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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.
Good morning! Happy Thursday! Today will be pretty unsettled with the chance for showers and t’storms. Friday will still be damp with showers and drizzle, but the weekend still looks amazing!
The one good thing with the rain, for allergy sufferers at least, the pollen levels will be lower. In fact, both today and tomorrow, the tree pollen counts will be low locally. Do expect a spike in the pollen count for Saturday and Sunday with the dry weather.
INTERACTIVE RADAR: Live Pinpoint Weather 12 Radar »
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” FLIGHT TRACKER
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” POWER OUTAGES
TODAY
Hour-by-hour forecast for today…
We’ll have some showers around during the morning commute today, but the greatest chance for showers and t’storms will be after 9AM and before 5PM.
Showers and thunderstorms could slow travel around mid-day. Rain could fall heavily at times.
A line of showers and t’storms will be sweeping across the area through the afternoon as a slow-moving weather systems moves through the region.
Highs today will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s with southeast to east winds of 5-15mph.
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” BEACH AND BOATING FORECASTS
TONIGHT
Showers are still possible this evening; although they won’t be as numerous.
TOMORROW
That low center will be nearby Friday morning, and we’ll be stuck with a damp, cool windflow. Expect drizzle and showers in the morning and possibly some lingering showers in the afternoon.
Highs Friday will only be in the 50s. The average high this time of year is in the upper 60s.
LOOKING AHEAD
Then…there’s the weekend. Saturday looks amazing with lots of sunshine and dry weather. It’ll be warmer, too, with highs in the 70s.
-Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo
T.J. Del Santo (tdelsanto@wpri.com) is the weekday morning and noon meteorologist for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Threads and BlueSky.
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The Rhode Island Department of Health issued an overdose spike alert for Johnston and North Providence.
Health officials said over the past week, five Johnston and North Providence residents received medical care for a drug overdose.
According to RIDOH, these municipalities have historically lower overdose rates than the statewide average.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Residents can visit Prevent Overdose RI connect with community harm reduction organizations and find treatment.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing
17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from May 12 drawing
Midday: 1-5-2-0
Evening: 1-6-0-3
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from May 12 drawing
23-27-29-31-35, Extra: 12
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing
19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01
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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