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1540 WADK.com Updates Archives for 2021-07

Friday Fishing Tips

Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

July 30, 2021/Jeff Gross

 

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

 

Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

 

As we get deeper into the fishing season, it is inevitable fishing gear will start to break down.  If one’s luck is similar to this writer it will be right at the apex of fish biting. Over the next couple of columns some suggestions will be shared about fishing equipment.

 

Fishing reels often are neglected during the season. Many will spruce up their reels at the start of the season, but midway through the season reels are often in need of some minor repairs. Replacing line is a good place to start. Too many fish breaking off? One could either replace with the same pound test if it appears that sunlight has weakened the line. Or one can increase the pond test by at least 2 pounds. Using 6 lb. test instead of 4 lb. has shown that almost all trout up to 5 lbs. never break off. Same goes for bass. If one goes from 8 lb. test to 10 lb. or 12 lb. when fishing, heavy structure breakage is at a minimum.

  •  

Tip 1 :  If you are starting to lose a lot of fish because the line snaps, change the line.

 

This deep in the season bolts on the reel sides or the bail spring bolt can loosen and adversely affect ones retrieve or worse yet, fall out. When fishing as a youngster the old model Shakespeare and Mitchell 300 series reels would have their bail spring bolt fall out often. All the tackle boxes owned by this author have a mini tool kit in them. These little kits can be bought at any hardware store or box store for about $6 – $8. On more than one occasion these handy little kits have saved the day enabling the bolts to be tightened. No downtime means more fishing time. If a side of a reel gear housing loosens or opens, dirt and foreign objects can enter and jam the gears or worse, strip the gears.

 

Tip 2:  Do yourself a favor and pick up one of these kits for each tackle box or boat box you own. If you are looking for a bargain you may be able to find the mini tool kits cheaper at the “Plainfield Pike Flea Market” on Sundays in Johnston, RI.

 

See you next week!

 

_____

 

 

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. 

Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.

He can be reached at: trainsbythe144@aol.com

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Mask-wearing in public buildings is being required in two Rhode Island municipalities and is under consideration in a third.  Another Rhode Island university is mandating that employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  A mob associate is avoiding jail time in a case where he took on an inappropriate role in a Rhode Island marijuana cultivation business.

>>Mask Requirements Issued For Public Buildings In Two RI Cities

(Undated)  --  Rhode Island municipalities are weighing mask-wearing rules again in response to a rise in coronavirus cases.  The New Shoreham Town Council on Block Island was set to consider an emergency ordinance requiring mask-wearing indoors on Thursday, but instead voted to draft a resolution that would "encourage" mask-wearing in public buildings after getting pushback from local businesses.  The cities of Newport and Central Falls are requiring face coverings inside public buildings starting next week.

>>Johnson And Wales Says Employees Must Get Vaccinated For COVID

(Providence, RI)  --  Johnson and Wales University is mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for faculty and staff.  According to a tally being kept by The Boston Globe, J-and-W is the third Rhode Island institution of higher education to issue an employee vaccine requirement.  All colleges and universities in the Ocean State, except for the Naval War College, have issued vaccine obligations for their students.

>>More On Confrontation With RI Governor Initiated By Providence Mayor

(Providence, RI)  --  The Providence police union is criticizing Mayor Jorge Elorza for initiating a confrontation with Governor Dan McKee this week.  Addressing a new contract for Providence schoolteachers, Elorza pointed a finger at McKee at a public event in the city on Wednesday and said, quote, "this is too important for you to play the coward role" before being blocked from the governor by a member of his state police detail.  The Providence Fraternal Order of Police called Elorza's behavior appalling, while McKee described it as "inappropriate", according to a report from WPRI-TV.  However, Elorza is not backing down, saying the governor is hiding from the community on the teacher contract issue.

>>Warwick Crash Victim ID'd

(Warwick, RI)  --  The victim of a two-vehicle crash in Warwick on Wednesday is being identified.  Police say it was a resident of the city, Michael Paliotti.  Authorities say Paliotti's car crossed over the middle of Main Avenue and struck a pickup truck.  The driver of the second vehicle was listed in stable hospital condition.  The crash remains under investigation.

>>Plane Runs Off Runway On Block Island

(New Shoreham, RI)  --  WJAR-TV reports a small airplane ran off the runway at Block Island Airport this week.  The plane was reportedly trying to take off on Tuesday night, but it went through a fence and hit a guardrail.  The plane was damaged, but no injuries were reported.  The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into it.

>>Mob Associate Pleads In Pot Cultivator Case

(Pawtucket, RI)  --  A New England crime family associate is avoiding prison time in a case where he was accused of being an illegal silent partner in a Rhode Island medical marijuana business.  WPRI-TV reports Raymond Jenkins of Johnston pleaded no contest to felony perjury and received two years of probation on Thursday.  Jenkins was a defendant in an organized crime bust a decade ago and had a felony record, which prohibited him from having a managerial role at Organic Bees in Pawtucket, a pot cultivator.  But, investigators say that's exactly the role he had.  The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation is continuing to pursue the possible revocation of the Organic Bees cultivator license.

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Jim McCabe/djc           RI)
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-30-2021 01:33:01

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza confronts the governor about a new contract for schoolteachers.  Rhode Island is recommending mask-wearing for this upcoming school year.  There's fan attendance again at New England Patriots training camp.

[[ watch for updates ]]

>>Severe Weather Possibility In Southern New England Tonight

(Undated)  --  The National Weather Service says the possibility exists for isolated strong-to-severe thunderstorms in Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts Thursday night.  Forecasters say the main hazard is damaging wind gusts.  There will also be a low probability of a tornado, according to the weather service.

>>Providence Mayor Confronts Rhode Island Governor About New Teacher Contract

(Providence, RI)  --  Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza publicly confronted Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee on Wednesday about a new contract that's been tentatively agreed to for public school teachers.  Elorza was held back by a member of McKee's security detail as he yelled at the governor prior to a press conference to promote the new season of the Providence WaterFire art display.  Elorza said earlier this month that a top-to-bottom reform of the teachers' union contract was needed for the Providence School District, which is controlled by the state.  The mayor said yesterday there should be community input before the agreement is approved.  The teachers' union is set to take a ratification vote on Friday.

>>Mask-Wearing Recommended In RI Schools

(Newport, RI)  --  Governor Dan McKee's administration on Wednesday recommended that Rhode Island school districts set policies requiring that students and teachers wear masks this fall.  The request is in direct correlation with CDC guidance that was issued Tuesday.  However, McKee is resisting the CDC's advice to have everyone wear masks indoors in areas where there is a high level of coronavirus infection.  The governor told reporters yesterday that Rhode Island is not in a danger area currently, and he said he did not want to disrupt business operations and put the economy at risk.

>>Patriots Fans Back To Attending Training Camp

(Foxboro, MA)  --  New England Patriots fans are allowed to attend the team's training camp again this year.  That wasn't an option in 2020 because of the pandemic; not a single fan attended a Pats home game last season, either.  Fan attendance was robust for practice at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday.  One thing to note if you go to Foxboro is that players cannot sign autographs because of NFL COVID protocols.

>>One Person Killed In Warwick Crash

(Warwick, RI)  --  One person was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Warwick on Wednesday.  The Warwick Police Department says a car driver crossed the yellow line and collided with a pickup truck on Main Avenue at around 5 p.m.  The 60-year-old male operator of the car died at Rhode Island Hospital.  The truck driver, a 46-year-old man, was also hospitalized and was listed in stable condition.  Witnesses told police the 60-year-old was driving erratically, but there's no evidence at this time of alcohol or drug use.

>>Domestic Violence Case Dropped Against Seekonk Fire Chief

(Seekonk, MA)  --  Domestic assault charges are being dropped in Rhode Island court against Seekonk, Massachusetts fire chief David Rave.  The Cranston resident was arrested at his home in June.  Despite the case being dropped, the Seekonk town administrator tells WJAR-TV the board of selectmen has voted to rescind Rave's appointment as fire chief.

###
Jim McCabe/djc           RI) CT) MA)
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-29-2021 00:15:31

McCormick Recall Seasonings

photo source: McCormick

 

McCormick Recalling Seasonings

 

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that McCormick & Company is recalling McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning, and Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning due to possible contamination with Salmonella.

 

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.

 

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with these products.

 

The four products subject to this recall include:

 

McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning 1.31 oz bottle
UPC NUMBER: 052100049731
MCCORMICK ITEM NUMBER: 901582629
AFFECTED DATE CODES: BEST BY MAY 26 24 K, BEST BY MAY 27 24 K, BEST BY JUN 04 24 K, BEST BY JUN 05 24 K

 

McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning 2.25 oz bottle
UPC NUMBER: 052100038254
MCCORMICK ITEM NUMBER: 901455463
AFFECTED DATE CODES: BEST BY JUN 30 24 H, BEST BY JUL 01 24 H

 

McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning 1.75 lbs. bottle
UPC NUMBER: 52100325743
MCCORMICK ITEM NUMBER: 932574
AFFECTED DATE CODES: BEST BY Jun 12 24 H

 

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning 153g bottle
UPC NUMBER: 066200021047
MCCORMICK ITEM NUMBER: 901543520
AFFECTED DATE CODES: BB / MA 2022 SEP 06

 

The four products were shipped from June 20, 2021 through July 21, 2021 to states throughout the country, including Connecticut and Massachusetts.

 

Consumers are urged to dispose of the recalled product and its container. Please contact McCormick Consumer Affairs at 1-800-635-2867, weekdays from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM (Eastern Time), for a replacement or full refund, and with general inquires.

 

###

Your Coronavirus Update

Your Coronavirus Update Today – July 28, 2021

 
July 28, 2021/RINewsToday

 

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

 

Gov. McKee said he will follow the science, but right now he is not committed to changes in masks because we are so highly vaccinated and we are not in a high risk category. We are “in good shape” at this time, though, of course this could change in the future.

 

New CDC guidelines would impact no counties in RI, but 5 counties are impacted – Barnstable, Suffolk, Bristol, Nantucket, and Dukes.

 

In Connecticut, no county is at high or substantial risk, though may be in the near future, with a 7-day positivity rate of 2.23%. Hartford and New London are closest to reaching the “substantial risk” level.

 

On July 26th, Rhode Island entered the “Substantial Threat” category – one step short of “High” in transmission of COVID19 concern.

 

Lifespan & Care New England now requiring all staff to be vaccinated. CNE said it is “moving toward a mandatory vaccination program for all staff across all operating units”.

 

New Shoreham (Block Island) saw 7 new cases in one week of COVID19 – they held a meeting on Monday night to talk about control steps they can take. In all of 2020 they had approx. 30 cases in total. They are asking for a council resolution to require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

 

Westerly Hospital is mandating vaccines for its employees – this is anticipated to soon change and include other hospitals.

 

The vaccination clinic at Sockanosset Crossroad will change hours: Closed Sunday & Monday; Tues (7-2), Wed (11-6), Thurs (7-2), Friday (11-6), and Sat (7-2). With these new hours, they are remaining open during the busiest times (morning, lunch, and after work), but are winding down during those periods when the site sees less traffic. The site is still open for seven hours a day, and there are ample other locations throughout the area to get vaccinated as well (such as pharmacies).

 

The “Go Providence Pass” program will provide $100 rewards cards to guests who book and stay at participating Providence hotels. The rewards cards can be used at approximately 80 participating businesses. The full list of participating hotels and businesses can be found here

 

Provincetown coronavirus cluster: Boston residents who visited Cape town should get tested and avoid groups – masks are now required, regardless of vaccination status.

 

Melgi’s Diner in Narragansett has credited outdoor dining with saving their business – having posted the best sales figures in their history.

 

24 residents & 9 staff have tested positive at a nursing home on Cape Cod – all have either very mild symptoms or none at all – all had been vaccinated.

 

Dr. Michael Fine former director of the RI Department of Health says: duration of vaccine protection could be as low as 6 months – anybody who is not vaccinated should do so as soon as possible – children and all staff in schools should wear a mask at all times – and we should all wear a mask when at indoor gatherings, regardless of vaccination status.

 

Nantucket is recommending wearing masks at indoor facilities where groups are regardless of vaccination status.

 

Both Gov. Baker (MA) and Gov. McKee (RI) expect no big changes in masks, etc. due to the relatively high vaccination rate in our states.

 

RI courts will resume in-person schedules in September. As of now, fully vaccinated people will not have to wear a mask in courtrooms, unless that particular judge requires it. Plexiglass and cleaning protocols will continue until the end of 2021.

 

Edaville Railroad spokesperson: “We will be opening for our Christmas Festival of Lights this fall, and if we are able to open sooner, we will.”

 

Paquette’s Family Restaurant in EP has closed noting pandemic causes and lack of employees.

 

Governor Dan McKee extended allowing restaurants to continue to use COVID-19 modifications, including outdoor dining. The legislation imposes a moratorium on the enforcement of any municipal ordinance or zoning requirement that penalizes owners for those modifications. The moratorium will be effective until April 1, 2022.

 

Patriots co-offensive line coach Cole Popovich will leave the Patriots this season due to the NFL’s guidelines related to the COVID-19 vaccine. All team Tier one employees are required to be vaccinated.

 

Some local school districts are asking for the state to determine a statewide school mask policy in Rhode Island

 

Patriots training camp – will open – no autographs and signings due to COVID – a mobile vaccination clinic will run Thurs-Sun, with Pfizer vaccine, $25 voucher for concession use and free admission into the Hall of Fame exhibit.

 

 

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

 

CDC: Even vaccinated people should wear masks indoors if they are in high-risk areas (50 or more infections per 100,000 in last 7 days – including more than 60% of counties in the US). Nearest RI is Bristol County, MA. In MA, 5 counties are impacted – Barnstable, Suffolk, Bristol, Nantucket, and Dukes. Masks should also be worn for all students, staff, faculty in schools in fall. Dr. Fauci said this advice has changed because the virus changed. Solution is, Fauci says, to get vaccinated.

 

The Office of Veterans Affairs is the first federal office to require all of its healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated.

 

Moderna’s new research study on vaccines in children younger than 12 is underway and the FDA has asked the companies to include 3,000 children in the 5-to-11 year old age group … double the original number of study participants envisioned.

 

Approx 100 members of the USA Team at the Olympics have not been vaccinated.

 

California has recommended masks for all K-12 schools for fall.

 

In NYC, all city employees must get vaccinated or take weekly COVID tests.

 

Long COVID and brain fog are now covered under the American with Disabilities Act.

 

Florida tops nation in new cases.

 

As cases surge in hospitals, elective surgeries and procedures are being rescheduled.

 

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine could become the second shot okayed for adolescent use in the European Union after regulators on Friday recommended approving it for 12- to 17-year-olds 

 

Vaccination rates tick upward in states with surging Covid cases

 

Older workers are going back to work much slower, twice as slow, than the rest of the population.

 

Australia’s vaccine rollout has been “a colossal failure” because the government failed to buy enough vaccines so its borders are therefore likely to remain closed until at least early 2022, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the BBC.

 

New York will require its roughly 340,000 city workers to be vaccinated by mid-September or face weekly testing.

 

California is mandating vaccinations for all state workers.

 

The long-distance relationship phenomenon done because of work may turn over to the long-distance work relationship done to be with one we love.

 

The Department of Veterans Affairs issued vaccination mandates for medical workers.

 

Preliminary findings from the v-safe study published last April in the New England Journal of Medicine showed no difference in rates of pre-term births, underweight newborns or stillbirths among women receiving the vaccine compared to pre-pandemic rates.

 

In some communities with a heavy Latino population, Latino get-out-the-vote group goes door to door, shifting focus to Covid vaccinations

 

Medal-winners can remove their masks for 30 seconds for photo taking at the Olympics

 

Michigan is recommending everyone wear masks indoors.

 

A national survey of unvaccinated Americans shows that nearly 80% say they will not get vaccinated.

 

Israel is giving booster shots (Pfizer) to immunocompromised residents. They may soon give them for seniors over 65.

 

Pandemic restrictions on Florida-based cruise ships are no longer in place under a ruling Friday by a federal appeals court, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeks to fight a Florida lawsuit challenging the regulations.

 

Florida, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota have moved to weekly COVID statistics reporting instead of daily

 

Israel states that there is a 42% decrease in vaccine protection from COVID infections and up to 60% from severe illness among vaccinated. protection from coronavirus infections among vaccinated people decreased by 42% since the start of the inoculation drive in Israel.

 

LA is reopening its hospital COVID units.

 

4 states AR, FL, NV, LA – are the majority of COVID cases as virus spreads

 

Only ½ of FEMA requests for burial reimbursements have been approved.

 

NFL saying if COVID outbreaks among unvaccinated teams/players sanctions against being paid, possibly forfeiting games may ensue

 

92% of people who have recently died had been unvaccinated.

 

China rejects WHO proposal to return to Wuhan to investigate COVID origins

 

Atlanta announced it will require masks for all in-schools in the fall

 

Two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca shots effective against Delta variant: study

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will discuss whether immunocompromised people need a third shot to better protect themselves from COVID-19, since the vaccines may not work as well for them.

People with weaker immune systems still have to figure out how to navigate a return to in-person work and other activities, but they have limited information.

