Climate Action Rhode Island to General Assembly blasts McKee's veto of Building Benchmarking bill

McKee shows "troubling pattern" of attacking programs to combat the effects of climate change

SteveAhlquist.news

Climate Action Rhode Island (CARI) is deeply disappointed by Governor Daniel McKee’s decision to veto the Building Benchmarking and Reporting Act (S2260/H7183), the only bill vetoed by the Governor this legislative session.

[From a Climate Action Rhode Island press release]

The legislation passed the House by a vote of 48-15 and the Senate by a vote of 33-5. It would require large buildings over 25,000 square feet to report their energy use through automated data-collection software provided by the state in conjunction with Rhode Island Energy.

For years, CARI, legislative leaders, environmental advocates, labor organizations, and business stakeholders have worked to advance policies that will reduce carbon emissions while creating good-paying jobs and lowering energy costs. The Building Benchmarking Act represented a major step in that effort.

CARI is especially grateful to Senator Meghan Kallman (Democrat, District 15, Pawtucket, Providence) and Representative Rebecca Kislak (Democrat, District 4, Providence), who worked tirelessly over multiple legislative sessions to advance this legislation. Their leadership, persistence, and unwavering commitment to addressing climate change helped move this important policy across the finish line in the General Assembly.

July 1 protest for the Fourth of July in Wyoming

As 2026 Election season gets serious, Charlestown Dems announce July events

 

C-Town Dems News

June 2026

July Events

Wednesday, July 1st Meet the Candidates! 6 PM | Charlestown Police Station   Sabina Matos, running for Lieutenant Governor, and Connor Burbridge running for US Senate, will be joining us in Charlestown to speak to residents. Any registered Democrat is welcome to attend.   Meeting will take place at 6 PM in the Charlestown Police Station, 4901 Old Post Road

Signatures needed Candidates need signatures from registered voters to get on the ballot. At this meeting, Charlestown voters will have the opportunity to sign nomination papers for local race candidates.   Candidates for Town Council are: Deb Carney, Cynthia Drummond, Jill Fonnemann   Candidates for the Chariho School Board are: Holly Eaves, Craig Louzon, Linda Lyall.

Saturday, July 8th Backyard Bash for Sam Wilcox! 🎉   Join us for an evening of fun, conversation, and community as we continue building momentum for Sam's State Senate campaign. RSVP here, and we will provide the address prior to the event.    Next Canvass Meetup for Sam | June 27 Our next door-knocking meet-up will be June 27 at Crandall Field in Ashaway at 2pm. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or trying canvassing for the first time, we'd love to have you join us. We'll provide training, campaign materials, and pair you with a buddy.

Saturday, July 11th From 10 AM – 12 noon @ Caf Bar in The Venue, 5153 Old Post Road Join us for Tea with Tina for a community conversation on housing with Tina Spears, Deb Carney and Collin Penney. All are welcome, no RSVP required.

Monday, July 13th Town Council Meeting 7 PM | Town Hall   You're invited to attend these public meetings as a citizen of Charlestown.   Meeting will take place starting at 7 PM in the Council Chambers at 4540 South County Trail, Charlestown

Call for Volunteers Your Charlestown Democratic Town Committee needs you! We are looking for active participants who want to help support Democratic candidates and causes. If interested, visit charlestowndemocrats.org and click VOLUNTEER. Please consider joining us!

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The Charlestown Democratic Town Committee manages the affairs of the Democratic Party in the town of Charlestown, RI subject to RI Election Law, State Party rules and its own bylaws. We meet the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 PM at the Charlestown Police Station. Any Charlestown registered Democrat is welcome to attend.

P.O. Box 1088, Charlestown RI 02813 Visit our social accounts charlestowndemocrats.org

Yale study finds nearly half of older adults improved with age

Good news for half of old people, not so much for the rest

Yale University

Gloria Steinem, now 92, aged well

A long-term Yale study is challenging one of the biggest myths about aging. Nearly half of adults over 65 improved physically, mentally, or both over time, despite the common belief that aging means constant decline. Researchers found that people with more positive attitudes about getting older were significantly more likely to show these gains.

Drawing on more than a decade of data from a large, nationally representative study of older Americans, researchers discovered that nearly half of adults age 65 and older experienced measurable improvements in cognitive function, physical function, or both.

Him, not so much

The findings suggest that improvement in later life is far more common than many people realize.

“Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” said Becca R. Levy, lead author of the study and professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH). “What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it’s common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process.”

The study was published in the journal Geriatrics.

Aging and Improvement Over Time

The research team analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants in the Health and Retirement Study, a federally funded long-term survey of older Americans.

To measure changes in mental abilities, the researchers used a global cognitive assessment. Physical function was evaluated through walking speed, a measure often considered by geriatricians to be a key indicator of overall health because it is closely linked to disability, hospitalization, and mortality.

Participants were followed for as long as 12 years. During that period, 45% showed improvement in at least one of the two areas examined.

Approximately 32% improved cognitively, while 28% improved physically. Many participants experienced gains large enough to be considered clinically meaningful. When researchers also counted individuals whose cognitive abilities remained stable rather than declining, more than half of participants avoided the commonly held expectation of cognitive deterioration.

Eat the RIGHT fruits and veggies

Think you're eating healthy? You may be missing this heart-protecting nutrient

University of Reading

A large international study found that fewer than one in five people consume enough flavanols, compounds associated with a lower risk of heart disease. 

Adding foods like blueberries, plums, blackberries, broad beans, and cherries to your daily diet, especially when paired with green tea, could be a simple way to support heart health, according to new research.

A large international study led by scientists from the University of Reading, Harvard Medical School, the University of California Davis, and Mars, Inc., found that most people are not consuming enough flavanols, natural compounds linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

The researchers discovered that fewer than 20% of people reached the flavanol intake level associated with heart health benefits. Even many individuals who regularly ate the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables failed to meet that target.