Progressive Charlestown
a fresh, sharp look at news, life and politics in Charlestown, Rhode Island
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
McKee issues drought watch, urges Rhode Islanders to conserve water
Guess he'll need to cancel more anti-climate change programs
By Nolan Page, Rhode Island Current
Gov. Dan McKee announced Rhode Island’s first drought watch since 2002.
At the advice of the state’s Drought Steering Committee, McKee upgraded last month’s initial drought advisory to the second of four monitoring stages because of continuing low levels of precipitation, groundwater and stream flow. The committee will meet again in mid-July to reassess drought conditions. Should they remain of concern, two more progressive declarations would follow: a warning, then an emergency.
A statewide drought advisory was announced May 28. Under Rhode Island’s drought plan, the drought watch remains in effect until the state sees six months of normal precipitation and two months of normal groundwater levels.McKee said residents are “strongly encouraged” to take conservation measures as water demand peaks during the summer, according to the press release. Recommendations included fixing leaky plumbing, hand watering plants and being conscientious about the water used during showers and laundry.
Rob Megnia, a meteorologist and hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts, said the warning doesn’t necessarily signal the worst drought conditions Rhode Island has seen since 2002.
“We’ve had worse ones than we’ve had now,” Megnia said, who recalled memorable drought conditions in 2020 and 2022. “Since the 2022 one, it hasn’t been as significant.”
The most recent statewide drought declaration available on the Drought Steering Committee’s website came as an advisory in 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: I found nothing on that website link.
Be careful, Charlestown: heat wave!
Most likely accompanied by bad air, fire risk
By Will Collette
For several days, the National Weather Service has been warning of a heat dome effect that will cover much of the northeastern US over the Fourth of July weekend.
It's coming, starting tomorrow, and according to this morning's extended forecast, it will extend through and beyond the 4th without a break at least until Monday. Heat index numbers will likely be alarming.
Usually, with heat like this, our air quality drops due to auto-driven ground level ozone as well as particulate pollution. This morning's forecast shows that air quality tomorrow and Wednesday will be, at best, "moderate," though that could change to "unhealthy."
I predict a high level of summer people this weekend, drawn to Charlestown by our beaches so be especially careful on the roads since, as most residents know, these people can be crazy.
With little rain in the forecast, expect an elevated wildfire risk. According to Gov. McKee, Rhode Island is in a state of drought. Add campfire, outdoor cookouts and illegal fireworks.
Will Trump succeed at blocking you from voting by mail?
The Executive Order to Restrict Vote by Mail: Trump is still trying to suppress your vote
Republican voters regularly use mail-in voting. Nearly one in five registered Republicans vote by mail. Trump himself uses it. But in his role as president, he has an almost pathological dislike for the practice. One in four Democrats votes by mail.Data on who votes by mail suggests that many Americans like
it and have confidence in it. For instance, States United reports that
40% of voters who are 65 and over vote by mail. And in 2024, 905,343 members of
the military and Americans living abroad voted by mail.
Trump has defended casting his own ballots by mail, saying he
did it “because I’m president” and “I had a lot of different things” to do. But
when others do it, there is cheating. In essence, the attacks on voting by mail
have become a convenient, if false, vehicle for keeping the voter fraud
narrative Trump loves to push on the front burner.
Trump has been trying to end Americans’ ability to vote by
mail. His most recent effort, after several failed ones, started with a new
executive order he signed on March 31 of this year: “ENSURING
CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION AND INTEGRITY IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.” It’s a plot
to transfer control over who gets to vote from the states, who have that
authority under the Constitution, to the federal government, which does not.
It would have been unimaginable for the Carter, Clinton,
Obama or Biden administrations to restrict voting like this. Even for the
Reagan or Bush administrations. The federal government is going to prevent
states from using the U.S. Mail to send out ballots, unless the states let the
federal government decide who is eligible to vote—under rules set by each
state. It’s rank voter suppression, removing decision making authority from the
states and vesting it in the Trump administration, which has repeatedly demonstrated
its interest in winning, even if that means keeping Democrats from voting or
refusing to count their votes when they do.
Monday, June 29, 2026
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
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.
As 2026 Election season gets serious, Charlestown Dems announce July events
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