El Paso, TX has seen 6 deaths – among fully vaccinated people

Vegas workers will put masks back on, but tourists won’t have to under new rules

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been studied and determined to be less effective – with a booster shot being needed – this study has not been verified but results were released early

 

NYC requires all 42,000 healthcare workers of public hospitals to get vaccinated or have a weekly COVID test – 1 in 4 are not presently vaccinated.

 

Pierce Brosnan tested positive for COVID and had significant symptoms but is now recovered

 

The AHA, which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals and health systems, joins dozens of providers and several associations that have also backed vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.

 

Nationally, Lagging vaccination rates among nursing home staff are being linked to a national increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths at senior facilities.

 

McDonald’s offers emergency childcare, tuition assistance to win back employees

 

Russia’s total COVID-19 cases pass 6 million

 

Reuter’s reporting that U.S. states ending federal unemployment benefit saw no clear job gains.

 

83% of COVID infections are of the Delta strain

 

Pasadena, CA must wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. Also, the city is requiring all of its employees to be vaccinated.

 

2 aides of Nancy Pelosi and a White House staffer have tested positive who were with the Democratic delegation from Texas

 

RWJ Barnabas Health System, in New Jersey, fired six supervisory employees who did not get the COVID vaccine by their June 30 deadline.

 

South Carolina State University forgives loans of 2,500 former students

 

Jen Psaki says there have been prior breakthrough Covid-19 cases among White House staff

 

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: There is new federal guidance to consider in Rhode Island related to wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic.  COVID vaccinations are becoming mandatory for workers in the Ocean State's two largest healthcare systems.  Patriots training camp is underway.

>>No Immediate Change To RI Mask Guidance

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said Tuesday he does not see a reason to move off of the state's current guidance of not requiring masks for people vaccinated from COVID-19, even indoors.  However, McKee said the new recommendation from the CDC that vaxxed people should wear masks indoors in areas where there are high levels of infection would be evaluated.  The Ocean State reported one-hundred-five new virus cases on Tuesday and continues to show "substantial" transmission, but no new deaths were reported and the number of hospital patients remains low.

>>COVID Vaccinations Made Mandatory For Care New England, Lifespan Workers

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island's two largest healthcare groups are making COVID vaccinations mandatory for all employees.  Care New England and Lifespan made the announcements Tuesday.  Lifespan's requirement goes into effect on September 1st.  Care New England says all managers must receive a first dose before Labor Day, and more details will be released soon about requirements for the rest of the company.

>>Patriots Training Camp: QB Competition Watch, Player On COVID List

(Foxboro, MA)  --  NFL training camps for the 2021 season have begun.  Unfortunately, the Pats are already dealing with at least one COVID issue as tight end Devin Asiasi [[ AH-see-AH-see ]] has tested positive despite getting vaccinated, according to multiple reports.  He is out indefinitely.  The big storyline for New England's training camp is expected to be the quarterback competition between veteran Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones.

>>Working Group Formed To Go Over Providence Pension Liability

(Providence, RI)  --  A new working group has been formed in Providence to address the city's massive unfunded pension liability.  Mayor Jorge Elorza had petitioned the state legislature to borrow over seven-hundred-million dollars to plug the gap, but the bond failed to pass before the regular session ended.  Elorza said Monday the option is still on the table, possibly for the General Assembly to consider in a special fall session, but the working group which includes state lawmakers and financial advisors will consider alternatives.

>>Tuesday Severe Weather Recap

(Undated)  --  Severe weather in Southern New England on Tuesday generated a couple of wind damage reports in Rhode Island.  The National Weather Service said trees came down on a car in Burrillville and at the intersection of Routes 120 and 114 in Cumberland.  A calm day in the forecast Wednesday, but the weather service says strong-to-severe thunderstorms will be possible in S-N-E Thursday night into Friday morning.

>>Medical Marijuana Dispensary License Lottery Further Delayed

(Providence, RI)  --  A lottery for six new medical marijuana dispensary licenses in Rhode Island has again been delayed.  The Providence Journal reports the lottery won't happen the first week of August as scheduled because of an appeal process that is continuing from a rejected lottery applicant, according to state officials.  There are currently three medical cannabis dispensaries in RI, while lawmakers consider following other New England states by making the drug legal for all adults 21 and over.

###
Jim McCabe/jb          RI) 
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-28-2021 00:57:07

MLK Community Center's summer programs at the core of a stronger community

MLK Community Center’s summer programs at the core of a stronger Newport

 
July 27, 2021/RINewsToday

 

With summer in full swing, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (MLK Community Center) is helping to keep children healthy while school is out. The MLK Community Center provides free meals to children during the summer.

 

This summer, meals are served daily at the MLK Community Center’s Summer Adventure Camp for children enrolled in the program.  There are no income requirements to participate in this meal program – all students participate – and generous scholarships are provided to families to offset the overall cost of camp. Scholarships are made possible through community support of the MLK.

 

The MLK Community Center’s Summer Adventure Camp in Newport currently serves 48 students for this 8-week literacy, science, and math-based summer program. Rising 1st graders to rising 5th grade students enjoy: daily experiential learning-based field trips; daily lesson plans taught by certified teachers; daily physical fitness programming; programming in the Creativity Lab exploring science, technology, engineering, art, & math (STEAM) concepts; weekly nutrition education; and much more.

 

Many students in Newport County and throughout the State rely on daily free or reduced cost breakfast and lunch throughout the school year. So, what happens during the summertime? Each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture partners with local organizations like the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center to provide free meals to children when school is out for the summer. For more information about the national Summer Food Service Program, visit: www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer. For more information on summer food sites near you, including locations and serving times around the State, contact United Way of Rhode Island by dialing 211.

 

Services of MLK Center:

 

 

This was filmed prior to COVID19:

 
 

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: No new COVID deaths reported in Rhode Island this weekend, but the virus transmission rate is increasing.  A Scituate woman is seriously injured after a crash involving an alleged drunk driver.  Brown University is hoping to address student housing needs with the purchase of a new residential building.

>>No New COVID Deaths In RI, Virus Transmission Increases

(Providence, RI)  --  There were zero new coronavirus deaths reported in Rhode Island over the weekend.  According to a Monday update, there were two-hundred-fifty new virus cases.  The Rhode Island Department of Health said yesterday the level of virus transmission in the state has increased to "substantial", according to CDC standards.  Governor Dan McKee said the state is prepared to respond to safety issues that may arise from the increase in cases, but he doesn't believe any changes are currently necessary.

>>Mask Mandate Consideration On Block Island

(New Shoreham, RI)  --  Block Island is moving towards implementing a mask mandate in response to COVID concerns.  Officials say the New Shoreham Town Council will vote on an emergency ordinance later this week.  Provincetown, Cape Cod, another Southern New England vacation destination, has reinstituted a mask mandate which will stay in place until the town's COVID positivity rate decreases.

>>Legionnaire's Disease Cases Being Investigated

(Providence, RI)  --  The Rhode Island Department of Health is reporting an increased number of Legionnaire's disease cases.  There have been thirty cases reported since June 2nd and all but two of the patients have been hospitalized.  No common source of exposure has yet been identified.  Health director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott says Legionella bacteria grows best in complex water systems that are not well-maintained.  She says this is of particular concern because some buildings in Rhode Island have water systems that have been offline for a while due to the pandemic.

[[ watch dating ]]

>>Air Quality Alert Again Today For Wildfire Smoke

(Undated)  --  Rhode Island is under an Air Quality Alert until noon Tuesday for smoke from Canadian wildfires.  The state Department of Environmental Management says the highest fine particle readings will be in northern parts of the state.  The DEM says an air mass change is expected to improve air quality on Wednesday.

>>Rhode Island Woman Seriously Hurt In Alleged Drunk-Driving Crash

(Scituate, RI)  --  A Scituate woman is fighting for her life after being hit by an alleged drunk driver.  Eliza DeAngelis was driving on the Hartford Pike last week when she was involved in a violent two-vehicle collision.  According to the 21-year-old's family, doctors are now deciding if DeAngelis needs to be placed into a medically-induced coma.  According to a report from WJAR-TV, the other driver, Kyle Watson of Canterbury, Connecticut, was arraigned in court for DUI resulting in serious bodily injury.

>>Brown Buys Building For Student Housing

(Providence, RI)  --  Brown University has purchased new student housing in Providence.  The Ivy League school is spending 75-million dollars to acquire the River House apartment building on Point Street.  Brown says this will address a need expressed by graduate students seeking affordable, high-quality housing options near the campus.  All existing leases with renters that are not affiliated with the university will be honored. 

###
Jim McCabe/djc           RI) CT)
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-27-2021 00:23:15

We can prevent "suicide by bridge"

We can prevent “suicide by bridge” – Herb Weiss

 
July 26, 2021/Herb Weiss

 

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer

 

Photo: top, Bryan Ganley

 

As the General Assembly goes into recess until the fall, Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) sees H-5053, to require safety barriers or netting on the three bridges that connect Aquidneck and Conanicut Islands to the mainland of Rhode Island, as in hiatus. The bill in House Corporations never came out of committee but that isn’t stopping the House sponsor from working to see the legislative intent fulfilled. 

 

According to Solomon, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority currently has a number of suicide prevention measures in place, including a smart surveillance system allowing authorities to act quickly, but virtually no way to physically deter a determined jumper. The Rhode Island Samaritans also has signs posted at the bridge entrances with information to access RI’s 911 system for emergencies or The Samaritans one to one hotline, where individuals can speak to someone. 


But determined people do jump, Solomon notes, explaining the need for passage of H-5053.

 

“Too many people have committed suicide on those bridges in the last decade,” said Representative Solomon in a statement released when the bill was introduced last January. “Due to technological advances, there are various types of barriers and netting available to increase safety without hindering access for routine inspection and maintenance of the bridges,” he said.

 

“It’s not only a serious problem, but an alarmingly frequent one,” said Solomon explaining why he introduced his bill. “Last year alone, the Portsmouth Police responded to the Mount Hope Bridge 36 times. And the cost of suicide goes far beyond the individual. It affects friends, families, first responders and health care professionals. Those who survive the fall all say the same thing: they feel instant regret the moment their feet leave the railing.”

 

Sen. Louis P. DiPalma’s (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton, Little Compton), companion measure, S-117 met the same fate by not being voted out of the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee.  

 

If the General Assembly had passed these bills during this legislative session, Rhode Island would have taken a leadership position and joined other states such as New York, California and Florida and countries around the world that have moved to put physical safety barriers on the bridges to deter suicides. 

  •  
    Barrier under construction in Florida
  • No barriers in Rhode Island

 

Raising the Visibility of the Need for Physical Barriers

 

Melissa Cotta of Tiverton and Bryan Ganley of Bristol founded Bridging the Gap for Safety and Healing. Their Facebook page says its mission is to “raise suicide awareness & prevention, increase cycling & pedestrian safety on our bridges & offer support to all the survivors of those lost including families and loved ones, witnesses, first responders and our entire community. Our top goals include preventing bridge suicides by advocating for restricting easy access to means of suicide in general & installation of bridge safety barriers.”

 

According to Cotta, who witnessed a suicide from the Mount Hope Bridge, and Ganley, a 40-year Samaritan volunteer and survivor of suicide by loved ones and friends, last year COVID-19 derailed the passage of legislation introduced by Solomon and DiPalma to bring suicide prevention barriers to Rhode Island’s bridges. This year, with legislation reintroduced, they turned to social media and Facebook to urge Rhode Islanders to call for lawmakers to install physical barriers on the state’s unprotected bridges.

 

“The time is now! Take the means for suicide away!” – they say. We don’t want to lose any more people to these bridges,” referring to suicides on the Jamestown-Verrazzano, Claiborne Pell, Mt. Hope and Sakonnet River Bridges.

 

Army Corp of Engineers say barriers work on Cape Cod’s Bridges

 

According to a 1983 memorandum “Information Awards” for the “Installation of Suicide Deterrent Fencing” on the Bourne & Sagamore Highway Bridges at the Cape Cod Canal barriers were installed at the request of The Samaritans of Cape Cod, led by Monica Dickens, great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens and a driving force in the creation of The Samaritans in Boston, on Cape Cod and in Rhode Island.

 

According to additional information provided by the Army Corp of Engineers, managers of the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges “during a 28-year period after the fencing was installed, between 1984 and 2012, a total of 7 persons committed suicide from the bridges. A far lower rate of incidence than what was recorded for the years before the fencing was installed as part of the major rehabilitation project started in 1979.”

 

From 2013-April 2021, the Army Corps is aware of “two attempts that were prevented thanks to the quick actions of state and local law enforcement officers. The presence of fencing may not only deter attempts from occurring, but it can also delay an attempt long enough to give law enforcement a chance to successfully respond to an incident when one does occur. “(Note: This is not conclusive information as reports may have gone to state or local police.)

 
 
Melissa Cotta & Bryan Ganley

 

“In RI, from 2009-2018, we know of at least 33 deaths from our bridges and from November 2020 to July 2, 2021, we are aware of at least 8 persons lost from the bridges,” say Cotta and Ganley.  

 

“Many suicides can’t be predicted or prevented, but suicides from bridges is something we can prevent with the installation of Suicide Prevention Barriers on our state’s three major bridges,” noted Ganley in written testimony to support H 5053. 

 

Ganley added: “As a Hotline/Listening volunteer, we are trained to first remove the means of suicide.  A bridge with 135’ drop and only a 3’ rail, is like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun.  These bridges are all loaded guns.  We need to take away the gun.”

 

The Final Push…

 

With the Rhode Island General Assembly in recess, just days ago ABC 6 reported that Solomon and DiPalma are still seeking ways to fund the installation of barriers on Rhode Island bridges to prevent suicide.  Solomon tells ABC6 in a statement: 

 

“Although the General Assembly is currently in recess, we are still working behind the scenes with the RI Bridge and Turnpike Authority and the RI Department of Transportation on moving things forward. With one-time federal funding becoming available in the federal infrastructure bill, it is our hope that some of the funding can be allocated to both the design and implementation of suicide prevention barriers or netting. 

 

Although we are moving in the right direction this is not a time to become complacent. Melissa Cotta and Bryan Ganley have done an outstanding job working on this from day one. They are continuing to raise awareness on this issue and show that it is a priority in Rhode Island. Rhode Island would not be the first state to implement these barriers. Those states that do have barriers show how effective they are. I will continue to push for this legislation with the intent of getting it passed when we reconvene this fall.”

 

Sign the Petition…

 

 

 

“The petition for safety/suicide prevention barriers is intended to increase awareness of this issue and show residents of Rhode Island, as well as the surrounding areas that use our bridges all the time are in support of these barriers,” says Cotta.

 

The public’s call for installing safety/suicide prevent barriers has gained a powerful advocate.  House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-District 23, Warwick), states “I admire Representative Solomon’s passion and commitment to this issue. We will continue to work with him.”

 

At press time, 2,630 have signed Cotta and Ganley’s petition to add barriers to Rhode Island’s unprotected bridges.  They hope to add thousands more to send a message to the Congressional Delegation, the Governor and the General Assembly to act to add physical barriers to Mount Hope, Pell, Jamestown and Sakonnet Bridges. To view and sign this petition, go to tinyurl.com/ribridgingthegap

 

Suicide emergency? Call 911. Need to Talk? Call The Samaritans of Rhode Island at 401.272.4044 or 1.800.365.4044. Learn more at www.samaritansri.org

 

Herb Weiss, LRI’12, is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. To purchase Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly, a collection of 79 of his weekly commentaries, go to herbweiss.com. His sequel, Vol. 2 Taking Charge: More Stories on Aging Boldly will be able for purchase in August.

 

_____

 

 

Herb Weiss has enjoyed a distinguished 41 year career in journalism, earning a national reputation as an expert on aging, health care and medical issues. Over 780 articles that he has authored or coauthored have appeared in national, state and local publications. Governor Gina Raimondo appointed Him to the Rhode Island Advisory Commission on aging.

Today, Herb’s weekly newspaper column appears in the Pawtucket Times and Woonsocket call, two North Rhode Island daily newspapers, and will now run in RINewsToday.com. Herb and his wife, Patty Zacks, reside in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

 

Melissa & Bryan

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: One person is under arrest for an armed robbery at a Rhode Island casino.  GoFundMe removes a fundraiser for a Providence police officer who was suspended for the handling of a neighborhood fight last month.  An offensive line coach for the New England Patriots will not be back with the team this season, reportedly because of NFL coronavirus vaccine requirements.

>>One Person Arrested For Casino Parking Lot Robbery

(Lincoln, RI)  --  An arrest has been made in connection to an armed robbery in the Twin River Casino parking lot in Lincoln last week.  Anthony Mirabile [[ MERE-uh-bill ]] of Plainville, Massachusetts was picked up in his hometown on a charge of being a fugitive from justice.  Mirabile will face charges related to the robbery itself in Rhode Island.  The victims of last Wednesday's alleged robbery told authorities there were two suspects, but no second arrest has been announced.

>>Fundraiser For Suspended Providence Cop Taken Down

(Providence, RI)  --  An online fundraiser for a suspended Providence Police officer has been taken down.  GoFundMe said the fundraiser, which saw at least twenty-thousand dollars in donations for Officer Patrick Hourahan, violated the website's terms of service.  Hourahan received a ten-day suspension for the police response to a neighborhood fight on Sayles Street in June.  He was recorded asking, quote, "who wants some more" after officers used pepper-spray.

