11/24/2009

State deficit plan expected next month
Officials say governor’s plan to address the state deficit should be ready by mid-December

11/21/2009

R.I. State Police swear in 36 new troopers
For the first time in five years and the only the second time in 10, the Rhode Island State Police are adding new troopers to their ranks.

11/19/2009

Panel to discuss effect of R.I. law governing marijuana possession
Members to gauge impact — on users and police — of state laws regarding possession

11/17/2009

Many will now have to e-file tax returns
New federal tax law requires all but smallest tax preparers to file returns electronically

Republican R.I. lawyer
Michael J. Gardiner says he’d like to see a more centrist Republican Party

11/15/2009

Lack of funeral rights turns mourner into gay activist
PROVIDENCE — Mark Goldberg says the police were at his Fox Point home for about two hours the day he found his domestic partner’s body in the garage. The officers arrived quickly, said over and over how sorry they were, and determined that 60-year-old Ronald Hanby had taken his own life.

A challenging time to be R.I.’s new chief justice
Paul Suttell finds that being the head of the state judiciary is an all-consuming job that he finds ‘daunting’

Lack of funeral rights turns mourner into gay activist
PROVIDENCE — Mark Goldberg says the police were at his Fox Point home for about two hours the day he found his domestic partner’s body in the garage. The officers arrived quickly, said over and over how sorry they were, and determined that 60-year-old Ronald Hanby had taken his own life.

Lincoln ambivalent about 24/7 slots at Twin River
Lincoln officials say any further expansion “will require a local binding referendum”

11/13/2009

Morfessis backed as head of EDC
Search committee recommends veteran of Arizona and Maryland agencies

11/12/2009

R.I. auditor general says cities and towns falling behind in covering pension obligations
Auditor general says some municipal plans are nearing insolvency

11/10/2009

Seven candidates to be interviewed for Superior Court
Nominating commission to interview remaining applicants for the judgeship on Dec. 15

11/09/2009

Poll by Chafee shows him atop race for governor
Despite his less than stellar fundraising performance in the last quarter, former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee says his “exploratory campaign” for governor is alive and well after a major cost-cutting move, and he has poll results that show him with a credible shot of winning a three-way race.

11/05/2009

24/7 slots coming to Twin River
Lottery allows all-night gambling at the greyhound track and slot parlor to boost revenue

11/04/2009

Get your swine-flu questions answered on the air
If you’re looking for answers to questions about swine flu, Wednesday is your day.

11/03/2009

Hospital fined for wrong-site surgery
For operating on the wrong finger of a patient, Rhode Island Hospital will have to pay a $150,000 fine and have surgeries monitored for a year

10/26/2009

A Capitol idea: Wedding shoot at the R.I. State House
Many couples choose the grand presence of the State House for their wedding pictures.

Political scene: Chairman Corvese told Capitol TV to skip House Labor Committee hearing
State House Room 313 last week was the scene of the most contentious legislative hearing in nearly four months.

10/24/2009

One finalist for R.I. economic development head identified
Although a selection committee has been mum on the identity of its choice for the new director of the state’s Economic Development Corporation, Governor Carcieri and the group’s chairman confirmed the name of one of two finalists: Ioanna T. Morfessis, of Arizona.

10/23/2009

Tax changes may be on R.I. horizon
PROVIDENCE — Governor Carcieri’s administration director, Gary Sasse, gave a roomful of state senators a list of “two to three things” to do over the next few months as the state tries to climb out of its financial abyss. The first was: “pray.”

10/16/2009

Former chief justice hired godchild’s grandmother
The grandmother of the former chief justice’s godchild is a part-time janitor at the South Main Street courthouse.

Senate Finance Committee examines state aid to cities and towns
“We want to know whether it’s all justified and what we can do going forward to deal with the fact that our revenues are flat and could decrease,” says Sen. Daniel DaPonte, chairman of the Finance Committee.

10/13/2009

R.I. economic report cites cost of Medicaid, fire protection
The executive director of RIPEC says his group’s report shows “a state that has a very high level of spending and a very high level of taxation.”

10/10/2009

Not much room for the law in budget process
The law requiring state agencies to submit their spending plans for the coming fiscal year by Oct. 1 is routinely ignored.

Not much room for the law in budget process
The law requiring tate agencies to submit their spending plans for the coming fiscal year by Oct. 1 is routinely ignored.

10/08/2009

First-quarter revenues off $30.2 million
PROVIDENCE — Three months after Rhode Island lawmakers passed a balanced budget, state revenues are already $30.2 million behind estimates, a lag that has helped create a total projected budget hole of nearly $150 million.

10/07/2009

Biggest RI employees union OKs pay cuts
Council 94 members approve $36 million in concessions in exchange for a two-year no-layoff guarantee.

State workers accept cutbacks
Council 94 members approve $36 million in concessions in exchange for a two-year no-layoff guarantee.

10/02/2009

First shipment of swine flu vaccine to R.I. expected next week
The first shipment, 6,200 doses of nasal spray, is meant for children who have health complications.

2 state employee unions ratify R.I. cost-cutting plan
PROVIDENCE — Two more unions have voted to ratify the state’s proposed $36-million cost-cutting plan.

10/01/2009

R.I. state revenues off by $100 million
The Senate Finance Committee chairman says the state must look at municipal and school consolidation as a long-range cost-cutting measure.

Caprio leads fundraising race for governor
The general treasurer’s campaign committee reports $1.5 million cash on hand.

09/29/2009

Excavator signals start of Johnston hotel project
Hartford Avenue to get $3.4-million makeover as part of the federal stimulus program.

R.I. GOP files ethics complaint against Lynch
The state GOP asserts that he violated the state’s gift cap by accepting a roundtrip plane ticket for a trip last year.