By Alexander Castro | Reporter
Happy Monday!
And 🎉 congratulations 🎉 to Rhode Island Current Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin, who took home a 3rd place A-Mark Prize from the New England Newspaper & Press Association on Friday. Rhode Island Current was also named a Distinguished Online News Publication for the region.
The prize recognized Lavin’s reporting highlighting the General Assembly’s inaction on legislation to address a gap in Rhode Island law that prevented nurses from providing basic foot care to homebound patients. Her work later spurred lawmakers to pass another round of legislation early in the last session to finally end the state’s outlier status. Until this year, Rhode Island was only state in the nation that did not let nurses provide home foot care to manage toenail growth, corns, and detect foot ulcers. That basic care helps prevent serious infections that could lead to amputations, decreased mobility, increased fall risk and other complications.
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High tide in Narragansett is at 9:18 a.m. and 9:38 p.m. Low tide is 3:21 p.m. Sunrise is at 6:54 a.m. Sunset is at 6:09 p.m.
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State offices are cloced today for the Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day holiday.
A home under construction in Providence's Silver Lake neighborhood in May 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea
Two years after federal monitors flagged problems with Rhode Island’s oversight of housing grants, a new state audit has found gaps in grant tracking and recordkeeping. Housing officials say they are working to address the findings.
Left to right, Rhode Island Current Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin, Editor-in-Chief Janine L. Weisman are shown at The Publick House in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. The inn was the site of the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s 2026 Leadership Summit and awards luncheon. (Photo by Will Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)
By Nancy Lavin
Rhode Island Current Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin was honored Friday with a 2026 A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism for her work exposing a gap in state law that prevented homebound seniors from receiving foot care needed to avoid severe health complications. Rhode Island Current was also named as a Distinguished Online News Publication for the region in the annual competition administered by the New England Newspaper & Press Association during the organization’s annual leadership summit Friday at The Publick House Historic Inn in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, left, and Republican challenger Vic Mellor exchange remarks during their first general election debate at WPRI 12's East Providence studios on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aaron Aguilar/WPRI 12)
By Alexander Castro
U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner and challenger Vic Mellor clashed on immigration, Jan. 6, and residency in their first televised debate.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2026, criticized committee Democrats opposed to the nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general. (Screenshot from committee webcast)
COMMENTARY
By Nancy Forster-Holt
Unusually prolonged service in any position, including serving in Congress, increases the likelihood that illness, cognitive decline or death will lead to an unplanned and rocky transition. Aging lawmakers raise questions about political succession, leadership transitions and when it is time to step aside, a University of Rhode Island professor who studies succession in family-run businesses writes.
ICYMI
DMV review confirms Rhode Island voter registration safeguards | Christopher Shea
Trump auto-enrolls 10s of millions in child investment accounts | Ashley Murray/D.C. Bureau
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