Rhode Island

Senate refuses yet again to allow a vote on banning of foie gras | Opinion

Published

8 months ago

May 3, 2025

Press Room

Senate refuses yet again to allow a vote on banning of foie gras | Opinion

Robert Procaccianti
| Guest columnist

The Rhode Island Senate has repeatedly refused to vote on a bill banning foie gras production and sale, despite public support and no in-state foie gras farms.
Critics argue that the Senate’s inaction is political gamesmanship, shielding the foie gras industry from public scrutiny.
Foie gras production involves force-feeding birds, leading to health problems and significantly higher death rates.

Time is running out for voters, ducks and geese. For the fourth year in a row, the Rhode Island Senate has refused to put SB403 ‒ a bill prohibiting the production and sale of foie gras ‒ up for a vote. Why? It’s certainly not because of public opposition. A 2022 Zogby poll found that 7 in 10 Rhode Islanders support the legislation. California banned the luxury product over 20 years ago, and retailers like Whole Foods discontinued foie gras sales in the 1990s. What’s stopping Rhode Island?

The ban would not impact local foie gras producers because there aren’t any. The Rhode Island Farm Bureau just acknowledged that no foie gras farms exist in the Ocean State. A Rhode Island chef said that this legislation would not negatively affect their business. And yet, Senate leadership continues to stall.

Some might argue that food lovers will protest the ban. If anything, failing to bring the bill up for a vote would be the real controversy. The vast majority of testimony was in favor of the bill, and Providence has already experienced protests in favor of banning foie gras.

So, what’s really happening here? Political gamesmanship. Senate leadership isn’t defending foie gras; they’re refusing to engage with the issue at all ‒ undermining democracy and shielding foie gras from public scrutiny. If senators believe foie gras should remain legal, they should have the courage to vote accordingly. If they don’t, they should stop standing in the way of the will of the people.

Let’s be clear about what foie gras is: French for fatty liver. This fatty liver is made by shoving a thick, foot-long pipe down birds’ throats and pumping grain into their fledgling stomachs. This torturous process causes a bird’s liver to engorge up to 10 times its average size.

That’s the process. Consider the lived experience: a duck is grabbed by the neck and a pipe is shoved violently down its throat. The bird, sick and bloated, has difficulty walking and even breathing as their oversized liver pushes against other internal organs. These ducks experience death rates 2000% greater than other farmed birds, a direct consequence of the extreme physical toll of force-feeding.

At Farm Sanctuary, we have seen the aftermath of this cruelty firsthand. Rescued ducks Monet and Matisse arrived at the sanctuary terrified of humans, their bodies injured and diseased with sores and broken feathers. They were lucky — they escaped. Most foie gras ducks do not.

If Senate leadership believes foie gras is worth defending, they should have the conviction to debate and vote on the bill in broad daylight. But they shouldn’t hide behind political maneuvering while workers, voters, and farm animals suffer the consequences.

There’s still time to act. Rhode Island residents: Contact Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone and Senate President Valarie Lawson. Tell them Rhode Island should finally take a stand against one of the most egregious forms of animal cruelty. Hopefully, this year, the Senate will finally do what’s right.

Robert Procaccianti is a lifelong Rhode Islander and vice chair of the Board of Directors of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal sanctuary and advocacy organization.

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Rhode Island

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

Published

8 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

20 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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