Rhode Island

Who are the highest paid state employees? This list has some surprises

Published

12 months ago

December 28, 2023

Who are the highest paid state employees? This list has some surprises

The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team went 9-22 last season, but coach Ryan “Archie” Miller’s status as the highest paid state employee in Rhode Island only grew in 2023.

Miller, now entering his second season leading URI hoops, made $1,405,000 in 2023, more than double the second highest paid state employee, his boss URI President Marc Parlange. Parlange made $623,846 this year, his second in charge of the state’s flagship university.

In total, Rhode Island paid 17,392 people in 2023, including part-time workers and employees who have since left the state payroll, according to figures from the Department of Administration. At any given time the state workforce is usually between 13,000 and 14,000 people.

That doesn’t include employees of independent authorities and quasi-governmental agencies, such as the Narragansett Bay Commission, Rhode Island Airport Corporation, Rhode Island Resource Recovery or the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority.

This year 280 state employees made more than $200,000, the most ever. At the same point in 2022, 159 employees had more than $200,000 in earnings, although last year a few more were expected to cross the $200,000 threshold when final payments were in.

Nine state employees made more than $400,000 this year and 38 state employees made more than $300,000.

One of the state employees who didn’t break the $200,000 mark was Gov. Dan McKee, who made $162,620, which ranked him 770th in total state earnings, according to Department of Administration spokeswoman Laura Hart.

URI coaches, admins top the list of highest-earners

Seeing college coaches and administrators dominate the list of highest paid state employees is nothing new in Rhode Island and many states.

Miller and Parlange were first and second in state earnings last year despite Miller ($794,615 in 2022) only working half of the year. And before that Miller’s predecessors David Cox and Danny Hurley had topped the list.

Rhode Island is one of the rare states, however, where a women’s college basketball coach is near the top of the highest paid list.

URI’s Tammi Reiss earned $449,312 this year, moving her up from the fourth highest earning state employee to the third highest.

URI basketball: Rhode Island women’s basketball makes history on Sunday. Here’s how.

URI employees made up five of the top 10 highest earning state employees this year, with Provost Barbara Wolfe ($428,001) and Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn ($357,055) joining Miller, Parlange and Reiss.

“The University competes internationally for talent, and there is considerable competition in the global marketplace,” URI spokesman David Lavallee wrote in an email.

“Nationally, it is common for basketball coaches at Division I institutions to be among a state’s highest paid employees. Coach Miller’s pay includes his base salary, fees for appearance and participation in events and functions, a portion of gate receipts for home games, and other categories of pay. Coach Reiss continues to lead the women’s basketball team to new levels of success and national recognition, including an Atlantic 10 regular season co-championship last season.”

The highest non-university employees

The first non-URI state employee on the top earnings list is Dr. Jason Andreas, an attending psychiatrist and physician administrator at the state psychiatric hospital. Andreas made $429,087 in 2023.

Andreas was among three employees for the state Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals in the top 10, along with registered nurses Wade Johnson ($414,321) and Scott Christopher ($382,198.)

The state hospital employee earnings are driven by overtime pay needed to keep the facility running 24 hours a day. Johnson’s $277,964 in overtime was the most this year.

Keeping the Adult Correctional Institutions’ prisons open around the clock also requires heavy overtime. Correctional Officers Mark Wilbur ($405,580) and John Brazil Jr. ($354,851) rounded out the top 10 in total earnings.

Wilbur, whose $271,320 in overtime earned this year was the second most to Johnson in the states, has been the ACI’s overtime king for years. He has earned at least $190,000 in overtime since 2018.

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Rhode Island

Newport crews extinguish house fire | ABC6

Published

6 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Newport crews extinguish house fire | ABC6

Newport crews extinguished a fire on Green Street on Dec. 24. (WLNE)

NEWPORT, RI (WLNE) — The Newport Police Department said crews extinguished a fire on Green Street on Tuesday afternoon.

Around 2:22 p.m. Newport police were notified by the fire department of smoke coming from the basement of a home.

On the scene, crews reported a working fire, which was later extinguished.

Officials said the residents of the home were safety evacuated.

There are no reported injuries, according to police.

The cause of the fire, as well as where or how it started is under investigation.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 24, 2024

Published

15 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2024, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

11-14-38-45-46, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

16-22-24-43-47, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

Midday: 0-9-5-1

Evening: 2-0-2-3

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

08-21-26-33-38, Extra: 36

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

When will Santa Claus be in RI? Follow the 2024 Santa Trackers from NORAD and Google

Published

22 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

When will Santa Claus be in RI? Follow the 2024 Santa Trackers from NORAD and Google

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, the children were wondering where’s that guy Claus?

If you’re looking to track Santa Claus’s flight over Providence and Rhode Island’s other cities and towns this Christmas Eve, there are a few ways you can track the big guy with nearly the same accuracy as a late Amazon package.

The military is on it with the NORAD Santa Tracker, and Google, which often feels all-knowing, is also on the case with its own Santa Tracker.

Check out the trackers to see Santa’s location:

See Santa’s location with the NORAD Santa Tracker

NORAD is the most reliable name in Santa tracking. On the job since 1955, when a young child from Colorado Springs accidentally called in (he meant to call a number advertised by a local department store), they’ve been following Santa’s journey using their radar technology ever since.

Now, NORAD, the joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations, staffs up for the big night, with a number available for children to call for status reports and an online tracker.

When does the NORAD Santa Tracker start?

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, of course.

How do I follow Santa’s journey with the NORAD tracker?

Santa is on the move, as you can see below. If it doesn’t load, it can be found at www.noradsanta.org

You can also call NORAD directly at +1 (877) HI-NORAD.

See Santa’s location on the Google Santa Tracker

In 2004, Google started tracking Santa as well, because, well, there’s a lot of interest in Old St. Nick. Google has a website. While you’re waiting around for Santa, Google’s guide includes a family guide, quizzes and various Christmas-themed games to play.

Why might the NORAD Santa Tracker and Google Santa Tracker disagree?

All of our tracking technology is made for mere mortals, but Santa is magic, and he likes to create a little bit of mystery. It wouldn’t do for children all over the world to be catching him as he comes down the chimney to deliver presents. He would never get any work done! So sometimes, to keep the magic alive, he throws off the trackers, just a little bit.

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