Rhode Island

‘Happy holidays’ for stores and retailers?

Published

5 months ago

November 26, 2025

‘Happy holidays’ for stores and retailers?

KINGSTON, R.I. – Nov. 26, 2025 – The rush to find the perfect gifts and gather with loved ones during the holiday season has commenced. How businesses both locally and nationally will fare this holiday season, though, is a bit murky.

According to S&P Global, holiday sales are expected to grow year over year, but price increases to offset tariffs will account for most of that growth. Also, S&P predicts that holiday retail consumer spending will remain relatively flat, which poses challenges for retailers.

Nina Eichacker

In speaking with Rhody Today about the upcoming holiday shopping season, Nina Eichacker, associate professor in the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Economics, expects Rhode Islanders will be more selective in how much shopping they do this year and where. She also notes the rise of online shopping could impact seasonal employment locally.

Overall, do you feel the holiday economy is going to be strong this year, both locally and across the U.S.?

Spending always rises during the holiday season, compared to the months before and after. According to its consumer survey, the National Retail Federation is expecting close to 187 million people to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year, up from about 183 million in 2024. Nationally, sales are expected to rise approximately 4%. While projected spending is high, consumers expect to spend 1.3% less than they did last year ($890 per person compared to $902 per person).

I expect that these trends will be similar in Rhode Island. In 2024, Rhode Islanders spent 3% more than they had in 2023. Rhode Island is a small state, so its annual spending is usually in the bottom fifth of the United States. Rhode Islanders, particularly those in vulnerable or volatile industries, will likely think hard about how much holiday shopping they commit to in 2025, and also what goods they decide to buy.

What do you feel will be a major factor in the holiday economy flourishing in Rhode Island in 2025?

Rhode Islanders have been shifting more toward online shopping in recent years. Combined with higher prices on many goods due to tariffs, the rising cost of living, and economic uncertainty that has flowed from the government shutdown and the fact that we don’t know much about the state of the U.S. job market and other sources of economic uncertainty, I would expect that holiday shopping within Rhode Island is likely to be similar to national trends.

However, there is a great deal of community support for local shopping across the state. Households who care to shop locally will most likely continue to make that a priority.

Retailers are expected to hire fewer seasonal workers this year than last year. What do you feel is contributing to this decreased need, the growth of online shopping notwithstanding? And, does this negatively impact the overall holiday economy in some way?

Apart from the growth of online shopping, I think that this reflects broader economic uncertainty. In the context of rising costs of living and higher prices due to tariffs, retailers are demonstrating that they believe the volume of shopping may not be as great, and it doesn’t make sense to have so many staff on hand. The Rhode Island state economy, as of August, appeared to be in a holding pattern – falling private sector jobs and the only source of employment growth appearing in state government.

Because of the government shutdown, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has been unable to gather data on employment trends at the national and state levels, so we may see an amplification of those job trends when we finally have the data.

How will retailers respond to potential challenges to help ensure businesses will profit during the holidays?

Retailers will generally do their best to introduce more sales and bundles to get shoppers in the door, such as by offering Black Friday deals earlier and for longer, to entice more shoppers into stores or onto webpages.

Will spending on holiday travel remain steady, or do you expect that to scale back a bit?

NerdWallet expects that Americans are going to travel a lot this year and spend $311 million on flights and hotels—or $2,586 per person—which is up nearly $260 per person from last year. Given the federal government shutdown and the prolonged period of air travel delays, cancellations, and complications, the potential for more complications exists.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy argues that travel should proceed as normal. It’s worth noting that many Americans canceled or altered their plans in anticipation of a prolonged shutdown, which could mean lower-than-usual fares and potentially a bit more traffic on the roads.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Numbers Midday winning numbers for April 10, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

April 11, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 10 drawing

03-18-36-42-49, Mega Ball: 06

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 4-2-5-2

Evening: 3-1-6-5

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from April 10 drawing

01-06-20-30-35, Extra: 03

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 10 drawing

13-20-26-32-54, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s indie bookstore passport program returns, sending readers on a statewide literary road trip – What’s Up Newp

Published

15 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island’s indie bookstore passport program returns, sending readers on a statewide literary road trip – What’s Up Newp

Three Rhode Island independent bookstores are relaunching a statewide program that challenges readers to visit every indie bookshop in the state — and rewards those who pull it off.

The Rhode Island Independent Bookstore Passport Adventure, first launched in 2019, returns April 18 and runs through April 26. Passports are free and will be distributed starting April 18 at three anchor locations: Charter Books in Newport, Books on the Square in Providence, and Wakefield Books in Wakefield. Participants then have nine days to visit all 20 stores on the list and collect a stamp at each one. No purchase is required for a stamp.

