Rhode Island
Northern lights forecasted to be visible over Rhode Island Friday and Saturday
WATCH: View of the northern lights from Hansville
Greg Johnson’s SkunkBayWeather.com webcam caught the aurora borealis early Monday morning.
SkunkBayWeather.com
Is seeing the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, on your bucket list? This could be a chance to check it off your list without leaving Rhode Island.
From Friday night to early Saturday morning, the Aurora Borealis will potentially be visible over the northern United States, possibly reaching as far as Virginia, Missouri, Colorado.
Though a rare occurrence overall, this is the second year in a row that the northern lights have come south. An April 2023, they were visible all the way to Arizona.
While the prediction say they are likely to be visible in the Ocean State, AccuWeather’s forecast says the viewing conditions may be poor because of cloud cover. But the show might return again on Saturday night, when conditions might be better.
What is the Aurora Borealis?
The phenomenon of the northern lights is caused by massive clouds of charged particles released by the sun toward the Earth, events known as coronal mass ejections. Upon impact with the Earth’s magnetic field, these particles interact with molecules of atmospheric gases to ignite the aurora borealis over the Northern Hemisphere, usually over Canada.
Situations such as this one result from larger coronal mass ejections, which can mean the lights will spark over larger portions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Best places to see the Northern Lights 2024
Barring cloud cover, which could be an issue for viewers in the Northeast, for best results it’s recommended to travel somewhere with as little light pollution as possible and look to the northern horizon.
“I personally have seen them five times, the best in 2003,” Francine Jackson, staff astronomer at Brown University’s Ladd Observatory said last July. “The best way to see them here has to be a place with a good northern horizon, with as little light pollution as possible.”
If you’re trying to see the lights, she recommended finding a north-facing beach.
Even if you don’t get the best view on Friday, if the coronal mass ejections continue at their present level, the northern lights could still be visible here on Saturday night as well.
Rhode Island
Advocacy group says RI schools’ transgender policy puts federal funding at risk
Trump signs executive order banning trans women from sports teams
President Trump signed an executive order barring transgender women and girls from playing on school sports teams.
- The R.I. Center for Freedom & Prosperity is demanding the Rhode Island Department of Education rescind its policy protecting transgender students from discrimination.
- The center argues that the policy, based on the recognition of gender identity, contradicts a Trump-era executive order asserting the existence of only two sexes.
- They claim this discrepancy puts schools at risk of civil rights violations, federal funding loss and lawsuits.
PROVIDENCE – An advocacy group is demanding the Rhode Island Department of Education rescind its long-standing policy on the protection of transgender students from discrimination in light of President Donald Trump’s executive order stating there are only two sexes.
The letter from the R.I. Center for Freedom & Prosperity asserts that “the RI Department of Education [RIDE] has placed itself and every member school district in this State at risk of civil rights violations, which are likely [to] lead to investigations by the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, loss of federal funding, and/or discrimination lawsuits from aggrieved individuals.”
Bottom line: RIDE’s lawyers reject the arguments that lawyer Gregory Piccirilli made in his letter to state Education Commissioner Angélica Infante Green on behalf of the advocacy group, which views the state’s stance on transgender rights as a large issue.
What are the complaints against the policy?
“This is an issue of grave concern for … thousands of parents across our state,” the center’s CEO, Mike Stenhouse, said Thursday. The fact the most, if not all have “adopted RIDE’s recommended guidelines … puts RIDE and every one of those school districts at serious legal and financial risk.”
The group is chaired by Stephen Skoly. the Cranston dentist who defied Rhode Island’s COVID vaccine mandate during the pandemic and ultimately sued for the right to see patients again. Former state GOP Chair Giovanni Ciccione is also on the board.
What is RIDE’s policy on transgender rights?
Stepping back, RIDE’s long-standing policy was designed to protect students “from discrimination and harassment based on their gender identity and expression. The policy also ensures that students have access to safe and supportive learning environments.”
Titled “Protection for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students,” it says, in part:
“Programs and activities operated by Rhode Island public educational agencies shall be free from discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. By July 1, 2018, each local education agency shall adopt a policy addressing the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming students to a safe, supportive and non-discriminatory school environment.”
Piccirilli, in his letter, contends there is no basis in state law for the regulation.
