Firefighters union backs Greenman in race for Pawtucket mayor Pawtucket Firefighters IAFF Local 1261 gave its first-ever endorsement to incumbent Don Grebien’s challenger in the Democratic primary.

NEW: The race for Pawtucket mayor is heating up - firefighter union has voted unanimously to give its first-ever mayoral endorsement to Adam Greenman in his Dem primary challenge against Don Grebien www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Morales slams Smiley over rent control veto, presses councilors to flip votes Providence mayoral candidate Rep. David Morales took aim at Mayor Brett Smiley’s veto of the City Council’s rent stabilization ordinance.

Days after Mayor Brett Smiley vetoed the City Council's rent control ordinance, State Rep. David Morales (who is running for mayor) joined supporters of the measure and urged six councilmembers who voted against it to change their votes.
www.wpri.com/news/electio... @wpri12.bsky.social

Ken Block out with campaign poll showing him competitive in race for RI governor About one in five voters backed the Barrington independent in an initial ballot test, according to a survey he commissioned.

NEW: Ken Block campaign poll gives us first look at the general election for RI gov

Foulkes leads Block by most, tho the margin is a tie (and McKee trails) when voters hear Block's case, per poll by Charlie Baker's former campaign manager

Foulkes & McKee teams quick to recall Block's GOP days

RE: the age of housing in Providence; IIRC, Elorza’s housing plan had a survey that said that there were still inhabited units without indoor plumbing.

Nesi’s Notes: April 18 📰 THE LEAD Rhode Island’s housing crisis had a split-screen moment Thursday. The day began with fresh evidence that state leaders’ supply-side push is having an effect; it ended with an…

www.wpri.com/news/local-n... I always recommend @tednesi.bsky.social’s weekend column, twice as much when my column is off for the week, and 10 times as much when he links to one of my stories (😉)

Nesi’s Notes: April 18 📰 THE LEAD Rhode Island’s housing crisis had a split-screen moment Thursday. The day began with fresh evidence that state leaders’ supply-side push is having an effect; it ended with an…

Here's my Saturday column 👇 www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

VIDEO: Mayor Brett Smiley's promised veto of the City Council's rent control ordinance sets the stage for a fiery Democratic primary against State Rep. David Morales, who supports it. I asked Smiley if he's worried about his rebid.

Updated story --> www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

Providence City Council passes controversial rent control ordinance; Smiley plans to veto The second and final vote on Providence City Council’s rent stabilization ordinance is scheduled to take place on Thursday night.

Mayor Brett Smiley plans to veto the Providence City Council's rent control ordinance passed 9-6 tonight.

The clock is now ticking for the council to come up with at least one more vote in support to override the veto.

More at 10 on @wpri12.bsky.social

Updated: www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

Shekarchi will decide whether to seek Supreme Court seat within next 3 weeks The powerful Warwick Democrat acknowledged Wednesday he is giving the idea “serious consideration.”

NEW: Decision time for Joe Shekarchi

The speaker must decide by May 7 if he'll apply for the RI Supreme Court seat, and says he's giving it "serious consideration"

He hasn't sought an ethics advisory yet, but he's already getting air cover from @peterfneronha.bsky.social @whitehouse.senate.gov etc

Cranston mayor seeks raises for aides amid proposed tax hike Many of the proposed raises would go to non-union employees who serve under Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins.

NEW: As Cranston residents brace for a sizable tax hike, Mayor Ken Hopkins is proposing pay raises for several top aides, including his chief of staff www.wpri.com/target-12/cr...

Smiley’s $636 million budget doesn’t raise taxes, seeks to tackle housing crisis Providence Mayor Brett Smiley unveiled his budget proposal in his fourth and final budget address on Wednesday.

Mayor Brett Smiley proposed a near $636M budget with no tax increases.

While the mayor has plans to address the housing crisis, they don't include funding rent control, which the Providence City Council plans to pass Thursday.

Updated video + story: www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

Cranston mayor seeks tax hike beyond state cap Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins will seek General Assembly approval to increase the city’s annual tax levy by 7.4% in an attempt to address a multimillion-dollar deficit.

NEW: Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins will seek General Assembly approval to increase the city’s annual tax levy by 7.4% in an attempt to address a multimillion-dollar deficit.

Developing story 👇 www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

Smiley’s $636 million budget doesn’t raise taxes, seeks to tackle housing crisis Providence Mayor Brett Smiley unveiled his budget proposal in his fourth and final budget address on Wednesday.

PROVIDENCE: Mayor Brett Smiley's $636 million budget does NOT raise taxes and proposes new funding for housing measures.

In-depth coverage:
www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

McKee, Foulkes commit to 3 primary debates before early voting Both campaigns said their candidate welcomes the opportunity to make their case to Rhode Island voters before ballots are cast.

