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Senate refuses yet again to allow a vote on banning of foie gras | Opinion

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Senate refuses yet again to allow a vote on banning of foie gras | Opinion


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  • The Rhode Island Senate has repeatedly refused to vote on a bill banning foie gras production and sale, despite public support and no in-state foie gras farms.
  • Critics argue that the Senate’s inaction is political gamesmanship, shielding the foie gras industry from public scrutiny.
  • Foie gras production involves force-feeding birds, leading to health problems and significantly higher death rates.

Time is running out for voters, ducks and geese. For the fourth year in a row, the Rhode Island Senate has refused to put SB403 ‒ a bill prohibiting the production and sale of foie gras ‒ up for a vote. Why? It’s certainly not because of public opposition. A 2022 Zogby poll found that 7 in 10 Rhode Islanders support the legislation. California banned the luxury product over 20 years ago, and retailers like Whole Foods discontinued foie gras sales in the 1990s. What’s stopping Rhode Island?

The ban would not impact local foie gras producers because there aren’t any. The Rhode Island Farm Bureau just acknowledged that no foie gras farms exist in the Ocean State. A Rhode Island chef said that this legislation would not negatively affect their business. And yet, Senate leadership continues to stall.

Some might argue that food lovers will protest the ban. If anything, failing to bring the bill up for a vote would be the real controversy. The vast majority of testimony was in favor of the bill, and Providence has already experienced protests in favor of banning foie gras. 

So, what’s really happening here? Political gamesmanship. Senate leadership isn’t defending foie gras; they’re refusing to engage with the issue at all ‒ undermining democracy and shielding foie gras from public scrutiny. If senators believe foie gras should remain legal, they should have the courage to vote accordingly. If they don’t, they should stop standing in the way of the will of the people.

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Let’s be clear about what foie gras is: French for fatty liver. This fatty liver is made by shoving a thick, foot-long pipe down birds’ throats and pumping grain into their fledgling stomachs. This torturous process causes a bird’s liver to engorge up to 10 times its average size. 

That’s the process. Consider the lived experience: a duck is grabbed by the neck and a pipe is shoved violently down its throat. The bird, sick and bloated, has difficulty walking and even breathing as their oversized liver pushes against other internal organs. These ducks experience death rates 2000% greater than other farmed birds, a direct consequence of the extreme physical toll of force-feeding.

At Farm Sanctuary, we have seen the aftermath of this cruelty firsthand. Rescued ducks Monet and Matisse arrived at the sanctuary terrified of humans, their bodies injured and diseased with sores and broken feathers. They were lucky — they escaped. Most foie gras ducks do not.

If Senate leadership believes foie gras is worth defending, they should have the conviction to debate and vote on the bill in broad daylight. But they shouldn’t hide behind political maneuvering while workers, voters, and farm animals suffer the consequences.

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There’s still time to act. Rhode Island residents: Contact Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone and Senate President Valarie Lawson. Tell them Rhode Island should finally take a stand against one of the most egregious forms of animal cruelty. Hopefully, this year, the Senate will finally do what’s right.

Robert Procaccianti is a lifelong Rhode Islander and vice chair of the Board of Directors of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal sanctuary and advocacy organization.



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Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

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Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash


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The two victims were identified as a husband and wife from Rhode Island, local officials said.

A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.

Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.

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The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.

Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.

The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said. 

Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.

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Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event


Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday.

The event was held at the Cranston Public Library at 9 a.m.

Reed and other leaders of WFRI hosted a panel discussion with women leaders in environmental and agricultural advocacy, education, community resilience, housing, finance, workforce development, and more, officials said.

Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday. (WJAR)

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“Women have played a critical role in this process, most often without any recognition,” Reed said. “Today’s panel brings together an extraordinary group of women who are addressing the challenged of sustainability from various angles and I want to thank you all for your great efforts.”

The panelists highlighted their experiences, shared insights and tips on lifting up women’s voices, provided strategies for sparking change and more.

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According to officials, some of the panelists included Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council Nessa Richman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island College Kim Bright, Newport Housing Authority Executive Director Rhonda Mitchell and more.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.


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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Col. Michael J. Winquist said.

A Seekonk man is accused of murder after he allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island before causing a car crash in Swansea that killed two people last week, police said.  

Demitri Sousa, 28, is charged with murder, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license, the Cranston Police Department said.

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The shooting occurred Thursday night in Cranston, police said in a press release.

That night, Sousa allegedly arrived at the Cranston home of Javon Lawson, 35. Sousa began banging on the side door of the home, police said. 

When Lawson approached the door, he was hit by gunfire from outside, police said.

First responders transported Lawson to the Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cranston police said.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, the motive is believed to be a dispute between the suspect and the victim over a mutual female acquaintance. Detectives are continuing this investigation to gain more insight, as well as to collect and analyze evidence,” Colonel Michael Winquist, Chief of Cranston police, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

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Neighbors gave police video footage that “showed a male subject wearing dark clothing and a mask walking toward the residence moments before the shooting and fleeing immediately afterward,” Winquist said.

The suspect was also seen running to a white Infiniti sedan which then drove off, the Cranston police chief said.

Shortly after the shooting, a license plate reader captured the vehicle driving southbound on Route 10, and then later in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The sedan’s license plate was registered in Sousa’s name, Winquist said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said.

Just moments later, Sousa allegedly “crashed into the side of another vehicle, a blue 2022 Subaru Ascent that had been traveling southbound on Route 136,” Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley and Fire Chief Eric Hajder said in a joint press release.

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Both vehicles had “catastrophic damage,” and the struck car was engulfed in flames, the Swansea officials said.

The driver and passenger of the hit car — a man and a woman — were declared dead at the scene, they said.

“Swansea Police had been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. However, Swansea Police were not involved in the pursuit and were not pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash,” the Swansea chiefs wrote. Swansea official have not announced charges related to the fatal crash.

Sousa had been driving the Infiniti and appeared to be suffering from serious injuries, Winquist said. Inside the car, police found a pistol and “additional .22 caliber ammunition was recovered” from Sousa at Rhode Island Hospital, Winquist said.

Police arrested Sousa and transported him to Rhode Island Hospital. Sousa is expected to survive, Winquist said. Sousa will be held in Cranston police custody until he is conscious and medically cleared, Winquist said.

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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Winquist said.

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