Rhode Island

McKee outlines ‘game plan’ for R.I., but ball will be in General Assembly’s court – The Boston Globe

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

McKee outlines ‘game plan’ for R.I., but ball will be in General Assembly’s court – The Boston Globe

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi holds the book about college basketball coach John Wooden that Governor Daniel J. McKee presented to him before the State of the State speech on Tuesday.Edward Fitzpatrick

But once the governor proposes his budget Thursday, there is no guarantee the House and Senate will follow his playbook.

For example, in last year’s State of the State speech, McKee called for reducing the state’s 7 percent sales tax rate to 6.85 percent to save taxpayers about $35 million a year. But the Assembly rejected that idea, with Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, saying, “There were other priorities in my caucus. Unfortunately, it was a policy decision.”

In this year’s State of the State speech, one of the lines that drew the loudest applause was when McKee said, “This year, let’s finally pass an assault weapons ban in Rhode Island.”

But soon after the speech, Ruggerio, a North Providence Democrat, reiterated his opposition to a state ban on assault weapons. “That needs to happen on a national level,” he said. “You can’t have one state that has a ban and another state that doesn’t.”

In Tuesday’s speech, McKee outlined some big-ticket proposals, including a $100 million housing production bond, plus bond referendums for a University of Rhode Island life sciences school, a Rhode Island College cybersecurity program, and a State Archives and History Center.

But Ruggerio sounded skeptical about the housing bond, saying the state has already approved more than $300 million for housing. “Spend what you have and if you need more, come to see us afterward,” he said.

When this year’s legislative session began on Jan. 2, Shekarchi warned that, “This year, there are some very tough decisions ahead,” adding that “the influx of new federal pandemic relief is finished.”

But some of those proposals dovetail with Shekarchi’s emphasis on housing and life sciences. “I thought it was a good speech,” the House speaker said. “I thought he checked a lot of themes that are important to Rhode Islanders, important to members of the chamber.”

Shekarchi said McKee’s proposed bond items total about $300 million, but he said that matches the amount of state debt that is “coming off the books.” At this point in the year, budgeting is based on projections, he said.

“But I think it’s certainly within an affordable range,” Shekarchi said of the governor’s proposals.

After Tuesday night’s speech, Representative David Morales, a Providence Democrat, walked through the State House rotunda after, noting the governor hadn’t said a word about the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority — although some legislators say the agency needs $110 million to stay on track.

“There was no mention of RIPTA even though they are on the verge of a fiscal cliff as a result of the lack of state investments over the years,” he said, citing the potential for service cuts.

Morales also said he wished he’d heard McKee address staffing shortages in the Department of Human Services and the potential for layoffs of social workers and behavior specialists in Providence schools. And while McKee proposed a $100 million housing bond, Morales said, building new homes takes years and the state needs to address rental costs now.

“I did not hear a speech that reflects the reality of working Rhode Islanders across the state,” he said.

Flags for Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns flank the entrance to the House of Representatives chamber for Tuesday's State of the State speech. — Flags for Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns flank the entrance to the House of Representatives chamber for Tuesday’s State of the State speech.Edward Fitzpatrick

Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore praised McKee for proposing a bond item for a State Archives and History Center. He said noted Rhode Islanders have been excited to get an up-close look at the Independent Man statue, which was removed last month from atop the State House for the second time in history because its base had split.

“Rhode Islanders are proud of their history and want the opportunity to see it up close,” Amore said. “A new Rhode Island State Archives and History Center would provide that opportunity — as well as opportunities for tourists from all over the country and the world to learn more about Rhode Island’s critical role in the founding of our nation, and its many achievements since.”

General Treasurer James A. Diossa thanked McKee for mentioning the Secure Choice Act, which would create a portable individual retirement savings program for Rhode Islanders working at businesses with as few as five employees. Administered by the state, the new program would give employees a chance to save for retirement through payroll deductions at no added cost to employers.

“Rhode Island is ranked near the bottom of the nation in private sector employees with retirement plans,” Diossa said. “This legislation will ensure that more Rhode Islanders can look forward to dignity and security in retirement after a lifetime of hard work.”

