Rhode Island
Town to benefit from $25M fiber outlay – Jamestown Press
An estimated 1,900 locations in Jamestown will receive improved broadband service through a $25 million investment by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation.
Jamestown will benefit from the initial request for proposals with Newport (2,900 locations) and Westerly (1,900). It is part of the commerce department’s ConnectRI program to bring high-speed internet to underserved areas throughout Rhode Island. Two additional requests will be released in 2024 to connect more communities.
“Broadband is no longer a luxury,” Gov. Dan McKee said. “It is a 21st century necessity that will keep Rhode Island competitive.”
The commerce department’s board of directors approved the spending June 10 to improve speed and resilience while providing affordable broadband to homes and businesses. The exact allocation of the $25 million will be based on proposals that are submitted through a competitive bid process.
Future improvements across the state will be made using $108.7 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The money is administered at the state level through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which was championed by Jamestown resident Deb Ruggiero when she was a state legislator.
“I’ve been calling on broadband policy for our state for two years to bring Rhode Island into the next generation of digital access and equity,” Ruggiero said in 2022. “Like every state, Rhode Island is set to receive a huge federal investment to address our broadband needs, but we need to qualify for it. Our state must develop a plan for fiber broadband deployment to homes and businesses and a plan to fix digital inequities in underserved and unserved neighborhoods.”
The investments are the culmination of two years of strategic and participatory planning that resulted in a five-year action plan with a broadband map. Jamestown,
Newport and Westerly were selected based on a formula that weighed the total number of locations served against the amount of money available. They looked at cities and towns with higher percentages of households without reliable internet.
The plan will require buildouts of end-to-end fiber networks that can deliver 100-megabit speeds for both uploading and downloading. Affordability will be a priority. Proposals from companies with 100/100 Mbps service that do not exceed $53.09 per month will take precedence.
Town Administrator Ed Mello expects this investment to bring affordable broadband to nearly half of the local population.
“This will create further opportunity for our residents to work and learn from home,” he said. “Reliable broadband has become a necessity.”
According to the statewide broadband map, there are more underserved locations in Jamestown than served, which is defined by 100/20 Mbps or better. Of the 2,985 locations, 1,620 (54 percent) of them have service slower than that. There are also six unserved locations.
When Jamestown is broken into thirds, the north end has 1,466 locations with about half serviceable, the center has 1,232 locations with about 45 percent serviceable and the southern portion has 924 locations with about 80 percent serviceable.
The statistics for the north end, however, are skewered. While the neighborhoods between Frigate Street and Watson Farm west of North Road are 90-95 serviceable, the locations north of Frigate, from coast to coast, are about 80 percent underserved.
While the section of Beavertail’s serviceability is about 50/50, the stats for the southern section are faster because it includes the locations south of High Street on the Fort Wetherill side of Mackerel Cove, including Highland Drive and Walcott Avenue.
“This once-in-a-lifetime investment allows us to lay the groundwork for a more prosperous and connected future that is crucial for our state’s economic vitality,” added Liz Tanner, the state’s secretary of commerce. “By closing the digital divide, we are ensuring the access necessary to promote innovation, enhance productivity, and attract business and development.”
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.
Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.
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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.
McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.
A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.
Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?
GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026
No public events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
2:00 PM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.
LOCATION:
RI State House Rotunda
82 Smith Street
Providence, RI
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026
No public events.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026
No public events.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026
9:30 AM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.
LOCATION:
Cross’ Mills Public Library
4417 Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026
11:00 AM
Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.
LOCATION:
CIC Providence
225 Dyer Street
Providence, RI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
No public events.
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Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal
Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.
Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”
The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.
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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.
“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.
Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island General Assembly Begins 2026 Session With Focus on Affordability – Newport Buzz
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session this week with a focus on health care affordability, housing costs and economic stability, as leaders in both chambers warned of uncertainty tied to federal budget changes.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi outlined House priorities centered on expanding access to health care while lowering costs, calling it the chamber’s top agenda item for the year. He also said lawmakers will continue addressing housing shortages and rising home energy costs, emphasizing the need for community input as policy decisions move forward.
In the Senate, President Valarie J. Lawson convened the chamber by urging bipartisan cooperation and announcing plans to introduce legislation supporting education, small businesses and the state’s health care system. Stabilizing hospitals and strengthening the primary care workforce were identified as key goals.
Both chambers paused to honor victims of the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, passing resolutions recognizing the victims and commending first responders. Lawmakers also observed a moment of silence.
New legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara would require the Department of Education to adopt a zero-tolerance hazing policy in partnership with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, mandating clear and consistent discipline statewide.
Meanwhile, Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart called on Gov. Dan McKee to fully fund public libraries in the upcoming state budget.
Speaker Shekarchi also announced several committee leadership changes, appointing Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee as chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith as chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.
The week also marked the first Senate session for Sen. Stefano V. Famiglietti, who received committee assignments following his election to fill a vacant seat.
Legislative leaders capped the week by joining faith leaders at the 18th annual Rhode Island Interfaith Poverty Vigil at the State House, calling attention to legislation aimed at reducing poverty statewide.
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