Category: Rhode Island

May 3, 2025

Human Rights Watch (HRW): Repeal The Alien Enemies Act

1798 Law Incompatible with Human Rights, Refugee Law From: Human Rights Watch The Trump administration is the first in US history to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 outside a context of a declared war. The…

May 2, 2025

Mayor Smiley Update: City of Providence & Laborers Local Union 1033 Agree on Terms / City Announces Return of Emergency Services Bicycle Program

From the Office of Providence Mayor Brett Smiley Mayor Brett Smiley Announces Agreement Between City of Providence and Laborers Local Union 1033 Mayor Brett P. Smiley today announced that the City of Providence has reached an agreement with the…

April 28, 2025

Support of Efforts to Repeal ’21 Act on Climate Blowback: Climate Action Rhode Island Opposes Senator Ciccone as Senate Majority Leader or Senate President

Support of efforts to repeal the 2021 Act on Climate are costing longtime Democratic stalwart Senator Frank Ciccone dearly in the race to take control of the Rhode Island Senate … Statement – From Climate Action Rhode Island:…

April 24, 2025

ACLU Advises Rhode Island Colleges & Universities on Legal Limits on ICE’s Authority

From the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island has shared this week with the presidents and general counsel of Rhode Island’s colleges and universities a detailed letter…

April 21, 2025

Human Rights Watch (HRW): Haiti-Escalating Violence Puts Population at Grave Risk

Urgent International Action Needed as Transitional Government Loses Control From: Human Rights Watch Increasing violence in Haiti by criminal groups and clashes with “self-defense” groups are contributing to the dangerous insecurity facing the country’s population, Human Rights Watch said today….

April 21, 2025

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Issues Safety Advisory for Journalists Traveling to the United States

From The Committee to Protect Journalists: The Committee to Protect Journalists today released a safety advisory covering a wide range of digital, physical, and legal tips aimed at journalists and media workers who plan to visit the United States….

April 21, 2025

Four State ACLU Affiliates File Class Action Lawsuit Challenging Terminated Student Status of Students in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, & Puerto Rico

From the ACLU of New Hampshire: Four ACLU affiliates and law firm Shaheen & Gordon filed a federal class action lawsuit today seeking to represent over 100 students in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico who had…

April 18, 2025

The City of Woonsocket Resumes Its War on the Homeless: Proposes Ordinance “Prohibiting Camping on Public Property”

City Ordinance Effectively Criminalizing Poverty Proposed By City Councilmen Cournoyer, Dubois & Gendron Just days after the City of Woonsocket appeared to have taken a major step forward in addressing the City’s Homeless challenges, with significant conversations surrounding…

April 11, 2025

A War of Words: Despite Positive Overtures From the Smiley Administration, the Rhode Island Department of Education “Won’t Back Down” (Apologies to Tom Petty)

The release of a comprehensive plan for the return of Providence Public Schools to local control appears to have reignited a war of words surrounding a turf battle that exhibits no sign of relenting. The theme and tone of…

April 11, 2025

Vartan Gregorian Elementary School Principal Named 2025 Outstanding First Year Principal by Rhode Island Association of School Principals

Vartan Gregorian Principal Matthew Brown was recognized as Outstanding First Year Principal Award by the Rhode Island Association of School Principals (RIASP) today at Vartan Gregorian Elementary School. Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, Rhode Island House Majority Leader Christopher R….

April 11, 2025

Rhode Island Environmental Groups Praise New Legislation Tackling Litter & Plastic Waste

Two Bills Establishing a “Bottle Bill” Introduced Today in RI General Assembly Today, four of the state’s largest environmental organizations – Save the Bay, Clean Water Action, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, and Just Zero – praised…

April 3, 2025

West Greenwich, Rhode Island Town Council Unanimously Passes Resolution in Opposition to Rhode Island 2025 Gun Control Legislation

The Town of West Greenwich Town Council passed, by a 5-0 unanimous vote, a Resolution declaring their Opposition to the current spate of gun control legislation currently under consideration at the Rhode Island Legislature. Citing, among other issues, Constitutional…

