By Janine L. Weisman | Editor-in-Chief
Good Thursday morning!
Favorite exchange from the lieutenant governor’s debate on NBC 10 Wednesday afternoon as reported by Alexander Castro:
“You said that the war is not increasing the price of gas,” Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos said to her Republican challenger John Loughlin. “Have you been at the gas station?”
“Natural gas, Sabina, there’s a difference,” Loughlin said.
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High tide in Westerly is at 7:45 a.m. and 8:07 p.m. Low tide is at 2:45 p.m. Sunrise is at 6:51 a.m. Sunset is at 6:17 p.m.
The Providence forecast calls for a chance of showers this morning, then mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
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The State Crime Laboratory Commission meets at 10 a.m.
The Rhode Island Continuum of Care Board of Directors meets at 3:30 p.m.
NBC 10 moderator Gene Valicenti speaks with Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, center, and Republican challenger John Loughlin after Wednesday’s lieutenant governor debate at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Oct. 7, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Alexander Castro
Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos and her Republican challenger, former state Rep. John Loughlin, met Wednesday afternoon for their second televised debate in less than two weeks, sparring over grocery stores, gas prices, and how much blame to assign to President Donald Trump for Rhode Islanders’ problems.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Aaron Guckian has $7,000 cash on hand as of Oct. 5, 2026, according to his most recent campaign finance report filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
Trailing in the polls and facing public pressure to drop out, Republican gubernatorial candidate Aaron Guckian has just over $7,000 in his campaign account in the final sprint toward the Nov. 3 general election, according to information filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections late Tuesday. Guckian's report did not include details of his last-minute trip to Florida, which included a private plane.
Shotgun shell casings at the Rhode Island State Crime Lab in 2023. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea
The Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory is sending fewer firearms cases to outside reviewers while accepting more gun evidence from local police departments, thanks to progress rebuilding its in-house testing staff, its director said.
Security stands outside ICE headquarters during a Congressional Hispanic Caucus rally on Feb. 3, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
By Jonathan Shorman | D.C. Bureau
The Department of Homeland Security obtained tens of millions of unspecified records as part of a sweeping nationwide effort to find voter fraud, according to internal reports, and weighed using undercover agents to investigate voter registration efforts by nonprofit groups.
ICYMI
AG’s cold case unit cracks 1985 Newport murder case | Janine L. Weisman and Christopher Shea
US Wind pulls out of wind turbine manufacturing at Sparrows Point, Maryland | Christine Condon, Maryland Matters
Top Democratic US Senate PAC commits to 9 states, eyes more Republican targets | Jacob Fischler, D.C. Bureau
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