By Christopher Shea | Reporter
Hiya,
As an avid Jeopardy! watcher, you can bet my ears perked up when I heard the following clue during a recent episode in the "State Capital Attractions" category:
“The casino at Roger Williams Park, which is not that type of casino — more of an event hall & meeting place.”
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U.S. Sen. Jack Reed will join state and local officials in South Kingstown at 10 a.m. Saturday to honor the town's Indigenous and African American "forgotten patriots" who fought in the American Revolution.
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Here’s your look at the week that was:
Republican gubernatorial candidate Aaron Guckian secured the GOP endorsement at the state party convention on Thursday, June 25, 2026. A promotional truck displays a campaign ad for Guckian in downtown Providence on Dec. 6, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
Rhode Island Republicans endorsed Aaron Guckian for governor in the only contested matchup of the state party convention Thursday night. They also backed Dr. Stephen Skoly for the 2nd Congressional District after a second Republican candidate, Vic Mellor, opted not to seek the party's endorsement.
Care New England President and CEO Michael Wagner speaks at a Rhode Island State House event in May 2024. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Alexander Castro
Care New England announced Friday that President & CEO Michael Wagner will step down from his executive role to chair the health system's board of directors next year.
Then Majority Leader Sen. Valarie Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, listens to debate to determine a new Rhode Island Senate President on April 29, 2026. Lawson secured 24 votes against her two competitors that night to become president. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea and Alexander Castro
Defending Education, an Arlington, Virginia, organization known for mounting legal challenges to DEI initiatives and LGBTQ-inclusive school policies across the country filed an ethics complaint Monday against Rhode Island Senate President Valarie Lawson for advancing bills the group claims benefits the education union she leads. The group claims Lawson, who serves as president of the National Education Association Rhode Island, violated the state’s code of ethics by voting on two pieces of legislation.
Keith Ford, canvassing board clerk for the Town of Jamestown, was one of 67 graduates of Rhode Island's new Election Training and Certification Program for local election administrators. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
A new 34-hour professional certification program for local elections administrators celebrated its first set of graduates in a ceremony at the Rhode Island Board of Elections offices last week. The training program aims to standardize election procedures across all 39 cities and towns and help frontline election workers tackle a growing list of responsibilities.
A poster of Newport Democratic Rep. Lauren Carson, who introduced in her chamber legislation to regulate e-book licensing terms, hangs at the Newport Public Library in July 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Alexander Castro
Legislation that became law last week without Gov. Dan McKee’s signature would bar libraries from entering into or renewing certain digital licensing contracts that interfere with core operations, such as interlibrary loans or collection building efforts. But it won’t take effect immediately and will require several other states to enact similar laws.
Mariah Reynoso, the daughter of a concession worker at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, holds a strike sign as employees picket outside the terminal on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea and Nolan Page
Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport’s 73 food and beverage workers walked off the job Thursday amid stalled contract negotiations with the Florida-based company that operates the restaurants and stands in the Warwick terminal. Concession workers organized under Unite Here! Local 26 began the one-day strike at 3 a.m., around the time the first shift would have reported in.
ICYMI
COMMENTARY: Higher auto insurance rates in store if Gov. McKee signs these bills | Christopher S. Stark
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