>>Cranston Police Looking For Shoplifters

(Cranston, RI)  --  The Cranston Police Department is looking for suspects in a pair of shoplifting incidents this month.  The police department says two individuals stole over four-thousand dollars' worth of items from the Banana Republic store at the Garden City Shopping Center.  Surveillance photos are on the Cranston PD Facebook page.

>>State Recommends Avoiding Warwick Pond Because Of Cyanobacteria

(Warwick, RI)  --  The state is advising people to avoid contact with Warwick Pond due to a blue-green algae bloom.  There are nine active blue-green algae closures from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.  The list also includes Mashapaug Pond in Providence.  The full list is at dem.RI.gov/bluegreen.

>>Brown Student Marketing Compostable Party Cups

(Providence, RI)  --  A Brown University student is hoping to replace red Solo cups at college parties with something more sustainable.  Priya Mittal tells WBZ-TV in Boston the "Fette" [[ FET-ee ]] cup is a compostable, plant-based cup which breaks down in about two months.  Mittal says she and her partner were motivated to start the business when they were walking through the Brown campus and saw plenty of Solo cup litter.

>>Report: Patriots Offensive Line Coach Leaving Due To Vaccine Requirement

(Foxboro, MA)  --  A member of the New England Patriots' coaching staff is not returning to the team for the 2021 season because of the NFL's COVID-19 vaccine guidelines, according to an ESPN report.  Cole Popovich was with the Pats since 2015 and served as the team's co-offensive line coach in 2020.  It's not clear if Popovich refused to get vaccinated.  The NFL is requiring all members of coaching staffs to get the shot.  The other New England co-offensive line coach, Carmen Bricillo, will now handle the duty by himself.

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Safe Deposit Boxes: Safe? Or tsuris?

Safe Deposit Boxes: Safe? Or tsuris? – Harris N. Hershey Rosen

 

 

by Harris N. Hershey Rosen, contributing writer

 

If you have one – a safe deposit box – what’s in it?  And where is the box located?  Where are the keys?  Do you have a bank safe deposit box as well as a lock box or home safe?  If you have a bank owned one, how is it paid for?  Is the rental on automatic renewal?  If so, to which credit card or bank account is the rental charged?  And later, will you need the box at all?

 

Who is allowed to open this box? Only you? If you die, what position does this put your loved one, spouse, partner, or family in? Can they access what is in there? Is it something they will need in the immediate future – such as certificates for burial plots, etc? Your closest contact should be on your safe deposit box with you – and you should be on theirs.

 

Same goes with home safes – big ones, inside-wall ones, or little ones. Don’t keep those closest to you away from what they might need – when they might need it.

 

So many questions – all of which will have to be answered – either by you now, because you took the time, or by your survivors later, who may or may not handle arrangements and issues as you may want.

 

Tsuris?

 

I asked the question if your safe deposit box was helping you to be safe – or giving you tsuris.  Tsuris is a Yiddish word meaning “troubles; tribulations; anxieties; sufferings”. That’s what you might be leaving someone rather than leaving them safely, and with peace of mind.  So don’t leave it up to your survivors to sort it all out – you could very well be leaving them with the basis for disputes or at least hard feelings.

 

So take the time. Do it now, and know that you will still be doing your part to promote harmonious family relationships. If you are like many of us you could not list what is in your box or safe. Can you? At least make a list on paper and put it where others will know if this is a priority-access item, in case of emergency. And if you leave something that won’t make sense to your loved one, but does make sense to you – an old photo or a piece of jewelry – or keys to “something” – at least think about leaving an explanation in the safe along with the item. That will save someone from literally years of trying to figure out why that item was so important to you. And that is Tsuris, for sure! Not a gift you want to leave them on.

 

_____

 

 

Harris “Hershey” Rosen, is the author of WHY? Because I Love You, a book that says it like it is – “What you need to know when I die”. His book details methods to organize your important personal and family information for those who are left behind.

A graduate of Harvard, Hershey Rosen has focused on controlling chaos since 1954. He was a Financial Control Officer in the U.S. Army, where he received a Letter of Commendation for improvement to its worldwide accounting system. Next, on to satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth, he ran a candy company for 40 years, developing a system for locating ANY item housed in five factories, covering 600,000 square feet.

Following “retirement,” Hershey went on to become a mediator and settled over 200 disputes for the state of Rhode Island and The Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island. He was also asked to team-teach management courses at the University of Rhode Island, where he enthusiastically challenged the text book with real-life experiences, to the delight and edification of the students.

Always passionate about assisting others, Hershey has been a director or trustee of numerous boards and organizations. He has written Creating A Guide So Your Loved Ones Can Go On Living! to help others protect their spouses (and families) from the intense stress that will occur if one does not share financial information and knowledge critical to a functioning home. He then wrote My Family Record Book, expanding on the information in his first book, and finally, in 2020, WHY? Because I Love You was published.

Hershey, who lives in Providence, Rhode Island, can now relax (ha!) with his beloved wife, Myrna, and enjoy visits with their combined five children and ten grandchildren.

“WHY? Because I Love You” – available here: https://amzn.to/32iXJqq

Friday Fishing Tips

Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

 
July 23, 2021/Jeff Gross

 

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

 

Switching gears to Saltwater this week. 

 

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 23rd thru July 25th are Free Saltwater Fishing Days in Rhode Island. With a vast variety of Saltwater fish species to catch it is imperative one gets the rules and regulations as there are a number of size limits in effect for Saltwater fish. (http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/marine-fisheries/mfsizes.php – scroll to Recreational Fisheries) There is also a special a regulation for using circle hooks when fishing for Stripers with bait. 

 

 

With 400 miles of Coastline in Rhode Island there is more than enough space to find a spot to fish. Or maybe one has a friend who has a boat. (don’t forget to split the cost of gasoline as marine gas can often be $2.00 more per gallon). Maybe you will have good luck like these folks did for Stripers and Blue Fish.

 

 

Tip One:  Head on out fishing the weather will be nice except for late Sunday afternoon.

 

A key piece of information: When one catches a fish in warm weather and the fish isn’t set in ice nor kept in water, the fish has a tendency to shrink.  It is not uncommon to have a Summer Fluke or Striper lose 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch so if you have a Fluke or Striper right at the edge of the size limit (19″ or 28″) and the fish dries out in the sun one can suddenly have an illegal fish as the Fluke can shrink to 18 5/8 to 18 ¾, or the Striper would end up shrinking to 27.5/8 or 27 3/4. Not only are you in possession of an illegal fish but one can lose their license and have their gear confiscated.

 

Tip Two:  Keep your catch on ice or in water if your fish is borderline at exactly the limit size. 

 

If it were the author’s fish and the fish were biting, well, the just barely legal fish would go back, and I’d catch one that is at least 3/8 larger.

  •  

 

_____

 

 

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. 

Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.

He can be reached at: trainsbythe144@aol.com

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The mayor and public safety commissioner of Providence commented Thursday on alleged excessive force used by police earlier this month.  Swimmers clear the water yesterday for a shark sighting in Narragansett.  The chairwoman of Rhode Island's Coastal Resources Management Council has resigned.

>>Coronavirus Death Toll In Rhode Island: 2,739

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island reported one new coronavirus death on Thursday.  The pandemic death toll in the Ocean State increased to two-thousand-739.  There were eighty-eight new virus cases reported yesterday in Rhode Island to increase the pandemic total to 153-thousand-355.

>>Providence Officials Comment On Alleged Excessive Force By Police

(Providence, RI)  --  Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré [[ parry ]] commented Thursday on new excessive force allegations against police.  Two officers, Domingo Diaz and Mitch Voyer, have been suspended in connection to an incident on July 9th when three teenagers were arrested after allegedly pointing a firearm out of a motor vehicle.  Paré and Elorza said what they viewed in body camera footage was, quote, "appalling".

>>Narragansett Beach Cleared For Shark Sighting, Believed To Be Thresher

(Narragansett, RI)  --  Swimmers cleared the water for a shark sighting at Narragansett Beach on Thursday.  Officials believe it was a thresher shark, the same species that was detected at a beach in Charlestown last weekend.  Swimming activity in Narragansett yesterday was allowed to resume a couple of hours after the noontime sighting.

>>Coastal Resources Management Council Chair Resigns

(Providence, RI)  --  The chairperson of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council is stepping down.  Jennifer Cervenka submitted her letter of resignation to the governor on Wednesday without giving a reason for the decision.  The C-R-M-C came under criticism from the attorney general in February for its approval of a controversial marina project on Block Island.  Cervenka was due to be re-appointed as chair that same month, but the action was suspended in the General Assembly after concerns were raised.  The state legislature has since proposed a reorganization of the council.

>>RI Gas Prices Hover Above Three Dollars

(Undated)  --  The average gas price in Rhode Island has gone down about three cents in the last week, according to RIGasPrices.com.  The current Rhode Island average is three dollars and two cents per gallon.  The national average is three-sixteen.

>>Stephon Gilmore Reports To Training Camp

(Foxboro, MA) - New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has arrived in Foxboro ahead of the start of training camp despite expressing frustration over his current contract situation.  Gilmore will begin camp on the physically unable to perform list.  He is entering the final year of a five-year deal with the Pats.

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07-23-2021 01:23:08

 

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Rhode Island News Today

Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: No new COVID deaths reported n Rhode Island Wednesday, nearly one-hundred new cases.  Two Providence police officers have been suspended during a use-of-force investigation.  A Cranston man is sentenced to thirty years in the ACI for a fatal shooting.

>>No New COVID Deaths In RI, 91 New Cases

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island reported zero new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday.  The state reported ninety-one new virus cases to increase the pandemic total to 153-thousand-269.  The state says 650-thousand Rhode Islanders have been fully-vaccinated.

>>Two Providence Officers Suspended For Use-Of-Force Investigation

(Providence, RI)  --  Two Providence police officers have been suspended in connection to a use-of-force investigation.  The public safety commissioner's office identified the officers as Domingo Diaz and Mitchell Voyer.  Three teens were arrested earlier this month for allegedly pointing a firearm from a car and fleeing police in the capital city.  One of the teens was hospitalized from injuries sustained when the suspects' car crashed into a fire hydrant, according to another reporting officer.  No details about the alleged force used by police are being shared.

>>Bicyclist Hit And Killed In Providence ID'd

(Providence, RI)  --  The man who was hit and killed while riding his bike in Providence last Friday has been identified.  The victim is Francisco Sosa of Providence, according to police.  The late-night motor vehicle-versus-bike accident happened near the intersection of Webster Avenue and Plainfield Street.  The driver has not been charged.

>>Man Sentenced For Shooting Son Of Woman He Was Involved With

(Providence, RI)  --  A Cranston man is being sentenced to state prison for second-degree murder.  The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office says 74-year-old Charles Gangi received a thirty-year ACI sentence for the fatal shooting of Paul Zois during an argument in their home last December.  The A.G.'s office says Gangi was in a relationship with Zois' mother.

>>Pawtucket Soccer Stadium Update

(Pawtucket, RI)  --  The city of Pawtucket says groundbreaking for a minor league soccer stadium is continuing to move forward and that groundbreaking is slated for the fall.  The developer of the stadium hopes to have a new team kick off its first season in 2023.  The stadium is set to be built on the bank of the Seekonk River near I-95.

>>Aquapalooza Set For Return

(Portsmouth, RI)  --  A popular Rhode Island boating event that was impacted by the pandemic is expected to return in full force this year.  "Aquapalooza", as it is known, is a huge party in Potter Cove off Prudence Island, Portsmouth.  Authorities had urged boaters not to gather last year over concerns it could become a coronavirus super-spreader event.  Aquapalooza is set to take place July 31st.

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07-22-2021 01:30:09

 

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Rhode Island News Today


(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The superintendent of the Bristol-Warren School District is resigning after he set a new school start date to avoid conflict with a religious holiday.  A new contract has been announced for public school teachers in Providence.  A deadline is being set for the feds to pursue the death penalty against a Providence man accused of a Boston woman's murder.

>>Bristol-Warren School Superintendent Resigns Amid Start Date Controversy

(Bristol, RI)  --  The controversy over starting the school year in the middle of Rosh Hashanah in the Bristol-Warren district has taken another turn.  Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Brice, who overrode the school board to move the start from September 7th to the 8th, has resigned, stating he wants to spend more time with his family.  Some Rhode Island schools start classes at the end of August; Providence starts on September 9th, the day after the three-day Jewish holiday.  EastBayRI.com reports a Bristol-Warren School Committee member motioned to start the school year on the 9th at a meeting on Monday, but that the motion failed.

>>Tentative Contract Agreement Announced For Providence Teachers

(Providence, RI)  --  A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the state of Rhode Island and the Providence Teachers Union.  Details are being withheld pending a ratification vote from the union.  Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza said he eagerly awaits to see the details, but that anything less than a "transformational contract" will sell Providence schoolchildren short and he called that unacceptable.

>>Coronavirus Death Toll In Rhode Island: 2,738

(Providence, RI)  --  The state of Rhode Island reported one new coronavirus death on Tuesday.  The pandemic death toll in the Ocean State has increased to two-thousand-738.  There were sixty-five new virus cases reported in Rhode Island yesterday to increase the pandemic total to 153-thousand-168.

>>Deadline Set For Death Penalty Pursuit In Jassy Correia Murder Case

(Boston, MA)  --  The Providence Journal reports a judge on Tuesday gave federal prosecutors a September 10th deadline to decide if they will seek the death penalty against the Providence man accused of a fatal kidnapping.  Louis Coleman allegedly abducted Jassy Correia outside of a Boston nightclub in February 2019.  Correia's body was found in the trunk of a vehicle driven by Coleman in Delaware.  The federal judge in Boston yesterday said Attorney General Merrick Garland's moratorium on federal executions does not stop prosecutors from being able to seek the death penalty.

[[ note nature ]]

>>Warwick Man Sentenced For Sex Crime With Teen

(Providence, RI)  --  A Warwick man is being sentenced to federal prison for illicit sexual conduct.  The Justice Department says Charles Morancey, now 45 years old, befriended a 15-year-old girl from Hopkins, Michigan, drove to her location, and took her back to Rhode Island where they engaged in sexual activity back in 2019.  Morancey received an eleven-year sentence.

>>Power Outage In Westerly

(Westerly, RI)  --  Much of Westerly experienced a short power outage on Tuesday afternoon.  The Westerly Sun reports the outage was caused by a transformer malfunction during equipment upgrade work being done by National Grid.  Power was out for about 75-hundred customers for less than an hour.

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Jim McCabe/bs             RI) DE) MI)
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07-21-2021 00:26:10

 

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Rhode Island News Today

Upndated)  --  Here is the latest news:  A toddler is in intensive care and her mother is charged with child neglect after a near drowning incident.  The superintendent of the Bristol Warren Schools names the day kids will return to classes.  A correctional officer at the Wyatt Detention Center is charged with smuggling contraband.

>>Mother Charged After Near Drowning Of Daughter

(Cranston, RI)  --  The near drowning of a toddler results in charges against a Cranston woman.  Authorities say a two-year-old girl was found face-down in a backyard swimming pool on Westcott Avenue yesterday afternoon.  The mother, identified as Jacqueline Ciccone, told police she left her eleven-year-old daughter to supervise several kids at the pool while she went in to do laundry.  A neighbor who is a registered nurse was able to perform CPR and resuscitate the little girl.  She is hospitalized in intensive care and her mother is charged with child neglect.

>>Bristol Super Steps In To Solve School Start Date Debate

(Bristol, RI)  --  Classes in the Bristol Warren School District will begin on Wednesday, September 8th.  The Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island had asked that the start of school be changed from the day after Labor Day to Wednesday.  That's because Tuesday, September 7th is the Jewish holy day of Rosh Hashanah.  The district school board had rejected two prior requests to move the date.  The district superintendent overruled the vote and set the date for September 8th.

>>ACLU Wants Cranston Police To Stop Traffic Stop Mandate

(Cranston, RI)  --  The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island wants Cranston Police to stop their mandate of two traffic stops per shift.  ACLU officials say the policy is not only deeply problematic but it also leaves little doubt that it has contributed to serious racial profiling problems in the city.  Police Chief Michael Winquist said the ACLU letter is filled with inaccuracies.  The chief did acknowledge the policy of requiring two traffic stops but said they are for traffic violations and there is no expectation that an officer must issue traffic tickets.

>>CO At Wayne Detention Center Charged With Smuggling

(Providence, RI)  --  A correctional officer and two inmates are among five people charged in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Wyatt Detention Center.  The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island announced the charges yesterday.  Court documents say that earlier this year two inmates conspired with a former detainee to provide Suboxone strips to a correctional officer.  That officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones is accused of smuggling the drug into the facility. 

>>Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing From Police Union

(New Bedford, MA)  --  A former New Bedford Police officer faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced for stealing from the New Bedford Police Union.  Joshua Fernandes was the former treasurer for the Union.  He pleaded guilty this week to wire fraud, admitting he stole nearly 50-thousand-dollars from the organization.  In addition to jail time, Fernandes faces a 250-thousand-dollar fine.

>>Narragansett Native To Swim To Block Island

(Narragansett, RI)  --  A three-time Olympian from Rhode Island wants to raise money for cancer research and etch her name in the history books.  Elizabeth Beisel plans to swim from Point Judith to Block Island on September 9th.  She would become the first woman to make the 12-and-a-half-mile swim.  Beisel has labeled her effort "Block Cancer" to honor her father who lost his life to the disease earlier this month. 

