Rhode Island
Rhode Island files lawsuit against 13 companies that worked on troubled Washington Bridge
![Rhode Island files lawsuit against 13 companies that worked on troubled Washington Bridge Rhode Island files lawsuit against 13 companies that worked on troubled Washington Bridge](https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/2420ae7c-bb7d-4e68-849b-d8af68860ac6/wirestory_a7c488d04eccd1383f68798cfdf6a3b0_16x9.jpg?w=1600)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced Friday that the state has filed a lawsuit against 13 companies that provided design, construction and inspection services related to the troubled Washington Bridge.
The bridge was partially shut down over safety concerns in December. McKee said in March that the bridge would need to be demolished and replaced.
McKee’s comments at the time came after an independent review of the bridge — which carries Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River from Providence to East Providence and serves as a key gateway to Providence — found additional structural deficiencies requiring that it be replaced.
McKee said the lawsuit filed Friday seeks to hold accountable those companies responsible for the near-miss catastrophic closure of the bridge and to recover the significant resources required to rebuild the bridge and compensate the state.
In the lawsuit, the state argues that the companies failed to timely and adequately identify worsening structural issues that ultimately led to the sudden and unexpected closure of the bridge.
The lawsuit also alleged there were multiple failures over multiple years to bring problems with the bridge to the attention of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
“In the nearly nine months since the abrupt closure, our economy has borne an immense cost, and our state has and will continue to have to expend significant resources as a result,” state Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a written statement.
During the demolition and construction of the new bridge, the state will reroute six lanes of traffic — three in each direction — on the eastbound bridge structure.
The sudden westbound closure in mid-December initially wreaked havoc on traffic, turning a 40- to 45-minute drive into several hours, stranding commuters for hours and sending others veering off their normal path. Some schools closed and held classes remotely.
The bridge carries nearly 100,000 vehicles every day.
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Rhode Island
Plane flown from Chatham crashes, injures pilot in Rhode Island. FAA investigating.
![Plane flown from Chatham crashes, injures pilot in Rhode Island. FAA investigating. Plane flown from Chatham crashes, injures pilot in Rhode Island. FAA investigating.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/2015/03/09/NPRJ/ghows-PJ-10c8fe12-dc21-6899-e053-0100007f1e1a-05f5a367.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=1023,579,x0,y51&format=pjpg&width=1200)
An airplane traveling from Chatham Municipal Airport on Aug. 10 crashed after landing at a Rhode Island airport, entrapping and injuring the Virginia pilot. No one else was in the plane.
The injured pilot had just bought the plane on Aug. 10 in Chatham, and left the Chatham airport in the plane after the sale, according to Chatham Airport Commission Chair Huntley Harrison. The plane was known generally to be a “high performance” aerobatic plane, Harrison said.
A investigation is underway into what happened when the blue single-engine Yakovlev Yak-55M crashed after landing at about 4:30 p.m. the same day at Quonset State Airport in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane flipped over after landing, according to the FAA.
“The crash wasn’t fatal so we are thankful for that,” said North Kingstown Police Captain John MacCoy.
The most recent owner of the plane lives in Brewster, according to FAA records.
FAA: Only the pilot was on board
Police responded to the airplane crash at about 4:45 p.m., according to MacCoy. Pilot John Kevin Pace, 38, of Bassett, Virginia, was piloting the airplane, according to a North Kingstown police report. The aircraft experienced a rough running engine, according to an FAA accident and incident notification notice.
The airplane experienced an engine issue during climb out and returned to Quonset State Airport, according to preliminary information from the National Transportation Safety Board on Aug. 12.
Pace, who is listed by the FAA as an airman, was the only person on board at the time of the crash, according to the FAA.
Police: pilot was trapped in airplane after crash
Police arrived at the crash to find a single pilot monoplane lying on its roof facing southwest, according to the Aug. 12 report by North Kingstown, Rhode Island Patrol Officer Liam Doyle.
“The pilot of the aircraft was entrapped,” Doyle said in the report.
An aircraft rescue and firefighting unit and witnesses attempted to get the pilot out of the airplane, according to the report. After the arrival of more help, Pace was removed from the airplane.
Pace had lacerations several places on his body but was conscious and alert, Doyle said in the report. There was blood loss from Pace’s injuries, and he was transported in stable condition by North Kingstown Fire Department rescuers to Rhode Island Hospital, according to the report.
Witness Kelly Shea told police she saw the crash from another aircraft she was taxiing on the ground, according to the police report. Shea didn’t observe any suspicious activity pertaining to the crash and remained on scene to be interviewed by an aeronautics inspector, the report stated.
Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.
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Rhode Island
Cool Off In A 40-Foot Pool At This Waterfront Airbnb In Rhode Island
![Cool Off In A 40-Foot Pool At This Waterfront Airbnb In Rhode Island Cool Off In A 40-Foot Pool At This Waterfront Airbnb In Rhode Island](https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Featured-Image-Size-15.png)
As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.
We all need a change of scenery sometimes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean our schedules allow us to indulge in our wanderlust for very long. Fortunately, we’ve got so many unique Airbnbs that we never have to travel far to satisfy that need to get away, even if just for a night or two. Whether you want to float in a crystal-clear pool to cool off or prefer spending balmy evenings sitting on the front porch, this waterfront Airbnb in Rhode Island promises a picture-perfect getaway.
