In Rhode Island, March Madness means filling out your lieutenant governor bracket
Last week, Gov. Dan McKeeâs team began interviewing applicants, who include a former Cranston mayoral candidate who dressed as a hot dog
By Edward Fitzpatrick Globe Staff,Updated March 15, 2021, 6:00 a.m.
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Governor Daniel J. McKee heads back into the State House after his inauguration ceremony.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
PROVIDENCE â Fans of college basketball just filled out their NCAA tournament brackets on Selection Sunday. But for fans of Rhode Island politics, the real March Madness involves handicapping this yearâs unusual lieutenant governorâs contest.
Political Scene: 3 tales from RI where everybody knows everybody else
Here are a few:
◘ The City of Providence has paid more than $390,000 so far in accidental disability benefits to one of the highest profile political operatives in Rhode Island for injuries suffered 17 years ago when his foot reached for the brake, and accidentally hit the gas.
◘ Providence mayoral candidate
Brett Smiley s lawyer doesn t deny that Smiley solicited $500 from state contractor
Colin Kane while he still headed the state agency that oversees the award of state contracts. But he is seeking to convince the Ethics Commission: it was okay.
◘ And finally, the R.I. Ethics Commission split 3-to-3 recently over the propriety of a state senator introducing a bill to allow one of her lawyer-husband s clients to get a liquor license in an off-limits zone on the East Side.
Rhode Island round-up: Updates on politics and more Dan McGowan
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Happy Friday and welcome to Rhode Map, your daily guide to everything happening in the Ocean State. I’m Dan McGowan and I’ve never been so excited about daylight saving time. Follow me on Twitter
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ICYMI: Rhode Island was up to 130,120 confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday, after adding 429 new cases. The most-recent overall daily test-positive rate was 1.8 percent, and the first-time positive rate was 19 percent. The state announced four more deaths, bringing the total to 2,563. There were 141 people in the hospital, and 100,610 residents were fully vaccinated.
Facing pressure from business community, municipal leaders eager to end emergency declaration
NORTH PROVIDENCE MAYOR Charles Lombardi said that municipal leaders around the state have felt pressure from the business community to reopen. /
PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
PROVIDENCE – One year after former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo declared a state of disaster emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, some have grown weary of the seemingly everlasting crisis and are pushing to lift the declaration and ease restrictions. The state emergency declaration, which has been renewed on a monthly basis since its March 9 start date, is currently set to expire on March 17.
Governor McKee: K-12 teachers, school staff, and child-care workers in R I are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.