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha has acknowledged he is considering running for governor in 2026 because of what he sees as state government’s failure to act with urgency on issues such as climate change and health care. And he cited those issues when asked for a response to McKee’s State of the State speech, which noted that the Revolution Wind offshore wind project is set to begin construction this year.

“Addressing climate change will take more than an investment in wind — much more,” Neronha said. “We are too far behind in our work to meet our Act on Climate goals,” he said, noting Massachusetts just issued its first climate report card.

In his speech, McKee said he plans to sign an executive order for a working group focused on improving the state’s healthcare systems. But Neronha said, “I don’t believe that our healthcare crisis can be squarely addressed through the resurrection of a 25-member commission” that is “nowhere nimble or fast enough to bring the change we need.”

McKee set a goal of increasing per capita income by $20,000 by the year 2030. And Neronha said that would help the imbalance in hospital reimbursements weighted too heavily toward public payers vs. private commercial payers.

Also, Neronha said he supports First Lady Susan McKee’s anti-litter campaign. “As someone who used to pick it up as a teenager when I worked for the town and loves the state’s natural beauty, I agree it’s a scourge,” he said.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.

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Rhode Island

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

Published

10 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

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

Local News

“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.

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.

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.

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.

“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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Rhode Island

Rhode Island men’s basketball extends slide with loss to St. Joseph’s

Published

22 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island men’s basketball extends slide with loss to St. Joseph’s

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Whatever hopes the University of Rhode Island harbored for a men’s basketball Senior Day upset of Saint Joseph’s disappeared on a rare made 3-pointer.

Jaiden Glover-Toscano connected on just one of his eight attempts from deep, and it turned out to be a backbreaker. The Hawks mustered just enough offense to hold off the Rams at the Ryan Center in an Atlantic 10 rock fight that went to the visitors.

Glover-Toscano hit from the left wing with 3:37 left, restoring a two-possession lead. Saint Joseph’s did just enough from there to finish a 61-55 victory on Feb. 28 and extend URI’s late-season slide.

“We needed to get that stop,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “It was in the balance. Those last three minutes, whoever was going to make the play or get the stop was going to win.

“They made a big shot right there.”

The Rams cut a 13-point deficit all the way to 56-55 when Tyler Cochran knocked down both ends of a 1-and-1 at the line with 3:54 left. The Hawks overloaded the right side on the ensuing possession, and Derek Simpson got a step on his man toward the paint. He fired a crosscourt pass to Glover-Toscano that caught URI’s defense rotating, and the air came out of the announced 6,391 fans in the building when the net rippled in front of the visiting bench.

“We weren’t able to convert,” Miller said. “That’s kind of the name of the game. You’ve got to have some plays go your way.”

Myles Corey missed a 3-pointer at the other end, and Simpson played facilitator again to give Saint Joseph’s more of a cushion. He found Justice Ajogbor rolling to the rim for a slam with 2:36 left and it was a six-point game. Neither team scored again on an afternoon where they both shot under 40% from the field and went a combined 10-for-61 from deep.

“The bottom line for our team today – and let’s just keep it simple – is we didn’t make a shot,” Miller said. “We really struggled to shoot the ball.”

The Hawks built their largest lead with 13:53 to play, thanks to what was a major sore spot on the afternoon for the Rams. URI couldn’t inbound the ball after an Ajogbor free throw, and Jonah Hinton was called for an offensive foul. Simpson drove for a two-hand slam on the ensuing possession, part of a 13-0 shutout for the visitors on points off turnovers.

“We have no room for error,” Miller said. “That plays a big role.”

The Rams (15-14, 6-10 Atlantic 10) enjoyed their best stretch of the day after falling into that 44-31 hole. Alex Crawford offered some life with a couple of 3-pointers, and Jahmere Tripp buried another from the left corner to make it a 54-51 game with 5:10 left. Crawford’s hard drive down the right kept it a three-point game, and Cochran’s successful trip to the line put URI in position to steal it late.

“I feel like we had open shots,” Crawford said. “We had a lot of good looks – shots we usually make.”

