Rhode Island

RI judge gives Trump administration reprieve from having to unfreeze FEMA funds. What to know.

Published

9 months ago

April 7, 2025

Press Room

RI judge gives Trump administration reprieve from having to unfreeze FEMA funds. What to know.

A federal judge has temporarily paused his order requiring FEMA to release funds to states that were frozen by the Trump administration.
The judge’s decision to stay his order came after the Supreme Court ruled in a separate case that the government could suspend payments for a teacher placement program.
Several states, including Rhode Island, argued that their case is different because it involves broader freezes on obligated funds, not just grants from a single program.

PROVIDENCE – The Trump administration has won reprieve for now from an order by a federal court in Rhode Island directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to start releasing Congressionally authorized funds to states.

Chief U.S. District Court John J. McConnell Jr. on Friday ordered FEMA to resume the flow of money to a group of Democratic states, including Rhode Island, that have challenged President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze.

But later that day, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order in a separate case related to the funding freeze that administration lawyers said in a court filing “plainly vindicates the government’s position” in the case being argued in U.S. District Court in Providence.

On Monday, McConnell agreed to temporarily stay his order on the FEMA funds while he considers the government’s request to reconsider the ruling.

Supreme Court order leads to change in this case

The case was filed by 23 states and the District of Columbia after the president signed a series of executive orders freezing funds to programs that didn’t align with the new administration’s policy positions on issues such as climate change and diversity.

McConnell has issued several decisions ordering the government to start making payments on obligated funds and a federal appeals court has also corroborated his rulings.

The government, in an emergency motion filed on Saturday, argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in a case involving an Education Department grant program required McConnell to reconsider his order.

In its 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the government was allowed to suspend payments for the program that places teachers in poor and rural areas, saying it’s unlikely the administration would be able to recover the money once it had been paid out and that the plaintiffs would be able to seek any funds that were wrongfully withheld.

The government said the same facts held in the case filed in Rhode Island.

“This Court should therefore proceed cautiously before ordering the government to take actions that can never be reversed,” the government wrote in its motion.

The states suing the government in the case, however, say their grievances are different from the Department of Education suit. While the education case is centered on grants from an individual program that were canceled, the Rhode Island case involves “broad, categorical freezes of obligated funds,” the states argued in their response in opposition to the government’s motion.

Trump order is holding up FEMA disaster aid

McConnell ordered the government to resume FEMA payments at the request of the states. They said they haven’t received any payments from the agency since February.

Hawaii has been unable to access $5.7 million in relief funds for the 2023 Maui wildfires, Oregon says it is waiting on $129.4 million that it’s still owed, Colorado says it’s waiting on approval for $33 million in reimbursements, and Rhode Island says payments from the10 FEMA grants it’s been awarded have been unavailable for more than 30 days, according to court filings.

In total, 19 of the plaintiff states say they are still awaiting payments on at least 215 FEMA grants.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Numbers Midday, Numbers Evening winning numbers for Dec. 18, 2025

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 18, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

Midday: 1-4-0-0

Evening: 5-5-4-5

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

09-28-30-31-36, Extra: 21

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.

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Rhode Island

‘Just knock it off’: Neronha, Whitehouse urge RI to ignore Brown shooting conspiracy theories | ABC6

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

‘Just knock it off’: Neronha, Whitehouse urge RI to ignore Brown shooting conspiracy theories | ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Law enforcement are urging Providence and Rhode Island residents to only trust information from official sources in the Brown University shooting.

This follows the doxxing of a student related to online speculation about the shooting suspect’s identity.

According to Brown University, a student’s personal information was shared online, and now Attorney General Peter Neronha is attempting to stem the flow of internet rumors.

Rumors gained more traction after information about the doxxed student was seemingly removed from Brown’s website.

Neronha said that any online rumors about political, religious or racial motivations behind the shooting are unfounded.

Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse didn’t mince words when he weighed in on the online discourse in the case.

“So whether it’s to protect the law enforcement investigation from a lot of unnecessary and ill-informed noise cluttering up the ability of the many agencies working on this to do their jobs, or whether it’s out simple courtesy and sympathy to the families who are going through this awful moment, just please shut up with the speculation,” said Whitehouse.

“All the conspiracy theories, all the creepy weird plot ideas, please, just knock it off.”

School officials said it is not unusual to take steps to protect a person’s safety in the event of online targeting.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 17, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 17, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

25-33-53-62-66, Powerball: 17, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

11-13-20-40-41, Lucky Ball: 07

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

Midday: 3-3-9-5

Evening: 4-3-2-9

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

04-11-18-24-37, Extra: 30

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.

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