UPDATED: “My attorney said that once you got the keys and drove it away, you were in a verbal agreement to purchase the car,” Mayor Ken Hopkins said. “It’s not like I went over and stole the car.” bostonglobe.com/2024/08/30/met… via The Boston Globe

Steward signals deal to sell two more Mass. hospitals bostonglobe.com/2024/08/30/bus… via The Boston Globe

Breaking News: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli who had been held in Gaza by Hamas for nearly 11 months, died in captivity, President Biden announced. nyti.ms/3MrKNFC

Fail to stop for a school bus this fall? In R.I., you might be on camera. bostonglobe.com/2024/09/02/met…

The accusations were flying in this latest debate in a super tense race for Cranston mayor

Very sad news. The 7-year-old girl who was shot in Providence last week has now died, police said. bostonglobe.com/2024/09/02/met…

Providence girl, 7, fatally shot, had planned to walk her little brother to his first day of school bostonglobe.com/2024/09/03/met…

Johnston’s Joe Mazzulla returns to Rhode Island with the NBA championship trophy. “To get back to the foundation of who I am, and where I’m from, has been one of the greatest gifts that I’ve gotten,” Mazzulla told the crowd. “So thank you to everyone.” bostonglobe.com/2024/09/03/met…

Lawsuit spurs calls for investigations into how Mayor Ken Hopkins got sports car. BA Fenton-Fung, MSPT, MSMM calls for State Police/AG to investigate. Ferri says mayor should consider resigning if true. Hopkins says GOP rival is trying to exploit “a baseless lawsuit.” bostonglobe.com/2024/09/03/met…

Restaurant news: Federal Taphouse & Kitchen on Federal Hill has closed. Opens up a prime location on Atwells Ave; no word yet on what will go there bostonglobe.com/2024/09/05/met…

R.I. needs answers, not just money, from Washington Bridge litigation, legislator says. Sen. Sam Zurier urges Peter Neronha to ensure transparency as state sues firms that worked on the I-195 bridge, noting officials haven't disclosed forensic audit findings bostonglobe.com/2024/09/05/met…

In Newport, John Kerry calls for Manhattan Project to develop technologies to combat climate change. Kerry speaks at Salve Regina University, telling a forum that U.S. needs to summon the political will and get past partisan attacks to transition to renewable energy bostonglobe.com/2024/09/05/met…

My latest column: If I could design a lawn sign for Robert Ferri in his campaign for Cranston mayor, it would say, "Robert Ferri, grownup for mayor." bostonglobe.com/2024/09/06/met…

In the search for buildable land in R.I., a housing developer sees potential — and 900 units — in Coventry bostonglobe.com/2024/09/06/met…

The girl wasn’t the intended target. But she became a shooting victim before her 8th birthday. The reason? An argument and "ghost guns," a growing plague in Rhode Island. bostonglobe.com/2024/09/06/met… via The Boston Globe

Washington Bridge update: Expecting details from Rhode Island Commerce on Monday for small businesses harmed by the bridge closure to apply for grants up to $2,500. Comes from the $2.6M approved by the General Assembly back in June.

NEW: Uncovered routes... Insufficient drivers... Missed pick ups... Students in wheelchairs waiting for hours. Rhode Island puts school bus company Dattco on notice after a hot mess of a first week. w/Hannah Cotter wpri.com/news/its-just-…

NEW: It's been a question for years -- how will RI decide who gets the 24 new pot shop licenses from the 2022 law that legalized recreational cannabis? A merit-based system? A random lottery? The Cannabis Control Commission says: let's do both. bostonglobe.com/2024/09/06/met…

(Whether or not this means we get another blindfolded ex-FBI agent pulling lottery balls remains to be seen)

After a bounced rent check and a dead body, Providence reaches tentative settlement to evict Skyline at Waterplace bostonglobe.com/2024/09/06/met…