12/04/2008

Supporters, critics have their say on E-Verify system
The first of two hearings on the governor’s executive order to mandate use of the federal employment verification system was held yesterday.

12/03/2008

Rhode Island to hold public hearing on E-Verify policy today
But the ACLU calls today’s hearing “a sham,” since the state already changed its contract policy without an opportunity for public comment beforehand.

12/02/2008

Lower heating prices warm the hearts of Rhode Islanders
Regulators approve a 4 percent rate cut for natural-gas customers; heating-oil prices are also down sharply compared with last year.

State in the market for new computer center
A spokeswoman for Governor Carcieri says the state might be able to save money by consolidating its current operations in a single facility.

Finance panel to focus on overspending
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers will begin grilling department heads today on how they overspent their budgets by millions of dollars, contributing to the state’s $357-million current-year deficit.

11/25/2008

Payment plan for Twin River extended
The owners of the greyhound track-and-slot parlor agree to a 4-month extension for payments to local contractors.

EDC cuts cost-of-living hikes for retirees
The elimination of the annual adjustment will only affect those who retire after March 1, 2009.

Decision by PUC means overall drop in gas bill
Between a reduction in gas rate and an increase in distribution rate, National Grid customers should see a net decrease of at least 3.3 percent in their bills.

11/23/2008

Cranston eyes savings in face of deficit
City officials target areas where money could be saved, such as employees’ share of health insurance costs.

Manufacturing that works
Some of the state’s most successful manufacturers say Rhode Island needs to lower taxes, streamline regulatory permitting and improve education in order to create new jobs in the state.

11/18/2008

The worst of both worlds drive state deficit
Projected savings that failed to materialize coupled with declining revenue leaves the state facing a $357.4-million budget hole.

11/16/2008

Seventeen adoptions are finalized in display of love, commitment
PROVIDENCE — Just four months into her life, Hannah got sick and doctors suspected cancer.

11/14/2008

State gave $16 million in payouts
The Carcieri administration still refuses to detail how it arrived at any of the payments.

11/13/2008

Many ideas, little action on state deficit
But House Speaker William J. Murphy says there’s a good chance the House will be back in session before the end of the year.

Many ideas, little action on state deficit
But House Speaker William J. Murphy says there’s a good chance the House will be back in session before the end of the year.

11/11/2008

State withholds details of retiree awards
The state claims the number of unused vacation and sick days is personal information.

Union blasts Carcieri over cost of contract employees

11/08/2008

State ordered to give records to union
Superior Court Judge Netti C. Vogel orders the governor to turn over contracts related to privatization efforts to the union that represents state workers.

11/07/2008

The solution: Commit to a strategy to repair R.I.’s economic woes and stick with it
PROVIDENCE — It took Rhode Island’s worst financial crisis in two decades to bring them to the table.

State employees union puts director on paid leave
The action is designed to “move Council 94 in a new direction,” says the president of the largest state employees union.

Carcieri doesn’t envision tax hike
PROVIDENCE — Governor Carcieri said yesterday that the state can resolve the current year’s budget deficit without raising taxes.

11/01/2008

Recent retirees cost state millions
Many retirees collect thousands for unused vacation and sick days as well as deferred pay; the former president of Rhode Island College walks away with $129,158.

10/30/2008

Governor ‘outraged’ over lawyer dispute
Governor Carcieri sends an angry letter to the Charlestown Town Council over who will argue the state’s case before the U.S. Supreme Court over control of 31 acres of Narragansett Indian land.

10/29/2008

Judge to rule on fate of legislative grants
PROVIDENCE — In a legal tangle that pits Rhode Island’s top Democratic lawmakers against their Republican counterparts, a Superior Court judge yesterday weighed whether dishing out legislative grants to Little League organizations, fire districts and food pantries violates state law.

Carcieri says he’d like to see end of state income tax
But the governor says his comments on a radio talk show were intended to generate discussion.

10/28/2008

State does better than expected on bond sale
The strong response by so-called “retail” investors — individuals and small businesses — comes as a pleasant surprise, says General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio.

State, slot venues dispute report claiming low payouts
A UMass professor says slot payouts at Twin River and Newport Grand are among the lowest in the nation.

10/27/2008

Grass-roots watchdog groups thriving
Every day, Harriet Lloyd rises between 5 and 6 a.m. in her Westerly home and, over coffee, prepares a news digest for conservative Rhode Island.