NEW: 3 debates are a lock for RI's Dem gov primary

@helenabfoulkes.bsky.social and @govdanmckee.bsky.social campaigns agreed today to do 3 *before* early voting starts Aug 19 - a timing lesson Foulkes learned the hard way when she lost in '22

Polls show huge % of voters are still undecided

$1.3M dispute escalates as Thrive calls for State House intervention The dispute stems from an audit conducted after the RI Medicaid office received tips of “fraud, waste and abuse” at Thrive.

NEW: A major Rhode Island behavioral health provider is asking lawmakers to intervene in a $1.3 million dispute, accusing state officials of “regulatory overreach” and failing to grasp the billing systems they oversee www.wpri.com/target-12/1-...

Smiley to deliver Providence budget address Wednesday Providence Mayor Brett Smiley will deliver his fourth budget address as mayor on Wednesday.

PROVIDENCE: Setting the stage for a reelection bid this fall, Mayor Brett Smiley will unveil his fourth tax-and-spending plan on Wednesday in what will be the final budget address of his first term.

Here's what we know so far:
www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

Medicaid insurer threatens to sue RI over $135M dispute Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island has threatened legal action if the issue isn’t resolved.

NEW: Rhode Island’s largest Medicaid health plan is threatening legal action against the state, alleging a decade of “inaction” has left the organization with $135 million in unpaid debt for services www.wpri.com/target-12/me...

Amo is first local House Dem to call on Swalwell to resign over sexual assault claims The California congressman ended his campaign for governor on Sunday after two news outlets revealed the allegations against him.

NEW: The region's 4 House Dems are starting to weigh in about Swalwell sexual assault allegations

@amo.house.gov: Should resign or be expelled

@repauchincloss.bsky.social: Ethics Cmte & police should probe

@magaziner.house.gov: No comment yet

@keating.house.gov: No comment yet

www.wpri.com/news/local-n... Come for the alliteration on Townie tastebuds, stay for the good Q from @tednesi.bsky.social on whether RI officials are prepared to deal with a shrinking population

My Saturday column: www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 10, 2026 The power politics of a vacancy on Rhode Island’s highest court

. @johnmarion.bsky.social to @iandonnis.bsky.social: "I don’t think that oversight has been as robust as it should be. I think that the General Assembly hasn’t sort of dug in to the issues on the staff level of why these mistakes keep happening"

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Dune Brothers will no longer be slinging fried seafood at its Crescent Park clam shack.

Details: www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providen...

NEW: A special master has cleared a former New Bedford District Court judge and a prosecutor of allegations of a secret romantic relationship, while flagging concerns about the judge’s conduct and handling of evidence www.wpri.com/target-12/ne...

NEW: Cranston is currently running an annual budget deficit of nearly $10 million, according to newly revealed figures, as city officials scramble to find ways to close the shortfall before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1 www.wpri.com/target-12/cr...

This is correct, yup

Local News Day A National Day of Action Connecting Communities with Trusted Local News

📰Happy Local News Day - a great day to subscribe to your local paper, watch a local TV newscast, and remember that an LLM can't knock on anybody's door or ask Qs at a presser for ya

RIDOT kills plan for bike paths off Henderson Bridge after Trump administration objects The state agreed to redirect part of a $25 million grant for the Henderson Expressway to fund a paving project instead.

NEW: RIDOT has quietly scrapped plans to put a $25M federal grant toward a bike path off the Henderson Bridge that would have linked East Bay Bike Path & Blackstone River Parkway

At Trump administration's urging, the money will now go to paving Pawtucket Ave instead

"Disappointing," says EP mayor

Shuttered Plant City building up for sale in Providence As an ongoing legal battle with the building’s landlord and former owner continues, the former Plant City Providence is now for sale.

The former home of Plant City has been put up for sale/lease less than 2 months after the restaurant abruptly closed.

The listing, with no posted asking price, went up as a legal battle with the building’s landlord and former owner continues.
www.wpri.com/news/shutter... @wpri12.bsky.social

Former state official cleared of wrongdoing after RI ethics trial tied to Philly trip The ethics issue was tied to a 2023 trip to Philadelphia where Thorsen’s subordinate solicited free food and luxury items.

NEW: Former R.I. Director of Administration Jim Thorsen was cleared of all wrongdoing Wednesday following an ethics trial tied to a controversial 2023 trip to Philadelphia. www.wpri.com/target-12/fo...

‘There needs to be accountability’: Another W-2 mistake elicits calls for oversight hearings PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Administration said it is sending more corrected W-2 forms to some state employees after a mistake was discovered in the Health Savings Acco…

The Rhode Island Department of Administration is sending another round of corrected W-2 forms to some state employees after a mistake was discovered in the HSA section.