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GoLocalProv | News | Politician Blocked Pallet Houses, Claiming They Would Attract Sex Offenders – Now He Is Charged

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GoLocalProv | News | Politician Blocked Pallet Houses, Claiming They Would Attract Sex Offenders – Now He Is Charged


Thursday, January 11, 2024

 

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Former Cranston Republican Matthew Reilly PHOTO: Facebook

Professor Erich Hirsch of Providence College appeared on GoLocal nearly two years ago, hitting the proverbial “panic button” about the growing need for the unsheltered in Rhode Island.

He called for the state to deploy 500 pallet houses to address the emergency.

Ironically, one of the elected officials who fought against the first effort to deploy pallet houses is one of the most controversial — and now former — politicians in the state.

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That official claimed that the pallet homes would attract sex offenders; he is now facing multiple charges, including alleged sex crimes against minors.

On Thursday, the state announced an effort to develop a pallet shelter community to be operated by House of Hope and named ECHO Village. The community will feature 45 individual, free-standing one-room units, 70 square feet in size.

This is not a new strategy. In places like Eugene, Oregon, tiny houses have been used for the homeless for a decade.

In 2022, Hirsch flagged that COVID increased the number of unsheltered and rental prices are exacerbating the problem.

He is Co-Chair of the state’s Homeless Management Information System Steering Committee.

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Hirsch said the short-term and the long-term needs could be addressed in part by deploying hundreds of “pallet shelters.”

“We’re saying we need 500 of these rapidly deployable structures now for 500 people because that’s what we’re expecting very soon, and if you know, if you look at the economic impact of COVID and the rising rents there could be a few hundred more beyond that,” said Hirsch on GoLocal LIVE in May of 2022.

The estimated cost is $7.5 million for the first year with the majority of those dollars being a one-time expense. Compare this to the $16.8 million a year, paid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to keep formerly homeless people in Rhode Island hotels.

Hirsch said the coalition is proposing locating the shelters in the state’s Pastore Complex in Cranston. 

 

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Cranston Plan Blocked

Initially, the State looked to deploy pallet homes in Cranston.

In October of 2022, then-Republican Cranston Councilman Matthew R. Reilly (R-Ward 6) called upon Governor Daniel McKee to drop his proposal to build villages of pallet housing for the homeless at the Pastore Complex in Cranston.

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“The addition of the proposed ‘homeless village’ would significantly increase the amount of registered sex offenders and homeless to an area that is already dangerously saturated,” noted Reilly. 

Reilly added, “Enough is enough. Another city can step up for once. For too many years, the City of Cranston has been taken advantage of by the State as it continues to flood more and more state facilities and services into the Pastore Complex while drastically reducing funding to the City. Additionally, Cranston has to utilize additional extensive public safety resources of fire and police needed to respond to the various facilities and buildings at the Pastore Center. This unfair obligation, with minimal state financial assistance, is a drain on our budget and takes critical public safety personnel away from servicing the rest of our city’s needs.”

The McKee administration backed off its Cranston plan.

Reilly resigned in 2023 after he was arrested and charged with multiple crimes and presently is facing drug and first-degree and second-degree child molestation sexual assault charges.                                       

Hirsch, who has researched the trends on the homeless in Rhode Island for years and has been quoted when the number has gone up or down, is a noted expert on the issue. 

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Rhode Island

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

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

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

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing

16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Numbers numbers from March 10 drawing

Midday: 9-1-3-0

Evening: 4-2-1-9

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from March 10 drawing

11-12-16-27-34, Extra: 05

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 10 drawing

03-27-43-45-49, Bonus: 04

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

Thousands drop public health insurance coverage in RI after premiums spike

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Thousands drop public health insurance coverage in RI after premiums spike


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  • Thousands of Rhode Islanders dropped their health insurance plans after federal subsidies expired.
  • Enrollment in HealthSource RI, the state’s marketplace, fell by 20% in early 2024.
  • The average premium for enrollees more than doubled as federal funding ended.

Thousands of Rhode Islanders dropped health insurance coverage through Rhode Island’s public insurance marketplace instead of maintaining plans with rising premiums and lower subsidies, HealthSource RI said.

Enrollment through HealthSource, Rhode Island’s “Obamacare” exchange, plunged 20% between the end of last year and the close of the annual enrollment period a month later, as federal funding for premium tax credits expired, according to a HealthSource new release.

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There were 48,060 individual and family enrollments on Dec. 31 of last year, the day the premium subsidies from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act ended.

On Feb. 1, there were 38,557 enrollments.

Before this drop, HealthSource has posted enrollment increases almost every year since Affordable Care Act exchanges launched in 2013.

How did we get here?

Last year, the Republican-controlled federal government declined to extend premium tax credits after a protracted budget battle with congressional Democrats, who are now negotiating to restore the health insurance subsidies.

The lapse in subsidies coincided with an increase in premiums, driven by a combination of factors, which sent the total cost of coverage climbing.

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The average premium across HealthSource enrollees more than doubled (101%,) the exchange said, or $111 per person, per month.

Many enrollees opted for cheaper insurance plans despite their higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

Others dropped coverage altogether.

“The increase in premiums, combined with the decrease in federal supports, makes this an incredibly challenging year for folks depending on HealthSource RI for health coverage,” HealthSource Director Lindsay Lang said in the release. “Having health coverage helps protect against one bad turn of luck becoming years of financial burden. We will work with every customer to find options that are best for their needs and budget, and continue to work with state leaders and our federal delegation to find long-term solutions.”

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Could help be on the way?

Gov. Dan McKee included $9.5 million in his proposed state budget for the year starting July 1 to subsidize coverage for some of the lowest-income exchange enrollees.

The enrollment declines show that may be too little for some Rhode Islanders, and too late for others.

“It is disheartening but not surprising that, as President Trump’s policies have caused health insurance costs to skyrocket, more Rhode Islanders are struggling to pay for health coverage,” McKee said.

Since the exchange opened in 2013, Rhode Island’s uninsured rate has declined by two thirds, down to 2.2%, HealthSource said.



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RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for March 9, 2026

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

Here’s a look at March 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 9 drawing

22-23-28-36-54, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Numbers numbers from March 9 drawing

Midday: 5-7-4-4

Evening: 2-1-3-2

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from March 9 drawing

02-14-16-34-35, Extra: 10

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 9 drawing

06-16-26-41-43, Bonus: 03

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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