By Janine L. Weisman | Editor-in-Chief
Good Tuesday morning!
September has begun, which means it is Healthy Aging Month for humans and Happy Healthy Cat Month, according to news releases delivered to my inbox.
It’s also the start of the energy bill roller coaster ride, as Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin reports.
* * *
High tide in Little Compton is at 11:03 a.m. and 11:24 p.m. Low tide is at 4:55 p.m. Sunrise is at 6:11 a.m. Sunset is at 7:18 p.m.
* * *
The Ethics Commission meets at 9 a.m. and will consider investigating a complaint from a Virginia nonprofit against Senate President Valarie Lawson for advancing bills it claims benefit the National Education Association Rhode Island, the teachers’ union she leads. The commission also will consider pursuing a complaint by a Foster Department of Public Works (DPW) worker accusing Sen. Gordon Rogers, who is the town’s DPW director, of using town equipment, personnel and material to improve access to a portion of his property that he leases or rents out for the storage of used cars.
The panel will also hear an update on former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s lawsuit seeking to block the commission’s probe of a complaint that his bid to join the state Supreme Court violates the state's revolving door law.
The State Properties Committee meets at 10 a.m.
Gov. Dan McKee and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Samuel A. Azzinaro announce the future site of the Vietnam Memorial monument at 1 p.m. on state-owned land behind 200 Dyer St. in downtown Providence, along the Providence River. Several potential sites for a memorial downtown have been suggested over the past four decades, including the State House lawn and Waterplace Park. Providence’s central Memorial Park is home to World War I, World War II, and Korean War monuments.
Rep. Julie Casimiro has resigned from her House District 31 seat representing North Kingstown and Exeter after the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General asked her to explain how she could legally stay in office after moving to South Carolina. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
Rep. Julie Casimiro is ending her final term in office early, confirming in a three-paragraph email Monday afternoon to Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office that she would be resigning at the close of the day. The resignation comes amid mounting pressure for Casimiro to give up her seat — and legislative salary — after moving full-time to South Carolina.
Rhode Island Energy customers will see service fees increase Sept. 1, following a nine-month review by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
Rhode Island utility regulators have authorized a series of extra charges and discounts to energy bills starting Sept. 1 under a $138 million revenue plan. The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission finalized Rhode Island Energy’s distribution rate increases under a series of unanimous votes on Aug. 21, though final bill impacts were not publicly available until Monday. Refunds beginning Oct. 1 will mostly offset fee hikes, with additional discounts contemplated for January.
An Amazon warehouse near Newport, Delaware. The Federal Trade Commission and 22 states have sued Amazon over an alleged scheme to inflate advertising prices. (Photo by Jacob Owens/Spotlight Delaware)
By Alex Brown | Stateline
The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from 22 states, including Rhode Island, sued Amazon Monday, claiming the online retail company used artificial bids to inflate costs for advertisers, bringing in tens of billions of dollars. The complaint alleges that Amazon used an “invented auction participant” to drive up prices for advertising placements and sponsored product spots on its online store.
A ballot drop box in Kitsap County, Washington, pictured Aug. 29, 2026. Washington is one of the eight states that conducts elections entirely by mail. (Photo by Jacob Fischler/States Newsroom)
By Jacob Fischler
A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday declined the Trump administration’s request to overturn the temporary restraining order she signed last week that blocks the U.S. Postal Service from carrying out a rule placing new restrictions on mail-in voting. The 14-day order published Aug. 27 was not appealable, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani wrote in a brief order. But even if the order could be appealed, the administration would lose on the merits, Talwani wrote.
ICYMI
Whitehouse endorses Turek in battle for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat, pushes for term limits | Joanna Schroeder, Iowa Capital Journal
COMMENTARY: Rhode Island bought the Flock cameras. It forgot to write the rules. | Joseph Broadmeadow
A summer of recalls exposes holes in the nation’s food safety net | Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline
Thanks for reading Swell. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.