By Janine L. Weisman | Editor-in-Chief
Good Thursday morning!
The Joe Shekarchi Supreme Court watch officially ends today. But his decision about whether he will apply to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the vacant seat on Rhode Island’s high court has apparently already been made. And it appears there will soon be a new House speaker.
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High tide in Warwick is at 12:43 p.m. Low tide is at 5:47 p.m. Sunset is at 7:50 p.m.
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The Rhode Island Senate Committee on Judiciary meets at 3 p.m. to hear a medical aid in dying bill known as the Lila Manfield Sapinsley Compassionate Care Act.
The Rhode Island Senate meets at 4 p.m. and is scheduled vote on a bill that would allow all municipalities to authorize licensed restaurants and bars to stretch last call to 3 a.m. on game days during the FIFA 2026 World Cup. The House version of the bill passed Tuesday.
Brown University Health executives will give a presentation about Newport Hospital’s birthing center and its funding needs to the Senate Committee on Finance when the panel meets at around 5 p.m.
The Providence City Council meets at 6 p.m.
House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski, left, and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, right, are shown at a May 31, 2024, budget hearing. Blazejewski said Wednesday that Shekarchi had informed him of his decision regarding applying for a seat on the Rhode Island Supreme Court and that he secured the support to succeed Shekarchi as speaker. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi on Wednesday all but ended speculation about his future plans with just over 24 hours to go before applications for an opening on the Rhode Island Supreme Court are due. “The Speaker has informed me of his decision,” House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski said. “Based upon that, I’m honored and deeply grateful to have secured the overwhelming commitments of my House colleagues to succeed him as Speaker, and for Rep. Katherine Kazarian to serve as Majority Leader.”
The last of 66 wind turbines at Ørsted’s 920 MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms in Taiwan were installed in January. (Photo courtesy of Orsted)
By Nancy Lavin
Revolution Wind co-developer Orsted A/S said the project is 94% complete and on track to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut by the end of the year. But the Danish renewable energy giant has set its sights on Europe and Asia for future growth amid wind hostility by the Trump administration.
A tarp partially surrounds the broken sewage pipe along the East Bay Bike path near Watchemoket Cove in East Providence. (Photo courtesy of Save The Bay and Chris Dodge)
By Nancy Lavin
Rhode Island’s most popular and densely populated shellfishing area is temporarily closed after 800,000 gallons of untreated sewage spilled into Narragansett Bay from a ruptured sewage pipe near Watchemoket Cove along the East Bay Bike Path in East Providence Monday. Quahoggers will have to wait until at least May 18 to return to the 1,900-acre area between Bullocks Point in East Providence and Gaspee Point in Warwick.
A neon sign for Modelo is seen in the window of a Providence bar. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Alexander Castro
Legislation to allow municipalities to OK expanded hours for indoor liquor service on game days during the FIFA World Cup passed the Rhode Island House 60-8 on Tuesday, and the Senate version is scheduled for a floor vote Thursday.
Voters say the cost of healthcare will be a major factor in how they vote in this year's midterm elections. (Getty Images)
By Jennifer Shutt | D.C. Bureau
Voters, including those within the Make America Healthy Again movement, say the rising cost of healthcare is a significant concern that will have an impact on whom they support in November’s midterm elections, according to a poll released Wednesday by KFF.
ICYMI
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