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07-20-2021 11:22:03

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Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news:  A man is hit and killed crossing Smith Street in Providence.  The Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island is hoping the outcome of a vote by the Bristol- Warren School Committee will move the start of school by a day.  New Shoreham police have a busy weekend seizing mopeds from the streets and sidewalks.
 
>>Disabled Man Crossing In The Dark Is Hit & Killed
 
(Providence, RI)  --  A disabled man is hit and killed in Providence.  Police say the victim was trying to cross Smith Street around 11:30 last night when he was hit by an SUV.  Witnesses say Phetsamone [[ fet simone ]] Ratsabout didn't have use of his legs but had a method using his hands and feet to get across the road.  He was crossing in a dark area and wasn't in a crosswalk when he was hit.  The driver who stopped told police she never saw the victim in the road.
 
>>Jewish Alliance of RI Upset Over Bristol School Start Date
 
(Bristol, RI)  --  The president of the Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island doesn't understand why the Bristol-Warren School committee won't budge on its start date for school.  Classes traditionally begin the day after Labor Day which this year coincides with Rosh Hashanah.  Adam Greenman tells WLNE-TV the Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island gave schools a heads-up at the beginning of the summer about the potential issue and only the Bristol-Warren District scheduled to begin school on the Jewish holy day.  The school committee meets this evening to discuss changing the date which it has denied two other times.
 
>>Nearly 2 Dozen Mopeds Seized On Block Island
 
(Block Island, RI)  --  Mopeds continue to be a nuisance for many residents of Block Island.  New Shoreham Police were busy over the weekend, especially yesterday when nearly two dozen of the scooters were seized.  Police say a large group was driving erratically and without safety equipment and others were riding on the sidewalks.  After contacting the rental agencies the company requested the police impound the vehicles for breach of contract. 
 
>>Check Car Seat Safety Before Vacation
 
(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island State Police are reminding families to make sure car seats are installed correctly.  Summer vacations are in full swing and if you are traveling with a youngster, a child safety seat check may be in order.  These inspections are given at a variety of locations including some hospitals, firehouses and police stations.  More information is posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website NHTSA-dot-gov.
 
>>Registrations Being Accepted For RISP 5K Foot Pursuit
 
(Narragansett, RI)  --  The State Police want runners to know registration is underway for the 5K Foot Pursuit.  The race will be run Saturday, October 16th with the start-finish line in front of the North Beach Clubhouse at Narragansett Town Beach.  There will be prizes for the top three teams with an open team competition and a police, fire or military team competition.  Online registration can be found at RISP-dot-RI-dot-gov.

Discover Beautiful Rhode Island - with Jason Michalski

Discover 

Beautiful Rhode Island – Jason Michalski

 
July 18, 2021/Jason Michalski

 

by Jason Michalski, photographer

 

“The devil whispered in the warriors ear – ‘You can’t handle the storm..’

 

The warrior replied – “ I am the storm!”


You can become whoever and whatever you want in life. Do not let life’s struggles wear you down to the point your heart is too heavy . Learn to let go, embrace and accept, and turn the struggles into strengths!

 

Lastly? Do not allow anyone or anything tell you, you can’t do something! Prove them wrong by proving to yourself you’re right!

 

_____

 
Jason-MIchalski

 

Jason Michalski is a US Marine veteran, portrait and landscape photographer, and visual artist. Follow Jason on Instagram to see more of his work – jmich78photography. We thank him for use of this photo and his contemplation.

Environmental Portraiture/ Landscape/Visual Artist
Love creating

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: One of the eight people charged in the 2019 group sexual assault of a teen in Providence is going to prison.  New legislation paves the way for police departments in the Ocean State to use the same dispatch and record management system.  Rhode Island's unemployment rate dropped below six-percent last month.

[[ note nature ]]

>>Man Sentenced For Participation In Group Sexual Assault

(Providence, RI)  --  A Providence man is being sentenced to twelve years in prison for his role in the gang rape of a teenage girl.  The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office says twenty-year-old Carlos Chacon pleaded no contest to charges including first-degree sexual assault.  The state says Chacon was part of the group that assaulted an unconscious 16-year-old girl at a party on Wesleyan Avenue in December 2019, and recorded portions of it on a cellphone.  Eight defendants total were charged and Chacon is the first to be sentenced.

>>Insanity Determination Made For Defendant In Woonsocket Police Shooting Case

(Providence, RI)  --  A Portsmouth man is being found not guilty by reason of insanity in a police officer shooting case.  The Providence Journal reports a Superior Court judge made the ruling on Thursday for Tyler Chandler, who shot at officers in Woonsocket in July of 2018, hitting one who survived.  Judge Kristin Rodgers found that Chandler was grossly impaired by schizophrenia and could not be held criminally responsible.  Chandler was ordered into the custody of the state so a determination can be made if he is able to have an unsupervised presence in the community.

>>Table Set For Public Safety Departments To Have Unified Dispatch

(Providence, RI)  --  Public safety departments in Rhode Island could all soon be using the same dispatch and records system.  New legislation partly sponsored by Senate President Dominick Ruggerio establishes a statewide dispatch system to replace what he calls a "hodgepodge" of different, incompatible versions.  According to a State House press release, the legislation was supported by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, and nearly every state law enforcement agency has indicated it would participate.

>>McKee: Don't "Read Too Much" Into Non-Signing Of Gun Bill

(Providence, RI)  --  Governor Dan McKee commented this week on a gun bill he did not sign.  The governor put his pen to a pair of other firearm bills Monday, but WPRI-TV reports he did not sign or veto a third which would require the attorney general's office to report on the types of guns being used in crimes.  That means it will become law by default.  The Democrat McKee said he did not have an issue with the bill, which had support from Republicans and gun-rights advocates, and said he would not read too much into his decision.

>>Small Unemployment Rate Decrease

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island's unemployment rate decreased to five-point-nine percent in June, which was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the previous month.  That's according to the Department of Labor and Training.  The rate from June 2020 was ten-point-nine percent.  The state says 17-hundred jobs were added this year from May to June.

>>Revenue Analysis Office Concerned About Film Tax Credit Program

(Providence, RI)  --  The Rhode Island Office of Revenue Analysis is yelling "cut" on the state's film tax credit program.  The head of the office, Paul Dion, tells the Providence Business News the state is losing money on the program and most of the companies that benefit are not following reporting requirements.  The fiscal year 2022 state budget includes a ten-million-dollar increase in film tax credits.  Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said he would look into the report.

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Jim McCabe/jb          RI) 
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07-16-2021 00:39:09

 

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RI Veterans: Did you know?

RI Veterans: Did you know? 15 July 21 – John A. Cianci

 
July 15, 2021/John Cianci

 

by John A Cianci, Department Veterans Service Officer,  Italian American War Veterans (ITAM)

 

Eligible Veterans Can Use GI Bill While on Job Training at Law Enforcement / Fire Academies

 

Veterans Benefits…. Did you know?

 

Did you know the Rhode Island State Police, Rhode Island Department of Corrections Training Academy, Warren and Pawtucket Police department, along with many other local police departments are approved VA on-job-training employers?

 

Simply put, an eligible veteran can use his or her GI Bill and collect an estimated $2100 a month TAX-FREE while attending the academy and on probations—-in addition to the salary the local department is paying.

 

Did you know the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy has two veterans currently using their GI Bill: receiving TAXFREE $2,076 a month housing stipend, and a $1,000 a month book and uniform allowance, etc.

 

Many young men and women join the military with a goal of having a career in law enforcement. The Rhode Island National Guard offers an opportunity to start a law enforcement career as a Military Police; receiving the same training active-duty soldiers would receive, however, after completion of the training, they return and serve as a citizen soldier in one of the Military Police units in Rhode Island.

 

Newly trained Military Police are a marketable commodity for many civilian positions due to the skills he or she has received as a Military Police officer, despite their young age – often landing employment with opportunities to advancement.

 

More often than not, a veteran has a non-law enforcement job after returning, and the job provides adequate pay to support themselves. However, let’s recall, the soldier or veteran joined the military as a jumpstart of a career in law enforcement.

 

The opportunity arises for possible employment as a public servant. However, the veteran can-not afford to take a potential pay cut to attend the academy and the initial starting salary. Many veterans make their decision based on their financial situation; he or she cannot afford to take a pay cut to attend an academy.

 

If the Veteran is eligible for the GI Bill, he or she has options to use their GI Bill at a VA approved employer. For example, the Warren Police Department has an already approved on-the job-training program with the VA. The program can provide a bridge of thousands of dollars, up to 24 months.

 

In the months 1-6 the Veteran would receive a TAXFREE $1995 housing stipend a month and $83 a month allowance for books, uniforms, gun, etc.… along with the salary the Veteran is earning.

 

After the 6 months:

  • Months 7-12: $1,596 per month
  • Months 13 through 18; Months 13-18: $1,197 per month
  • Months 19 through 24; Months 19-24: $798 per month

 

Book stipend

 

Months 7 through 12; Months 7-12: $83 per month

 

Months 13 through 18; Months 13-18: $83 per month

 

Months 19 through 24; Months 19-24: $83per month

 

 

Other approved Rhode Island Law Enforcement agencies are:

 

Pawtucket Police Department – $2076 a month housing stipend, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy, Lincoln RI – Tuition 100% in-state, Housing $2076, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

Rhode Island Deputy Sheriffs Training Academy, Cranston RI – $2076 a month housing stipend, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

Rhode Island Department of Corrections Training Academy, Cranston RI – $2076 a month housing stipend, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

D W Wyatt Detention Center, Central Fall, RI – $2076 a month housing stipend, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

Rhode Island State Fire Academy, Exeter RI – Tuition 100% in state, Housing $2076, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

NAVSTA Newport Rhode Island Fire Department – $1995 a month housing stipend, $1000 allowance books, uniforms, etc.

 

Local police and fire departments are recruiting for upcoming academies, members of our National Guard, and Army Reserve. Veterans are highly skilled and trained already in many of the challenges a new public servant would face. Don’t let the initial salary cloud your decision of a dream you could have had since a child and prior to joining the military—verify you are eligible for the GI bill and contact the VA to use your GI bill at one of the aforementioned approved academies.

 

VETTIP: (I am sure others are approved, and if need be, any department can easily get approved within a week or two. The Italian America War Veterans Service officer is available to assist any veteran or local department to ensure the opportunity to use their GI Bill is available and process in a timely fashion; the process should not take more than 30 days.

 

Some of America’s best are awaiting to continue their public service in law enforcement, let’s ensure their decision is not restricted by limited starting salary for the academy and initial probation period after the academy.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1 Am eligible for the GI Bill?

 

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) – Am I eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits?

 

You may be eligible for education benefits if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below.

 

At least one of these must be true. You:

  • Served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
  • Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
  • Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
  • Is a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member?

 

Q2 How do I apply?

  1. Apply online, https://www.va.gov/education/eligibility/
  2. Apply by mail: Call 888-442-4551, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, to request that the application be sent to you. Fill it out and mail it to the VA regional claims processing office. If the academy is in Rhode Island, mail to: Regional Processing Office, P.O. Box 4616, Buffalo, NY, 14240-4616

 

VETTIP: Make a copy of everything you will mail. I also recommend mail United States Postal Service Priority Mail, and staple proof of mailing to the front copy of the application for your file. It’s well worth one’s sanity to verify the processing center has received your application. Moreover, proof could be worth thousands of dollars you applied for, if the delay was on the VA processing center.

  • Apply in person: Providence Regional Office, 380 Westminster St, Providence RI 02903, 800-827-1000

 

VETTIP: Bring your DD214 and a government approved identification.

  • Go to your Ebenfits.va.gov account.

 

If you are registered with ebenfits.va, you can generate a VA letter supporting your educational benefits.

 

If you not registered, enroll in ebenefits.va.gov

  1. Go to www.ebenefits.va.gov and locate “Register” in the upper right corner and CLICK.
  2. Select your registration method and provide the information to complete the registration process.
  3. Answer the security questions to verify your identity within the time allowed.

 

Q3 What happens after you apply for education benefits?

 

You can get a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or an award letter in the mail if the VA approved your application.

 

VETTIP: If you think your eligible—-apply. Apply even if you might just be considering using your GI bill. The COE does not expire as long as you are eligible for the GI Bill..

 

Q4 How long does it take VA to make a decision?

 

30 days is the average time to process education claims

 

EVENTS/MEETINGS

 

FREE GOLF every Wednesday, Buttonhole, Providence RI, 12:00-3:00pm Veterans, Active Military, and National Guard, can use the range or play 9 holes of golf at no charge. Simply sign-in at the Pro-Shop on Wednesday from noon to 3:00PM. For more information, contact Don Wright, 401-421-1664 email dwright@burttonhole.org.

 

FREE Thursday Golf Clinics, Buttonhole, Providence RI, for all Veterans and immediate family. June thru October from 5:00-7:00pm. The golf clinics are open to all levels of experience. Equipment use is free. One ParaMobile golf cart is available. For more information, contact Don Wright, 401-421-1664 email dwright@burttonhole.org.

 

REUNIONS

 

August 6th, 2021, Friday, 11:00AM, “Rhode Island National Guard Summer Reunion”, Quonset Officers’ Club, 200 Lieutenant James Brown Road, North Kingstown.  Point of contact is Bob Antonelli at 401.996.3764, or via email at bob02909@cox.net.  Cut-off date is Tuesday, August 3rd. 

 

August 28, 2021, Saturday 4:00PM, “Salute to Summer Free Concert & Fireworks Show”, Naval Station Newport, 690 Pearry St., Newport, RI. Naval Station Newport MWR will be hosting a “Salute to Summer” free concert and fireworks show on Saturday, August 28th at Naval Station Newport. This event is open to active-duty personnel, retirees, reservists, eligible family members, DoD civilians and contractors with base access and the general public.

 

It will feature performances by local bands and Navy Band Northeast. There will be activities for children and food vendors on site for the purchase of snacks, meals and beverages. A fireworks display is scheduled to begin at approximately 9:15 p.m.  Please Note: Event entry will begin at 2 p.m. for patrons with base access. Event is open to the public.  

 

September 15-20, 2021, USMC Tankers Association Facility: Crown Plaza Providence-Warwick, 801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick RI 02886. Point of Contact: John Wear. Telephone: 719-495-5998. Point of Contact Email: johnwear2@verizon.net. Comments: The USMC Vietnam Tankers Association will be holding our 12th biennial reunion. Anyone who served with any of the Marine tank battalions or Ontos units in Vietnam – in any capacity – are welcome!

 

If you have an event, meeting, other pertinent veteran information, or email questions or help needed, contact the Italian American War Veteran Service Officer, John A Cianci, itamri4vets@gmail.com.

 

_____

 

 

John A. Cianci is a Veteran Service Officer. Retired, U.S. Army MSgt., Persian Gulf War and Iraq War combat theater.

Cianci, a combat disabled Veteran, served in Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Good Conduct, and others.

Cianci belongs to numerous veterans organizations – Italian American War Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, United Veterans Council of Rhode Island, and many more organizations. He is an active volunteer assisting veterans to navigate federal and state benefits they have earned. He is Department of Rhode Island Department Commander Italian American War Veterans and Veteran Service Officer.

He is a graduate of Roger Williams University (BS Finance), UCONN business school* (Entrepreneur Bootcamp For Veterans), Solar Energy International Residential, Commercial and Battery Based Photovoltaic Systems certificate programs, numerous certificates from the Department of Defense renewable energy programs, including graduate of the Solar Ready Vets Program.

 
 

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: A Rhode Island school committee Wednesday night voted against a resolution that would prevent the teaching of critical race theory.  The amount of beer and spirits that can be purchased in RI breweries and distilleries is increasing.  People looking for houses in the Ocean State are getting some good news.

>>School Committee Rejects Resolution That Would Ban Critical Race Theory

(Westerly, RI)  --  The Westerly School Committee voted on Wednesday night not to pass a resolution that would have banned divisive teaching concepts such as critical race theory.  Westerly is one of several Rhode Island towns where the controversial issue has arisen this year after concerned citizens filed public record requests with the school districts.  But WLNE-TV reports the majority of community members who attended a town hall in Westerly last night spoke in favor of allowing C-R-T to be taught.  A bill signed by the governor that was drafted by Providence state rep Anastasia Williams will incorporate African heritage history education into all Rhode Island elementary and secondary schools, including the teaching of the role the Ocean State played in the slave trade.

>>Several RI Educational Bills Become Law

(Providence, RI)  --  A number of other bills related to the Rhode Island education system have been signed into law.  One of them is a bill that directs superintendents to track the academic progress of foster care youth and create a remediation plan if they are falling behind.  Another directs the state education department to streamline the teaching certification procedure for English as a second language.  Students will have to be proficient in civics education before graduating high school going forward.  Also, legislation has been approved which grants in-state college tuition rates to residents regardless of their immigration status.

>>Purchase Limit Increase At RI Breweries And Distilleries

(Providence, RI)  --  New legislation that has been signed will allow for increased one-time alcohol sale purchases at Rhode Island breweries and distilleries.  Customers can buy as much as two cases of beer and 15-hundred milliliters of distilled spirits, which is about 50 ounces.  The previous state law allowed half of those amounts.

