Rhode Island
Shekarchi for governor?; Taylor Swift house; Giovanni’s back on air: Top stories this week
The first all-female chess tournament held Saturday in East Providence.
Students Aanya Ritesh Tichkule and Nina Yang participate in RI Open Girl’s Championship at St. Mary’s Academy, Bay View
Here are some of The Providence Journal’s most-read stories for the week of Jan. 12,supported by your subscriptions.
Here are the week’s top reads on providencejournal.com:
A funny thing happened on the way to the 2026 rematch between Gov. Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes:
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi entered the chat.
Shekarchi, tacit head of the state Democratic Party and keeper of the largest campaign war chest in Rhode Island, is not publicly saying he wants to be governor. He’s also not saying that he doesn’t want to be governor.
And so when lawmakers and lobbyists returned to the State House last week for the start of this year’s General Assembly session, the most whispered-about political variable on their minds − besides Senate President Dominick Ruggerio‘s health − is whether Shekarchi might turn the 2026 field on its head.
Read this edition of Political Scene to see how the Shekarchi X factor is affecting the gubernatorial calculations.
Political Scene: How Shekarchi’s shadow looms large in the 2026 RI governor’s race
Taylor Swift’s house in Rhode Island is being renovated. See what she’s having done.
Taylor Swift is expanding her famous waterfront home in Westerly’s Watch Hill neighborhood, town records show.
According to a building permit issued by the town of Westerly last month, contractors are building an addition to Swift’s home that will include a new bedroom and bathrooms. An existing kitchen will also undergo renovations.
Recently, some eagle-eyed fans have spotted the beginning stages of construction on the property, including a crane and wood framing off the side of the house.
The home, which Swift has owned since 2013, is the subject of her 2020 song “The Last Great American Dynasty” and has been the site of many star-studded Fourth of July parties over the years.
Celebrities: Taylor Swift’s house in Rhode Island is being renovated. See what she’s having done.
Nicholas Schorsch has made a $100 million investment in restaurants in Newport. In less than a year, he’s contracted to buy or purchased the iconic Flo’s Clam Shack, the popular Brick Alley Pub and Red Parrot, the waterfront restaurant The Reef, Broadway’s Caleb & Broad and the historic Vanderbilt hotel.
The volume of purchases by his Heritage Hospitality Group has made some people uncomfortable and questioning the businessman’s motives. The local owners who’ve sold their restaurants say many people ask them why they sold to him.
With Schorsch and his hospitality group committed to adding still more restaurants, it seems fair to ask – Why is he buying so many restaurants?
How does Schorsch react to this skepticism about his intentions? And what do people who’ve done business with him say about the experience? Journal food editor Gail Ciampa has the story.
Dining: Nick Schorsch keeps expanding restaurant portfolio. Behind the scenes of Audrain’s growth.
Another iconic Thayer Street store is moving on.
The Berk family, which has run Berk’s shoes for 50 years, decided it’s time. One of Rhode Island’s renowned commercial strips has lost another mainstay.
Nevertheless, Journal columnist Mark Patinkin is pleased to report that Thayer is still going strong, with a shift toward food more so than retail outlets. Join him on a nostalgic stroll back to some of the places he loved best that are no longer with us, from IHOP to the Army/Navy Surplus.
Mark Patinkin: There’s lots to miss on an ever-changing Thayer Street, but it’s still hopping
PROVIDENCE – Longtime Rhode Island radio host Giovanni has returned to the airwaves less than a year after he signed off following a 50-year career with WPRO.
Giovanni started Monday and is hosting weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. at B101 (WWBB-FM).
“Giovanni is a Rhode Island legend,” Adam Rivers, program director for B101, said when announcing Giovanni’s addition to the iHeart Media station. “To have him back on the airwaves entertaining commuters during their ride home across Southern New England is nothing short of tremendous. We’re thrilled to have him on the B101 team.”
Media: Back ‘On Air’: Longtime radio host Giovanni heads to RI’s B101. Here’s when to listen.
To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.
(WJAR) — Tucked away in the woods of Exeter, a small museum is preserving stories that long predate Rhode Island’s founding, and even the arrival of European settlers in New England.
The Tomaquag Museum is Rhode Island’s only Indigenous-led museum and one of the oldest tribal museums in the United States.
For more than six decades, it has worked to preserve and share the history, culture and resilience of Native peoples across Southern New England.
