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Speaker Shekarchi met with influential people in R.I. politics while on a Florida vacation. Will he run for governor? – The Boston Globe

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Speaker Shekarchi met with influential people in R.I. politics while on a Florida vacation. Will he run for governor? – The Boston Globe


Sabitoni is the vice chair of the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees.

Shekarchi downplayed the idea that the two were meeting about next year’s governor’s race, which the speaker and his $3.1 million (and growing) campaign account can’t seem to avoid being asked about despite his own denials that he is planning a run.

Shekarchi also said he met with lobbyist Lenny Lopes, who earns $5,000 a month to lobby for Meta (Facebook), while in Florida. As you might imagine, Meta opposes Governor Dan McKee’s budget proposal to impose a 10 percent tax on digital advertising.

The bigger picture: If you believe Rhode Island politics weren’t discussed when Shekarchi and Sabitoni met in Florida, I’ve got a bridge in East Providence to sell you.

Sabitoni is precisely the kind of person a Democratic candidate for governor would want in his or her corner, but there’s one hiccup at the moment: Sabitoni has been among McKee’s top supporters since he took office in 2021.

Shekarchi has maintained that he won’t run against McKee, but he hasn’t ruled out entering the race if McKee were to take a look at his middling approval ratings and take a pass on running for reelection next year. McKee has repeatedly said he does plan to run again.

Meanwhile, Democrat Helena Foulkes, who finished second against McKee in the 2022 Democratic primary, has all but formally declared that she is running again next year.

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What’s next: All Rhode Island politicians have to report their campaign fund-raising totals on Friday night, and you can expect Shekarchi, McKee, and Foulkes to continue growing their sizable war chests.

In many ways, time is on Shekarchi’s side. While he doesn’t quite have the name recognition as McKee or the personal wealth of Foulkes, he has more power as the speaker than either of them. It has been notable that he has expressed more frustration with McKee’s Department of Housing in recent weeks.


I was up bright and early to discuss today’s edition of Rhode Map on “12 News This Morning.”

 

This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.

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Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.





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Rhode Island GOP chairman Joe Powers to step down Jan. 15

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Rhode Island GOP chairman Joe Powers to step down Jan. 15


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Rhode Island Republican Party chairman Joe Powers will resign effective Jan. 15, the party announced on Saturday, Jan. 3.

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“Chairman Powers is stepping down due to the increased demands of his professional workload and an extensive travel schedule that no longer allow him to give the Chairmanship the full attention the position requires,” the party said in a news release. “The role of Chairman demands constant focus, and daily engagement especially moving into an election year, neither of which Chairman Powers can provide at this time.”

Powers a, real estate agent and unsuccessful 2022 candidate for a Cranston Senate seat, was elected to lead the state’s Republican Party in March 2023. He was reelected to a second two-year term in March.

During his tenure, Powers “oversaw meaningful organizational progress, including the successful update of the Party’s ByLaws and the full staffing of Party committees for the first time in over 20 years, establishing a strong and durable foundation heading into the next election cycle,” the GOP news release said.

Powers will remain on the GOP’s state Central Committee as chairman emeritus and will “continue to support Rhode Island Republicans in a smaller capacity,” the release said, thanking him “for his leadership and service.”



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RI Lottery Lucky For Life, Numbers Midday winning numbers for Dec. 28, 2025

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 28, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

12-17-25-34-42, Lucky Ball: 09

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

Midday: 5-2-7-6

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Evening: 9-5-9-8

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

01-13-20-24-34, Extra: 16

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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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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Will RI’s housing stock improve by 2050? Claudia Wack is optimistic.

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Will RI’s housing stock improve by 2050? Claudia Wack is optimistic.


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Predicting the future isn’t easy. Back in 2000, who would have thought that by 2025 the Pawtucket Red Sox would no longer exist, or Rhode Island’s first female governor would be telling people to “knock it off” as a pandemic shut down the state?

Now, as we embark on the second quarter of the 21st century, what could Rhode Island look like in 2050? The staff at The Providence Journal asked leaders in their field for their thoughts on what Rhode Island will look like in 2050. Here’s what they had to say.

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Name: Claudia Wack

Hometown: Providence

Title: President, Neighbors Welcome! RI, a housing advocacy group

What will Rhode Island look like in 2050?

“My optimistic vision is I think Rhode Island will actually do a good job, eventually over the next 25 years, of getting back to our roots and really allowing more housing and more vibrant walkable neighborhoods in village centers and city centers,” she said.

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“I think we will actually infill some of the city and village centers that maybe people don’t realize the extent to which some of these areas have actually been depopulated compared to what they used to be. You know, the city of Providence has a smaller population now than it did historically.”

“There’s neighborhoods that, when you think about zoning, you couldn’t replicate today under modern zoning,” she continued. “And so to some extent, I think the 2050 vision that is possible is actually a return to our roots in some ways of allowing that infill in central areas.”

On a slightly more “pessimistic note,” Wack said that she anticipates the state having to grapple with a “managed retreat” in coastal areas that will be affected by sea level rise, erosion and increased hurricane risks.

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“I think we will see less housing being built in certain coastal areas, if only because it’s going to be harder and harder to insure housing in those areas,” she said. “I think in certain communities we will see shifts in where housing is being built and seeing housing production sort of migrate away from at-risk areas and toward areas where it’s going to be more sustainable.”



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