>>Deadly Motorcycle Crash In Providence

(Providence, RI)  --  A motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Route 146 in Providence on Wednesday.  Authorities say the bike and another vehicle collided near the Admiral Street ramp at around 6:30 p.m.  The motorcyclist was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.  The other vehicle operator stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigating officers.

>>Prov Woman Charged With Leaving Kids In Car

(Cranston, RI)  --  A Providence woman is facing felony child neglect charges for allegedly leaving her children inside a vehicle while she went shopping.  WPRI-TV reported the Tuesday arrest of Naomi Nunez, whom police said was inside the Cranston Walmart for twenty minutes.  One of the children was a two-month-old infant.  An Amber Alert was issued over the weekend after a running vehicle was stolen with a baby inside in Pawtucket after the father reportedly went inside a store briefly.  The suspect from that incident is still being sought.

>>State Realtor Association Says House Inventory Has Gone Up

(Warwick, RI)  --  There's some good news for prospective homebuyers in Rhode Island.  The RI Association of Realtors says the state's housing inventory doubled from May to June.  The president of the association believes the increase is partly because of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout leading more sellers to be comfortable with buyers walking through their houses.

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07-15-2021 00:32:09

 

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Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The city of Providence is being asked to consider working with the state police to address gun violence.  A permit is denied for a controversial energy facility in West Warwick.  New details were provided on Monday about the standoff earlier this month between authorities in Massachusetts and the Rhode Island-based Rise of the Moors militia group.

>>Governor Offers State Police Assistance In Providence

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee sent a letter to Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza on Tuesday which offered to assist with the problem of gun violence which has been affecting the city.  McKee said this was a repeat of an offer made on May 27th which proposed activating the Rhode Island State Police's Neighborhood Response Team.  When asked about it yesterday by reporters, Elorza said it was his understanding that the capital city police chief and the head of the state police have had conversations.

>>Take-Out Alcohol Sales Extended

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island's governor has signed legislation to allow take-out alcohol sales from restaurants to continue until March 1st, 2022.  Restaurants in the Ocean State faced a full shutdown of in-person service at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.  Take-out booze sales were initially permitted through an emergency order with the goal of helping the impacted establishments.

>>New Healthcare Laws In Rhode Island

(Providence, RI)  --  A number of new healthcare laws have been signed in Rhode Island.  One law decriminalizes the use of the prescription drug buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder; last month, Vermont became the first U.S. state to legalize possession.  With the goal of treating addicts instead of sending them to prison, the state has also passed a law to reclassify simple possession of ten grams or less of certain controlled substances as a misdemeanor instead of a felony.  Rhode Islanders will be able to request insurance communications directly to them instead of a parent or a spouse through a new law that aims to protect domestic and sexual violence survivors.  And another new piece of legislation will require private insurance plans to cover doula services for pregnant women.

>>State DEM Denies Permit For Medical Waste Energy Conversion Facility

(West Warwick, RI)  --  A permit has been denied for a controversial proposed facility by the company MedRecycler that would burn medical waste to create electricity in West Warwick.  The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced the decision on Tuesday, citing a new law which prohibits medical waste incinerators from a number of areas.  The DEM also said there was uncertainty about the proposed facility's innovative technology which has not previously been used on medical waste.

>>'Sonic Cannon' Used Against Rise Of Moors

(Wakefield, MA)  --  New details have emerged about the standoff between the Rhode Island-based Rise of the Moors militia group and the Massachusetts State Police over the Fourth of July weekend.  Wakefield, Mass. police chief Steven Skory told the town council on Monday that a regional SWAT team used a "sonic cannon" to incapacitate a number of the Moors on Interstate 95 in that town.  Wakefield's public works department also positioned dump trucks with plows on the highway to prevent the suspects from fleeing.  The Moors, who believe they have sovereignty over U.S. laws, were heavily armed and they were arrested for not having any licenses to carry the weapons.

>>Bishop Hendricken Alum Taken In MLB Draft

(Undated)  --  Another Rhode Islander is taken in the Major League Baseball draft.  Caleb Wurster of Coventry, a former Bishop Hendricken player, was selected in the fifteenth round Tuesday by the Miami Marlins.  Wurster pitched for the University of Connecticut.

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Jim McCabe/djc          RI) MA) VT)
 


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07-14-2021 00:20:08

 

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HopeHealth Visiting Nurse accredited for home care & pallative care

HopeHealth Visiting Nurse accredited for home care & palliative care

 
July 13, 2021/RINewsToday

 

Photo: HopeHealth Visiting Nurse

 

After completing a rigorous review this spring, HopeHealth Visiting Nurse has once again received accreditation for its home care and recertification of its community-based palliative care programs from The Joint Commission.

 

The Joint Commission awarded HopeHealth its Gold Seal of Approval® for demonstrating continuous compliance with performance standards. The Joint Commission conducted a five-day virtual review that began March 1, 2021. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

 

“The surveyors were very complimentary about our staff and the care provided,” says Chief Operating Officer Maureen Bischoff. “The hard work and commitment of our staff came shining through.”

 

The reviewers called HopeHealth Visiting Nurse “ahead of the curve with clinical programs, patient management, knowledgeable staff and innovative thinking.” They also called the HopeHealth palliative care program embedded in the home health team “one of the Top 10 in the country.”

 

The virtual review was conducted in a series of Zoom meetings, allowing surveyors to observe HopeHealth clinicians and leaders as they provided care in patient homes. Care teams were evaluated for compliance with home care standards in the areas of emergency management, environment of care, provision of care, record of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, and patient rights and responsibilities.

 

The Joint Commission accreditation survey takes place every three years and typically involves in-person evaluations but was postponed from the spring of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Joint Commission’s standards were developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

 

As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission reviews the performance of health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible.

 

About HopeHealth

 

For more than a century, HopeHealth has provided high quality, compassionate care to people in various stages of illness to communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Its roots began in home care in 1908 and then in hospice in 1976, coming together as HopeHealth in 2011 providing home care, palliative care and hospice care. As the second oldest hospice in the country and one of the largest nonprofit providers of palliative and hospice care in New England, HopeHealth has set the gold standard in serious illness and end-of-life care. HopeHealth is the major teaching affiliate for hospice and palliative care of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: One new law in Rhode Island set up a compensation process for innocent people who spent time behind bars, while another fixes an issue with school field trips.  The number of homicides in Providence in 2021 is up to a dozen; the latest victim has been identified.  Two baseball players from Bryant University, including a native Rhode Islander, have been selected in this year's Major League Baseball draft.

>>Criminal Justice Measures Become Law, Including Compensation For Wrongfully Imprisoned

(Providence, RI)  --  A new law in Rhode Island will allow compensation to be given to innocent people who are wrongfully imprisoned.  Anyone who was behind bars for over one year can petition the presiding justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court.  The award amount is fifty-thousand dollars for each year served.  A related new law will allow people who have been arrested in the Ocean State to have their records sealed when they've been acquitted or exonerated, even if they have been convicted on an unrelated felony.

>>New Law Addresses RI School Field Trip Issue

(Providence, RI)  --  Legislation has been signed by the governor that will allow school committees to put funding for school field trips in their budgets.  Many Rhode Island school districts canceled their trips a couple of years ago after the state's former education commissioner said students could not be charged fees to participate because of equality concerns.  The advisory opinion was interpreted by the districts to mean there could not be any fundraising for the trips at all.  State Senator Hanna Gallo, one of the bill's sponsors, says schools can let families know that donations are always welcome.

>>Fatal Shooting Victim In Providence ID'd

(Providence, RI)  --  Police have identified the victim of a fatal shooting in Providence over the weekend.  Twenty-year-old Lucinio Javier Arauz Bastardo was reportedly shot in the backyard of a home on Public Street on Sunday night.  No arrests have been made so far in connection to the twelfth homicide of the year in the capital city.

>>Portsmouth Stabbing Suspect Arrested

(Portsmouth, RI)  --  The Portsmouth Police Department has made an arrest in connection to a stabbing.  Twenty-six-year-old Kenneth Young was arraigned in Newport District Court on Monday for felony domestic assault.  A 46-year-old man was transported to Rhode Island Hospital after the incident at a home on Ethel Drive last Wednesday night.

>>Two Bryant Baseball Players Taken In MLB Draft

(Smithfield, RI)  --  Two student-athletes from Bryant University have been selected in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.  One of them was catcher Liam McGill, a Wakefield native who was drafted in the ninth round by the Atlanta Braves.  The Detroit Tigers took pitcher Tyler Mattison in the fourth round.

>>Frontier Adds Atlanta, Philly Service To T.F. Green

(Warwick, RI)  --  Budget airline Frontier is adding service to Atlanta and Philadelphia at T.F. Green International Airport.  The flights started this week.  T.F. Green also hosts Frontier flights to three Florida cities and Myrtle Beach.

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07-13-2021 01:10:11

 

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Job Lot donates electric bikes to police in high-tourism, high-traffic

Job Lot donates electric bikes to police in high-tourism, high-traffic areas

 
July 12, 2021/RINewsToday

 

Ocean State Job Lot Donates More Than $15,000 of Electric Bicycles to Narragansett Police Department 

 

OSJL Charitable Foundation Donates Electric Bikes to Police Departments in High-Tourism, High-Traffic Areas of Rhode Island  

 

Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL), the region’s premier privately-held discount retail chain with 146 stores throughout the Northeast, recently donated 12 electric bicycles valued at $1,300 each to the Narragansett Police Department in an effort to increase safety patrols in Narragansett and other popular Rhode Island tourist destinations. Narragansett Police are responsible for overseeing the safety of the town’s 16,000+ residents, and its booming surge of summer visitors. In addition, OSJL recently donated 14 electric bicycles to the New Shoreham Police Department on Block Island, and will donate bikes to the Jamestown Police Department in the coming weeks.  

 

“The Narragansett Police Department always appreciates Ocean State Job Lot’s continued support of local law enforcement. These bikes are a great community policing tool and will be used by our police officers and community service officers around the Pier area to interact with the public,” said Captain Kyle Rekas, Narragansett Police Department. “They also allow officers to get places that patrol cars can’t and will be very useful at some of our crowded summer events such as the Narragansett Lions Blessing of the Fleet Road Race and the RI Philharmonic Concert on the Beach.”  

 

The GenZe E222B electric bikes are currently sold through Ocean State Job Lot’s Ship to Store program. They are made in the U.S. and feature an 18” step-thru aluminum frame, 350-watt rear hub motor with pedal assist, 90mm drum brakes, a Shimano 8-speed derailer and microshift thumb shifter. The commercial-grade electric bikes were delivered fully assembled, tested and with a 42-volt charger.  

 

“Ocean State Job Lot is deeply committed to assisting our local communities in a variety of ways,” said David Sarlitto, Executive Director, Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation. “We appreciate our first responders and hope the electric bicycles will assist in their community safety programs and will also cut down on the number of vehicles on the roadways in these busy summer tourism destinations.” 

 

Photo Caption*: 

(Left to Right): Narragansett Police Department Patrolman Kyle Rooney, Community Service Officers Kyle Sanderson and Michael Deprete, and Patrolman Paul Boisclair pictured with some of the GenZe bikes.  

 

*Photo courtesy of Narragansett Police Department. 

 

About Ocean State Job Lot: 

 

Founded in 1977, Ocean State Job Lot is a growing, privately held discount retail chain with 146 stores in New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, approximately 5,600 employees, and annual sales exceeding $800 million. Job Lot sells brand name, first quality merchandise at closeout prices. Shoppers find an ever-changing array of household goods, apparel, pet supplies, seasonal products (holiday, gardening, patio, pool and beach supplies), and kitchen pantry staples at a fraction of their typical price. The company was named a “Best Midsize Employer” by Forbes Magazine and a US Best Managed Company by Deloitte. 

 

The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation has a long history of philanthropic leadership, supporting numerous causes, including feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, assisting veterans and military families, aiding animal rescue, caring for children, advancing healthcare, supporting the arts and promoting learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it distributed $15 million in PPE to school systems, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and police and fire departments across New England and the Northeast. Ocean State Job Lot is headquartered at 375 Commerce Park Road in the Quonset Point Business Park, North Kingstown, RI 02852.? Phone: (401) 295-2672; Web: OceanStateJobLot.com

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Continuing wet weather in the Ocean State to start the workweek.  A child is safe after going for a ride in a stolen vehicle in Pawtucket.  Members of the Rise of the Moors, a Rhode Island-based group involved in a police standoff in Massachusetts earlier this month, are being held without bail.

>>Flash Flood Watch For Rhode Island

(Undated)  --  Rhode Island is under a Flash Flood Watch from the National Weather Service for rain activity in the forecast Monday afternoon and evening.  Up to one-and-a-quarter inches is expected.  Tropical Storm Elsa pushed the Pawtuxet River in Cranston to the beginning of its minor flooding stage before it crested over the weekend.

>>Car Stolen With Child Inside In Pawtucket

(Pawtucket, RI)  --  A statewide AMBER Alert was issued for a reported child abduction in Pawtucket on Saturday.  Police say a car was stolen with an infant in the back seat.  It was found a short distance away in Providence.  Reports indicate the father of the child left the vehicle running and the child alone while going into a store.  Authorities are looking for the suspect.

>>Fatal Shooting In Providence, Elmwood Ave Business Held Up

(Providence, RI)  --  Gun violence this weekend in Providence, including a fatal shooting.  A 20-year-old man was reportedly shot and killed in his backyard at a residence on Public Street Sunday night.  Police are investigating what appears to have been a targeted attack.  There was also an armed robbery of a barbershop on Elmwood Avenue on Friday afternoon.

>>Officer Part Of Response To Fight In Providence Neighborhood Retires

(Providence, RI)  --  A Providence policeman is retiring after being placed on leave in connection to a law enforcement response to a neighborhood fight.  An internal review is being conducted by the Providence Police Department into the June 29th incident on Sayles Street.  In one of the body camera videos that was released, Sergeant Gregory Paolo [[ pay-OH-luh ]] is heard referring to an individual involved in the fight as an inappropriate term for trans women.  Paolo also called the dustup, quote, "the Spanish against the Blacks".  He was on the force for over twenty years.

>>Rise Of The Moors Held Without Bail

(Malden, MA)  --  A half-dozen members of the Rhode Island-based Rise of the Moors group that was caught in a standoff with state police in Massachusetts over the Independence Day weekend are being held without bail.  The group which has been described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-government had the encounter with police on I-95 in Wakefield after a trooper observed a cache of guns and ammo in their vehicles, but no firearm licenses.  The Moors were dressed in military fatigues and said they were going to Maine for training.  The no-bail ruling came at a dangerousness hearing in Malden, Mass district court on Friday.

>>Another Extension Of RI COVID Emergency

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island's coronavirus emergency is being extended again.  The tentative new expiration date set by Governor Dan McKee is August 6th.  The Providence Journal reported McKee cited the rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant when asked why the state of emergency was still needed at a budget-signing ceremony last week.

>>Bill Expands Telemedicine Coverage

(Providence, RI)  --  Governor McKee has signed a bill to expand telemedicine requirements for insurers.  The new law was initially an executive order passed during the COVID-19 emergency.  It requires deductibles and copays for patients to cost no more than in-person services, and also reimbursement rates for healthcare workers must not be lower.  The law requires that all Rhode Island Medicaid programs cover telemedicine visits.

###
Jim McCabe/jb        RI) MA) 


Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-12-2021 00:42:09

 

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Friday Fishing Tips

20210702_124256
 

Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

 
July 9, 2021/Jeff Gross

 

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

 

With all the hoopla about climate change, there is definitely something going on in the winds. Maine was experiencing a severe drought when I was out fishing. I noticed the lakes were down about 18″.  The fish bite has been great even though the surface waters are like bath water.  Here is the catch: the weather is becoming more severe up here. A few years ago, quarter size hail was not unusual but after hail comes tornadoes in the life cycle of a thunderstorm. I have an article in a holding pattern that addresses a theory on why this severe weather change is going on. (Story for another day).

 

On Friday July 2nd a series of storms came in unexpectedly. Numerous boats and fishermen headed for their cabins as the storms were moving slowly in. Though slow moving they were very intense. In my favorite little town of Belgrade, a supposed microburst did the damage of an EF-1 tornado. With a prior background in Meteorology, that storm was a tornado! 

 

 

Apparently like many banned words, Mainers do not use the “T” word. Downtown Belgrade was hit hard including tearing down the town Christmas tree. The rotation moved into Great Pond and wreaked havoc. Entire dock systems were ripped out of the water and thrown onto lawns. Boats were ripped from their moorings and ended up in trees. Judging by the damage and the path of destruction the tornado was only on the ground for 2 to 5 minutes. The funnel lifted upward as it approached the east side of Great Pond and passed over a friend’s home just 1 mile south of this Scribe’s cabin. My friend said the tall oaks and pines were bent over sideways but did not snap. One has little to no chance in a kayak, canoe, nor power boat in windy weather like that.

 

 

A second dilemma is lightning. Lightning bolts are 110% unpredictable and as this scribe has personally been in a target or proximity, one cannot be too safe! Riding in a car as it is struck, or in 2 different buildings that were struck is rather electrifying. Witnessing a tree at the bottom of a hill get struck while all the trees on the hilltop were unscathed is common. Lightning warnings should be heeded.

 

Tip! Get yourself off the water when a Thunderstorm approaches or is sighted. Time is of the essence.

______

 

 

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. 

Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.