Saint Joseph’s (19-10, 11-5) won its fourth straight and continued an impressive rally from an 0-2 start in league play. The Hawks are on course for a double bye in the upcoming conference tournament, while the Rams look increasingly likely to play on the opening day in Pittsburgh. A home date with Duquesne and a road trip to Fordham wrap the regular season this week, and URI hopes guard RJ Johnson (concussion protocol) will be able to return at some point.

“It did hurt a little bit,” Crawford said. “You face adversity, you’ve got to find a way to make up for missed players.”

SAINT JOSEPH’S (61): Dasear Haskins 5-11 4-5 14, Justice Ajogbor 4-5 1-3 9, Derek Simpson 4-10 4-4 13, Jaiden Glover-Toscano 3-14 0-1 7, Austin Williford 2-9 0-0 5, Khaafiq Myers 4-7 0-0 9, Jaden Smith 1-2 1-3 3, Anthony Finkley 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 23-60 11-18 61.

RHODE ISLAND (55): Tyler Cochran 2-13 8-8 13, Keeyan Itejere 4-5 2-2 10, Jahmere Tripp 4-12 2-3 11, Jonah Hinton 2-11 0-0 5, Myles Corey 1-8 1-4 4, Alex Crawford 4-6 2-4 12, Jalen Harper 0-6 0-0 0, Drissa Traore 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-62 15-21 55.

Halftime – SJ, 30-27. 3-point FG – SJ 4-28 (Haskins 0-3, Simpson 1-5, Glover-Toscano 1-8, Williford 1-8, Myers 1-2, Finkley 0-2), RI 6-33 (Cochran 1-9, Tripp 1-4, Hinton 1-7, Corey 1-4, Crawford 2-3, Harper 0-5, Traore 0-1). Rebounds – SJ 45 (Myers 8), RI 46 (Cochran 15). Assists – SJ 14 (Simpson 5), RI 12 (Corey 4). Turnovers – SJ 13 (Simpson 3, Myers 3), RI 13 (Corey 5). Blocked shots – SJ 7 (Ajogbor 3), RI 4 (Itejere 2, Tripp 2). Steals – SJ 8 (Simpson 3), RI 4 (Tripp 2). Attendance – 6,391.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island women’s basketball wins A-10 regular-season championship

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island women’s basketball wins A-10 regular-season championship

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – What was a peerless achievement in University of Rhode Island women’s basketball history now has some company just four short years later.

The Rams are Atlantic 10 regular-season champions again after a special Saturday afternoon in Kingston, a coronation more than a contest against visiting George Washington.

The Revolutionaries never had a chance after the hosts got off to a sharp start at the Ryan Center. URI left no doubt in front of its best crowd of the season, and a significant portion of that gathering stuck around long after the final whistle to see the nets cut down again.

It was all Rams in this 72-48 cruise, a result that matched what was a first in 2022-23 and handed URI a No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. George Mason dropped to the No. 2 spot despite posting the same 16-2 league record as the Rams, and that came thanks to a comprehensive 79-63 defeat in a Valentine’s Day matchup.

“There’s nothing more satisfying as a coach than to have the confetti fall and to cut down nets with this group of young women,” URI coach Tammi Reiss said. “I’ve never been prouder.”

URI scored on each of its first five offensive possessions and authored a masterpiece through the opening three quarters. It was only in the fourth when Reiss emptied her bench that George Washington showed any semblance of being able to keep pace. Palmire Mbu led three in double figures with 23 points, and Sophia Vital played yet another complete all-around game to help the Rams run roughshod.

“We were just extra motivated today,” Mbu said. “We wanted to do great for our crowd.

“Just trying my best. Trying to be aggressive and to give solutions on offense and defense. It felt good.”

URI owned a 21-point lead entering the final 10 minutes, thanks to 18 assists, just two turnovers and 63.4% shooting from the field. The Rams buried the offensive struggles they experienced in road losses to La Salle and Richmond with what had been a typical display of crisp execution. URI closed 26-for-35 from 2-point range, collected 48 points in the paint and racked up another 17 off Revolutionaries turnovers.

