Rhode Island
Saturday’s loss to Delaware hurts Rhode Island football’s ranking; where the Rams sit now
The URI football has a winning season and new life in the program
The URI Rams have a new life as winning season and funding drives pile up.
Journal Staff
The end of a football winning streak for the University of Rhode Island led to a drop in the FCS polls.
The Rams suffered a defeat at Delaware on Saturday and slipped four spots to No. 15. The release on Monday morning still left URI among the four Coastal Athletic Association teams inside the national elite.
The Blue Hens built a lead thanks to 17 unanswered points and held on for a 24-21 victory, finally slowing the Rams after seven straight victories. That was their longest stretch of success since 1985, which was also the last time URI reached the FCS playoffs. The Rams still have real hopes of ending that drought entering their last two games, including Saturday’s home matchup with Albany.
“We wanted that game and we thought we had opportunities to win it,” URI coach Jim Fleming said during a Monday conference call. “We just weren’t able to get it done. We took it pretty hard.”
Delaware enjoyed a 203-89 advantage in rushing yards and took the lead for good on a Nate Reed field goal with 0:23 left in the first half. Jake Thaw’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Nick Minicucci late in the third quarter made it a 24-14 game, and URI couldn’t make up the difference. Hunter Helms threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Greg Gaines with 6:23 left, but the Rams came no closer.
“They know we’ve got to bounce back and go to work,” Fleming said. “When you really look at it, all of our games have been tight. They could have gone one way or the other based on a couple of plays.”
The Rams played the majority of their matchup against the Blue Hens without quarterback Devin Farrell, who finished just 2-for-4 passing and left in the first quarter. Fleming declined to specify Farrell’s injury but said he would be day to day leading into the 1 p.m. kickoff against the Great Danes at Meade Stadium. Helms came off the bench to go 15-for-23 and toss a pair of touchdown passes.
“He got a little banged up,” Fleming said. “We went through some medical stuff on Saturday and thought it was best just to keep him out.
“He’s day to day. We think he’s probable for the weekend.”
URI (8-2, 5-1 CAA) will honor its 22 pending graduates prior to the game against Albany (3-7, 1-5). Fleming made an appeal for a fifth sellout in six home dates this season, with the Rams playing in front of a full house in each of their last three. URI hasn’t won as many as nine games in a season in 39 years and has never won more than five CAA games since joining the league in the 2000s.
“It means an awful lot,” Fleming said. “It’s something we’ve been chasing since I walked on campus here 11 years ago.”
No. 9 Villanova, No. 11 Richmond and No. 16 Stony Brook were also included in this week’s rankings. The Spiders lead the CAA race at 6-0, one game ahead of the Rams, Wildcats and Seawolves. Delaware is also 5-1 against CAA opponents but is ineligible for a playoff berth or league title due to its ongoing transition up to the FBS ranks.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On X: @BillKoch25
Rhode Island
Thousands drop public health insurance coverage in RI after premiums spike
Health care premiums set to rise as ACA subsidy deal collapses
Obamacare subsidies are set to expire after Congress failed to reach a deal, leaving millions facing higher health care costs.
Thousands of Rhode Islanders dropped health insurance coverage through Rhode Island’s public insurance marketplace instead of maintaining plans with rising premiums and lower subsidies, HealthSource RI said.
Enrollment through HealthSource, Rhode Island’s “Obamacare” exchange, plunged 20% between the end of last year and the close of the annual enrollment period a month later, as federal funding for premium tax credits expired, according to a HealthSource new release.
There were 48,060 individual and family enrollments on Dec. 31 of last year, the day the premium subsidies from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act ended.
On Feb. 1, there were 38,557 enrollments.
Before this drop, HealthSource has posted enrollment increases almost every year since Affordable Care Act exchanges launched in 2013.
How did we get here?
Last year, the Republican-controlled federal government declined to extend premium tax credits after a protracted budget battle with congressional Democrats, who are now negotiating to restore the health insurance subsidies.
The lapse in subsidies coincided with an increase in premiums, driven by a combination of factors, which sent the total cost of coverage climbing.
The average premium across HealthSource enrollees more than doubled (101%,) the exchange said, or $111 per person, per month.
Many enrollees opted for cheaper insurance plans despite their higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.
Others dropped coverage altogether.
“The increase in premiums, combined with the decrease in federal supports, makes this an incredibly challenging year for folks depending on HealthSource RI for health coverage,” HealthSource Director Lindsay Lang said in the release. “Having health coverage helps protect against one bad turn of luck becoming years of financial burden. We will work with every customer to find options that are best for their needs and budget, and continue to work with state leaders and our federal delegation to find long-term solutions.”
Could help be on the way?
Gov. Dan McKee included $9.5 million in his proposed state budget for the year starting July 1 to subsidize coverage for some of the lowest-income exchange enrollees.
The enrollment declines show that may be too little for some Rhode Islanders, and too late for others.
“It is disheartening but not surprising that, as President Trump’s policies have caused health insurance costs to skyrocket, more Rhode Islanders are struggling to pay for health coverage,” McKee said.
Since the exchange opened in 2013, Rhode Island’s uninsured rate has declined by two thirds, down to 2.2%, HealthSource said.
Rhode Island
RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for March 9, 2026
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 9, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 9 drawing
22-23-28-36-54, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from March 9 drawing
Midday: 5-7-4-4
Evening: 2-1-3-2
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from March 9 drawing
02-14-16-34-35, Extra: 10
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 9 drawing
06-16-26-41-43, Bonus: 03
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.
Rhode Island
Spring And Summer Concert Guide: 10 Can’t-Miss Shows In Rhode Island
Whether with a stop on a national or international tour or a regional favorite, the spring and summer concert calendar is filling up in Rhode Island.
The Ravers, Newport’s reggae band, comes to Rhode Island in April. There are plenty of concerts in the area that will have you dancing all spring and summer long, including some regional favorites.
We’ve rounded up 10 concerts in Rhode Island that are worth getting on the calendar. And speaking of calendars: Are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!
Here’s what you need to know about upcoming concerts:
- Candlelight: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles, March 20, Bishop McVinney Auditorium, Providence
- Soulful Sounds in Pawtucket, April 3, Hope Events on Main, Pawtucket
- Ravers Night! April 11, Newport Vineyards & Winery, Middletown
- Corvettes — Doo Wop Revue, April 19, Courthouse Center for the Arts, Kingstown
- “Dancing at the Forty Steps” – Newport Irish Heritage Month flagship event, March 29, the Forty Steps on Cliff Walk, Newport
- Newport Classical: Yevgeny Kutik & Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, April 10, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
- Newport Classical: Zijian Wei performs Ravel and Liszt, May 8, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
- Newport Classical Finale: Amir Hoshang Farsi and Chelsea Wang, June 5, Newport Classical Recital Hall, Newport
- An Evening With John Legend, April 26, Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence
- Ani DiFranco with Special Guest Valerie June, May 8, Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence
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