He can be reached at: trainsbythe144@aol.com

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to cross over Rhode Island today.  Governor Dan McKee is breaking out the veto pen and has also signed a number of bills approved at the end of the legislative session.  Vandals strike at the Christopher Columbus statue in Westerly.

[[ watch for updates ]]

>>All Of RI In Tropical Storm Warning As Elsa Approaches

(Undated)  --  All of Rhode Island remains in a Tropical Storm Warning from the National Weather Service as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches.  At 2 a.m. Friday, Elsa was centered over the Delmarva Peninsula.  It is expected to cross over Rhode Island later today.  The storm is predicted to bring heavy rainfall along the I-95 corridor from New Haven to Boston.

>>Fatal Crash Victim In Richmond ID'd

(Richmond, RI)  --  The victim of a fatal crash in South County last week has been identified.  Reports indicate Howard Melish of Wakefield died in the two-vehicle crash last Thursday on Route 138 in Richmond.  Authorities say a pickup truck driver headed the opposite way crossed into the lane of the car driven by Melish.  The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

>>Governor Vetoes Short-Term Rental Registry Bill, Renewable Energy Legislation

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee is using his veto pen for the first time since assuming office in March.  McKee has vetoed a bill that would create a statewide registry for short-term housing rentals, stating he doesn't support it because it will create additional burdens for property owners.  McKee also vetoed a bill which would amend the process for a renewable energy company connecting to the power grid in Rhode Island.  He said the bill would require ratepayers to fund electric system upgrade costs that are currently the responsibility of renewable energy developers.

>>Signed Bills Include Public School And Restroom Requirements, Dockside Fish Sales

(Providence, RI)  --  Governor McKee is also signing a number of bills from the conclusion of the General Assembly's annual legislative session.  One of the bills will require all public school districts to adopt suicide prevention policies and train all staff.  Schools in the Ocean State will also be required to provide feminine hygiene products going forward.  Among the other bills McKee has signed: one that requires single-use restrooms in public places to be non-gender specific, and another that allows the direct sale of fish dockside, something that was temporarily permitted last year as a way to help the industry during the pandemic.

>>Man Charged In Connection To Pawtucket Stabbing

(Pawtucket, RI)  --  Charges are being filed in connection to a stabbing in Pawtucket.  Twenty-year-old Jan Carlos Arroyo-Diaz was arraigned on counts including assault with intent to commit specified felonies, and he was given bail on Thursday.  Another twenty-year-old man was reportedly stabbed several times on South Bend Street near McCoy Stadium on Wednesday.  The victim was listed in stable hospital condition.

>>Columbus Statue In Westerly Vandalized

(Westerly, RI)  --  There has been vandalism reported at the Christopher Columbus statue in Westerly.  Columbus statues all over America have become targets in recent years as more attention has been paid to the negative side of his history.  According to the Westerly Sun, two teens were charged after the statue in Wilcox Park was hit with eggs and blue paint last month.  They reportedly told police they were motivated by concerns about racial issues in the U.S.  A couple of vandalism attempts were thwarted at the statue last year.  A security fence is going up around it next week, according to the newspaper.

>>Softball Player From RI Serving As Assistant Coach In Cape League

(Wareham, MA)  --  A Smithfield woman whose dream is to become a Major League Baseball manager is getting coaching experience in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer.  WCVB-TV in Boston reports Kayla Baptista, a softball player for the University of North Carolina, is an assistant coach for the Wareham Gatemen.  Baptista is the only female assistant coach in the Cape League, which was canceled last season due to COVID but has returned with a full schedule in 2021.

###
Jim McCabe/djc           RI) CT) MA)Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-09-2021 00:05:05

How Long Do Opened Condiments Last?

How Long Do Opened Condiments Last?

Thu Jul 8, 2021 | Posted in: Food & Beverage | Source

Summer cookout season is in full swing. And with everything that's happened over the past 18 months, there's a lot of reason to fire up the grill for some burgers and brats to celebrate the season and make up for the get-togethers we may have missed out on in 2020.

As you gather your supplies together, you might find yourself digging through the back of the fridge trying to figure out whether you need to buy some barbecue sauce, or if you can skate by with that bottle you bought and opened last spring. If that's the case, you may want to learn more about the shelf life of your various condiments. 

So without further ado, here are a few handy tips that can help you observe and extend the shelf life of your condiments, plus info about the life span of any open condiments you might be curious about. 

Once You Open It … the Expiration Date Is Meaningless 

Not unlike how a car depreciates in value from the moment you drive it off the lot, the clock on a condiment's shelf life starts ticking as soon as it's opened. While those "use by" or "best by" dates pertain to the peak quality of a product as determined by the manufacturer, they essentially become irrelevant as soon as the seal is broken. So if you were planning on forging ahead with that funky-smelling half-empty bottle of mustard just because the expiration date was still a week or two away, maybe pump the brakes before dousing your dogs. 

Create Your Own Expiration Date for Open Bottles 

As you'll soon see, the effective expiration date for opened condiments are relative to when a given bottle was opened. While we all may think we have a perfect memory, you'll save yourself a lot of aggravation down the line if you make a quick note of when you've opened a particular condiment.

Doing so is simple. The next time you open a condiment, use a little painter's tape and a marker or pen to pop on a quick label onto the bottle mentioning the date it was opened as well as its new effective expiration date (based on the info you'll find below). Now, you've got easy access to accurate info about how long you really have before the stuff in your fridge has before it goes bad. 

When Storing in the Pantry, Placement Matters

While many open condiments benefit from refrigeration, there are a few that are shelf-stable enough that they don't necessarily need to hang out next to your sodas or produce. However, not every cabinet is created equal. Keep these condiments in a cooler, darker space that won't get too much direct sunlight (sorry, trendy transparent cabinets). Ideally, you'll also want to store these away from the stove, dishwasher, or any other area of the kitchen that's close to a source of heat. Keeping things as close to room temp is the goal here. 

So How Long Do You Really Have Once a Certain Condiment Is Opened?

The good news is that the experts at Foodsafety.gov, which is managed by the US Department of Health & Human Services, have answers about the actual shelf life of any kind of open condiment you might be curious about available at their FoodKeeper App. It (along with Ohio State University Extension's food storage guide) is a great storehouse of information about the shelf life of a wide range of foods, but here's what they have to say about an array of condiments that you might be most curious about. 

The timelines mentioned here all refer to refrigeration, but items that can be stored around room temp in the pantry are noted as well. 

 

Bottled barbecue sauce: 4 months 

Canned cranberry sauce: 1-2 weeks

Honey: 2 years in pantry 

Balsamic vinaigrette: 18 months 

Cooked gravy: 1-2 days 

Horseradish: 3-4 months 

Hoisin sauce: 3-6 months 

Jams, jellies, and preserves: 6-12 months 

Ketchup, cocktail, or chili sauce: 6 months 

Cream-based sauces: 6-12 months 

Chocolate syrup: 6 months 

Maple syrup: 1 year (in the pantry)

Store-bought mayonnaise: 2 months 

Mustard: 1 year 

Jarred black and green olives: 2 weeks 

Pesto: 3 days 

Salad dressing vinaigrette: 4 weeks

Relish: 9 months 

Salsa: 9-12 months (in pantry) 

Soy sauce/teriyaki sauce: 1 month 

Jarred spaghetti sauce: 4 days 

Vinegar: 2 years (in the pantry) 

Worcestershire sauce: 1 year (in the pantry) 

 

So with all that in mind, it's time to take inventory of the fridge and consider starting fresh when it comes to your condiments — especially if you find evidence of spoilage like mold or unpleasant odors. It may mean saying goodbye to some ketchup or mayo that you thought had a little bit of life in it, but with a new open-jar labelling system in place and the help from these shelf life guidelines, the good news is that your days of condiment concerns will soon be over.  

RI Veterans: Did you know?

RI Veterans: Did you know? 8 July 21 – John A. Cianci

 
July 8, 2021/John Cianci

 

by John A Cianci, Department Veterans Service Officer,  Italian American War Veterans (ITAM)

 

Editor’s Note: John has gotten requests for assistance and information from veterans as far away as North Carolina and D. C. – so pleased to be able to bring everyone in need this information. Know a Vet? Send them the weekly column – you never know when it might help someone.

 

“Eligible Veterans Options for Free Community Urgent Care”

 

Veterans Benefits… Did you know?

 

Did you know about the FREE VA urgent care benefit will let veterans enrolled in the VA health care system visit a civilian urgent care provider for free – without an appointment.

 

The urgent care benefit does not require VA pre-approval at locations in-network; the community care provider will verify your eligibility for urgent care services.

 

VETTIP. Recommend you verify with the VA you are eligible for this benefit by calling 1-800-698-2411 BEFORE you need to use the benefit.You will probably need to do this only once, but it’s a good idea to make sure everything is squared away. If you visit an urgent care provider when you aren’t eligible, or you get medical treatment that isn’t covered under the new program, you’ll be on the hook for the full amount of the bill.

 

The program was a result of passage of the Mission Act in 2019. This program allows veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and who have visited a VA doctor, or a civilian doctor under the VA Choice program, to see an urgent care doctor for free under certain circumstances.

 

The VA says that most types of urgent care are covered under this program, including bee stings, earaches, eye infections/irritations, sprains, fever, minor cuts and lacerations, sports-related injuries, etc.

 

Simply put, use the community care urgent for any minor injury.

 

An example of a community urgent care need – you are visiting relatives in Harrisville, RI and fall. Appears you have sprained, but abundance of caution, you want to have exam. spraining or possibly breaking your ankle. Unsure of the extent of the injury, you can use a local community urgent care services facility as long as:

 

  1. You are enrolled in VA healthcare and have used the VA Healthcare in the last 24 months and
  2. Go to an in-network urgent care provider, and
  3. Have VA Identification card, or in the alternative you don’t have your VA-ID, a government issued photo ID, and
  4. The provider verifies your eligibility by calling 888-901-6609.

 

If you go to an urgent care provider and are prescribed medicine, you are also eligible for a free 14-day supply of medications related to your condition.

 

The provider cannot charge you any fee. If you are required to pay a co-payment, the VA will bill you AFTER the visit, which is billed separately by the VA.Veterans in Priority Groups 1 to 5, as well as some veterans in Priority Group 6; can visit an authorized urgent care center for free up to three times every year. After that, each visit will cost $30. Veterans in Priority Groups 7 and 8 will have a $30 co-payment for each visit.

 

VETTIP – Recommend you print the Urgent Care Assistance card, and place it in a convenient location at your home. Additional, recommend you also have a copy in your car’s glove compartment. Following VETTIPS, we ensure you have needed information when you NEED IT. In addition, VETTIPS recommends PS to save the number in your mobile phone, 1-800-698-2411, under “VA URGENT CARE”.

 

To locate a provider for an injury occurring in Harrisville, RI, as an example:

 

Step 1 Go to VA webpage http://www.va.gov/find-locations/

 

Step 2 Determine the zip code, 02830 ,for Harrisville.

 

Step 3 Select facility urgent care.

 

Step 4 Click search, and the results will give you the VA in-network community urgent care facilities:

 

For help with urgent care eligibility and general questions, call MyVA411 (800-698-2411), select option 1, and then select option 1 again.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1 Who is not eligible for the urgent care community benefit?

  1. A Veteran who is enrolled in the VA Healthcare system, however, he has not utilized the VA medical care in last 24 months. Simply put, he has not scheduled and attended his or her annual physical in the last 24 months.
  2. A veteran not enrolled in VA Healthcare.

 

Q2 Do I need any documents and or information from the provider of the urgent care?

Yes and no. VETTIP – I would ask for a document to support the visit. Moreover, ask the provider to document time and name of the person called to verify you’re eligible.

 

Q3 How do I locate a pharmacy to fill the prescription the community urgent care provider wrote for my injury?

 

To find an in-network pharmacy:

 

Use the VA Facility Locator to locate in-network pharmacy locations. You must visit an in-network pharmacy location in the same state as your urgent care visit to avoid any issues filling your urgent care prescription.

 

VA Facility Locator

 

Q4 What specific services are covered by the urgent care benefit?

Individual health conditions are complex and unique to each Veteran. As a result, and to encourage Veterans to seek care when they need it, VA does not publish a specific list of covered services. Preventive care and dental services are excluded.

 

Q5 Does urgent care cost anything?

No. You do not have to pay anything at the time of the visit. If you owe a copayment, VA will send you a bill. Copayments are $30, but your liability will depend on your assigned priority group and the number of times you have used your urgent care benefit in a calendar year. Learn more about urgent care copayments.

 

Q6  How does prescription medication work for urgent care?

VA will pay for or fill prescriptions for urgent care. For routine prescription medication longer than a 14-day supply, the prescription must be submitted to VA to be filled. Before filling the prescription, VA will verify the urgent care visit.

 

If there are issues filling your prescription in AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VI, VT, WI or WV, call 888-901-6609 for assistance. In AK, AS, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, MP, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA or WY, call 866-620-2071.

 

Q7 There are no urgent care clinics in my area. What do I do?

Contact your local VA medical facility to discuss options. Same-day primary and mental health services are available at all VA medical centers. In addition, VA continues to expand its contracted network of urgent care providers so that most Veterans are within a 30-minute drive time from their home to a network urgent care/retail location.

 

Q8 Can I use the in-network urgent care provider at my local pharmacy as my primary care provider?

No. Urgent care is not a replacement for services your primary care provider (PCP) offers. Use urgent care for treating minor, non-emergent illnesses and injuries. The urgent care benefit does not cover preventive health care offered by your primary care physician. Always consider talking with or seeing your PCP if you are concerned that the urgent care provider will not understand the complexities of your medical history or medications.

 

Q9. How do I know if I need urgent care or emergency care?

Urgent care is for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries, such as strep throat, pink eye or a strained muscle. Emergency care is for an injury, illness or symptom so severe that a prudent layperson reasonably believes that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would be hazardous to life or health. Such life-threatening major illnesses or injuries could include severe chest pain, seizures, loss of awareness, heavy uncontrollable breathing or severe burns. For emergency care, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away. Please note that VA can only pay for a Veterans emergency care under certain conditions.

 

Q10 What if I arrive at an in-network urgent care location and have difficulty receiving care?

If the urgent care location is in AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS .KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VI, VT, WI or WV, call 888-901-6609 for assistance. In AK, AS, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, MP, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA and WY, call 866-620-2071.

 

Q11 Will VA reimburse beneficiary travel for urgent care?

VA will reimburse beneficiary travel for eligible Veterans that travel to receive community care. Payment will be made for the distance to either the nearest VA or community medical facility that could have provided the care or services. Payment will only be made on a one-way basis (e.g., not round-trip) for unscheduled care.

 

Q12 Are urgent care services provided at an emergency department covered by VA?

If the emergency department is part of VA’s contracted network and has agreed to furnish urgent care services in accordance with the contract requirements, VA can pay for these services for eligible Veterans under this benefit.

 

Q13 Can the urgent care benefit be used by a Veteran’s family member?

Only eligible Veterans can use this benefit. The benefit does not extend to family members and is non-transferrable.

 
Find VA Location Finder Tool
 
How to get assistance with pharmacy benefits tool

 

EVENTS/MEETINGS

 

FREE GOLF every Wednesday, Buttonhole, Providence RI, 12:00-3:00pm Veterans, Active Military, and National Guard, can use the range or play 9 holes of golf at no charge. Simply sign-in at the Pro-Shop on Wednesday from noon to 3:00PM.

 

For more information, contact Don Wright, 401-421-1664 email dwright@burttonhole.org.

 

FREE Thursday Golf Clinics, Buttonhole, Providence RI, for all Veterans and immediate family. June thru October from 5:00-7:00pm f.The golf clinics are opened to all levels of experiences. Equipment use is free. One ParaMobile golf cart is available. For more information, contact Don Wright, 401-421-1664 email dwright@burttonhole.org.

 

REUNIONS

 

Friday, August 6th, 11AM, “Rhode Island National Guard Summer Reunion”, Quonset Officers’ Club, 200 Lieutenant James Brown Road, North Kingstown.  Point of contact is Bob Antonelli at 401.996.3764, or via email at bob02909@cox.net.  Cut-off date is Tuesday, August 3rd.             

 

September 15-20, 2021, USMC Tankers Association Facility: Crown Plaza Providence-Warwick, 801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick RI 02886. Point of Contact Name: John Wear. Point of Contact Telephone: 719-495-5998. Point of Contact Email: johnwear2@verizon.net . Comments: The USMC Vietnam Tankers Association will be holding our 12th biennial reunion. Anyone who served with any of the Marine tank battalions or Ontos units in Vietnam . . . in any capacity is welcome!!!    

 

If you have an event, meeting, other pertinent veteran information, or email questions or help needed, contact the Italian American War Veteran Service Officer, John A Cianci, itamrirvets@gmail.com.

 

_____

 

John A. Cianci is a Veteran Service Officer. Retired, U.S. Army MSgt., Persian Gulf War and Iraq War combat theater.

Cianci, a combat disabled Veteran, served in Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Good Conduct, and others.

Cianci belongs to numerous veterans organizations – Italian American War Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, United Veterans Council of Rhode Island, and many more organizations. He is an active volunteer assisting veterans to navigate federal and state benefits they have earned. He is Department of Rhode Island Department Commander Italian American War Veterans and Veteran Service Officer.

