As Rhode Island families brace for another winter, the familiar dread of volatile heating oil prices looms large. In an economy teetering on uncertainty, where corporate profits soar while essentials like SNAP benefits are held hostage in political games, every dollar counts. For the thousands of Rhode Islanders who rely on oil to heat their homes, the opaque and unpredictable nature of the market has long been a source of frustration and financial strain. A new digital tool, however, aims to shift power back into the hands of consumers.

A free online marketplace called RI Oil Prices launched this week, offering a lifeline to homeowners and renters struggling with one of their largest household expenses. The platform, found at rioilprices.com, provides a simple, centralized hub to compare real-time heating oil prices from local dealers across the entire state. This transparency is a direct challenge to an industry where prices can vary wildly from one company to the next, often with little justification.

For years, the process of finding the best heating oil prices has been a tedious chore of making countless phone calls, comparing notes, and hoping for an honest quote. This lack of easy-to-access information benefits large, well-advertised firms that often charge a premium for name recognition. By using a tool like RI Oil Prices, consumers can discover smaller, local dealers whose prices can be as much as 70 cents lower per gallon – a staggering difference that can translate into hundreds of dollars in savings over a single winter season.

“We built RI Oil Prices to solve a simple problem: homeowners shouldn’t have to call a dozen different dealers or browse several websites just to find out who has the best price on oil or what areas they serve,” said the company’s founder and Cumberland resident, Greg Brailsford. “This free platform makes it easy to search by ZIP code and instantly see which local dealers serve your area, what they charge, and also what special services they offer.”

The website’s functionality is straightforward. Users enter their ZIP code to see a list of dealers, their current daily price per gallon, and the services they provide, such as automatic delivery, budget plans, or senior discounts. For those looking to time their purchases, the site also features price alerts and an interactive graph showing the 90-day trend of average oil prices in the state. This level of data empowers consumers to make informed, cost-effective decisions rather than purchasing blindly.

Crucially, this service is not just for homeowners. A significant portion of Rhode Island’s renters are responsible for paying their own heating bills. Many may not realize that if they pay for the oil, they have the right to choose their own provider, regardless of who their landlord might recommend or have a pre-existing relationship with. With rents continuing to climb, the ability for tenants to shop around for cheaper oil is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. This platform urges renters to exercise that right and take control of their energy costs as we head into the colder months.

In an era where every utility and basic necessity seems to be controlled by a handful of powerful corporations, a tool that promotes local competition and consumer empowerment is a welcome development. RI Oil Prices is completely free for consumers, creating a competitive marketplace where smaller dealers can vie for business on a level playing field and residents can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. It’s a small but significant victory for the average Rhode Islander against the crushing weight of rising costs.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women’s swimming and diving team hosted Rhode Island in dual meet action on November 5 in Providence, R.I. The Rams won the meet, 150-131. Highlighting the evening, the Friars 400-meter medley relay team, comprise of Bella Lombard, Lauren Wagner, Annie Gathof and Natalia Robak, set a school record with a time of 4:24.93. The previous record was set in 1993 with a time of 4:26.45 (M. Tamburo, R. Bopp, A. Dunleavey, J. Porter).
 
Elizabeth Burke, Bella Lombard and Lauren Wagner claimed two first-place finishes each in their respective events. Burke won the 200-meter (2:08.73) and 400-meter (4:39.15) SC freestyle races. Lombard took first in the 50-meter SC backstroke (30.76) and 100-meter SC backstroke (1:05.22). Wagner paced the field in the 50-meter SC breaststroke (35.05) and 100-meter SC breaststroke (1:14.89).
 
Rylie Foley also claimed a first-place finish for the Friars in the 50-meter SC freestyle (27.90).
 
TOP INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
200-Meter SC Freestyle: Elizabeth Burke – 1^st (2:08.73)
50-Meter SC Backstroke: Bella Lombard – 1^st (30.76) 
50-Meter SC Breaststroke: Lauren Wagner – 1^st (35.05)
50-Meter SC Freestyle: Rylie Foley – 1^st (27.90)
100-Meter SC Backstroke: Bella Lombard – 1^st (1:05.22)
100-Meter SC Breaststroke: Lauren Wagner – 1^st (1:14.89)
400-Meter SC Freestyle: Elizabeth Burke – 1^st (4:39.15)
 
The women return to action on November 20-23 at the Harold Anderson Invitational, hosted by the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. The men’s team will host Villanova in a dual meet on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Providence, R.I. before joining the women’s squad at the Harold Anderson Invitational.
 
– GO FRIARS! – 
 

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — A Cranston man claimed the $123,629 Wild Money jackpot prize after Saturday’s drawing.

He bought the winning tickets at A & T Casali Liquor on Cranston Street in Cranston.

Several other Rhode Islanders also won the lottery last week.

A Providence man won $50,000 after buying a 10X Cash Blitz Instant Ticket at Supreme Gas & Food Mart on River Ave in Providence on Halloween. He told the Rhode Island Lottery he plans to put his winnings toward a down payment on a house.

A Woonsocket man also won $50,000 after buying two $5 straight Daily Numbers tickets, each worth $25,000. The Rhode Island Lottery said he also plans to put his prize toward becoming a homeowner.

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