Rhode Island
Rhode Island needs a high school sports ‘death penalty’ – The Boston Globe
Shut the program down.
Not for a game or two. For a year. Maybe more.
In college sports, they used to call it a “death penalty,” but you can call it anything you want. A sports death penalty, an administrative guillotine, a full-season wipeout.
Real repercussions.
There should be no benefit of the doubt given when a teenager uses a belt to heinously whip a kid with special needs while his fellow bullies stand by and watch.
There should be no comeback when a group of football players lock a Jewish freshman in the bathroom and spray Lysol through a grate in the door, possibly to mimic a gas chamber.
The former happened in Newport, R.I., the latter in Smithfield, R.I. But these incidents could have occurred in Everytown, USA.
Schools should be imposing consequences that are swift, consistent, and unmistakably serious — something we’re glaringly bad at in America. And if the schools won’t do it, state leaders should.
The Rhode Island Department of Education and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League should work with state lawmakers to adopt a true zero-tolerance policy that results in a team’s season automatically being canceled if student athletes are caught behaving like the football players in Rogers High School in Newport, or the ones at Smithfield High School.
The policy should be designed to scare the daylights out of students. And every single one of them should have to acknowledge, even sign, the policy before they’re allowed to play. If you act like a jerk – or worse, a criminal – you and your whole team will be penalized, and everyone at the school will know it’s your fault.
At the college level, the NCAA imposed a sports death penalty on the football team at Southern Methodist University in 1987 for repeatedly paying players under the table over several years. The team’s entire season was canceled, and the president of the university was so angry that he also canceled the 1988 season, too.
In Rhode Island, the players’ actions in both cases were far more heinous. The incidents were separate and different, but the penalties deserve to be the same. Because cruelty shouldn’t be graded on a curve.
In Newport, where the student with special needs was whipped, no one is accused of hazing. It was assault. Police say they believe the student was assaulted on at least two separate occasions, and a nauseating video depicting one of these incidents spread like wildfire on social media. Four teenagers are now facing charges in connection with the incident on the video.
To her credit, Superintendent Colleen Jermain acted swiftly, and canceled the remainder of the football team’s season – including a junior varsity game that was set for Thanksgiving. The Newport School Committee is holding a special meeting Wednesday night to discuss the incident and the actions taken.
Leaders in Smithfield were far less courageous – and less transparent.
Though their actions were not considered assault, several players on Smithfield High School’s football team were initially barred from participating in the rest of the season after an investigation into reported hazing and antisemitic behavior, but they were reinstated after just one week.
Now some of their parents have filed a complaint with the state Education Department, denying the students did anything antisemitic and claiming their privacy rights were violated.
The message: We swear, our kids don’t hate Jews. They just like picking on freshmen!
This is precisely why the state needs to intervene. Punishment needs to be doled out fairly and consistently across all districts, and it certainly shouldn’t be left in the hands of principals and coaches.
There’s just too much of a possibility of the old, “but we might be able to beat Bishop Hendricken this year” mentality, where good players who do bad things get a pass so that the team can notch a win.
A statewide standard removes the temptation to look the other way.
Hazing doesn’t just involve football players. There has been an alarming number of hazing incidents in Rhode Island in the last couple of years.
According to the Education Department, 13 students were suspended from school in the 2023-24 school year for incidents classified as hazing, and that number grew to 19 last school year.
The point: These aren’t once-in-a-blue-moon incidents. They’re trends, and trends demand policy, not PR statements.
Even with the harshest possible punishment policy, there will always be teenagers who make irrational, bad decisions. As WPRO radio’s Matt Allen suggested this week, the idea of punishing an entire team over the actions of a few morons might not sit well with everyone. Where’s the individual responsibility, he wondered.
But the current patchwork approach results in secrecy and inconsistency, without the deterrence. This is a moment in our state that demands a reaction.
And nothing changes locker room behavior faster than the threat of no locker room at all.
Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.
Rhode Island
One Big Question After RHORI Renewal
Bravo cameras will be rolling in Rhode Island once again this summer.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island has officially been renewed for season two—and honestly, it’s no surprise. The newest addition to the Housewives franchise quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to strong ratings and early award buzz.
READ MORE: RHORI Earned Two Critics’ Choice Award Nominations
Still, not everyone may be celebrating this news.
It didn’t take long for viewers to get hooked on the Ocean State edition, especially with the intense drama that unfolded just a few episodes in.
The Infidelity Allegations That Drove the Season
At the center of it all? The allegations of infidelity involving Rulla Nehme Pontarelli’s husband, Brian—a storyline that quickly became the season’s biggest talking point.