A historic image from the Tomaquag Museum. (Tomaquag Museum)
“Tomaquag Museum is very unique in that it was founded by women,” said Executive Director Loren Spears.
The museum traces its roots back to 1958, when anthropologist Eva Butler and Narragansett Wampanoag elder Princess Red Wing set out to preserve Indigenous history through an Indigenous lens.
The collection originally began in Tomaquag Valley in Hopkinton, which inspired the museum’s name.
A member of the Narragansett Native American Tribe, Spears said the museum’s mission is to ensure Native voices remain part of the historical narrative.
A painting at the Tomaquag Museum that depicts a harsh scene. (WJAR)
“There is no U.S. history without First Peoples’ history,” she said.
The Narragansett Tribe, based primarily in Charlestown, has a history in the region stretching back more than 30,000 years.
Before English colonization, the Narragansetts were among the most influential Indigenous nations in Southern New England.
A display on historic documents at the Tomaquag Museum. (WJAR)
“We’ve had this interrelationship and this history the whole time and have contributed to the creation and formation of this nation in different kinds of ways,” Spears said.
Today, the museum houses thousands of cultural belongings and hundreds of thousands of archival materials documenting Indigenous communities throughout the region.
Among the artifacts on display is an American flag that flew in Afghanistan in honor of the Narragansett Tribe.
“People are often like, ‘Why is there a flag here?’” Spears said. “It’s here because this exact flag flew in Afghanistan in honor of the Narragansett Tribe.”
A U.S. dollar bill signed by Lynn Malerba, the first female chief of the Mohegan Tribe in modern times and the 45th Treasurer of the United States. (WJAR)
The museum also showcases a U.S. dollar bill signed by Lynn Malerba, the first female chief of the Mohegan Tribe in modern times and the 45th Treasurer of the United States.
“You can’t get any more American than a dollar bill,” Spears said. “To be able to see that an Indigenous woman is the one that signed that as the treasurer, we think is pretty remarkable.”
Visitors can explore the museum’s exhibit, “Revolution to Reclamation: Freedom Through Indigenous Sovereignty,” which includes hands-on activities designed for families and children.
Guests can create corn husk dolls, play traditional games, and learn about Native cultures through interactive displays.
Tomaquag Museum Executive Director Loren Spears and NBC 10’s Abbey Buttacavoli at the museum. (WJAR)
In 2016, the museum received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries.
The museum is also preparing for a major new chapter. Within the next few years, Tomaquag plans to relocate to a new facility on the campus of the University of Rhode Island, with hopes of breaking ground by the end of 2026.
“There’s an importance to having Indigenous voice in the room and being part of the story,” Spears said.
Ethan McDermott, 22, was arrested shortly after midnight Friday as a “result of an investigation into a motor vehicle crash on Route 146,” the Rhode Island State Police said in a media release.
McDermott was also charged with reckless driving and other offenses against public safety and refusal to submit to a chemical test, according to the release.
Prepared potato salad is up 3%, while cornbread is up 4%. Eggs, however, are a bright spot, with prices down 14%, which could make deviled eggs or other egg-based sides a more affordable addition.
Vegetable trays may require a little strategy. Broccoli, celery and cauliflower are up 6%, while snacking tomatoes are up 2% and baby carrots are up just 1%.
Fruit could help offset some of the increases. Strawberries are about the same price as last year, and watermelon is down 3%.
Some Sweet News About Desserts
Dessert prices are rising more moderately than other cookout staples.
Store-bought cookies are up 1 percent, ice cream is up 2%, and store-bought apple pie is up 4%, according to the analysis. That means a mix-and-match dessert table can still be a relatively affordable way to end the meal.
-
Crypto3 minutes agoCrypto’s Courtside Takeover: Digital Assets in Pro Tennis
-
Finance6 minutes agoConsumer confidence plunges among younger adults
-
Fitness11 minutes agoKylie Minogue, 58, shares how she stays fit without a strict exercise routine – ‘I don’t really work out’
-
Movie Reviews21 minutes agoMovie Review: ‘Leviticus’ makes a demon out of desire in an auspicious debut for Adrian Chiarella – Sentinel Colorado
-
World33 minutes agoVideo: A Small Election Could Change British Politics
-
News36 minutes agoInside Trump’s Touring Exhibition of American Heroes
-
Politics41 minutes agoVideo: Erika Kirk’s Message for Women at Turning Point USA
-
Lifestyle1 hour agoThe second life of a classic: ‘Amores Perros’ is remastered and back in theaters
