Rhode Island
LGBTQ Rhode Island Judge Takes Over Maine GOP Rep’s Censure Case Against Dem House Speaker
As a result of every federal judge in Maine recusing themselves from a Republican State Representative’s case against the Democratic Speaker of the House, the case will now be heard by a Biden-appointed Rhode Island judge with a history of eschewing judicial tradition in favor of strident left-wing activism.
The case in question—which will now be heard by Judge Melissa R. DuBose of the District of Rhode Island—involves Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn), who was censured on Feb. 25 in a 75-70 vote led by House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford). As a result of the censure, Fecteau claimed the House rules permitted him to strip Libby of her right to vote and speak on the floor of the Maine House of Representatives.
On Tuesday night, Libby was, in fact, blocked from voting on a $120 million MaineCare bailout package that Democrats are urgently trying to move through the State Legislature.
[ House Dems Strips Laurel Libby’s Voting Rights Over Viral FB Post of Male Athlete Beating Girls…]
The movement to censure Libby was prompted by a post the Auburn conservative made on Facebook that criticized the state of Maine’s policy of forcing female high school athletes to compete against male athletes. The post contained an image of a male high school athlete finishing in 5th place in a male track-and-field event, side-by-side with a later image showing the same athlete finishing first while competing against female athletes.
While orchestrating the censure vote against Libby, Fecteau presented the disciplinary measure as aimed not at Libby’s political views but at the act of posting an image of a minor on social media.
[ Rep. Libby Files Federal Lawsuit Against Speaker Fecteau for Violating Her Constitutional Rights..]
On Tuesday, Libby, joined by several of her constituents, filed suit against Fecteau alleging that depriving her of her right to vote over a Facebook post was unconstitutional.
The following day, every federal judge in the District of Maine filed orders recusing themselves from the case without explanation.
[ In Unprecedented Move, All Maine’s Federal Judges Recuse from GOP Rep’s Challenge to Democrat Speaker’s Vote-Stripping Censure Order – UPDATE…]
Wednesday afternoon, the Maine Wire reported exclusively that the reason for this recusal was a conflict arising from the employment of the male athlete’s mother. That athlete’s mother is a clerk for the U.S. District Court of Maine.
As a result of the unanimous recusal of Maine’s federal judges, the case has now been re-assigned to the District of Rhode Island, where it will be heard by Judge DuBose.
DuBose, confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 51-47 vote on March 12, 2024, was appointed by President Joe Biden. Her confirmation was hailed by NPR as providing “meaningful representation” to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals because she was, according to local Rhode Island media, the first openly lesbian judge to sit on the Rhode Island District Court.
Prior to her Senate confirmation to Rhode Island’s U.S. District Court, DuBose had served as an associate judge on Rhode Island’s state District Court.
[ Trump Will Block $280M+ in Federal Education Spending Over Maine’s Failure to Protect Female-Only Spaces, Sports…]
In that capacity, DuBose joined several colleagues in signing a March 31, 2021 letter bucking judicial tradition in favor of solidarity with left-wing activists.
“Traditionally, the Judiciary by way of both custom and judicial canons reserves comment and will not make extra-judicial statements regarding civic engagement,” the letter said. “But, recognizing that this is a moment of inflection for our state and the nation, it is imperative that we lift our voice and reaffirm our commitment to the just and equal treatment of every person who appears before us.”
[ Gov. Mills Vows to Resist Federal Ban on Boys in Girls Sports After Trump Singled out Maine and Threatened to Pull Funding…]
“It is important that we celebrate the unique contribution that our state’s founders played in infusing principles of religious freedom and separation of powers into the formation of our national identity,” the letter said. “Championed since Rhode Island’s founding in 1636, these principles were boldly codified and beautifully captured in both our state Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. However, it is equally important to recognize and acknowledge the unique and preeminent role that Rhode Island played in the devastating history of slavery in the United States.”
[ Trump and Mills Go Head to Head Over Trans Row]
“We want to instill confidence in the Black, Latino, Latina, LGBTQ and all under-represented communities that Rhode Island’s courts are their courts, and we will fulfill our constitutional mandate that they receive equal treatment under the law,” the letter said.