He is a graduate of Roger Williams University (BS Finance), UCONN business school* (Entrepreneur Bootcamp For Veterans), Solar Energy International Residential, Commercial and Battery Based Photovoltaic Systems certificate programs, numerous certificates from the Department of Defense renewable energy programs, including graduate of the Solar Ready Vets Program.

 

Rhode Island News Today

24/7 News Source 07/08/2021 00:58:23
Rhode Island Summary AM



>>The Latest

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The remnants of Tropical Storm Elsa are expected to impact Southern New England.  Additional members of the Rise of the Moors appeared in Massachusetts court on Wednesday.  The Rhode Island governor has signed a bill that allows for safe drug injection sites.

[[ watch for updates ]]

>>Tropical Storm Watch For Southern RI

(Undated)  --  Southern Rhode Island is under a Tropical Storm Watch from the National Weather Service.  The remnants of Tropical Storm Elsa are expected to cross over Southern New England on Friday.  Meteorologists say Elsa will bring heavy rainfall to the region with the potential for localized flooding.

>>More Rise Of Moors Members In Court

(Malden, MA)  --  Several members of the Rise of the Moors were in Malden, Massachusetts District Court on Wednesday for the second day of arraignments.  The Mass State Police said the self-described militia group was heavily-armed but possessed zero licenses for the weaponry when a trooper encountered them on Interstate 95 in the Boston area overnight Saturday.  The men who have been charged are from Rhode Island, Bronx and Long Island New York, and one is from Detroit.  Just like on Tuesday, there were disruptions from the defendants in court yesterday and two of them are still refusing to identify themselves.

>>Seekonk Man's Shooting Death Under Investigation

(Seekonk, MA)  --  A man was found shot to death inside a Seekonk, Massachusetts apartment building on Tuesday night.  The victim was identified as Joseph Housley.  Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

>>Rhode Island Legalizes Safe Drug Injection Sites

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island is becoming the first U.S. state to authorize a pilot program for so-called "harm reduction centers" that give drug users a safe place to consume pre-obtained substances.  Governor Dan McKee signed the legislation on Wednesday.  Bill sponsor, state Representative John G. Edwards, says the centers reduce the chance of overdose and serve as a gateway to treatment and rehab.  Under the new law, the facilities would require the approval of the local city or town council to operate.

>>City Council Seats Filled In Providence And Pawtucket

(Undated)  --  City council seats were filled in special elections in Providence and Pawtucket this week.  Oscar Vargas was the winner of the council seat held by Sabina Matos in Providence.  The seat became vacant when Matos was appointed lieutenant governor.  Vargas was the only name on the general election ballot after a competitive primary.  Similarly in Pawtucket, an available seat went to Clovis Gregor, who won a primary in June and only faced write-in votes on Tuesday.

>>Charter School Moving Into Public School Building In Providence

(Providence, RI)  --  A charter school network in Providence and Cranston is moving into a public school building.  Achievement First will take up space in the Fortes-Lima complex on Daboll Street in Providence.  The capital city school district decided to merge the Fortes and Lima schools earlier this year, which created the extra space.

>>Providence City Clerk Put On Leave

(Providence, RI)  --  Shawn Selleck, the city clerk of Providence, is on paid administrative leave, according to a report from WPRI-TV.  There is an internal investigation being conducted by the city, but no other details have been shared about why Selleck was placed on leave.  Selleck told Channel 12 he was shocked by the action and is not aware of anything he did wrong.

###
Jim McCabe/jb          RI) MA) NYC) LI) MI) 
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-08-2021 00:59:04

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The Rise of the Moors appeared in court on Tuesday.  A city councilwoman is charged with leaving the scene of an accident in Providence.  Structural deficiencies reportedly found in a Cranston apartment have forced all of its residents to live somewhere else for now.

>>Arraignment Day Held Tuesday For Rise Of The Moors

(Malden, MA)  --  The armed group traveling from Rhode Island that was arrested on I-95 in Massachusetts over the weekend appeared in court on Tuesday.  Reports indicate the ten members of the Rise of the Moors were uncooperative in various ways during their arraignments on weapons charges in Malden District Court.  The Southern Poverty Law Center says Moorish sovereign citizens believe they have independence from federal and state government authority, but the Moors who were arraigned yesterday brought up the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment, among other defenses.  A judge has ordered dangerousness hearings for several defendants.

>>Man Dies After He Was Shot, Run Over In Providence

(Providence, RI)  --  Authorities are investigating after a man was brutally murdered in Providence on Monday night.  Police say 19-year-old David Lozada, a capital city resident, was shot and then run over by a car on Ford Street.  The gunfire apparently came from the car which was driving towards Lozada as he was walking on the roadway.

>>City Councilwoman Charged In Hit-And-Run

(Providence, RI)  --  A Providence City Council member is being charged with leaving the scene of an accident.  Carmen Castillo was reportedly involved in the crash on Broad Street on Sunday night.  Police say she hit another vehicle that was pulling out of a breakdown lane.  No injuries were reported.  Castillo turned herself in at the Providence Police Department on Tuesday.

[[ watch for updates ]]

>>Rhode Island Avoids First Round Of Severe Weather

(Undated)  --  There were zero severe weather reports from Rhode Island during a period of storm activity in Southern New England on Tuesday.  The National Weather Service forecast calls for possibly-severe scattered thunderstorms in the region again on Wednesday afternoon and evening.  The remnants of Hurricane Elsa are expected to arrive on Friday.

>>Residents Unloaded Out Of Structurally-Deficient Apartment Building

(Cranston, RI)  --  An apartment complex in Cranston has been shut down for structural deficiencies.  About 40 units in a building on Broad Street are unlivable after a second-floor walkway collapsed, according to Mayor Ken Hopkins.  No injuries were reported.  Hopkins announced on Tuesday the affected residents are being put up in a Providence hotel while the apartment complex is inspected.

>>COVID Vaccination Campaign Continuing

(Providence, RI)  --  Governor Dan McKee's administration is continuing to push for more Rhode Islanders to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  McKee's office says a drive-through clinic is being held on Saturdays at the Wickford Junction train station parking garage.  The state is also starting an incentive program which will award ten-thousand-dollar grants to local nonprofits for every five-thousand first doses administered.  Organizations can apply through the Rhode Island Foundation.

>>Multi-Year Contract For Mac Jones

(Foxboro, MA)  --  ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the New England Patriots have signed first-round draft pick, quarterback Mac Jones to a four-year contract.  The deal is worth about fifteen-and-a-half-million.  The Pats are looking to get back on track at the QB position after longtime signal-caller Tom Brady headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency and won a Super Bowl with his new team in his first season.

###
Jim McCabe/djc           RI) MA)
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-07-2021 00:38:03

Tyson Foods Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products

Tyson Foods Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products

 

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that Tyson Foods is recalling 8,492,832 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

 

The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between December 26, 2020 and April 13, 2021. The products subject to recall have establishment number “EST. P-7089” on the product bag or inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection. These items were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, and restaurants. The products that are subject to the recall are listed online. The products’ labels are also online.

 

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, people outside these risk groups are affected. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. People in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell their healthcare provider about eating the contaminated food.

                            

On June 9, 2021, the USDA was notified of two people ill with listeriosis. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health partners, the USDA determined there is evidence linking the Listeria monocytogenes illnesses to precooked chicken produced at Tyson Foods. The epidemiologic investigation identified three listeriosis illnesses, including one death, between April 6, 2021 and June 5, 2021.

 

USDA is concerned that some product may be in consumer and institutional freezers. Consumers should not eat these products. Institutions should not serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

 

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TO WORK: The Workplace - for job seekers 50+

TO WORK: The WorkPlace – for job seekers aged 50+

 
July 6, 2021/RINewsToday

 


The WorkPlace announces the launch of Platform to Employment (P2E) online to support workers that are now seeking employment remotely due to COVID-19. 

 

Platform to Employment has helped hundreds of Rhode Island job seekers re-enter the workforce through a traditional classroom presentation. This new online format will include distance learning, class-based activities and collaboration with other program participants. 

 

The WorkPlace is pleased to announce that the versatile, nationally recognized Platform to Employment program is ready to help Rhode Island residents get back to work in good jobs.

 

Platform to Employment is accepting applications from Rhode Island residents that are unemployed and are over 50 years old. If you meet these criteria, have a computer with internet access, you are encouraged to apply now as space is limited. Platform to Employment is funded through the Governor’s Workforce Board Rhode Island and there is no cost to attend. 

 

Those interested in the program can apply at platformtoemployment.com and click on the Rhode Island Application button on the right side of the homepage. For more information, contant Rx member John Mountain at 401. 462.8912.

 

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Hot weather returns to Southern New England this week before the remnants of a tropical storm bring potential rain.  The Rhode Island legislature has passed a bill that would create safe injection sites for illegal drug users.  Special elections are being held in Providence and two other places today.

>>Brief Return To 90-Degree Weather

(Undated)  --  Hot weather is making a return to Southern New England.  Highs in the 90s are forecast from the National Weather Service for Tuesday and Wednesday in northern Rhode Island.  It'll be high-70s-to- low-80s over the two-day period for the RI coast.  NOAA says the remnants of Tropical Storm Elsa could bring rain to the area later this week.

[[ watch for updates ]]

>>Father Of Man Arrested As Part Of Alleged Militia Group Speaks Out

(Undated)  --  The father of Jamhal Latimer, a co-founder of Rise of the Moors, says his son is not a terrorist.  The Massachusetts State Police called the Rhode Island-based Moors a militia group that was arrested on illegal firearm possession charges on I-95 in the Boston area over the weekend.  State police said the Moors had long guns and pistols, but no licenses, and were traveling to a training site.  Steven Latimer told reporters on Monday the situation was a misunderstanding and that the group was training for self-defense.  He said his son is a good person who served in the Marine Corps.  Jahmal Latimer and nine other suspects are expected to be arraigned in district court in Malden, Mass this morning.

>>Bill To RI Governor's Desk Would Permit Safe Drug Injection Sites

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island could become the first U.S. state to allow quote-unquote "harm reduction centers" for illegal drug users to consume pre-obtained substances.  Legislation passed by the General Assembly establishes a two-year pilot program for the centers, which would also offer recovery assistance.  Democratic state Representative John G. Edwards, one of the sponsors of the bill which is at the governor's desk, says the centers address the tremendous public health crisis that is the opioid epidemic.

>>Report: Police Investigating Crash Involving Providence City Council Member

(Providence, RI)  --  The Providence Police Department is investigating a car accident involving a city councilwoman, according to GoLocalProv.com.  The crash over the weekend reportedly involved councilwoman Carmen Castillo, whose ward covers the Elmwood and South Elmwood neighborhoods.  Castillo has been on the Providence City Council since 2012.

>>Elections In Providence, Pawtucket, West Warwick

(Undated)  --  Several special elections are being held in Rhode Island today.  A general election is being held in Providence to fill the city council seat of Sabina Matos, who was made lieutenant governor.  There is also a city council election in Pawtucket to fill the vacancy created by the death of Councilwoman Ama Amponsah.  The other election to mention in the Ocean State for today is a town council race in West Warwick.

>>Three-Dollar Gas Average In Rhode Island

(Undated)  --  Rhode Island has crossed the three-dollar-per-gallon price average threshold for gasoline for the first time in three years, according to GasBuddy.  That's almost a dollar per gallon higher than what drivers were paying a year ago.  It's still not as much pain at the pump as the summer of 2011, which saw peak prices in the Ocean State over four dollars per gallon.   

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Jim McCabe/jb          RI) MA) 
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-06-2021 00:15:08

AARP launches campaign to support family caregivers

AARP launches campaign to support Family Caregivers – Herb Weiss

 
July 5, 2021/Herb Weiss

 

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues

 

AARP Launches New National Campaign Calling for More Support for Family Caregivers

 

With caregiving costs skyrocketing, and with caregivers now estimated to be spending $7,242 annually out-of-pocket, AARP launches a national campaign to push for passage of the Credit for Caring Act.

 

The Washington, DC-based aging advocacy group has endorsed the bipartisan legislative proposal that would provide up to a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers. The caregiver bill was introduced on May 18th  in the Senate by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and in the House by Representative Linda Sánchez (D-CA).

 

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 study, there are an estimated 48 million Americans who provide care to either an adult or child with special needs at some time in the past 12 months. The study showed an increase of about 8 million caregivers from 2015 to 2020, indicating a significant growth in the nation’s caregivers’ population.

 

A 2019 AARP Public Policy Institute report noted that family caregivers in the United States provide $470 billion in uncompensated care.

 

Calling for Congressional Action to Assist Caregivers

 

AARP’s national campaign, urging passage of the Credit for Caring Act and more support for family caregivers, involves significant grassroots advocacy, including at least 60 tele-town halls, a major digital and video advertising initiative, and social media outreach through AARP’s national and state offices. Already, more than 100,000 contacts have been made with Members. In addition, more than 110 organizations, including 36 military and veterans service and support organizations, have joined AARP in asking Congress to pass the act. 

 

“This research reflects the incredible strain and sacrifices our 48 million family caregivers face every day. They are the backbone of our long-term care system, yet their backs are breaking from a lack of support,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive vice president and Chief Advocacy Officer in a June 29th statement announcing the kick-off of its new national grassroots campaign and also the release of its newest caregiver study, “AARP’s Caregiving Out- of-Pocket Costs Study.”

 

Adds AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor: “This research reflects the incredible strain and sacrifices the 136,000 family caregivers in Rhode Island face every day. They are the backbone of our long-term care system, yet their backs are breaking,” 

 

“AARP research shows family caregivers contribute 114 million hours each year in their vital roles, “Taylor noted.

 

“We hear from so many caregivers from across the state who struggle financially,” Taylor added. “It is heartbreaking to know that cost, along with stress, fatigue and other factors take their toll over time. The need for support is more than evident.”

 

The Cost of Caregiving

 

Last month, AARP released its caregiver study, putting a spotlight on the out-of-pocket costs of caregiving, taking a close look at the financial strains on family caregivers and financial sacrifices (uncompensated care) they make in providing assistance to their loved ones. The study is a five year follow up to the landmark 2016 out-of- pocket caregiving study.

 

According to newly released study, nearly 8 in 10 of those caring for an adult family member (78%) are facing regular out-of-pocket costs, with the highest burden falling on younger caregivers and those who are Hispanic/Latino or African American. AARP researchers tracked what caregivers pay for using their own money and found average annual spending totaled $7,242 and, on average, 26% of the caregiver’s income. Housing expenses like rent or mortgage payments, home modifications, and assisted living made up more than half of caregivers’ spending, followed by medical expenses at 17%.

 

Out-of-pocket spending is much greater for some groups of caregivers, either in total dollars spent or as a percentage of average household income.

 

The researchers say that working caregivers who reported two work-related strains from caregiving, such as taking time off or working more hours, spend $10,525 each year on average – twice as much as caregivers who report one or no work-related strains.

 

AARP’s caregiver study also examined how caregiving financially impact between different generations of caregivers. Gen X caregivers spent the most money at $8,502. However, Gen Z and Millennial caregivers reported the greatest financial strain (spending on average $7,462 per year), spending a larger share of their household income. These caregivers have less time in the workforce to build financial security.

 

The AARP study found that Hispanic/Latino and African American caregivers also reported greater financial strain than White or Asian American caregivers. Hispanic/Latino caregivers spent on average, 47% of their household income on caregiving, and expenses for African American caregivers totaled, on average, 34% of income.

 

Researchers also found that caregivers caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia or mental health issues tend to spend more ($8,978 per year and $8,384 per year, respectively) than those caring for someone without those conditions.

 

Work-related or personal strain as a result of caregiving can impact the caregiver’s long term financial security, too, say the researchers.  Nearly 47% of caregivers have experienced at least one setback as a result of being a caregiver. These setbacks include dipping into personal savings, cutting back on their own spending, and reducing how much they save for their retirement years.

 

More than 53% have experienced at least one work-related impact as the result of caregiving. Taking time off (both paid or unpaid) and working different hours are ways that caregiving impacts work. 

 

In addition to direct out-of-pocket spending, caregivers are also experiencing indirect financial setbacks. Nearly half of family caregivers (47%) experienced at least one financial setback such as having to cut back on their own health care spending, dip into their personal savings or reduce how much they save for their retirement.

 

Send your letters to Congress urging passage of the bipartisan Credit for Caring Act.  With an aging society and the number of caregivers increasing, a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers might just help to pay the mounting costs of caregiving expenses. 

 

For more details about AARP’s caregiver study, go to:  https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/ltc/2021/family-caregivers-cost-survey-2021.doi.10.26419-2Fres.00473.001.pdf.

 

More resources for family caregivers, including a free financial workbook, are available at aarp.org/caregiving.

 

Herb Weiss, LRI’12, is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. To purchase Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly, a collection of 79 of his weekly commentaries, go to herbweiss.com

 

_____

 

 

Herb Weiss has enjoyed a distinguished 41 year career in journalism, earning a national reputation as an expert on aging, health care and medical issues. Over 780 articles that he has authored or coauthored have appeared in national, state and local publications. Governor Gina Raimondo appointed Him to the Rhode Island Advisory Commission on aging. Today, Herb’s weekly newspaper column appears in the Pawtucket Times and Woonsocket call, two North Rhode Island daily newspapers, and will now run in RINewsToday.com. Herb and his wife, Patty Zacks, reside in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Friday Fishing Tips

Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

 
July 2, 2021/Jeff Gross

 

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

 

Hello from the great state of Maine. 