April 2, 2025

Dismissed Pawtucket Schools Superintendent Sues The Valley Breeze for Defamation: “Minimum Potential of Economic Damage Assessed at $2 Million Dollars”

“In fact, the Valley Breeze, in publishing these false statements, acted with serious doubts about the truth about many statements, or worse, intentionally lied in publishing these statements” – Patricia Royal, Plaintiff v. Valley Breeze Former…

March 29, 2025

Libertarian Mutual Aid to Participate in 401Gives! “Sister Effort” of CoalitionNews Seeks Support for “Water Project”

Libertarian Mutual Aid – The Mission Libertarian Mutual Aid embraces the vision of Mutual Aid: an organizational model where voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit take place amongst community. And in doing so, seeks to…

March 25, 2025

Flash: Magaziner’s Bill to Combat Transnational Repression on US Soil Passes Through Subcommittee

From The Office of Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner: Magaziner’s Bill to Combat Transnational Repression on US Soil Passes Through Subcommittee Today, the Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence approved U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner’s (RI-02) Strengthening State and…

March 25, 2025

Yikes! Park Cheep! Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport Cheaper For Passengers As Boston Logan Raises Parking Fees To $51 Per Day

Boston Logan Also Increases Rideshare Fees to $5.50 per trip, almost 60% higher than PVD From the Rhode Island Airport Corporation – T.F. Green International Airport Following the recent fee hikes at Boston Logan International Airport, Rhode Island T.F….

March 24, 2025

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Denounces Israel’s Killing of 2 More Gaza Journalists in Return to War

Statement for the Office of The Committee to Protect Journalists – March 24, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Monday’s killing in Gaza of Palestinian reporters Hossam Shabat and Mohammed Mansour by the Israel Defense Forces…

March 21, 2025

Update: Congressman Seth Magaziner In The News! March 21, 2025

From The Office of Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner: Ranking Members Thompson & Magaziner Statement on Trump Administration Scaling Back Domestic Terrorism Focus Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Seth Magaziner…

March 17, 2025

Atlantic Mills Tenants Union Call on Legislators to Reject 8 Law Bill at Rhode Island State House Rally

Protestors, including Rhode Island State Representative David Morales, and Members/Leaders of the Atlantic Mills Tenant Union, gathered Saturday on the steps of the Rhode Island State House to continue their efforts to maintain affordable rents for working artists at the…

March 13, 2025

Attorney General Peter Neronha Joins Coalition in Suing Trump Administration to Stop Dismantling of Failing Federal Department of Education

From The Office of Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha: Attorney General Neronha today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED)….

March 13, 2025

Rhode Island Airport Corporation: In The News! AFSCME Council 94 Local 2873 Mediation & Fitch Ratings Upgrades Rhode Island Airport Corporation Credit Rating to ‘A’

Press Statements: Rhode Island Air Port Corporation Rhode Island Airport Corporation Announces Successful Outcome of Mediation Process Today, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2024-2027 collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Council 94 Local 2873. The…

March 12, 2025

Update: Congressman Seth Magaziner In The News! March 12, 2025

Statements From The Office of Congressman Seth Magaziner Magaziner’s Statement on Mass Layoffs at Department of Education Today, U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced plans to lay off thousands of employees,…

March 8, 2025

Pawtucket School Committee-Donald Grebien Chair-Facilities Subcommittee-Building Workgroup March 6, 2025 Meeting? Conspicuously Absent? Mayor/School Committee Chair Grebien Plus! Any Representation From The Pawtucket City Council

The somewhat awkwardly named – Pawtucket School Committee Facilities Subcommittee-Other Projects – established to give oversight/insight into the Unified High School (As opposed to the Pawtucket School Committee School Department Facilities Committee- Unified High School) to Mayor/School Committee Chair…

March 6, 2025

Flash! Rhode Island Congressman Magaziner Introduces Bill to Stop Trump from Invading Greenland, Canada, and Panama

Statement from the Office of Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner: Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02.) introduced the No Invading Allies Act, legislation to prohibit President Trump from invading Greenland, Canada, or Panama without a vote of Congress. Rep. Magaziner introduced…

March 3, 2025

Let Me Get This Straight … The Pawtucket School Committee Pulled Someone Off Medical Leave … For a Day? To Replace a School Superintendent Who Was Out on Yes, Medical Leave?

