EXCLUSIVE: A civil lawsuit brought by a Rhode Island Hospital nurse who was injured after a psychiatric patient attack has been settled one day after jurors watched video of the assault, Target 12 has learned. Story coming up on @wpri12.bsky.social at 6P. More: www.wpri.com/target-12/la...

NEW: Aaron Guckian is going on offense post-debate, telling indy Ken Block to end his #RIGov campaign because he has "zero path forward" Block calls Guckian demand "absurd," noting GOP nominee has $7,000 and citing internal poll that has him up in a 2-way versus Foulkes www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Guckian tells Block to quit race for RI governor; Block says only he can beat Foulkes

The Republican nominee and the independent candidate exchanged fire in the wake of a televised debate as they continue to split the vote.

wpri.com

SCOOP: In July, a doctor found Nelson Blanco incompetent to stand trial in a 2024 DV case, but he was allowed to be placed on outpatient status and was "not likely to imperil the peace and safety of the community of himself at this time." www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

Providence Councilman Miguel Sanchez, 28, secured enough votes to become the city’s next council president in the 2027-2031 term. The Democratic nominees for the council caucused last week and voted for other leadership roles, too. MORE: www.wpri.com/news/electio... @wpri12.bsky.social

Miguel Sanchez says he has enough votes to be next council president in Providence

Councilman Miguel Sanchez announced in a news release on Monday that his colleagues are supporting him as Council President for the 2027-2031 term.

wpri.com

NEW: Rhode Island has agreed to remove another defendant from its lawsuit against companies that worked on the westbound Washington Bridge before it failed in 2023 www.wpri.com/target-12/rh...

Rhode Island drops second company from Washington Bridge lawsuit

The decision comes as attorneys battle over discovery, responsibility and whether the troubled bridge was salvageable

wpri.com

BREAKING: An airport contract worker was arrested trying to bring a firearm into a secure area at TF Green. A spokesperson says the TSA "identified" the gun and denied the person access. w/ @Eli_Sherman www.wpri.com/target-12/t-...

T.F. Green worker arrested after trying to bring firearm into airport

Airport officials say security protocols worked as intended, detecting the prohibited item before access was granted.

wpri.com

Big news out of the RI delegation in DC today: @whitehouse.senate.gov and his 3 negotiating partners (Capito, Lee, Heinrich) have announced a bipartisan Senate deal on energy-permitting reform after months of negotiations that also involved the Trump White House thehill.com/policy/energ...

Senators announce long-awaited permitting reform deal

Democratic and Republican senators on Wednesday announced a long-sought deal on permitting reform that they say will speed the construction of the nation’s energy and infrastructure projects while …

thehill.com

NEW: Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. is pushing back against a whistleblower complaint alleging a pattern of alcohol and drug use among town firefighters while on duty. w/ @timwhiteri.bsky.social www.wpri.com/target-12/wh...

Whistleblower alleges Johnston firefighters were drunk, high on duty

Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. stands by his firefighters, dismissing the allegations of widespread on-duty substance abuse.

wpri.com

NEW: The LG race looks like the one to watch in RI this fall, per a new UNH Survey Center poll Matos: 48% Loughlin: 44% DK: 7% Foulkes: 44% Block: 25% Guckian: 17% DK: 10% Reed: 53% McKay: 33% DK: 8% McKee job approval: 15/83 Trump job approval: 35/65 www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Poll: Matos, Loughlin in tight race for LG; Foulkes, Reed well ahead

The new UNH survey suggested the lieutenant governor is the most vulnerable Rhode Island Democrat in a major race this fall.

wpri.com

Some members of the Providence School Board want change at the top. (h/t Dan McGowan) The board plans to discuss the job performance of Ty'Relle Stephens. No vote will be taken. Stephens tells me he welcomes the conversation. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

Providence School Board faces internal strife

The Providence School Board is slated to discuss the job performance of its president on Wednesday night.

wpri.com

NEW: @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social campaign confirms it is refunding $10,500 to donors who gave contributions above legal limit Rival @kenblockri.bsky.social says the issue "should cause real concern for Rhode Island voters" www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Block knocks Foulkes over donations above state’s legal limit

The Democratic nominee’s campaign acknowledged it is refunding about $10,500 in donations that should not have been accepted.

wpri.com

UPDATE: The Providence City Council Claims and Pending Suits Committee has approved a settlement regarding a personnel matter with the DPW's deputy director. Details of the settlement have not been made public. More: www.wpri.com/target-12/pa... @wpri12.bsky.social

Panel OKs settlement for DPW official on paid leave since January

Maureen McManus was quietly placed on paid leave Jan. 10.

wpri.com

The U.S. Department of Justice has sent a letter to Secretary of State Gregg Amore demanding that his office preserve election records, including those from the 2024 election, as a key deadline looms. www.wpri.com/target-12/do...

DOJ demands Amore preserve 2024 election records amid voter roll fight

The letter from the DOJ was sent on the eve of a 22-month deadline where states can discard voting records under federal law.

wpri.com

If @davidmoralespvd.bsky.social is successful on Nov. 3, Providence is poised to elect a democratic socialist for mayor. What does that mean? STORY: www.wpri.com/news/electio... @wpri12.bsky.social

MAPS: Where voters rejected incumbents in Rhode Island’s biggest races. Interactive maps + breakdowns --> www.wpri.com/target-12/ma...