![](https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1_19d997.jpg?w=720)
![](https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1_19d997.jpg?w=720)
You’ll have access to several streaming services, including Netflix and Hulu.
View more photos and book your stay at this waterfront home in Tiverton on its official Airbnb page.
Would you stay at this waterfront Airbnb in Rhode Island? Or have you? Let us know in the comments! If you feel like dining out during your stay, dig into a scrumptious meal at Family Ties Restaurant, a family-friendly restaurant in Tiverton, Rhode Island.
Pack your hiking shoes, too, so if you feel like exploring outdoors, you can set off on one of the best hiking trails in Rhode Island.
With A Kid-Friendly Menu, This Incredible Restaurant In Rhode Island Is Perfect For Families
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Featured Addresses
Rhode Island
AG urges R.I. health insurance commissioner to reject proposed premium hikes
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha repeated his calls to fix the state’s ailing health care system in a memo opposed to proposed health insurance premium hikes. The memo also contained thoughts on the subpar funding and financials of Rhode Island’s hospitals, which Neronha also discussed at length during a Health Care Summit at the Rhode Island State House on May 28, 2024, seen here. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
Deny, deny, deny: That’s what Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is asking the state’s health insurance commissioner to do with the premium hikes requested by a half dozen Rhode Island insurance companies for 2025.
Neronha’s office shared on Tuesday a letter to Cory King, who leads the state’s Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC). In his letter, Neronha asks the commissioner to reject health insurers’ requested increases that “range from an arguably modest 2.5% to an astronomical 22.7%.”
Earlier this month, Neronha issued a memo opposing proposed 2025 rates by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the only individual market insurer who submitted an increase more than 10% higher. Neronha’s latest critique is a blanket rejection of proposed increases for small- and large-group plans from six insurance companies.
Neronha being at odds with health insurers is nothing new — he recommended against requested rate hikes last year, too. King’s office approved most requested rates, albeit with a few percentage points shaved off, which still led to a savings of approximately $24 million. The commissioner is expected to release his office’s decision on this year’s proposed rates later this month.
The Office of Attorney General uses actuaries to analyze proposed rate increases and determine their feasibility. The health insurance commissioner also analyzes the rates, solicits public feedback and ultimately approves or denies the requested increases.
Neronha, whose job duties include consumer protection, wrote in his latest memo that actuarial recommendations might only scratch the surface of a deeper problem.
“It is not the role of the Attorney General to simply advise whether the actuarial projections provided by an insurer can support requested rate increases; rather, it is incumbent upon the Attorney General to also determine whether such increases are warranted given the health care and economic landscape against which they are sought,” Neronha wrote. “[T]o put it bluntly, we have a system that is broken.”
Neronha pointed out in his memo that “despite significant collective” investment in the health care system, U.S. residents don’t get much bang for their buck, with life expectancy six years lower than in similar countries and subpar health outcomes for people of color.
Another systemic problem, specific to Rhode Island: The health insurance commissioner only had jurisdiction over about 15% of Rhode Islanders, thanks to what Neronha calls “the fractured nature of our regulatory scheme.” King’s office reviews rates for only certain kinds of insurance. Self-insured employers who offer insurance via the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) are exempt because federal law dictates those arrangements.
Still, Neronha added in a footnote that some health insurers have started to use this office’s tips on methodology, such as changing the data sources used for calculating manual rates, tweaking risk adjustment calculations or calculating small group rates based on comparable data from Massachusetts rather than Pennsylvania.
“Yet, even when robust actuarial methods are followed, rate increases continue,” Neronha wrote.
In response to Neronha’s latest critique, Blue Cross reiterated its previous statement: Rising prescription drug costs and higher utilization of medical services in the post-pandemic age ultimately led Blue Cross to an operating loss of $26 million in 2023, wrote spokesperson Jeremy Duncan in an email Thursday.
Spokespeople for both Neighborhood Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare had no comment on Neronha’s memo. The latter had the priciest request overall, with a proposed 22.7% hike on small group market rates.
Neronha’s office did not respond to multiple requests for copies of its actuaries’ reports and recommendations.
Any proposed rate increase over 10% requires review by the attorney general’s office, which is why Neronha targeted Blue Cross in his earlier comments and left alone Neighborhood, with its 5.6% increase. But the most expensive proposals — and the largest number of people whose premiums would be affected — are found in the proposed increases for small- and large-group plans offered by employers.
Al Charbonneau, executive director of Rhode Island Business Group on Health (RIBGH), wrote in an emailed statement that the group “agrees with the Attorney General that our healthcare system, both in Rhode Island and across the country, is indeed broken…and we support the Attorney General’s call for more substantial changes.”
The rate increases should be rejected, Charbonneau wrote, as they contribute to an “unsustainable” and expensive situation for Rhode Island consumers. A recent brief from the group found that nearly 28% of median household income can now be attributed to Rhode Island’s commercial family premiums.
“Our analysis shows that the delivery system is the major cause of increasing premiums, although all involved in the provision of services and insurance need to contribute more to affordability,” Charbonneau wrote. “RIBGH supports the idea of paying more to primary care physicians and nursing personnel but also calls for a thorough understanding of where the money was spent if it was not used to support nurses, for example.”
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