INBOX: Rhode Island Senate will start posting committee documents online, after long resisting the practice, which the House implemented years ago A win for transparency

UPDATE: Pawtucket School Committee Chairman Omar Reyes tells me Superintendent Patricia Royal is now on leave. He didn’t clarify what kind of leave as it’s a “personnel issue.” The committee is prepared to vote on an acting superintendent later this morning. WPRI 12

Speaker Shekarchi made quite a bit of news at our Rhode Map Live event last night, including opining that Gov. McKee’s assault weapons ban proposal is unconstitutional as written. More from Dan McGowan: bostonglobe.com/2025/03/05/met…

A new lawsuit accuses Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr., who has said he intends to seize a property slated to become affordable housing through eminent domain, of infringing on the owners' rights. Kate Wilkinson reports. wpri.com/news/local-new…

A chain-link fence with a "no trespassing" sign has gone back up on George Waterman Road in Johnston after the property owners regained control of the lot, Kate Wilkinson reports. wpri.com/news/local-new…

BREAKING: RI Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has died at age 76 - more to come wpri.com/news/politics-…

BREAKING: Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, a powerful figure in Rhode Island politics for decades, has died. He was 76. Tap the link for more on his life and impact: shorturl.at/y105E

Ruggerio's death will trigger a contest to elect a new Senate president. He told me last year he wanted Majority Leader Val Lawson to succeed him. Ryan Pearson, Frank Ciccone and Dawn Euer are other names that could be discussed. wpri.com/news/politics-…

East Providence is offering to let a woman stay in her city-owned home through the end of January after she was originally asked to leave by the end of May — but she tells Kate Wilkinson she won’t sign the paperwork. wpri.com/news/local-new…

Proud to work with such a great group in Target 12. The team won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for a multipart series on the region's housing crisis. @tednesi Johnny Villella Alexandra Leslie Eli Sherman Sarah Guernelli Kate Wilkinson wpri.com/about-us/targe…

“This is the most deliberately damaging bill to the economy and to our health care system that I’ve ever seen." RI Senator Jack Reed responds to Trump's "big beautiful bill" as it heads to the Senate wpri.com/news/politics/…

While Democrats are fighting proposed Medicaid cuts at the federal level, Rhode Islanders are facing their own cuts on the state level due to a change in the program’s income limit. Kate Wilkinson reports: ⤵️ wpri.com/health/700-rho…

Good morning from the Rhode Island SPCA 🐾 For the next two days, members of the WPRI 12 team are volunteering here & around the region — continuing a tradition of giving back to the communities we cover, as part of Nexstar Media Group, Inc.’s “Founder’s Day of Caring” ❤️ #NexstarNation

Can someone check in on the Independent Man? I’m worried about him in this heat

Bomb Squad truck just left a large scene on Warwick ave in Cranston. A few moments ago we saw several officers with long guns move in and then what appeared to be a flash bang. Scene is still active. Traffic being diverted at the park ave intersection WPRI 12

Scene has now cleared. More details coming at 4 on WPRI 12

RAIN UPDATE: The worst is over for us, but showers linger through the morning. 1.5 - 2.5" fell in N'rn RI, creating street flooding. It was much worse south of Boston from Randolph to Weymouth where 3 to 6" fell leading to flooding of businesses, basements and roads.

In an extensive email exchange with Kate Wilkinson, a spokesperson with the DOJ would not say whether there is a specific policy Rhode Island needs to change to be removed from its list of "sanctuary jurisdictions." More: ⤵️ wpri.com/news/politics/…

RI Governor Dan McKee wants Attorney General Pam Bondi to give a specific immigration policy the state needs to change, after DOJ sent a letter threatening to take away federal funding WPRI 12 wpri.com/news/politics/…

NEW: RI Assistant AG Devon Flanagan, who went viral for her "I'm an AG!" body-cam video berating Newport police, has been placed on a 6-month unpaid leave AG Neronha says he hopes she reflects and "makes corrective changes in her life" wpri.com/news/politics-…