Government
Public services and government action
Community groups say CSA implementation is being delayed, PVD Mayor and City Council say it's on track
Both Mayor Jorge Elorza and the office of the Providence City Council deny that the implementation of the Community Safety Act (CSA) is being delayed, but the STEP UP Coalition disagrees. Upon passage, the Providence City Council called...
Food stamp approval rate "alarming" says ACLU
November 2017 timeliness rates issued by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) show that almost one of every two of the neediest households in the state did not get their food stamp (SNAP) applications processed in time. At...
AG Kilmartin anticipates Rhode Island joining multi-state Net Neutrality lawsuit
Noting that "No lawsuit or petition has yet to be filed" against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the vote last week to reverse the Obama-era rules on Net Neutrality, Amy Kempe, public information officer for Attorney Gen...
My testimony for the Energy Facilities Siting Act Commission
The following testimony was presented to the Special Legislative Committee to Study the Energy Facilities Siting Act on Monday. The committee is examining possible changes to the Energy Facilities Siting Act (EFSA): Boards like the the E...
Standing up for reproductive health care
In an event organized to demonstrate that reproductive rights are widely supported in Rhode Island and that there is no shame in availing ourselves of vital and timely reproductive services, including abortion, over 60 people quietly and...
Raimondo breaks silence on CRMC and Jennifer Cervenka
[caption id="attachment_33" align="alignright" width="400"] Gina Raimondo[/caption] Governor Gina Raimondo declined to answer any of my numerous inquiries about Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) Chair Jennifer Cervenka or Natio...
Regunberg testifies before DPUC on National Grid storm preparedness
State Representative Aaron Regunberg (Democrat, District 4, Providence) testified Tuesday at a public comment meeting before the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC) as part of an investigation into "National Grid’s preparati...
CRMC approves National Grid project over community objections
[caption id="attachment_3739" align="alignright" width="400"] Jennifer Cervenka[/caption] Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) Chair Jennifer Cervenka brushed off the idea that her work for the Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce Coa...
Invenergy must show-cause at hearing to avoid indefinite suspension of power plant plans
[caption id="attachment_3708" align="alignright" width="400"] Parag Agrawal[/caption] The Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) has voted, 3-0, to hold a show-cause hearing to provide Invenergy a chance to demonstrate why the pending doc...
ACLU applauds new regulations protecting privacy of toll gantry information
In a rebuff to Big Brother on the highways, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (DOT) has adopted new regulations designed to protect the privacy of motorists when the state’s new truck toll gantry system takes effect. The regu...