“I do believe the last four years we had talented teams – we had talented players,” URI guard Ines Debroise said. “But I think it’s also how we can put all the pieces of the puzzle together. This year that’s what we were going to do from day one.”

Mbu’s bucket off a Vanessa Harris steal gave the Rams a 25-10 lead and forced a George Washington timeout with 6:38 left in the second quarter. It seemed just a matter of time before this one was out of reach, and Brooklyn Gray followed a Debroise 3-pointer with a pair of layups to make it a 32-12 cushion. URI’s lead never dipped under 12 points again, and Mbu’s hook in the lane capped an 8-0 run that took it back to 58-38 with 1:00 left in the third.

Video of URI coach Tammi Reiss speaking postgame on Feb. 28

URI women’s basketball beats George Washington to win the Atlantic 10 regular-season championship

“They were sharing the ball in a championship game,” Reiss said. “It wasn’t 1-on-1. That’s what makes this team special.”

The Rams (25-4, 16-2 Atlantic 10) set a new program best for conference wins in a season and are now one shy from a new overall mark – they collected 26 while making a run to the WNIT Round of 16 in 2022-23. URI shared the league crown with rival Massachusetts that year before suffering a semifinal upset against Saint Louis and missing out on a third meeting with the Minutewomen.

“Their job is to show up and be us,” Reiss said. “Execute our game plan with discipline and ferocity for 40 minutes. Our job is to manage them – their health, their minutes.”

The Revolutionaries (15-16, 7-11 Atlantic 10) dropped to the No. 10 seed in the upcoming conference tournament and will play No. 7 Saint Louis in the second round on Thursday, March 5. The Rams will open Friday’s quarterfinals in an 11 a.m. tip on the USA Network against either No. 8 Loyola Chicago or No. 9 St. Bonaventure. No. 4 Davidson and No. 5 Saint Joseph’s are in URI’s half of the bracket, while the second-seeded Patriots and third-seeded Spiders could be on a semifinal collision course in the other half at Henrico Sports & Events Center.

“It’s going to be tough for everybody – probably three games in three days,” Mbu said. “We’ve got to push to the end and play like we’ve been doing.”

GEORGE WASHINGTON (48): Sara Lewis 2-10 2-2 6, Gabby Reynolds 7-13 2-2 17, Tanah Becker 1-2 1-1 3, Mia James 2-6 0-0 4, Kamari Sims 2-4 0-0 4, Emma Theodorsson 0-6 2-2 2, Jaeda Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Filipa Calisto 2-2 0-0 4, Colleen Phiri 0-0 0-0 0, Caia Loving 2-2 0-0 4, Payton Dulin 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 20-48 7-9 48.

RHODE ISLAND (72): Palmire Mbu 9-14 3-4 23, Albina Syla 5-6 0-0 10, Brooklyn Gray 5-6 0-0 11, Sophia Vital 3-6 1-2 7, Ines Debroise 4-7 0-0 9, Vanessa Harris 3-7 0-0 7, Aimee Michel 2-2 0-0 4, Valentina Ojeda 0-2 0-0 0, Ta’Viyanna Habib 0-0 0-0 0, Eva Agba 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 31-51 5-8 72.

Halftime – RI, 40-25. 3-point FG – GW 1-8 (Reynolds 1-2, Becker 0-1, James 0-2, Sims 0-1, Theodorsson 0-2), RI 5-16 (Mbu 2-4, Gray 1-1, Vital 0-2, Debroise 1-4, Harris 1-2, Ojeda 0-2, Agba 0-1). Rebounds – GW 23 (Sims 5), RI 26 (Vital 6). Assists – GW 7 (Sims 2, Loving 2), RI 21 (Vital 7). Turnovers – GW 13 (Sims 4), RI 7 (Gray 2, Harris 2). Blocked shots – GW 2 (James 1, Loving 1), RI 3 (Mbu 2). Steals – GW 3 (Lewis 1, James 1, Sims 1), RI 6 (Vital 3). Attendance – 6,580.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

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