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Rhode Island
REGENT breaks ground on new seaglider factory in Rhode Island – AeroTime
REGENT, a US startup working on the development of a 12-passenger seaglider, a novel form of wing-in-ground vehicle, has broken ground on its new greenfield production facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
This 255,000 sq ft factory will house the production of several key components for the seaglider, as well as the vehicle’s final assembly line and the pre-delivery testing facilities.
The facility, which will become operational in 2026, will employ 300 people additional to REGENT’s current staff of around 100. This figure may rise to up to 750 within a period of 10 years.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the Governor of Rhode Island, Dan McKee, as well as members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
In a statement REGENT explained that it had selected the state of Rhode Island as its base in great part due to the access it provides to a coastal testing environment as well as the local naval construction and composites production ecosystem and qualified staff.
The startup has also been supported by several economic development programs. The Rhode Island Commerce Department allocated $1 million under the First Wave Closing Fund Act, and the state of Rhode Island has committed another $3 million under the Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit Act. If REGENT’s industrial plans materialize according to plan, the company may qualify for an additional $13 million under Rhode Island’s Qualified Jobs Program.
REGENT’s new factory will produce the 12-seater “Viceroy” Seaglider, which is the smallest of the vehicles being designed by the firm. Regent is also working on a much larger seaglider concept called “Monarch”, which could carry between 80 and 100 passengers.
As of January 2025, Regent claims to have some $9 billion of pre-orders from several operators and leasing companies from around the world. Due to the hybrid sea-air nature of the wing-in-ground technology, REGENT seagliders have caught the attention of shipping companies, several prominent airlines, including Japana Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, as well as the US Marine Corps.
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island State Police are investigating a crash that happened on I-295 North in Cumberland Tuesday night.
The crash happened in the right lane near Exit 22 just before 9 p.m.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
12 News has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for more information but has not heard back.
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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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