Rhode Island
A battle is underway over recreational cannabis stores in Rhode Island – The Boston Globe
“It’s the last thing I want to happen in the Rhode Island market,” said Edward Dow, chief executive of Solar Therapeutics, which has three dispensaries in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island. “Don’t do what Massachusetts and every other state has done.”
Business owners who applied for Rhode Island’s 24 retail licenses last year are outraged by the potential about-face, arguing that should have been raised before they shelled out tens of thousands of dollars each to secure premises, hire lawyers, and pay nonrefundable application fees to the state.
“Massachusetts is light-years ahead of us,” said Karen Ballou, who has applied to open a store on Main Street in Richmond. She noted Massachusetts, which has hundreds of stores open, is now considering social consumption lounges. “They’re going to be rolling that out, and we still don’t have retail stores.”
Ballou said she’s been paying $6,000 a month in rent on the Richmond property since September, and estimated she’s spent at least $50,000 on legal, architectural, and other costs. The state required potential cannabis retailers to have a fully executed lease and zoning certificate before applying for a lottery for one of the 24 licenses. The deadline to apply was Dec. 29.
“We knew that it was a gamble,” Ballou said. But nearly four years since legalization, she asked: “Why isn’t the process moving faster?”
Michelle Reddish, the administrator of Rhode Island’s cannabis office, declined repeated requests for an interview about the upcoming lottery. Spokesperson Charon Rose said the state is aiming to hold it in June, but first has to finish reviewing applications and contend with other factors, including three federal lawsuits challenging a requirement stores be owned by Rhode Island residents.
Rose said no decision has been made on how many licenses will be issued at the lottery.
The Cannabis Control Commission is considering a phased-in approach, prompting alarm among those who already applied under the assumption that all 24 retail licenses are in play.
“You can regret the rules that you set, you can wish that you made them different, you can change them for the next round, but you can’t move the goal posts after the game is over,” said David Rozen, who applied to open a dispensary in an old Pizza Hut on Reservoir Avenue in Cranston.
The new stores could reshape Rhode Island’s cannabis market. The original medical dispensaries were large facilities relegated mostly to industrial zones, far from the foot traffic of neighborhoods or busy commercial hubs.
Now, under more permissive zoning and changing attitudes toward cannabis, smaller stores could open on busy commercial strips such as Thames Street in Newport or in downtown Providence. They could squeeze in next to a bakery or yoga studio, becoming part of the fabric of everyday life.
There are eight dispensaries currently selling recreational cannabis in Rhode Island after lawmakers in 2022 allowed existing medical marijuana centers to get a hybrid license to sell recreational pot as a transitional measure until the Cannabis Control Commission could get up and running. They sold a combined $120 million worth of cannabis last year.
But new retailers were always the plan. They include special “social equity” licenses set aside for applicants who were disproportionately affected by marijuana prohibition, as well as for worker cooperatives. The law also set a cap of four stores in each of six geographic zones. (Just 6 of 33 Rhode Island municipalities ban cannabis stores.)
Ambrose Dwyer told the Globe he “got arrested for a joint” in 1982, and again in 1991, felony convictions that ultimately destroyed his life, he said. He wants to open in a former dry cleaning business on Chalkstone Avenue in Providence under the social equity license.
“They’re scared of competition,” Dwyer said of the existing eight dispensaries. “They’ve got a monopoly, and they’ve got their prices through the roof.”
With far fewer stores per capita, Rhode Island prices are higher than Massachusetts, at $5.67 per gram compared to $4.17 per gram in Massachusetts, according to the cannabis commission.
As prices drop, some stores in Massachusetts have been closing.
“They should not allow dispensaries on top of dispensaries on top of dispensaries,” said Joe Pakuris, who owns the Mother Earth Wellness dispensary in Pawtucket, which is about 2.5 miles from the only one in Providence, the Slater Center, which opened in 2013.
Pakuris said rather than 24 licenses, the state should issue six to eight, and focus on areas that don’t have any stores, such as southern Rhode Island and the northwest corner of the state.
But a majority of applicants are concentrated around Providence and Newport, according to a Globe review of the submissions. In the northwest zone, where four licenses are available, only two applied.
The list of 97 applicants will likely be whittled down before the lottery. Around a dozen did not get zoning approvals by a March 2 deadline, and others could fail to meet requirements.
At most, the commission will issue 20 licenses, because not every license type received an application in each of the six geographic zones.
