“I have known Gina Raimondo since she was a baby, so of course I’m a little biased here. But I can unequivocally attest that she is a talented, thoughtful, hard-charging, and effective leader, said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed. President-elect Biden has selected someone with the skills and experience to solve pressing economic and trade challenges, said Reed, describing Raimondo as someone who carefully studies the issues, is always well-prepared, and has a proven track record of being a pragmatic, progressive problem solver. She is an extremely effective manager who really listens to different perspectives, asks the right questions, and then brings people together to execute, he said.
Cautious After Violence in D.C. Wednesday
January 7, 2021 8:15 am
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) -It won’t be business as usual at the Rhode Island State House today. Legislative employees are being told to work from home after the violence in our nation’s capitol yesterday.
House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio put out a joint statement saying that they “felt it was in the best interest of all their employees”.
State Police Colonel James Manni says there is no credible threat to the State House, however there is increased security there this morning.
This follows the unrest in Washington, D.C. Four people are dead and more than 50 arrested after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building.
David Spradin is the CEO of a California-based marijuana company called Perfect Union.
It has 14 marijuana stores between Los Angeles and Sacramento, six stores in New Mexico and has had stores in Oregon and Washington, says Rick McAuliffe, a Rhode Island lobbyist who now also serves as a director for Spradin’s new local affiliate: Perfect Union-RI.
The company and 27 other businesses all filed applications last month for a chance to run one of six new medical marijuana dispensaries planned for Rhode Island.
While Spradin’s local venture incorporated just in November, the Californian has been around, buying up one marijuana cultivation operation, in Warwick, and purchasing a Providence site for a possible second indicators of the interest some outside investors have with Rhode Island’s booming, multimillion-dollar marijuana industry.
Shekarchi wins the speakership; some progressives abstain from leadership votes Published Wed Jan 06 2021 03:47:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Ian Donnis
Joe Shekarchi (D-Warwick), a longtime participant in Rhode Island politics, captured what is often called the most powerful political post in the state, easily ascending Tuesday as House speaker during an unusual legislative opening session that pointed to ongoing clashes between progressives and establishment Democrats.
With the House of Representatives meeting at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium due to the pandemic, Shekarchi won the support of 59 Democrats, while nine Republicans backed the House Minority Leader Blake Filippi, and four progressive Democrats abstained.