First? Let’s give credit where credit is due. The unrelenting, unapologetic advocacy of Pawtucket Activist Khrystyne Bento, mixed with a dose of shame delivered by Pawtucket City Councilman Clovis Gregor appears to have had a devastating effect on … the…

February 26, 2025

Rhode Island Congressmen Magaziner and Amo Reject Republican Budget Proposal-Resolution Passes in Narrow 217-215 Vote

Republicans, in a narrow 215-215 vote, with all but 1 Republican voting Aye, and all Democrats voting Nay, narrowly passed a budget resolution that featured nearly 2 trillion dollars in spending cuts. Republican voting was “disciplined”, despite growing uneasiness with…

February 24, 2025

The Michie Hostel Evictions: Dozens of Sponsored Homeless Tenants are Evicted onto the Cold Streets of Providence. What Happened?

Saturday afternoon, the Coalition Radio Network was informed, through contacts developed by “Sister Effort” Libertarian Mutual Aid, (LMA) that the residents of two Michie Hostels, at 230 Thayer Street on College Hill, and a South Side facility located…

February 21, 2025

Rhode Island Republican Vice Chair Niyoka Powell Weighs In on Senator Reed/Congressman Magaziner Department of Education Presser-Where’s the State Audit on the Funding Formula?

Rhode Island GOP Second Vice Chair Niyoka Powell reflection on the recent press conference by Rhode Island Democratic Royalty, bemoaning the Trump Administration’s opening salvos on the Federal Department of Education was succinct: In the Monday’s press…

February 18, 2025

Former State Rep/US Senate Candidate Patricia Morgan Goes Negative … On Other Republicans?

Former State Representative/Former Senatorial Candidate Patricia Morgan, now candidate? for Rhode Island Republican Party Secretary just went negative … on the Rhode Island GOP? In a scathing email, apparently sent to supporters of her Senate Campaign, Ms. Morgan called…

February 14, 2025

Senator Zurier Drops the Bomb! Undisclosed Campaign Contributions by Washington Bridge Vendors?

Rhode Island State Senator Sam Zurier (Providence) dropped a bomb in yesterday’s Bridge Oversight Hearing. Contractors to the Department of Transporation are required, by law, to disclose campaign contributions, in a vendor affidavit, as part of their bid submission…

February 13, 2025

RI ACLU: ACLU & Roger Williams University Law School Clinic Seek Emergency Relief Over The Adult Correctional Institute’s Failure To Accommodate Muslim Prisoners’ Religious Freedom

From The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union A lawsuit filed today by attorneys for the RWU Prisoners’ Rights Clinic and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island challenges the R.I. Department of Corrections’ (RIDOC) restrictive policies governing the religious freedom of Muslims incarcerated…

February 12, 2025

Providence Public Schools Announces 2025 Edward Hickling Bradford Scholarship

s $1100 Scholarship Supports Providence Public School Students With Significant Financial Needs Attend College From The Providence Public School District: The Providence Public School District (PPSD) in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), and the…

February 10, 2025

Superintendent Palazzo – Glocester School Superintendent – Responds to Rhode Island ACLU Calls on Student Book Access Restrictions

The Coalition News has received a copy of the response from Glocester School Superintendent Dr. Renee Palazzo to the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union call to halt “arbitrary restrictions on student access to books”. …

February 8, 2025

Statement: Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo Blasts Secretary Rubio’s Failure to Respond

Secretary Rubio missed Amo’s deadline to provide clarity on foreign aid, State Department, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) workforce From The Office of Congressman Gabe Amo: Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (RI-01) released the following statement in…

February 7, 2025

Flash! Bermudair to Fly from Rhode island T. F. Green International Airport to Bermuda

Biweekly Flights to Start on May 22, 2025 News Release: From The Rhode Island Airport Corporation Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) welcomed today’s news that BermudAir, the flag carrier airline of Bermuda, will begin offering…