The state’s 57 cultivators who grow cannabis are also desperate for more stores. They cannot sell directly to consumers or to stores in other states, and many of the current dispensaries in Rhode Island also grow their own product.
“We can’t wait,” said Allan Fung, a former Cranston mayor and lawyer who is representing multiple retail applicants and cultivators. “We’re asking to have the CCC conduct the lottery as soon as possible, granting all of the licenses at the same time, and not having a phased-in approach.”
The commission, meanwhile, is down to two members after chair Kim Ahern left in October to run for attorney general. Governor Dan McKee has not nominated a replacement, and his office did not have an update this past week.
Robert Jacquard, one of the two remaining members, said he does not yet know how he will vote on the number of retail licenses.
“I’m keeping an open mind,” Jacquard said.
The other commissioner, Layi Oduyingbo, did not respond to requests for comment.
Marc Gertsacov, who wants to open a store on the first floor of the Merchants Bank building in Providence, said he, too, was “frustrated” by the delays and deliberation.
“I think that the state should let the market decide how much is too much,” Gertsacov said.
If selected, Gertsacov said he could open in a month or two. He picked the location because it could benefit from the foot traffic of tourists, college students, and workers in the city’s financial district who — for the first time in downtown Providence — could stop by after their 9-to-5.
“It’s a different version of a happy hour,” he said.
Steph Machado can be reached at steph.machado@globe.com. Follow her @StephMachado.
Rhode Island
RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for June 22, 2026
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 22, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing
17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 7-0-8-0
Evening: 0-0-6-8
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from June 22 drawing
03-19-29-33-38, Extra: 18
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing
07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05
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.
Rhode Island
Pawtucket set to build hundreds of housing units as the next phase of the Tidewater Landing development begins – The Boston Globe
“Many people said it wouldn’t be done or couldn’t be done, and today we are here not only to say it’s getting done, but the funding is secure, and the construction of this infrastructure will begin within the next two months,” Grebien said.
Grebien anticipates the eastern side of the development will be fully built within three to four years, he said.
The work marks a step forward for the project, which had been burdened by persistent inflation in recent years. Rising costs led to a higher price tag than initially anticipated for the complex’s soccer and live entertainment stadium, the project’s first phase. The project relied on public bonds that are set to cost taxpayers more than $130 million over the next three decades.
State officials had originally said its financial support would pay for the stadium and other work around it, but with the difficult economic climate, the state later shifted nearly all of its financial backing to the stadium itself. Still, developer Fortuitous Partners has long said it will see through the rest of the public-private partnership, including hundreds of units of new housing.
“We’ve worked very hard over the last couple years to smooth over obstacles big and small to get us here,” Pawtucket City Council President Terrence Mercer said.
The next phase of the development will focus on a more than 10-acre swath of land along the eastern shore of the Seekonk River, across the water from the stadium, Grebien said. There, development firm Pennrose plans to construct more than 70 units of affordable housing, while Wood Partners plans to build 325 market-rate units, he said.
“The financial stack is there,” Grebien said. “They’re ready to move …. They needed to see the stadium first to make sure it was that successful.”
The stadium has welcomed nearly 250,000 people since it opened in spring 2025, according to Dan Kroeber, managing partner at Fortuitous Partners.
“The evolution of this city, the evolution of Tidewater Landing is really just beginning,” Kroeber said.
For now, the city will build out stormwater infrastructure for that area, as well as “new sections of the public riverwalk, landscaping, lighting, and expanded public recreation spaces,” officials said. Pawtucket will also build a pedestrian bridge to link the development across the river.
“You’ve got the Seekonk River being activated, public and private investment, bringing new pedestrian connections, open space, and critical infrastructure down here — all the ingredients that we need to create a great neighborhood in this area,” said Quinlan Locke, vice president of development at Wood Partners.
According to Grebien, additional housing on the western side of the river, in what is now an unpaved parking lot just north of the stadium, will be built in a future phase. He said about 300 additional units are anticipated on that side of the river.
“Over the next four to five years, you’ll start seeing development on this side, if not sooner, because I think the market will push it,” he said.
Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.
Rhode Island
‘Wallace the Brave’ creator draws on R.I. roots for beloved comic strip – The Boston Globe
Years went by and Henry, now 40, and with a family of his own, returned to his comic strip with a more poignant and real understanding of family life.