‘Grief is a long process’
Carol Shute can laugh and joke now, finding joy in her family and putting in long hours at her job. But there was a time six years ago, two years after the murder, in June 2000, of her daughter, Amy, that her grief felt overwhelming. The trials and sentencing of the five men who kidnapped and murdered Amy and her friend, Jason Burgeson, were so difficult to endure that she found it hard to get out of bed in the morning.

10/25/2008

Council 94 OKs contract with state
The largest state employees’ union approves a four-year contract that freezes wages in the first year and increases health-care costs.

Money Line: Are state bonds for you? It depends
Hey, buddy, can you spare $1,000?

Caprio, Carcieri at odds over role of bond sales
The governor says the state isn’t depending on Rhode Islanders to bail it out by purchasing state-issued bonds.

10/23/2008

Change to RIte Care drug coverage decried
Advocates protest the state’s proposal to mandate the use of generic drugs for RIte Care patients.

Electricity rates in R.I. fail to fall with crude
Over the past four months crude oil has fallen 52 percent and natural gas has dropped about 50 percent, but those declines haven’t yet affected electricity rates.

10/22/2008

Your voice is your ID if you’re looking to collect
CRANSTON — If you phone the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training to obtain unemployment benefits, don’t be surprised if you’re asked to repeat a certain phrase, such as “Good morning, Rhode Island” or “Good afternoon, my voice is my password.”

10/18/2008

Economists urge state to refocus spending priorities
With the Rhode Island unemployment rate rising in September to 8.8 percent and 50,200 people out of work, most local economists and public officials agree that the recession here is among the toughest in the country.

10/17/2008

Falcon paid janitors less to secure contracts
A Journal review of the company’s contracts shows Falcon, which is charged with hiring undocumented workers, documented little profit from the state jobs.

State reaches deal with its largest employees union
Unlike the proposed contract defeated over the summer, this pact has the backing of Council 94’s president.

Rep. Kennedy’s campaign obtains ‘presidential’ glitz as he’s joined by actor Martin Sheen
West Wing actor Martin Sheen joins the Rhode Island congressman as he makes a reelection tour through the state.

Report shows state’s health insurance costs rising as quality lags
Compared to other states in the region, Rhode Island’s dominant insurers are no longer offering better coverage for the money.

10/16/2008

DHS head shifted to focus on Medicaid push
Gary Alexander, director of the state’s Department of Human Services, is no longer is charge of the day-to-day operations of the agency. Alexander’s deputy director, William Camara, will run the day-to-day affairs at the DHS.

10/15/2008

Rhode Island’s bond rating lowered
•Rhode Island’s rating on $1 billion of general-obligation debt was reduced one step to AA- from AA by Fitch Ratings, which said the state’s economy is among the weakest in the U.S.

10/13/2008

Rhode Island has ample supply of flu vaccine
Thousands of doses of flu vaccine are going out to health-care providers around the state, and public flu clinics are already under way, as Rhode Island’s unique, centralized flu-shot distribution program moves into its second year.

10/11/2008

State reprimands Miriam Hospital for surgical error
The Health Department has reprimanded Miriam Hospital, after identifying a confluence of missteps that led a surgical team to operate on the wrong knee of a patient undergoing elective surgery last month.

Caprio wants return of state’s frozen money
The general treasurer insists Rhode Island is not about to run out of cash, and no bills or payrolls are in danger of not being paid.

10/09/2008

Head of state Water Board fired abruptly
In an emotional meeting, the state Water Resources Board votes to terminate Juan Mariscal, its general manager.

10/08/2008

Blue Cross at odds with hospitals
A contract dispute between Blue Cross and the Care New England hospital group has spilled into the public arena, raising worries about whether Blue Cross subscribers will be able get care at Butler, Women & Infants and Kent hospitals after Dec. 31.

Agents make no promises on sweeps
Federal authorities say they’re not out to make arbitrary sweeps of suspected illegal immigrants, but their job is to enforce the law.

State revenues lag in first quarter
The state budget is tens of millions of dollars in deficit after just one quarter of the budget year.

10/07/2008

Health Department confirms first human case of West Nile this year
The last time a Rhode Islander came down with the mosquito-borne illness was in 2006.

PUC lowers shutoff payments
Customers who have had gas or electricity shut off for non-payment can now have it restored by paying as little as 10 percent of an overdue balance.