David Morales is out on Cranston St. thanking supporters after last night’s primary win. The Democratic nom for Providence mayor said he’ll use the next few months to prepare his transition into office. One big change: he wants DPW Director Patricia Coyne-Fague out. @wpri12.bsky.social

Who is David Morales? The 27-year-old poised to become Providence’s youngest mayor👇 www.wpri.com/news/who-is-...

BOOM: Voter turnout in Providence has *already* passed the 2022 total turnout as of 5pm, with three hours of voting still to go 21,950 in 2022 (final) 22,327 in 2026 as of 5pm What everyone wants to know: what does that mean for the Smiley-Morales mayoral primary?

One thing is becoming clear: this isn't going to be a low-turnout Rhode Island primary. Total turnout as of 3pm is just under 109,000 voters - that's 33% higher than at the same hour in 2022. And election-day turnout alone is running 12% higher despite much higher early vote.

TONIGHT: @wpri12.bsky.social will have full coverage of the RI primary results as soon as the polls close At 8p we will kick off our streaming special on our 12+ TV app, YouTube, our website and everywhere else Then at 9:30p we will go on the air on WPRI 12 Tune in! www.wpri.com/news/electio...

In the last moments of their campaigns, incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley and Rep. David Morales made some of their final pitches on why they should lead Providence through 2030. www.wpri.com/news/electio... @wpri12.bsky.social

Smiley, Morales make final push in Providence mayor’s race

In the history of Providence, no sitting mayor has ever lost a primary.

wpri.com

NEW: RI's overshadowed GOP gov primary now has its own air war, on the radio Pelino and Guckian are both on WPRO with closing-argument spots Either Republican would head into the general election underfunded, with only about $12,000 apiece right now www.wpri.com/news/electio...

GOP rivals Pelino, Guckian buy radio ads for final week of gov primary

The two Republican candidates for governor are both making their final pitch to primary voters.

wpri.com

NEW: Rhode Island state Rep. Julie Casimiro is refusing to resign her seat despite moving out of state and facing mounting pressure to step down before her term ends in January. h/t @bostonglobe.com www.wpri.com/news/politic...

RI lawmaker moved out of state but won’t resign. Is that legal?

State Rep. Julie Casmiro she’ll finish her term remotely after relocating to South Carolina, despite calls to resign.

wpri.com

NEW: A former bank employee previously charged in a 2023 bank heist on Federal Hill was newly indicted and charged in court.  Tracey Palmer, formerly Delgado, pleaded not guilty. A judge ordered $50K with surety, meaning she could post bail. www.wpri.com/target-12/fo... @wpri12.bsky.social

Former bank employee charged again in Federal Hill heist

Federal Hill bank heist suspect Tracey Delgado was arraigned on new charges Monday morning.

wpri.com

EXCLUSIVE: Only @wpri12.bsky.social Target 12 was in court when an indictment was unsealed, recharging Stanley Palmer in connection w/ a 2023 bank heist on Federal Hill. Palmer was held w/out bail. His wife, Tracey Delgado, is being extradited & facing same charges. www.wpri.com/news/one-of-...

Owners of the long-vacant Superman Building in Providence are seeking additional taxpayer money to convert the skyscraper into housing, after revealing project costs have ballooned nearly 50% to at least $325 million. h/t @stephmachado.bsky.social www.wpri.com/target-12/su...

Superman Building owner seeks more taxpayer money as project cost tops $325M

The latest financing request comes four years after state and city officials backed an earlier redevelopment plan.

wpri.com

NEW: Pensions center stage in the Gov campaign today McKee threw his support behind "Rule of 90" proposal that would let public employees retire at age 60 if they've worked 30 years (60+30=90) Cost: $12.7M in Year 1 and $106M to pension shortfall www.wpri.com/news/electio...

McKee backs union drive for ‘Rule of 90’ pension boost

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Dan McKee on Thursday threw his support behind a proposal to allow state workers and teachers to retire sooner, making the case that the estimated $106 million …

wpri.com

PPSD NEWS: Zack Scott, deputy superintendent of operations of Providence Public Schools, submitted his resignation to the district on Wednesday. The first day of school is Tuesday. Story w/@elisherman.bsky.social www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

Providence’s deputy superintendent resigns ahead of school starting

Zack Scott was part of the leadership team through the state takeover of Providence Public Schools.

wpri.com

NEW: Rhode Island is spending millions of dollars to fix mistakes in its food-stamp program. And succeeding in the effort could put taxpayers on the hook for a $51 million penalty beginning in 2027. That’s not a typo. My latest👇 www.wpri.com/target-12/rh...

Rhode Island could save $51M – by failing to fix SNAP

A federal formula creates an unusual incentive as Rhode Island races to improve its troubled food-stamp program.

wpri.com

A majority of the Providence City Council is backing Miguel Martínez Youngs in his bid to unseat Ward 1 Councilman John Goncalves in next month’s Democratic primary. Goncalves said the endorsement “is not surprising and all based on politics.” www.wpri.com/news/electio... @wpri12.bsky.social

Majority of Providence City Council backs colleague’s opponent

Miguel Martínez Youngs announced in a news release that a majority of the Providence City Council had endorsed him.

wpri.com