Henry talked to the Globe about his philosophy for the comic, creative inspiration, the four main characters — Wallace, Spud, Amelia, and Rose — and his old school approaching to drawing.
Q. Where did your love for comics originate?
Henry: Like most cartoonists, I’ve been drawing my entire life. It was something I’ve been doing since I was a kid and it was a passion that stayed with me through elementary school, high school, and even in college, where I was writing comics for the daily campus paper at the University of Connecticut. No matter what odd job I was doing I was always finding time to do cartooning at home. Andrews McMeel Universal gave me a chance to syndicate “Wallace the Brave” nationwide and internationally.

Were you doodling and thought ‘This might be a great career?” or did this come on later in life?
It came later on. When I was in elementary school, I was copying “Garfield” comics word-for-word to show my friends or copying “Far Side,” but it was just for fun and a creative outlet. It wasn’t really until that first year in college when I realized the job does exist. Someone has to do it. I thought maybe that could be me.
Describe “Wallace the Brave” and the world of Snug Harbor?
I would describe it as the view of a small town through the eyes of kids in grade school, full of mystery, and wonder, and adventure. and friendship. I take a lot of pride in the character development, but it’s a coastal New England town, which I think is why it would be perfect for the Boston Globe, and I think a lot of people in that area will see parts of New England that they recognize, even if it’s vague.
How much did growing up in Rhode Island — the Ocean State — shape that setting?
Oh, absolutely. I’m a child of the ’80s, where things were a little more lawless and there’s a bit of that in that comic. I’m really interested in just what happens when children get bored. Their mind wanders and adventure starts. Less screen time, more nature, and with Rhode Island being the backdrop of that, there’s a lot of ocean-focused scenery, and jokes. It’s almost like Easter eggs for the New England readership. It definitely has its heart in Rhode Island and New England.

What is “Wallace the Brave’s” origin, is it based on anybody you knew?
I’ve always kind of said the two main characters are Wallace and his best friend, Spud, and they’re opposites, but they’re very good friends. They counter each other’s weirdness and they appreciate each other’s weirdness, even if it’s a different kind of weirdness. The two characters are sort of my two personalities, just separated and magnified, and that’s where you kind of get the Wallace and Spud character. Wallace is who I want to be on a daily basis — positive, uplifting, and a ride or die friend — and Spud is the understated nervous worrier, which on my worst days I can be.
Do you think these characters all balance themselves out?
Balance is tricky. It’s more of about being true to the characters and giving them depth. I try to make them more than just two-dimensional characters, like, that one’s the nerd and that one’s the sports jock, because I have two kids, and they and their friends are not one-dimensional. They have many layers, I try to incorporate that with the way they interact with each other.
Are comparisons to Calvin and Hobbes humbling?
Oh, I love it. It’s one of the best comics ever made. I’ve had, and I get a lot of, comparisons with Calvin and Hobbs, Cul de Sac, and Peanuts, all awesome comics to be compared to. I will absolutely take it as a compliment.

Did you have any missteps on the way to syndication?
I’ve had a lot of failures in the cartoon world. I mean, I’ve probably had three or four comics before “Wallace the Brave,” and they progressively got better. The one before “Wallace the Brave” was called “Ordinary Bill,” and it had a little bit of a readership, and it was sort of that web-comic model, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t a great comic, and I abandoned it once the idea for “Wallace” came to me.
Why do you think comics about kids experiencing life unplugged — collecting bugs and flying kites — connects with readers right now?
It serves the same purpose as the comics serve in the newspaper as a whole. It’s a bit of escapism from the world. I want to live more like Wallace, but I’m still in front of a computer a lot, still checking out social media, so I think it’s a bit of escapism. One thing I’ve noticed — because as my kids come into reading age and are starting to read the comic more seriously — they’re taking cues from it. They want to be like the characters in it. I’m hoping a little bit of that trickles down to the kid audience, where they take a moment more to explore the world around them.
Are you using a computer to draw or hand-drawing your comic strip?
I am a dinosaur when it comes to that because I am still working pen and paper. I will usually watercolor them, but for for print in the Boston Globe, they’ll be colored digitally, just because it reproduces better.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
The Boston Globe’s weekly Ocean State Q&A features Rhode Islanders who are starting new businesses or nonprofits, conducting groundbreaking research, or reshaping the state’s economy. Send tips and suggestions to rinews@globe.com.
Carlos Muñoz can be reached at carlos.munoz@globe.com. Follow him @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.
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