Good morning, I'm Will Richmond at The Providence Journal and this is the Daily Briefing.
As Rhode Island's leaders continue to seek answers to the state's housing shortage much is made of building new, affordable homes. As potential homeowners wait for those projects to become available, renting is the only viable option, leaving them in need of protection as well.
With many housing-related bills making their way through the State House, The Journal's Wheeler Cowperthwaite checks on the status of those meant to protect renters.
Just what bills are likely to pass and what exactly will they do? Wheeler rounds up those in the so-called "tenant bill of rights" and talks to advocates about why some of these changes are needed.
• Money to buy and retrofit a Citizens Bank-owned office building in East Providence will not be included in the upcoming state budget.
The Journal's Patrick Anderson reports on why House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is pulling the plug on the proposal.
• Rhode Island's top elected officials travel on state, campaign and personal business, but none as frequently as Treasurer James Diossa, who was out of office 74 days since January 2023.
How does that compare to some of his counterparts in the state? The Journal's Katherine Gregg found out.
• An afterschool program at Blackstone Academy is making a difference in a young child's life.
Students in the robotics class and after-school club gather twice a week to retrofit a motorized mini-car with dual motors, a joystick for steering and driving, caster wheels and a chair to turn it into a functioning wheelchair for a child with disabilities.
The Journal's Jonny Williams explains how the program came to Blackstone Valley and why the benefits go far beyond what you might expect.
• As drowning deaths become more prevalent, the DEM had hoped to find a vendor to provide swim lessons to kids who come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, expect no one offered their services. Now, they have a new plan.
The Journal's Jack Perry explains how the DEM is now approaching the problem and how kids can benefit.
• A couple of notes before we head into the long Memorial Day weekend.
The full daily briefing will return on Tuesday, but you continue to receive the top headlines in your inbox all weekend long.
We wish Amy Russo a fond farewell as she wrapped up her last day at The Providence Journal yesterday. Amy left a mark on Rhode Island during her time here from her column that offered a Rhode Island newbie a head-first dive into what makes the Ocean State unique to her coverage of Providence and the state's education scene. We'll miss Amy's presence at the paper and readers will most certainly miss her excellent work.
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RHODY RANKS
Every day we receive emails ranking Rhode Island. While the work behind the ranks may be dubious, they can be fun. Each day I'll share where Rhody Ranks from one of the latest emails.
New data has revealed the fast food capitals of America, with Rhode Island taking the 27th spot.
Price-tracking website Pricelisto.com examined the number of popular fast food restaurants in each state and compared this against the state population to see which ones have the most per 100,000 residents. The research included 22 fast food franchises, such as McDonald’s, KFC, Taco Bell and Chipotle.
TODAY'S WEATHER
🌤️ Very warm and less humid with increasing amounts of sunshine. Highs in the mid-80s
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