DuBose was joined in signing the letter by 12 other judges. According to the letter, DuBose performed a reading; however, the audio of that reading has since been scrubbed from the court’s website.
DuBose also admitted to U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) during her Senate confirmation hearing to having gone through a “Marxist phase.”
Full letter here.
Libby’s social media post, which went on to be shared tens of thousands of times, eventually caught the attention of the White House and prompted a high-profile and ongoing spat between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Scandals shake up Capitol Hill ahead of midterm elections
Congressional reporter Zachary Schermele dives into the latest scandals on Capitol Hill and how they’re shaking up politics ahead of midterms.
Rhode Island’s Democrat and Republican primary elections will officially be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 this year, instead of the usual Tuesday election day.
Lawmakers passed the bill at the urging of state and local officials, who were concerned that an election day falling the day after Labor Day would not give them enough time to set up polls for the arrival of voters.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the bill on April 20, officially moving the primary day for 2026.
Which races will be on the ballot? The Republican and Democrat nominees for a swath of local offices – most notably governor but also lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Why was RI’s primary day moved?
At a hearing on the bill earlier this year, Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns explained the “significant logistical and financial challenges” municipalities otherwise would have faced having an election the day after Labor Day.
“Beyond cost, municipalities face serious logistical challenges accessing and setting up more than 430 polling locations on a major federal holiday, a process that often requires many hours and access to facilities that are typically closed and unstaffed on Labor Day,” he said.
“Compounding these challenges, many municipalities conduct early voting in city or town halls that must also serve as primary day polling locations,” Rossi noted.
Without changes to current law, he said, “municipalities would be required to conduct early voting and primary day polling simultaneously, often in the same limited space and with the same poll workers, requiring additional staffing and facilities.”
By the time this legislative hearing took place in January, other states facing similar issues, including Massachusetts, had already adjusted their primary dates, “and Rhode Island itself has demonstrated that alternative scheduling can be successful, as occurred during the statewide Wednesday primary in 2018,” Rossi said.
EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — If you’re looking to satisfy you’re sweet tooth, look no further than Division Street.
Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its first Rhode Island bakery in East Greenwich earlier this month. The new bakery is situated within East Greenwich Square, which is also home to the Ocean State’s first Crumbl.
The bakery is known for its handcrafted specialty Bundt cakes, as well as smaller “Bundtlets,” and bite-sized “Bundtinis,” that come in a variety of flavors.
“There’s a strong sense of local pride, creativity, and community here that aligns perfectly with our values,” said Jake Williams, who owns the East Greenwich bakery. “We were drawn to the area’s vibrant small business culture and the opportunity to contribute something special.”
Nothing Bundt Cakes is also expected to open another bakery at Chapel View in Cranston later this year.
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Rhode Island
Gather Round at These Unique, Seemingly Unrelated Rhody Businesses – Rhode Island Monthly
Ice cream class attendees look next door at the glassblowing studio. Courtesy of Gather
It all started with a glassblowing studio. Benny Giguere had just moved from Vermont to Providence when he and high school friend, Matt Stone, decided to turn their passions into a brick-and-mortar endeavor. Giguere had been a glassblower for twelve years and felt Rhode Island was the perfect place to bring his talents.
That was around 2010. Now, in addition to a Providence glassblowing studio, Gather has two other businesses under its belt: an adjoining ice cream shop and a farm in Johnston. The goal for all three? To bring people together.
“One of the reasons we named it Gather was because the goal is to bring in more of the public and offer experiences,” Giguere says. “Gathering is the first thing you need to do in order to make something. We couldn’t do any of this without gathering.”
Fire and Ice
Benny Giguere uses his breath to expand glass during a live demonstration. Photo courtesy of Gather
Located at the tail end of Atwells Avenue, Gather Glass and Gather Cafe & Ice Cream Bar offer an experience called Fire and Ice, where participants make their own glass (the fire) and then craft a batch of ice cream (the ice). I set out to try the experience that blends the two businesses, starting with glassblowing.
The glassblowing space is split into two parts, a retail side and a studio side. We step into the studio and Giguere shows me the color options for my soon-to-be wine glass. Brightly colored glass pieces rep Rhode Island-friendly names like RIDOT, bright orange with white glass, and Blizzard of ’78, blue with white glass. I choose one called Grinch (a bright green).
