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Gov. Gina Raimondo describes what it will look like to dine at a restaurant or get your hair cut in Rhode Island next week.

Welcome back, indoor dining, hair cuts and youth sports

Beginning Monday, when Rhode Island transitions to Phase 2 of its economic reboot, residents will be able to dine indoors, cut and color their hair, get a new coat of nail polish for the first time … more

By Scott Pickering | 5/28/20

Gov. Raimondo previews state’s 'Phase 2’ reopening plans

PROVIDENCE — Explaining “a lot of information will be coming out in next couple of weeks as we start reopening our economy,” Gov. Gina Raimondo spent the better part of her Friday, … more

By Mike Rego | 5/22/20

DEM issues COVID-19, other boating safety guidelines

PROVIDENCE — As Memorial Day and the start of the boating season approaches, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is asking boaters to follow COVID-19 social distancing rules and … more

5/22/20

Commentary: Underage drinking during COVID-19

EAST BAY — Today we face a national crisis in the form of a deadly pandemic. However, we at the East Bay Regional Coalition remind all there is a hidden link between COVID-19 and other national … more

5/21/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo at her Friday, May 15 briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor: Phase 2 of re-opening won’t begin until after Memorial Day

PROVIDENCE — At her daily COVID-19 briefing Friday, Gov. Gina Raimondo explained the criteria being used to determine when the state is ready to move into a different phase of re-opening … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/15/20

Westport chase, knife confrontation, lead to arrest

WESTPORT — An attempted traffic stop in Westport early Friday morning led to a pursuit and confrontation with a knife-wielding Fall River man. Westport Officer Jeremy Dellecese was on patrol … more

5/8/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo speaks at Thursday's briefing.

Governor: Stay-at-home ends Saturday — 'slowly'

Rhode Island’s stay-at-home order will indeed end on Saturday, Governor Gina Raimondo announced at her … more

By Bruce Burdett | 5/7/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo at her daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, May 1. Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the R.I. Department of Health, is at left.

Governor still aiming to lift R.I. stay-at-home order on May 8

PROVIDENCE — Despite the fact that surrounding states have extended their stay-at-home directives due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rhode Island is still sticking with its plan to let Gov. … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/1/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo and First Gentleman Andy Moffit talk to children about the coronavirus pandemic during their April 30 live broadcast.

Governor hints at the 'new normal' for schools, sports, camps, kids

The same-old, same-old questions about healthcare, hotlines and hospital beds were pushed to the side for one day on Thursday, when Rhode Island children replaced the regular pool of coronavirus … more

By Scott Pickering | 4/30/20

DEM issues new temporary license for direct sale of some seafood

PROVIDENCE — To help foster the continued viability of the Rhode Island commercial seafood industry during the COVID-19 public health crisis, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) … more

4/30/20

Gov. Gina Raymond announces Thursday that traditional schooling won't resume this school year.

Governor: Home learning the rule in RI for rest of this school year

Distance learning — “How long will it last?“ is the question Governor Gina Raimondo said she has heard more than any other. And Thursday came her answer … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/23/20

The newly released model shows a “blue line” scenario where the state’s healthcare system has enough hospital beds, and a “red line” scenario where it does not.

State releases modeling, with virus peak coming sooner, or later

Gov. Gina Raimondo added two new terms to the growing lexicon of Covid-19 terminology. Along with “social distancing” and “Knock it off,” Rhode Islanders can add “Blue … more

By Scott Pickering | 4/16/20

Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Roger Menard presides over the board’s April 1 meeting from his home.

Remote Westport meetings — still a few kinks

WESTPORT — Remote meetings remain a work in progress, members of the Westport Zoning Board of Appeals discovered during their half hour April 1 session. With three items on the agenda, the … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/16/20

A shopper at Tom’s Market in Tiverton recently. Little Compton’s new Buddy System will match younger shoppers with residents who are worried about or unable to go grocery shopping.

Little Compton volunteers launch grocery Buddy System

LITTLE COMPTON — Those who are worried about grocery shopping or unable to get to the grocery store now have buddies in Little Compton. The Democratic Town Committee this week announced a … more

4/15/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo talks about the new order requiring all employees in customer-facing businesses to wear face coverings.

Governor mandates face coverings for all ‘customer-facing’ businesses

Gov. Gina Raimondo’s daily press briefing included the announcement of a new executive order, to take effect this Saturday, April 18. It will require all “customer-facing” … more

By Christy Nadalin | 4/14/20

Raimondo: Six more deaths, 288 new cases of coronavirus

There were six more deaths, 288 new cases and 169 people reported to be in the hospital in relation to the coronavirus, announced Gov. Gina Raimondo during her daily briefing Friday afternoon. That … more

4/10/20

South Shore Beach, Little Compton (Buzzards Bay Coalition)

Parking ban hits Little Compton's South Shore Beach, Lloyd's Beach, Town Landing

LITTLE COMPTON — Little Compton took action Friday afternoon to prevent parking at South Shore Beach where some report seeing large numbers of cars and lots of people in recent … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/10/20

Town by town, virus surge continues — the local count

Led by East Providence with 49, then Barrington with 17, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise in the East Bay, as in the rest of Rhode Island. Next door in Westport there … more

4/10/20

DEM, Marine association provides boating community with virus guidelines

PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association last week issued the following guidance regarding the safe operation of … more

4/9/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo talks about a new executive order that authorizes fines for those not following the state's isolation or home quarantine directives.

State adds teeth (fines) to quarantine measures; governor says surge is weeks away

The State of Rhode Island is getting more serious about its orders for people to stay in isolation or self-quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier today, Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an … more

By Scott Pickering | 4/9/20

Governor Raimondo announces 220 more coronavirus cases, 143 people now in the hospital at her April 8 briefing.

Raimondo: Five more die, cases in ‘rapid spread’

Rhode Island is at a “big clip of increase … in the rapid spread phase” of the coronavirus outbreak, Governor Gina Raimondo said at her daily briefing Wednesday (2:30 p.m. today), … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/8/20

Colin Cook competes at the recent World Adaptive Surfing Championships in California.

Cook wins at world Adaptive Surfing Championships

TIVERTON — Going on five years since a large tiger shark took much of his left leg, Tiverton surfer Colin Cook found himself standing atop a California medal podium two weekends ago, being … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/3/20

Gov. Gina Raimondo and her husband, Andy Moffit, adopted a casual tone to talk to Rhode Island children on Thursday.

Governor talks to kids, reveals Easter Bunny is an ‘essential worker’

Gov. Gina Raimondo debuted a new look, new format and new co-star in her Thursday coronavirus briefing, and she steered the hour-long session to a new audience — kids. The governor and her … more

By Scott Pickering | 4/2/20

Virus cases continue to rise in RI: April 2 town-by-town numbers

On a day that saw 91 new coronavirus cases in Rhode Island, for a total of 657, cases in East Bay towns continue to rise as well. The Thursday, April 2, town-by town numbers, as reported by the RI … more

4/2/20

A performer entertains at sunset at Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery.

Something to look forward to — summer music at Westport Rivers Winery

WESTPORT — In the spirit of ‘betters days are coming,” Westport River Winery offers this announcement … “We believe that there is a 'light at the end of … more

4/2/20