Tension is brewing at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, and it’s not because of the inmates at the ACI.
The union that represents the state’s correctional officers fired off a letter to Governor Dan McKee this week urging him to “appoint a permanent director of corrections and seek qualified candidates for the position from communities across the country.”
The interim director, Wayne T. Salisbury Jr., has been in place since Patricia Coyne-Fague stepped down in January 2023 for a job overseeing public works with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley.
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In the letter, union president Richard Ferruccio wrote that officers and inmates are less safe under Salisbury’s leadership, pointing to an increase in assaults on officers and fights among inmates, a spike in drug use by inmates, and uncontrolled technology use by inmates that he claims allows them to coordinate gang violence.”
The Brotherhood has raised these safety concerns repeatedly with the acting leadership and have been repeatedly met with silence,” Ferruccio wrote. He wrote that there’s currently a shortage of 93 correctional officers.McKee’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
The bigger picture: It’s unclear if McKee is seeking to remove the interim tag from Salisbury’s title, but that appointment would require Senate confirmation. The union is signaling that it will oppose such an appointment.
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 e-mail 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.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee announced today that the state has begun mailing letters to individuals affected by a cyberattack on the RIBridges database. The letters, sent on January 10, confirm that personal data belonging to recipients—or individuals in their care—was accessed by cybercriminals.
In an effort to protect those impacted, the state is offering five years of free credit monitoring through Experian. Each letter contains an activation code and instructions for enrolling in the service. Affected individuals must sign up online or via phone by April 30, 2025, to take advantage of the offer.
“We understand the concerns this breach has caused for our residents,” Governor McKee said in a statement. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as these letters are delivered.”
The letters, bearing the official State seal in the upper left corner, may take several days to arrive. Individuals with questions can contact the RIBridges Data Breach Hotline at 833-918-6603. The hotline operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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State officials emphasized that Deloitte, the company managing the RIBridges system, is still reviewing the breached files. Additional letters may be sent in the future if more affected individuals are identified.
Residents who have not received a letter and do not have an activation code cannot be enrolled in the free credit monitoring service at this time, officials clarified.
The breach, which exposed sensitive personal data, has sparked widespread concern. State leaders are urging residents to remain vigilant and take steps to monitor their credit and financial accounts.
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While Lauren and Ryan Tracy were visiting his parents in Newport, Rhode Island, over the winter holidays in 2023, the couple’s then-toddler daughter, Renny, needed a car nap. Driving around Jamestown on the adjacent Conanicut Island, the San Diego family toured a dilapidated 1950s cottage for sale. Though the small home had “zero curb appeal” and a distinct cat-like smell, it did have an ocean view from the backyard, says Lauren. The price was also attractive: $265,000, a far cry from the overinflated California market they were used to. Having renovated several homes before with their design-build company, Shelter Residential, it was easy for the Tracys to imagine it as their next project: a summer home for their growing family (which now includes new baby Lottie and miniature bull terrier, Hank), located just 15 minutes away from the grandparents.
Almost a year after its inaugural meeting, the Rhode Island Life Science Hub has nearly cemented its hire of a full-time president and CEO, receiving the rubber stamp of the Rhode Island Senate Committee on Finance in a hearing Thursday.
The committee’s unanimous vote advances the appointment of Dr. Mark Turco to the full R.I. Senate, which has scheduled the final confirmation vote for Jan. 21, Greg Paré, a Senate spokesperson said in an email.
Finding a full-time president to lead the nascent life science agency and complement the work of its 15-member, volunteer board of directors, has been a priority since the board’s first meeting in January 2024. But finding that person took longer than expected, with the board finalizing a three-year contract with Turco in December.
The extra time ended up benefiting the search, said Neil Steinberg, chairman of the agency’s board of directors.
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“One of the things we found is that, as we got delayed, the more qualified candidates we had because people knew what we’re about,” Steinberg said in remarks to lawmakers Thursday.
Turco’s confirmation by the Senate — required under the state budget article that created the agency — is the “seminal event” for the Life Science Hub, Steinberg said.
“We got a very smart person to head this and we’re excited about that,” Steinberg said. “He had the most breadth of experience to bring to the table. And, his wife was from Pawtucket.”
Turco, a Philadelphia native who relocated to Rhode Island 12 years ago, highlighted his 25 years of experience in the medical and research industry, starting as a cardiologist, with stints in academia, research and as CEO of two startup businesses. He was plucked from a pool of more than 300 candidates through a nationwide search, led by a professional consulting firm enlisted by the Hub board.
“We are here so we can impact lives,” Turco said. “We can improve health and well being in Rhode Island and beyond. We can also create jobs and grow our economy.”
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Establishing Rhode Island as a hub for medical and scientific research and entrepreneurship, similar to Cambridge and Worcester in Massachusetts, has been a top priority for lawmakers and industry leaders. While the Ocean State doesn’t have the name recognition in life sciences that its Commonwealth counterpart enjoys, Turco insisted the foundational pieces — a skilled workforce, academic and health care institutions, and a spirit of innovation — were already in place.
“Rather than the state being a series of silos, we hope to be the conveners,” Turco said. “Innovation is a team sport and that’s how we will succeed in our efforts.”
Lawmakers peppered Turco with questions during the 45-minute hearing, seeking clarity on his short and long-term goals for the agency, and spending plans. The state’s fiscal 2024 budget allotted $45 million to the agency, part of which will cover Turco’s $400,000 annual salary.
“We’re spending taxpayer dollars here,” Sen. Lou DiPalma, Senate Finance chairman and a Middletown Democrat said. “We will need to see ‘Here’s the why.’”
Turco also pledged to seek additional funding, including establishing a venture fund to accept private investments and an incorporated 501(c)(3). But he will also be making an ask of lawmakers in the state budget that starts July 1, though he did not say how much.
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Steinberg highlighted the accomplishments the agency has achieved so far. Chief among them: Inking agreements with project partners to open a first-of-its-kind state wet lab incubator space within the new state public health laboratory in the I-195 Redevelopment District. The $16 million, 30,000-square-foot incubator space is expected to open in December 2025.
If approved by the full Senate, Turco will serve a three-year term as Hub CEO, expiring Jan. 15, 2028.