 

Like in Little Rhody, the bass and some trout are biting everywhere, though one needs to work for the trout. Took a while to find what works for lures but the bass cannot resist a Black and Gold Yo-zuri Medium runner.  I am pushing my publishing deadline tonight but it is worth it as 8 smallies and a 4-lb largemouth plus a bucket load of white Perch and Crappies were running interference. 

 

 

Note the picture of the Punkinseed. The colors are so vibrant the fish could be tropical. The lesson learned today is ALWAYS carry your cell phone with you. Not only is it a necessity in case of emergency but there is always the slight chance of a once in a lifetime photo or video.  That happened today.  Cell phone was left charging in the cabin so a photo of today’s 1st 4-lb largemouth bass was not possible. That was only a minor problem…

 

The real problem occurred when I noticed a Bald Eagle buzz my boat when I threw a yellow perch over the side. The Eagle landed in a 100′ pine tree about 200 yards from me.  Soooo when I caught a 2nd perch I stunned it and whistled very loud and lobbed the fish like a Brady to Gronk touch pass. The Eagle swooped out of the pine and streaked about 4 feet above the water like its namesake, an F-15 E Strike Eagle. (The very same that Joe Biden has mentioned this past week)  About 20 feet from the fish she went flaps down and like a maneuver in Top Gun pulled her nose up and grabbed the perch. Off she went to dine on fish. What I witnessed electrified all the hair on my body. Had my cell phone been in hand I would be sharing it with all of you. Lesson learned.

 

Later that evening an Osprey was buzzing my boat, only this time my cell was where it belonged – in my hand.  So, a video of an Osprey fishing may be of interest. See for yourself!

 

Today’s Tip: Always keep you cell or camera with you. You’ll never know when you will get a photo or video of a lifeime. The Osprey Video is very Amateur. The 1st Eagle flight would have been a Hollywood production quality if the cell phone was in the boat. The Osprey video is what happens when you don’t watch your Six!  Fighter Pilots creed:  “It is the one you don’t see coming that gets you”!  

 

Every once in a lifetime Lady Luck does come about for a second pass.  Happy 4th of July Everyone!  The Eagle has landed!

 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC-DirL2srM

 

______

 

 

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. 

Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.

He can be reached at: trainsbythe144@aol.com

Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: Police problems in Pawtucket and Providence.  Rhode Island reaches 70-percent of adults fully-vaccinated against COVID.  A report from the governor claims there's no confidence in leadership of the state hospital.

>>Heat Wave Ended By Heavy Rain

(Providence, RI)  --  Heavy rainfall was producing localized flooding overnight Friday in parts of Southern New England, including northern Rhode Island.  The National Weather Service forecast includes rain chances all the way through the Fourth of July.  That may be unwelcome news for those who wanted to spend the holiday weekend outdoors, but it will bring an end to a brutal heatwave which helped made last month the second-warmest June in the capital city in the history of the weather service's recording station.

>>Pawtucket Police Officer Charged In Shooting Incident

(Pawtucket, RI)  --  Charges have been filed for a shooting incident involving an off-duty Pawtucket police officer which was described by the attorney representing the teenage victim as an "unspeakable trauma".  The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office says Officer Daniel Dolan faces one count of felony assault with a dangerous weapon and other charges related to the June 23rd incident in West Greenwich, about thirty miles from his jurisdiction.  Dolan allegedly stopped a group of teens in a pizza restaurant parking lot for speeding and shot Dominic Vincent of West Greenwich in the arm when Vincent tried to drive away.  Pawtucket officials are suspending Dolan without pay.

[[ watch dating ]]

>>Providence Police Faulted For Response To Fight

(Providence, RI)  --  There was fresh anger about alleged police misconduct expressed at a Providence City Council meeting Thursday night.  Earlier this week, officers responded to a disturbance on Sayles Street in South Providence and were seen on video using batons and pepper-spray.  The citizens involved claimed the officers were aggressive in their response, and the head of the Black Lives Matter Rhode Island Political Action Committee described it as a brutal beating of children.  The mayor of Providence and the public safety commissioner are expected to speak about the investigation of the incident at a briefing at 9:30 this morning.

[[ note nature ]]

>>Woonsocket Man Sentenced For Child Porn

(Providence, RI)  --  A 39-year-old Woonsocket man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison for child pornography possession.  The Justice Department says Jason Muschiano possessed 50-thousand illicit images.  The Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at his residence in 2019.

>>Rhode Island Reaches 70-Percent Adults Vaccinated For COVID

(Providence, RI)  --  Rhode Island is joining other New England states by reaching 70-percent of adults fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  President Biden set a national goal of 70-percent partial vaccination by the Fourth of July.  Rhode Island reaches the enhanced milestone already achieved by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine.  The executive director of the Rhode Island COVID-19 Response Team tells WPRI-TV this is hard work paying off and it's something to celebrate, but he also says to reach herd immunity, the goal is 70-percent of the entire population, including children.

>>Eleanor Slater Hospital Update

(Cranston, RI)  --  The personnel issues of Eleanor Slater Hospital, the state hospital of Rhode Island, are on display this week.  In a report released by Governor Dan McKee, the state Health and Human Services Secretary says the current leadership team of the hospital has lost everyone's trust and confidence, including staff and community members.  The chief financial officer was put on leave this week and the chief medical officer resigned.  The resignation letter of the doctor who resigned was made public on Thursday, in which he described a campaign to deflect blame for problems at the hospital.  Plans to downsize Eleanor Slater were paused by McKee earlier this year amid concerns about patient care.  The hospital is facing a potential loss of accreditation.

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Jim McCabe/djc           RI)
Copyright © 2021
TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-02-2021 00:33:09

Your Coronavirus Update

Your Coronavirus Update – July 1, 2021

 
July 1, 2021/RINewsToday

 

RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY

 

The top weekly unemployment insurance payment will increase $62 to $661 per beneficiary for claims effective July 4, the Department of Labor and Training said in a news release.

 

Theatre by the Sea will open for performances starting on July 9th.

 

Vermont becomes the first state to reach 80% vaccination.

 

Pawtucket and Central Falls call center, the hotline that served to provide a call-in option for a test or vaccine appointment will no longer be in service as of Wednesday, June 30th, 2021.  

 

The Columbus Theatre in Providence announced Friday that they plan to re-open in August.

 

Crugnale’s Bakery in RI locations will close.

 

PPAC will start selling tickets again for events in August – the first being Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band play the theater on Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

 

A small, walk-in vaccination clinic held in Waterbury on Thursday is one of the reasons Vermont was able to be the first state in the country to give at least one COVID-19 vaccination shot to 80% of the eligible population.

 

Alcohol to-go will extend until March of 2022.

 

 The Community College of Rhode Island is hosting two COVID-19 vaccination clinics leading up to fall.

 

TF Green is flying to Nantucket again.

 

URI will hold an in-person graduation ceremony for class of 2020 graduates on Oct. 1 at the Ryan Center.

 

CCRI and RIC students must be vaccinated for fall attendance, with religious and medical exemptions.

 

Bryant University is the only RI college/university not to require vaccinations at this time.

 

Rebelle Artisan Bagels has closed and will move to a different business model making bagels.

 

A statewide mobile COVID-19 vaccination effort is underway in Massachusetts.

 

In Massachusetts, Yankee Line is holding mobile clinics in 23 communities across the state as part of the “Vax Bus Tour,” during which two of the company’s buses will provide community-based vaccination clinics through July 15. COVID-19 vaccines will be administered on the handicap-accessible bus by Purple Shield Medical staff. The Vax Bus will offer the two-dose Pfizer vaccine for people 12 and older and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for those 18 and up. No appointments are necessary in order to receive a vaccine. The tour kicked off Saturday in Pittsfield and Westfied and the buses will also make stops in Amherst, Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Chicopee, Dartmouth, Fall River, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Middleborough, New Bedford, Provincetown, Revere, Springfield, Taunton, West Springfield and Worcester. Additional stops will be added on a rolling basis. The municipalities involved in the Vax Bus tour include those that are part of the state’s Vaccine Equity Initiative and those with lower-than-average vaccination rates. Those municipalities also chose to have the clinics held in central and easy-to-access locations in order to reach people who may have trouble getting vaccinated in a traditional setting. Every person who is vaccinated on the Vax Bus Tour will also be entered into a giveaway for tickets to the following concerts at TD Garden: Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Martin, The Weeknd and the Kiss 108 Jingle Ball. A second round of vaccinations on the Vax Bus will take place at the same locations from July 17 through Aug. 5. The full Vax Bus schedule and additional information can be found at mass.gov/VaxBus.

 

RETURN TO SCHOOL IN RI

 

90% teachers and staff fully vaccinated. 60% ages 16-18. 40% 12-15. Schools will be back, fully in-person this fall. No distance learning requirements. Fully vaccinated no masks indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated, wear masks indoors. Field trips are back. Increased flexibility for school districts.

 

Medical issues for some students will require distancing, or quarantining, dependent on virus going forward.

 

Busing – no distancing on buses. Masks will be required on buses (federal mandate). Windows will be open.

 

Stable pods will be utilized. 3 feet of distance recommended if not in pods.

 

Mask policy recommended for students not vaccinated, or too young to be.

 

Children under 12 will be recommended to wear a mask indoors and socially distance in the classroom.

 

7-day testing requirement for quarantining and testing. Only close contacts of positive cases will be quarantined.

 

Need to remain vigilant. Key will be that everyone who can be vaccinated is vaccinated before the fall. Delta variant is more contagious.

 

NOW is the time to get vaccinated for a fully vaccinated fall back-to-school opportunity.

 

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

 

Pfizer’s trial with children as young as 5 is showing promise and emergency approval may be in the near future.

 

While nationwide COVID deaths are at a low, the overwhelming majority of new deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people. Because the vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective against severe disease and death, CDC director Rochelle Walensky emphasizes that the U.S. could now prevent these deaths, if all eligible adults get vaccinated. 

 

There are about 10 million unemployed Americans and over 9 million open positions

 

More than 80 teens and adult staff have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a summer camp in central Illinois that did not require masks indoors or vaccination status. Of the 85 people infected, about 70% of the cases were in those not vaccinated

 

Fast food franchises are offering aggressive incentives to get candidates in the door

 

Chipolte increased its average pay to $15 an hour (some stores as high as $20 an hour), and is offering career advancement opportunities to manager positions with potential six-figure salaries.

 

Wendy’s is offering $100 signing bonuses, referral bonuses and same-day pay.

 

Dunkin’ Donuts has posted signs on its drive-through menus offering benefits such as health care, flexible schedules and paid time off.

 

McDonald’s in Arlington, Virginia, touted $500 sign-on bonuses. At an Orlando Cuba Libre, candidates were offered $1,000 bonuses, with the option to be paid in bitcoin.

 

The CDC will issue warnings about heart inflammation of Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations – notably the inflammation that may occur are mild, self-limited and would be worse if the person had the virus, itself.

 

US borders with Mexico and Canada will remain restricted to travel through July 21, DHS says

 

Moderna Plans to Expand Production to Make Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters, Supply More Countries

 

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine effective against emerging variants

 

Delta variant worries health experts about potential fall spikes – some groups are recommending wearing masks indoors for now, in large groups. The CDC as of now says if you are vaccinated, you do not need to wear a mask, indoors or outdoors.

 

Tim Cook has sent Apple employees an e-mail demanding they return to the office, for at least three days a week, by early September. Some may be allowed to work remotely for up to two days a week, but only with the express permission of their managers.

 

The Pentagon says that more than half of all service members are vaccinated.

 

Vaccine-linked heart condition tends to resolve quickly

 

Doctors and nurses in Haiti have yet to be vaccinated

 

Bell’s Palsy More Likely After COVID Infection Than After Vaccine

 

The coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

 

Less than half of nursing home workers in Idaho have been vaccinated against COVID-19, CMS stated.

 

North Korea has told the World Health Organization it tested more than 30,000 people for the coronavirus through June 10 but has yet to find a single infection.

 

Up to  94% of nursing homes and 81% of assisted-living communities have had a staff shortage in the past month, and many say they need more federal funding to help them attract new workers.

 

Hospitals again ask HHS for more time to spend relief funds

 

U.S. to send 3 million J&J COVID-19 vaccine doses to Brazil

 

The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month…

 

Nursing home deaths up 32% in 2020 amid pandemic

 

“We knew this was going to be bad, but I don’t think even those of us who work in this area thought it was going to be this bad,” said Harvard health policy professor David Grabowski, a nationally recognized expert on long-term care

 

Most poorer countries do not have enough COVAX shots to continue vaccinations: WHO

 

Brazil reports 38,903 new coronavirus cases, 761 deaths

 

US sends Taiwan 2.5 million vaccine doses, tripling pledge

 

The first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill set sail Saturday with nearly all vaccinated passengers on board.

 

Celebrity Edge departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday evening with the number of passengers limited to about 40% capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.

 

Starting July 8th, Hawaii will take travelers from the US, with proof of vaccination card.

 

Australian officials introduced a strict two-week lockdown for all of greater Sydney as an outbreak of the Delta variant spreads rapidly. Most of Sydney’s residents are not yet vaccinated.

 

Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere — except inside many of America’s nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nation’s most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.

 

Apple employees are pushing back against a new policy that would require them to return to the office three days a week starting in early September. Staff members say they want a flexible approach where those who want to work remotely can do so.

 

India’s COVID-19 Outbreak Is Slowing Down

 

Things are looking up slightly for the news industry. Certain factors suggest the media industry is rebounding quicker than it originally anticipated. Newsroom job cuts are down compared to last year around this time. There has also been advertising growth and quick returns of live events. Many media companies are also announcing new hiring plans.

 

South Korea began easing restrictions on large concerts and sports events on Monday after announcing last week it would loosen a series of coronavirus curbs

 

Christian Erikson, soccer player who collapsed and had to be resuscitated says he was not vaccinated prior to that time, as rumors started to spread that it was a reaction to a vaccine.

 

A new analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year is the latest and largest study to suggest that the new coronavirus popped up in the U.S. in December 2019 — weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials. 

 

Sperm count and quality did not drop in healthy young men after receiving a first or second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to a new study published Thursday in JAMA.

 

The Delta variant of COVID-19, first identified in India, is becoming the globally dominant variant of the disease, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said on Friday.

 

Martinique and Guadeloupe have reopened to Americans

 
 
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Rhode Island News Today

(Undated)  --  Here is the latest news: The Rhode Island legislature is advancing one law enforcement-related measure, but not another, as the 2021 session wraps up.  A Southeastern Massachusetts man is charged in connection to the January riot in Washington.  All but one Rhode Island institution of higher learning is now requiring that students get vaccinated for COVID.

>>Legislature Cancels LEOBOR Hearing, Advances Police Body Cameras, Gun Bills

(Providence, RI)  --  Here are the latest updates from the Rhode Island General Assembly as the 2021 regular legislative session come to a conclusion.  Potential amendments to the state's Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights will be delayed as State House hearings were canceled this week.  Meanwhile, the legislature has approved a statewide police body camera program.  Final votes are expected on Thursday before several new gun laws would go to Governor Dan McKee's desk, including one which bans anyone except law enforcement and security guards from carrying firearms on school grounds.

>>Seekonk Man Charged In Connection To Capitol Riot

(Boston, MA)  --  A Seekonk, Massachusetts man is being accused of participating in the January 6th U.S. Capitol riot.  The FBI's Boston division says Chase Allen allegedly destroyed thousands of dollars' worth of media equipment.  The FBI in Boston has arrested ten total people in connection to the riot.

>>More On Stuck-Up Bridge Fire

(Providence, RI)  --  An official cause of the fire on the Crook Point Bridge over the Seekonk River between Providence and East Providence on Tuesday night has not-yet been determined.  WJAR-TV reports witnesses said they saw fireworks going off near the bridge, which has been known as the "Stuck-Up Bridge" since it was abandoned in 1976.  The bridge was previously slated for demolition before the Providence Preservation Society listed it as an endangered property.  The city of Providence had planned to revitalize it, but demolition now appears to be back on the table.

>>Bryant University Requiring Student COVID Vaccinations

(Smithfield, RI)  --  Bryant University is joining other Rhode Island schools in requiring students to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  Religious and other exemptions will be granted.  According to a running tally from The Boston Globe, the only Rhode Island school not requiring the vaccination now is the Naval War College.  Most of the schools in the Ocean State are not requiring employees to get the shot.

>>University of Rhode Island Plans To Preserve Complained-About Murals

(Kingston, RI)  --  The University of Rhode Island is deciding to uncover and preserve several murals which were the subject of complaints last year about a lack of diversity.  The murals at the student union building depict various scenes of life in the 1950s.  URI says the murals will have language added to provide context and information about the artist and the era when they were painted.

>>URI Cager Jermaine Harris Transferring

(Kingston, RI)  --  University of Rhode Island men's basketball player Jermaine Harris is planning to transfer.  Harris played three years for Rhody and started in sixty-three games before coming off the bench as a junior last season.  Harris, a native of Maryland, averaged four-and-a-half points and almost three rebounds per game for the Rams.

###
Jim McCabe/jb         RI) MD) 
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TTWN Media Networks Inc. 

07-01-2021 00:17:15

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