The situation even left Rulla questioning her future on the show, saying she would have to “think very long and hard about” returning for another season.
Will Rulla Return for Season 2?
Now that season two is officially happening, the big question is: will Rulla be back?
Fans certainly hope so. Rulla has been one of the most talked-about cast members on social media, and her storyline has driven much of the conversation around the show.
READ MORE: Fans React to First Look at Real Housewives of Rhode Island Cast
As of now, Rulla is expected to return alongside Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.
Bravo via Facebook
When and Where Filming Will Begin
If production follows last year’s schedule, filming will likely kick off in mid-June and run through mid-September—once again showcasing Rhode Island at its summer best.
For now, fans seem thrilled. The announcement sparked more than 100 excited comments on Facebook, with viewers eager for more drama, more glamour, and more Ocean State moments.
So don’t be surprised if you spot Bravo cameras popping up around Rhode Island again very soon.
40 Photos Of Real Housewives Of Dallas Stars Home For Sale
Built & owned by actress, celebrity chef & Real Housewife, D’Andra Simmons-this stylish & stunning award winning two story,5 bedroom modern is on a corner lot in prestigious Highland Park and its on sale for $5.2 Million.
Gallery Credit: Christine McKenny, Agent/ Allie Beth Allman & Associates
A Real Housewives Star Just Made $7.7M On Her Ridiculous Colorado Home
Kyle Richards, from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, just sold this ridiculously gorgeous home in Aspen, Colorado, for $7.7 Million. You’ve gotta see these pix…
Gallery Credit: Aspen MLS
The Gorga’s of The Real Housewives of New Jersey Put Their Jersey House Up For Sale
It has 7 bedrooms 5 bathrooms and a pool but really it will be better if we show you this celebrity home that is up for sale in the Jersey Shore.
Gallery Credit: EeE
Rhode Island
Lieutenant governor candidate wants the office to be RI’s inspector general
A new era for State Troopers in southern RI
Closing the State Police barracks facilities in Wyoming and Wickford marks the end of an era in community policing
Republican candidate for lieutenant governor John Loughlin wants the office to become the Rhode Island inspector general his party has been seeking in vain for years.
Loughlin, a former state representative, said on May 11 that, if elected, he would staff the underutilized office with people who would help him expose “fraud, waste, abuse, and government corruption.”
“Rhode Islanders are sick and tired of watching their tax dollars disappear into a black hole of inefficiency, cronyism, and outright corruption while the General Assembly talks a big game but delivers nothing − year after year after year,” Loughlin said in a news release. “For more than two decades, the legislature has failed to create a true Inspector General with real investigative power. Enough is enough. If they won’t do it, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will − starting on day one.”
Why turn the lieutenant governor into an inspector general?
The Rhode Island Constitution gives the lieutenant governor little to no authority beyond being available in case the governor is unable to finish their term. That’s prompted some to call it a “do nothing” office and others to propose abolishing it.
“Frankly, the current workload of the office leaves ample time and resources to do far more for taxpayers than ceremonial appearances and ribbon-cuttings,” Loughlin said in his news release. “Rhode Islanders deserve a Lieutenant Governor’s Office that works every day to protect their money and hold government accountable.”
The lieutenant governor’s office has a budget of $1.4 million, which Loughlin said is enough to staff and run an effective investigative team made up of “certified auditors, investigators, and compliance professionals” to review state agency spending and contracts.
He acknowledged that the lieutenant governor does not have subpoena power, but believes that investigations can be completed utilizing public records requests and gathering publicly-available data.
Loughlin, who ended his talk radio show earlier this year when he announced his campaign for governor, said he would communicate his findings through “RI Report” publications, news briefings and podcasts.
He said he would also make the office’s resources available to city and town leaders.
Republicans have been fighting for an inspector general
Rhode Island Republicans have for years promised to lower state spending by rooting out government waste, fraud and abuse. The last GOP Rhode Island governor, Donald Carcieri, launched a “Fiscal Fitness” program that aimed to save money and find efficiencies.
Democrats criticized Carcieri’s tenure for featuring exorbitant privatization and outsourcing.
Since Carcieri, the idea of creating an independent inspector general similar to those in other states has become a holy grail for Rhode Island Republicans, but the Democratic General Assembly has had little interest in it.
“If our office saves just 1% from Rhode Island’s bloated state budget, the savings would return more than ten times the entire cost of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to taxpayers – and that’s only the beginning,” Loughlin said in the news release.
Rhode Island
RI Lottery Numbers Midday, Numbers Evening winning numbers for May 10, 2026
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Numbers numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 9-9-9-0
Evening: 5-5-0-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from May 10 drawing
01-13-14-16-32, Extra: 02
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
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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