Giguere takes me through the motions of the glassblowing process. Once prepped, I put on my safety goggles to do it for real. Giguere stays by me the whole time, mirroring what I need to do next while jumping in when I need assistance. With his laid-back but assertive cadence, he is obviously the man in charge.
“Once you choose a career like glassblowing, you either work for somebody else’s dream or you forge your own path,” he says.
Giguere helps a student shape their glass. Photo courtesy of Gather
Since opening, Gather Glass has partnered with multiple local businesses. WaterFire was one of the first to work with Gather and that relationship still stands today, with Gather Glass glassblowing at almost every WaterFire lighting. Other local partners include Bellini and the Industrious Spirit Company. The shop also works with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and donates to Crossroads Rhode Island.
“While the goal is to bring people in our doors, we also go out of our doors to help better things in the community,” Giguere says.
My glass needs to stay overnight to properly harden and cool, but not before Giguere helps me with the finishing touches.
In its first year, Gather Glass welcomed around 350 people to its studio. In 2025, that number climbed to more than 9,000.
Ice Cream Madness
After finishing my wine glass, I switch gears and walk next door to the ice cream making class. The ice cream shop shares a glass wall with the studio so customers can watch the classes while enjoying their ice cream. A fully stocked bar with local brews and spirits from local distilleries offers visitors a stronger alternative to milkshakes.
I make my way over to the ice cream making station, complete with a scale, a stovetop and other ice cream making tools. Leading our class is Andrea LaFazia, a chef who helped open Troop.
Liquid nitrogen floats out of an ice cream churn as attendees look on in awe. Photo courtesy of Gather
The ice cream shop was born in large part due to the Johnston farm, which had an apiary and lots of lavender growing. They used the ingredients in a honey lavender ice cream, which they sold on the farm and at events. After positive feedback, they used the farm’s basil in a lemon basil ice cream, and an idea was born.
“The thing that makes Gather special is everything we do is an experience that we can share,” LaFazia says. “So, we decided that it wasn’t enough to just make our own ice cream — we had to teach people how to make ice cream.”
Gather began renovating the space next to the glassblowing studio two years ago and opened the ice cream shop last July. The shop is open for ice cream making classes and premade ice cream purchases.
After hearing the shop’s backstory, it’s time to decide our flavor base. Options include vanilla, chocolate and coffee made from New Harvest coffee beans.
I decide on my flavor: chocolate-strawberry. After mixing some cracked eggs, milk and other ingredients on the stovetop, the base goes inside a freezer to harden while we decide on our mix-ins. Some, like marshmallows and peanut brittle, are made in-house. I go for the cookie dough globs and waffle cone bits.
Andrea LaFazia adds the showstopping liquid nitrogen to her ice cream creations. Photo courtesy of Gather
LaFazia starts churning the ice cream using liquid nitrogen.
“When we dump the liquid nitrogen into the cream, the air pockets shut down,” she says. “This makes it so you don’t have that crunch and thinness you get with other ice cream.”
The liquid nitrogen’s foggy contents waft out of the churner as I add my mix-ins, watching them fold into the ice cream’s base. LaFazia gives me two scoops of my creation to sample and puts the rest into the freezer to harden. It’s some of the best ice cream I’ve ever tried, and the view of glassblowing next door provides entertainment while I scarf it down.
“Sometimes people get confused about how a glass studio, an ice cream shop and a farm are all tied together,” LaFazia says. “But we’re really just trying to create an environment where people can get together, have a great time and not be scared.”
Go for the Goats
A fifteen-minute drive from Atwells Avenue brings me to my final stop, Gather Farm in Johnston. The farm uses a community supported agriculture model, where consumers purchase shares of the farm’s harvest. Once a week during the season, the farm brings produce to the ice cream shop for CSA members to pick up.
All the produce is grown using organic and regenerative practices. CSA members have access to weekly yoga sessions in the summer and fall and pick-your-own opportunities during peak season. Spring sees produce like lettuce, carrots and rosemary harvested while summer is for cucumbers, sweet corn and blueberries.
The farm also offers various classes and works closely with the African Alliance of Rhode Island, which runs the six-acre Bami Farm in Johnston.