Beyond that, he cited the executive order Trump signed on his first day in office under the heading: “DefendingWomen from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
Summarizing, Piccirill said Trump ordered all agencies within the executive branch to enforce all laws that “promote [the] reality” that there are “two sexes, male and female,” and that “[t]hese sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
Two weeks later, he said, the U.S. Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to K-12 schools and institutions of higher education advising them that the “Office for Civil Rights” intends to enforce a Trump administration interpretation of Title IX that bans “recipients of federal funds to issue policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of “gender identity.”
The response from R.I. Department of Education spokesman Victor Morente: The regulations the center is challenging “have been adopted by the R.I. Council on Elementary and Secondary Education as well as by every school district in Rhode Island.” They are “supported by both state and federal law and will be enforced until the Rhode Island General Assembly and/or the U.S. Congress changes the applicable law.”He said every R.I. school district has a policy and most, if not all, are posted.
The state’s policy has gone through several iterations, but it began with this statement of principle: “All students need a safe and supportive school environment to progress academically and developmentally. … The purpose of this guidance is to foster an educational environment that is safe and free from discrimination for allstudents, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”
Rhode Island
Judge says sale of RI hospitals can move forward – TPR: The Public's Radio
Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence have been losing money for years. According to Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, that’s because the California hedge fund that owns them has prioritized investor returns over patient care.
California-based Prospect Medical is now trying to sell these two Rhode Island hospitals to an Atlanta-based nonprofit called the Centurion Foundation.
But Prospect, a national hospital chain based in Los Angeles, ended up filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month before it could complete the sale. The company recorded debts up to $10 billion.
The bankruptcy filing meant a judge needed to approve the sale, and time was of the essence, because the company could not afford to keep running the hospitals.
Even so, various stakeholders opposed the sale for different reasons.
Rhode Island’s attorney general attached a list of 85 conditions that must be met before a new owner can take charge.
Federal regulators from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services attached a laundry list of conditions too, as did the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP), the union representing 1,200 employees at the two hospitals.
At a hearing in Dallas Wednesday, Chief Judge Stacey G.C. Jernigan of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of Texas heard from state and federal officials, lawyers, bankers, and others before giving the green light.
“The court believes that all objections have been resolved, withdrawn, or overruled,” she determined. “So with that the court will approve the transaction.”
That means the sale can now go ahead, with a closing date set for 30-to-60 days time.
Centurion has not yet come up with financing for the deal, but Anne Wallace, an attorney for Sidley Austin LLC representing the hospital’s current owners, indicated that Centurion’s financing was contingent on a closing date.
Neronha said in a statement, “The bankruptcy court’s approval of this sale provides reason for cautious optimism.”
While Nehrona applauded the idea that the hospitals will no longer be owned by a private equity firm, he emphasized there is still work to be done to meet the conditions set out by the state.
“These safety-net hospitals are absolutely critical for maintaining delivery of safe, affordable and accessible health care services in Rhode Island. Roger Williams and Fatima provide services to largely underserved and underinsured communities, and we must maintain their viability. And in order for us to give these hospitals a fighting chance, our conditions must be met. If all parties meet our conditions as they say they intend to, today brings us one step closer to the finish line.”
Dr. Jerry Larkin, Director of Health for the Rhode Island Department of Health, issued a statement saying he was pleased by the court’s decision to allow the sale to go forward.
“While some steps in this transaction are still outstanding, we are committed to the two facilities having new ownership,” he said. “Rhode Island needs a stable network of hospitals that supports the health and wellness of every community in the state.”
Related
Rhode Island
RI Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Feb. 11, 2025
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Feb. 11, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 11 drawing
07-30-39-41-70, Mega Ball: 13, Megaplier: 3
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Feb. 11 drawing
08-25-28-41-46, Lucky Ball: 05
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from Feb. 11 drawing
Midday: 2-5-5-1
Evening: 5-1-0-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from Feb. 11 drawing
11-15-16-17-28, Extra: 33
Check Wild Money 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 Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 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.
- 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.
-
Politics1 week ago
Tulsi Gabbard confirmation fate to be tested with key committee vote
-
Technology1 week ago
Trump’s first 100 days: all the news affecting the tech industry
-
News1 week ago
'Beyond betrayal.' Venezuelans in Florida are angry at Trump immigration policy
-
World1 week ago
Montenegro pursues values-driven EU enlargement process
-
World1 week ago
Trump says US will ‘own’ Gaza in redevelopment plan
-
News1 week ago
Congressional Democrats to Trump: Changes can't be done in secrecy
-
Politics1 week ago
CIA offering buyouts to its entire workforce: report
-
Education1 week ago
Trump’s Orders Could Drain Millions From Universities, but Few Protest Openly