Completed passports must be returned to one of the three anchor locations by April 26. Everyone who finishes will receive a sheet of twenty 20% off coupons, one valid at each participating store. One grand prize winner will receive twenty $25 gift certificates — one per store — for a total value of $500.

“The RI Independent Bookstore Passport Adventure is an opportunity to celebrate our local indie bookstore scene and encourage our customers to explore the many unique bookshops this state has to offer,” said Jennifer Kandarian, manager at Books on the Square.

The program also coincides with Independent Bookstore Day on April 25, a national celebration organized by the American Booksellers Association. Eleven of the twenty participating stores are ABA members and will offer special events, freebies and discounts that day.

The 20 participating stores span the state, from Westerly to Tiverton:

arc{hive} book + snackery, Warren; Barrington Books, Barrington; Binds and Blooms, Coventry; Book Around, Pawtucket; Books on the Square, Providence; Brown University Bookstore, Providence; Charter Books, Newport; Forget Me Not Fables, North Providence; Heartleaf Books, Providence; Ink Fish Books, Warren; Island Books, Middletown; Little Bubblegum Bookshop, Providence; Martin House Books, Westerly; Map Center, Pawtucket; Paper Nautilus Books, Providence; Riffraff, Providence; Stillwater Books, West Warwick; Symposium Books, Providence; Wakefield Books, Wakefield; Yellow House, Tiverton.

More information is available at booksq.com/passport. Questions can be directed to ribookstorepassport@gmail.com.

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Rhode Island

High-capacity magazine cases rising in RI. What AG’s gun report shows

Published

1 day ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

High-capacity magazine cases rising in RI. What AG’s gun report shows

A report from Rhode Island’s Attorney General shows an increase in charges for possessing illegal high-capacity magazines.
Prosecutors charged 384 cases involving magazines holding more than 10 rounds in 2025, up from 304 in 2024.
Overall gun crime cases charged by prosecutors also rose from 415 in 2024 to 498 in 2025.
The report highlights that illegal magazines were found at the scenes of the recent mass at Brown University and Pawtucket’s Lynch Arena.

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha’s annual “gun crimes” report shows that authorities have increased their enforcement of a new law that makes it illegal to carry a magazine holding more than 10 rounds.

Working with police, prosecutors charged 384 of the magazine cases in 2025 compared with 304 in 2024, says the report, which many regard as a kind of barometer on gun control in the state.

A 2022 law limits higher-capacity magazines. Illegal magazines were recovered at the scenes of two recent mass shootings, one at Brown University in December and the other at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket in February.

Neronha references both shootings prominently and with sadness in his opening to the report, which he compiles each year in accordance with state law.

“Whether gun crimes have trended up or down in 2025 (they have trended up a bit) is almost a moot point when a community as tight-knit as Rhode Island is still mourning in the aftermath of such tragedies,” Neronha writes. “And yet, our Office continues to work tirelessly to address gun violence.”

The report shows that prosecutors:

Both charged and disposed of 787 cases in 2025 compared with 751 in 2024
Charged 498 new cases statewide compared with 415 in 2024
Charged 81 cases involving ghost guns in 2025 compared with 81 in 2024.

Ghost guns and bans on ‘large capacity feeding devices’

The report notes that on Oct. 31, 2025, a judge gave a life prison sentence to 28-year-old Jovon Depina for murdering Jovani Velez with a ghost gun.

A total of 418 of the 498 new cases were charged in Providence County.

On Oct. 23, 2025, 53-year-old Luis Sepulveda was found guilty of murder and of possessing a large-capacity feeding device.

Coalition Against Gun Violence says numbers in gun crimes report are telling

Ariana Wohl, board chair for the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, said the volume of magazine cases shows the significance of the new law.

“That’s hundreds of potential acts of violence that were interrupted,” Wohl said.

“Prevention is sometimes hard to recognize,” Wohl said, “because the violence isn’t happening, but these kind of cases help us show that … having the laws on the books matters.”

She acknowledged that the public cannot assume that anyone possessing an illegal magazine will commit an act of violence.

“But it only takes one angry person with a high-capacity lethal weapon to create a real tragedy,” she said. “The point of prevention is not to allow for even one.”

Para Bellum Provisions is analyzing Neronha’s report

Dan Kesler, vice president of Para Bellum Provisions, said he expected an even larger number of magazine cases in 2025.

“So the numbers went up this year for the magazine capacity limit, and I would have expected it would have gone up more than it actually did, because everyone is getting more accustomed to charging those crimes now.”

Kesler’s organization supports the gun-rights community and also provides firearms safety classes.

He also said that actual convictions are a stronger reflection of enforcement activity than arrests and charges.

He said that Para Bellum is working on an analysis of the attorney general’s gun report that will be posted on its website, ParaBellumProvisions.org.

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