Gather Farm goats Salty and Fawn seemingly pose for a photo in the goat greenhouse. Photo courtesy of Gather
Aidan Simmons, the farm’s goat caretaker, waves at me as I park. She’s a twelfth-generation dairy farmer and second-generation goat farmer. In 2024, after learning her family could not continue operating Simmons Farm in Middletown, Simmons found a new home at Gather. Since then, she’s worked to perfect the farm’s goat hikes and goat cuddling sessions.
She leads me through the greenhouse, which doubles as the property’s event space. Here, Simmons and Gather farmer Elisabeth Stone tell me about their efforts to make the goat hikes more accessible for all.
“It’s important we make the hikes doable for all people,” says Simmons. “The hiking trail is mostly flat, so even if you aren’t completely mobile you can participate.”
We finally reach the stars of the afternoon: the goats. Twenty-three goats waddle by as I step into their space, with Simmons greeting each one by name.
A few goats congregate toward the front corner of the goat greenhouse, and I walk over. Behind the blocked off area, three pairs of bright eyes stare up at me, each pair belonging to a floppy-eared baby goat. Their names are Jude, Willow and Ivy. Each is small enough to pick up and carry around. Simmons hands me Willow as we settle in for goat cuddles.
The cuddles are a new offering at the farm. During each session, guests can sit and snuggle with the goats for thirty-five minutes.
While I’m holding Willow, Simmons tells me more about the farm. Weekends are for the farm’s goat hikes, one-hour strolls through the property where attendees learn about goat history and fun facts from Simmons. The hike gives the goats time to forage around the property, which helps with the enrichment they require. Simmons also has plans to start offering goat yoga.
Simmons’ world revolves around the goat’s happiness. During our cold snap in January, Simmons brought the babies inside to the guest room of her home, which is on the Gather Farm property only a few feet from the goat greenhouse.
Aidan Simmons leads hikers and her goats through the hiking trails on the Gather Farm property. Photo courtesy of Gather
“Some of them have never met their mom, but I’m their mom,” she says. “I kind of had to stop everything I had going on in my life to take care of them, but it’s worth it.”
I put down Willow, who’s been gnawing at my hair for the past few minutes. I stand up next to Simmons and ask what her dream is for the farm.
“The dream is to have a fully functioning farm,” she says. “I really want to prove that you don’t have to be the worst person in the world to be a dairy farmer.”
I give each of the baby goats one last squeeze before I head back to grab my things. I tell Simmons she has a pretty great thing going and she laughs, nodding.
“While I gave them goats, they gave me and my goats a home and hope when I didn’t know what was coming next,” she says. “This place really is like a family. All of the people I get to work with, they’re everything to me. I just feel like the luckiest person every day.”
I say my final goodbyes and walk to my car. My drive home is filled with thoughts of Gather and the people who make it all happen. From the heat of the glassblowing studio to the chill of the ice cream class and the warmth of the goat cuddles, Gather makes people feel like they belong. And in these chaotic times, couldn’t we all use a little sense of togetherness?
Gather Glass, 521 Atwells Ave., Providence, gatherglass.com; Gather Cafe & Ice Cream Bar, 519 Atwells Ave., Providence, gathercafe.com; Gather Farm, 380 Greenville Ave., Johnston, gatherfarm.com.
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Learning Experiences
Interested in more hands-on experiences that blend education and fun? Check out these three spots below.
Thames Glass
Located in the City by the Sea, Thames Glass offers various make-your-own classes. Guests can make ornaments, paperweights and vases, among other items, with the help of a professional glassblower. 688 Thames St., Newport, 846-0576, thamesglass.com
The 1661 Animal Farm
Part of the 1661 Block Island Resort, this farm houses goats and pigs and more exotic animals like kangaroos and camels. Visitors can purchase vegetables to feed the animals at a farm store on the property. 1 Spring St.,
New Shoreham, 466-2421, blockislandresorts.com
CHOP
The Culinary Hub of Providence offers sit-down dining and engaging culinary classes. Through educational workshops, visitors can learn skills from CHOP’s culinary professionals and expert guest chefs. CHOP’s open kitchen also allows diners to peek into their meals’ creation process while the Chef Demo Bar offers quick kitchen demos and tastings. 211 Washington St., Providence, 429-2450, culinaryhubpvd.com
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