this happen?'" said Terry Schimmel t...
Students protest General Assembly's lack of action on Safe Schools Act
Rhode Island students "from Cranston, North Providence, Smithfield, Greenville, Coventry, Lincoln, Providence, Rumford, Warwick, Barrington and more" protested the slow response of the General Assembly to take action in the wake of recen...
Sojourner House says Attorney General Jeff Sessions puts victims of domestic violence and their children further at risk
On Monday, June 11th, 2018, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a deeply disappointing decision in an attempt to erode protections for domestic violence survivors and others seeking refuge in the United States. Invoking a...