From a Rhode Island Senate press release:

President of the Senate Dominick Ruggerio, Majority Leader Valarie Lawson, and Majority Whip David Tikoian today joined many of their colleagues in calling on Governor Daniel McKee to declare a State of Emergency to assist in addressing the State’s homelessness crisis.

They have also asked Housing and Municipal Government Chair Jacob Bissaillon and Government Oversight Committee Chair Mark McKenney to schedule a joint hearing on Tuesday, January 21, to review the State’s plan to address homelessness.

“A State of Emergency will grant the Governor the tools he needs to take immediate action to secure shelter for individuals throughout Rhode Island and overcome any further bureaucratic delays in the opening of Echo Village,” said Senate leadership. “Declaring a State of Emergency would empower the Governor to work across and through State agencies to mobilize resources, streamline solutions, and provide immediate relief to the growing number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The declaration will also serve as an important tool in overcoming any last-minute bureaucratic barriers and challenges to opening Echo Village and bringing its additional pallet shelters online during the winter months.”

Senate leadership noted that a State of Emergency would enable temporary exemptions to the fire code, for example. It encouraged the Governor to post a 24-hour fire detail at Echo Village until the fire suppression system is operational. The Senate leadership is encouraging expediting necessary inspections and working with RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority) to provide fee-free transportation to shelters where beds are available.

Referring to a letter calling on the Governor to declare a public health emergency to address homelessness, which was signed by many members of the Chamber last week, Senate leadership said, “While we do not agree with all the language of the letter, we support our colleagues’ call for a State of Emergency. We look forward to working collaboratively with Governor McKee to support him in any way we can to get people off the streets and into shelters.”

Senator Bissaillon, whose District includes the Echo Village shelter, and Chairman McKenney joined the three Senate leaders calling on the Governor to declare a State of Emergency. They have scheduled a joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government and the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics, and Oversight for Tuesday, January 21, at 2 pm in Room 313. The agenda will focus on three topics:

• The Department of Housing’s preparedness and response to homelessness;

• the proposed reorganization of the Department of Housing; and,

• the status of Echo Village.

In addition to the senators who signed a letter last week calling on Governor McKee to declare a State of Emergency, other senators joining in the leadership’s call to action include:

• Senator Peter Appollonio Jr.

• Senator Samuel Bell

• Senator Jacob Bissaillon

• Senator Robert Britto

• Senator John Burke

• Senator Frank Ciccone, III

• Senator Andrew Dimitri

• Senator Louis DiPalma

• Senator Walter Felag, Jr.

• Senator Hanna Gallo

• Senator Victoria Gu

• Senator Matthew LaMountain

• Senator Mark McKenney

• Senator Melissa Murray

• Senator Todd Patalano

• Senator Leonidas Raptakis

• Senator Susan Sosnowski

• Senator Brian Thompson

• Senator Lori Urso

• Senator Lammis Vargas

• Senator Samuel Zurier

The holiday break is over and it’s time to recognize once again the incredible achievements of Rhode Island’s high school students.

Below you will find the nominations for The Providence Journal’s Student of the Week initiative and it’s time for you to pick the best of the best.  

Voting is open until noon on Thursday, Jan. 16.  

High schools across the state have been asked to submit nominations. A new round of nominees and voting will be available every Monday and close the following Thursday. 

Participating Rhode Island high school principals, teachers and guidance counselors nominated students they say have shown outstanding academic and school achievement and community service.  

We will announce a winner on providencejournal.com on Friday and in print in the Providence Sunday Journal.   

Take a look at this week’s nominees and cast your ballot below. 

Matalyn McLaughlin, Ponaganset High School

Ponaganset High School would like to nominate Matalyn McLaughlin as the Providence Journal Student of the Week. Matalyn is the ultimate verbal communicator. As a peer mentor assigned to a freshman home base, Matalyn enters the room with a huge smile and has control of the space. She immediately has the students’ attention and carries out the mentoring task with the control of a well-seasoned teacher. This student is a poster child of the PHS Vision of a Graduate as she displays all four of the learner qualities. Overall, she is an asset to the school and exemplifies the type of person we strive to educate at Ponaganset High School.

Marcos Ramirez, Toll Gate High School

Marcos Ramirez of Toll Gate High School won the 120lb bracket (35 wrestlers) at the Marshfield Holiday last week and now is currently ranked 20th in New England.

Kate Maness, South Kingstown High School

Kate Maness is an outstanding student and a leader and advocate for others in the South Kingstown High School community.  She is an All-State field hockey player.  She served as a team captain this year and is using her senior project to run a field hockey tournament to support the sport and donate money back to the SKHS program.  Kate is a co-coordinator of the SKHS Freshmen Mentors, supporting ninth graders weekly in advisory and organizing student support for open house, showcase, and orientation events.  As president of SKHS’s SafeBae chapter, Kate is an advocate against the normalization of sexual assault and promotes support for victims.  Kate is also president of the SKHS Civics Club and a member of the RI Secretary of State’s Civic Liaison Program, meeting monthly with state staff and other RI students monthly, and working to increase youth civic engagement locally.

Landon Resendes, Middletown High School

Landon Resendes is a senior who was selected as one of two Rhode Island students to attend the US Youth Senate Program. In addition, he is our student government president and student liaison to the school committee and is retiring this month.

Landon is a natural-born leader, and a member of our winning Mock trial team, as well as our The Wave newspaper.