Rhode Island
New Website Helps Rhode Islanders Slash Heating Oil Bills – Uprise RI
As Rhode Island families brace for another winter, the familiar dread of volatile heating oil prices looms large. In an economy teetering on uncertainty, where corporate profits soar while essentials like SNAP benefits are held hostage in political games, every dollar counts. For the thousands of Rhode Islanders who rely on oil to heat their homes, the opaque and unpredictable nature of the market has long been a source of frustration and financial strain. A new digital tool, however, aims to shift power back into the hands of consumers.
A free online marketplace called RI Oil Prices launched this week, offering a lifeline to homeowners and renters struggling with one of their largest household expenses. The platform, found at rioilprices.com, provides a simple, centralized hub to compare real-time heating oil prices from local dealers across the entire state. This transparency is a direct challenge to an industry where prices can vary wildly from one company to the next, often with little justification.
For years, the process of finding the best heating oil prices has been a tedious chore of making countless phone calls, comparing notes, and hoping for an honest quote. This lack of easy-to-access information benefits large, well-advertised firms that often charge a premium for name recognition. By using a tool like RI Oil Prices, consumers can discover smaller, local dealers whose prices can be as much as 70 cents lower per gallon – a staggering difference that can translate into hundreds of dollars in savings over a single winter season.
“We built RI Oil Prices to solve a simple problem: homeowners shouldn’t have to call a dozen different dealers or browse several websites just to find out who has the best price on oil or what areas they serve,” said the company’s founder and Cumberland resident, Greg Brailsford. “This free platform makes it easy to search by ZIP code and instantly see which local dealers serve your area, what they charge, and also what special services they offer.”
The website’s functionality is straightforward. Users enter their ZIP code to see a list of dealers, their current daily price per gallon, and the services they provide, such as automatic delivery, budget plans, or senior discounts. For those looking to time their purchases, the site also features price alerts and an interactive graph showing the 90-day trend of average oil prices in the state. This level of data empowers consumers to make informed, cost-effective decisions rather than purchasing blindly.
Crucially, this service is not just for homeowners. A significant portion of Rhode Island’s renters are responsible for paying their own heating bills. Many may not realize that if they pay for the oil, they have the right to choose their own provider, regardless of who their landlord might recommend or have a pre-existing relationship with. With rents continuing to climb, the ability for tenants to shop around for cheaper oil is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. This platform urges renters to exercise that right and take control of their energy costs as we head into the colder months.
In an era where every utility and basic necessity seems to be controlled by a handful of powerful corporations, a tool that promotes local competition and consumer empowerment is a welcome development. RI Oil Prices is completely free for consumers, creating a competitive marketplace where smaller dealers can vie for business on a level playing field and residents can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. It’s a small but significant victory for the average Rhode Islander against the crushing weight of rising costs.
Another famous face is joining the cast of “Rubber Hut” filming throughout Rhode Island.
As we previously reported, Grace Van Patten is starring in the feature film debut for director Hannah Gray Organschi about the infamous “condom hut” business from the early 90s.
The short-lived Fotomat kiosk turned drive-thru condom store garnered local notoriety as well as national attention in 1992 and is now the subject of a movie with several A-list stars attached.
READ MORE: Michael Imperioli, Emmy Rossum Join RI ‘Condom Hut’ Film
Scenes were filmed for several days at a custom-made “condom hut” on West Shore Road in Warwick. On Thursday, June 11, Beach Avenue was closed down to shoot a parade scene. Now, film crews have moved to Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston for scenes along a residential street.
Who Was Behind the Original Condom Hut?
The home is believed to represent the residence of Emanuella DelVecchio, the former flight attendant who had the brilliant idea to open a condom kiosk in response to the AIDS epidemic.
Instead of support, however, DelVecchio received the condemnation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and was plagued with vandalism before shuttering her business within a year.
READ MORE: New Bedford’s Gone But Not Forgotten Closed-Down Bars
Who Has Joined the ‘Condom Hut’ Movie Cast So Far
Photos of parade scenes for the film show Michael Imperioli portraying a priest in the movie and now Deadline has reported that stage actor, Will Harrison, is attached to the project as DelVecchio’s husband. Other actors’ specific roles remain unknown.
Filming is expected to continue in Rhode Island until the end of June with a theatrical release likely in 2027.
See the Stars Who Own Homes in Rhode Island
There are plenty of celebrities who once called Rhode Island home, but how many still do? Here’s the list of stars who own homes across the Ocean State.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
All The Famous Faces That Have Been to Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Home
Here are all the celebrities we know have made an appearance at Holiday House over the years.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Two Rhode Island residents were charged after the Justice Department announced a $6.5 billion healthcare fraud crackdown.
The department said 455 defendants were charged, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes.
Mareli Arias Batista, 57, of Providence, was charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, false statement in application for a passport, use of a false passport and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
Officials said Batista fraudulently obtained approximately $28,236.42 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Balni Pimental Lara, 59, of Providence, was also charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
According to officials, Lara fraudulently obtained approximately $24,018.86 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Bhamin Chhatrapati, 40, of Stoughton, Mass., was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with over $5.1 million fraudulently billed to Medicare, of which over $2.6 million was paid.
Approximately 1,079 medical providers were suspended and billing privileges were revoked for 1,403 providers.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Former Rhode Island House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi loses an attempt to stop an ethics complaint against his bid for a seat on the state Supreme Court.
The state Ethics Commission voted Tuesday to deny Shekarchi’s motion to dismiss the complaint filed in May.
The Ethics Commission voted June 2 to further investigate the complaint.
The question is whether Shekarchi’s attempt for a lifetime spot on the bench violates Rhode Island’s anti-corruption revolving door law.
The law prevents sitting lawmakers from taking most other state jobs for at least a year after leaving office.
Shekarchi resigned as House Speaker on May 8 to seek nomination to the Supreme Court.
He kept his House seat.
That same day, Roger Williams University law professor Michael Yelnosky filed an ethics complaint.
Shekarchi argues a Supreme Court seat is an exemption from the revolving door law, like other constitutional offices including governor.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (4)
The Ethics Commission’s prosecutor argues the high court seat is not exempt.
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