Rhode Island

Taylor Swift is renovating her mansion in Westerly, R.I. These are the planned upgrades. – The Boston Globe

Published

2 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Taylor Swift is renovating her mansion in Westerly, R.I. These are the planned upgrades. – The Boston Globe

In all, the work is expected to cost $1.7 million, the records show.

A video posted on TikTok earlier this week showed workers at the home loading wood into an area of the home that was already under construction.

A few commenters offered guesses about what Swift may be doing with the extra space.

“She’s installing the Eras Tour stage, per my request,” quipped one.

Wrote another: “She’s finally getting my guest room ready!”

Property records show the 12,657-square-foot, 1904 mansion, which has sweeping views of the Block Island Sound and a private pool, already boasts seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

Swift snagged the mansion in 2013 for approximately $17.75 million – reportedly paying for the property in cash. Records show the home now has an assessed value of about $20.67 million.

Over the years, Swift has hosted numerous summer parties and getaways for her circle of celebrity friends at the home. She welcomed Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, to name a few, this past summer.

Taylor Swift performs during “The Eras Tour” on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press

Swift has also given Holiday House her signature songwriting treatment.

For 2020’s “Folklore,” she penned, “The Last Great American Dynasty,” which details the home’s storied past with previous owner Rebekah Harkness, a mid-century heiress who married William Hale Harkness, a Standard Oil heir.

Not unlike Swift, Harkness was known for throwing lavish parties, sometimes drawing the ire of locals. It’s a comparison Swift – who faced some criticism herself, such as when she posted “No Tressing” signs around her property and some beach barricades after moving in – invites in the song.

“Fifty years is a long time/ Holiday House sat quietly on that beach/ Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits/ And then it was bought by me,” she sings. “Who knows, if I never showed up, what could’ve been/ There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen/ I had a marvelous time ruining everything.”

Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 14, 2025

Published

11 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 14, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

04-14-35-49-62, Mega Ball: 06, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

03-06-17-26-39, Lucky Ball: 04

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

Midday: 0-8-1-0

Evening: 1-9-8-6

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

12-17-28-30-36, Extra: 06

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

Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Mansion Is Getting a Billionaire-Worthy Upgrade

Published

19 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Mansion Is Getting a Billionaire-Worthy Upgrade

Billionaire status calls for a bigger home and Taylor Swift isn’t wasting any time. The singer’s oceanfront estate in Westerly’s Watch Hill neighborhood—affectionately dubbed Holiday House—is about to become even more impressive with a $1.7 million expansion project. The historic property, once home to the eccentric socialite Rebekah Harkness (whose antics inspired Swift’s song The Last Great American Dynasty) maintains its status as Watch Hill’s most talked-about residence.

WENN//Alamy

An exterior view of Taylor Swift’s 11,000-square-foot Rhode Island home.

The palatial property, which Swift acquired in 2013 for $17.75 million (in cash, reportedly), is already stunning. Perched dramatically on a cliff with 700 feet of private beachfront, the 11,000-square-foot manor currently holds eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and enough fire places (eight, to be exact) to keep every corner cozy during those New England winters.

The property has become legendary for hosting Swift’s star-studded soirées, including her famous “Taymerica” Fourth of July celebrations. Most recently, the mansion and stunning pool area hosted a gathering including Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, NFL star Patrick Mahomes, and A-List friends like Gigi Hadid and Blake Lively.

WENN//Alamy

The storied mansion is perched on a cliff.

But what’s a coastal kingdom without a proper expansion? According to recently issued building permits—first reported by The Providence Journal—Swift is adding a generously proportioned 16-by-24-foot bedroom suite and additional bathrooms to her already expansive floor plan. The existing kitchen—presumably where she whips up those famous Fourth of July party treats—is also getting a complete makeover. The labor and materials for this latest enhancement are expected to cost $1.7 million, according to the permits.

Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted construction underway, with cranes and wood framing visible at the estate. While Harkness may have filled her swimming pool with Dom Pérignon, Swift’s enhancements are more practical—though equally luxurious.

Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE DECOR, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Her eye for emerging styles helps bring the latest in interior design to ELLE Decor’s audience across platforms. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, design, and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.

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Rhode Island

R.I. Governor McKee’s reelection campaign begins with tonight’s State of the State address – The Boston Globe

Published

1 day ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

R.I. Governor McKee’s reelection campaign begins with tonight’s State of the State address – The Boston Globe

In most years, the governor’s State of the State address is only a high-stakes affair for speechwriters and staffers who wish they were characters on “The West Wing.”

But Governor Dan McKee’s big speech tonight is effectively the beginning of his reelection campaign, which means he’ll need to prove that he can course correct on a difficult 2024 and offer a vision that begins to make the case to voters that he should remain in office through 2030.

McKee’s checklist has to include:

⚓ Acknowledging that the Washington Bridge debacle and the cyberattack on RIBridges are not only failures in basic government functions, but are issues he is actively working to fix.

⚓ Finding a way to navigate a sizable – but not catastrophic – projected budget shortfall that has leaders like House Speaker Joe Shekarchi warning that new programs are all but out of the question. McKee has signaled that he’ll propose banning assault-style firearms in his next budget, which wouldn’t cost the state anything and is seen as a winning campaign issue for Democrats.

⚓ Convincing the chattering class that his name will be on the ballot next year, and that he’s not just telling everyone he’s running to avoid lame duck status. All signs point to him running again, but it’s no secret that Shekarchi is keeping an eye on the office, and Helena Foulkes is already running.

One speech isn’t going to change the entire trajectory of Coach McKee’s administration, but if he’s been stuck in a defensive posture for most of the last four years, he can begin to show that he has an offensive game plan, too.

One piece of good news: In a sign that McKee’s luck is turning around, outgoing US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced just this morning that the URI Research Foundation and Polaris MEP will receive $3.9 million for workforce development in the ocean technology sector.

One piece of bad news: Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and his leadership team are now calling on McKee to declare a state of emergency to address homelessness, joining a list of lawmakers, advocates, and his rival Foulkes. McKee maintains a declaration won’t help, but he’d be putting his entire agenda at risk by having a public fight with Ruggerio.Tonight’s speech begins at 7 p.m., and you can stream it here, or on every local TV station.

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.

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

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