Saturday, March 14, 2026
More than a thousand sightings reported to new URI bobcat watch project
High interest in URI’s statewide bobcat project
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| Photo / Peter Green |
Once eradicated from Rhode Island, bobcats have returned over the past few decades and are now being spotted more frequently across the state. That fact has been verified in just a matter of months through the Rhode Island Bobcat Project, led by University of Rhode Island researchers and local partners, including Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management and the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island.
URI’s researchers just passed the 1,000-sighting mark this
winter, a good sign for the cat species and public interest in the animal.
These reports will help URI Assistant Professor of Quantitative Ecology Kathleen Carroll and
Ph.D. student Christopher Hickling better understand the animal’s movements,
habitat use, and population dynamics.
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| Each cat receives a formal scientific designation, as well as a memorable ‘bird’ name, like Cooper here, the fourth bobcat in the state to be tracked with a GPS collar as part of the Rhode Island Bobcat Project. (URI Photo / Quest Lab) |
Carroll and Hickling say that bobcats’ increasing presence
in Rhode Island is positive, while the cat makes for an intriguing and
accessible subject and has piqued public interest.
The information that URI’s team has gathered from public
reports, alongside camera traps and GPS radiocollars, will help them identify
where bobcats rest, hunt, and travel. Such valuable data is critical in
developing recommendations for land management practices that balance human use
with wildlife conservation.
“Bobcats in Rhode Island appear very tolerant of people compared to bobcats in other states,” Carroll said. “This makes sense since Rhode Island is so densely populated. In other states, cats can be more wary; here, they are walking across driveways at night.”
“We are happy people are excited about seeing bobcats and
interested in their importance for biodiversity,” Carroll added. “The reports
we’ve received will enable us to better support their populations here in the
future.”
Carroll and Hickling in URI’s Natural Resources Science
department share some updates on what they have observed since their bobcat
survey launched in September:
Chariho Schools Superintendent Gina Picard pays tribute on the death of Charlestown's school committee rep Donna Chambers
Dear Chariho Colleagues,
Donna served the Chariho community with remarkable
dedication for more than a decade, representing the Town of Charlestown on the
School Committee since 2013. Her service
reflected a lifelong commitment to education, learning, and public service.
Before returning to Rhode Island, Donna built a
distinguished career in education, including teaching, adult education, and
educational consulting. She brought that depth of experience to her work on the
Chariho School Committee, where she was known for thoughtful preparation,
strong advocacy for students, and a deep belief in the power of education to
change lives.
When I think of Donna, one phrase always comes to
mind: courage of convictions.
Donna approached every decision with careful thought
and a deep sense of responsibility. She believed that public service required
both integrity and the willingness to speak honestly about what she believed
was right for students. Even when perspectives differed, her focus never
wavered. Students were always at the center of her thinking.
Public education relies on individuals who are willing
to give their time, energy, and voice to strengthening schools for the next
generation. Donna embodied that spirit of service. Her contributions helped
shape the work of the Chariho Regional School District and will continue to
influence our schools and students for years to come.
On behalf of the Chariho administration, faculty,
staff, and students, I extend our deepest condolences to Donna's family and
loved ones. We are grateful for her many years of dedication to our district
and to the students of Charlestown, Richmond, and Hopkinton.
Donna's commitment to education and to the students of
Chariho will not be forgotten.
Sincerely, Gina Picard
The Town Council will appoint a replacement to represent Charlestown on the Chariho School Committee. That person will serve until the November election.
Documents Reveal a Web of Financial Ties Between Trump Officials and the Industries They Help Regulate
A deeper understanding of corruption in the Trump regime
By Corey G. Johnson, Brandon Roberts and Al Shaw for ProPublica
But amid the intense competition, a handful of firms have an important inside connection.
At least four of the companies awarded contracts so far are owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm founded by billionaire Steve Feinberg, who until last year ran the company and is now the deputy secretary of defense — the second-highest-ranking official in the Pentagon.
Feinberg oversees the office in charge of the Golden Dome for America project, which is modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
Feinberg’s financial statements and ethics agreement are part of a trove of nearly 3,200 disclosure records that ProPublica is making public today. The disclosures, which can be viewed in a searchable online tool, detail the finances of more than 1,500 federal officials appointed by President Donald Trump. Records for Trump and Vice President JD Vance are also included.
The documents reveal a web of financial ties between senior government officials and the industries they help regulate — relationships that have drawn scrutiny as Trump has dismantled ethics safeguards designed to prevent conflicts of interest.
On his first day back in office, Trump rescinded an executive order signed by President Joe Biden that required his appointees to comply with an ethics pledge. The pledge barred them from working on issues related to their former lobbying topics or clients for two years. Weeks later, Trump fired 17 inspectors general charged with investigating fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest across the federal government. Around the same time, he removed the head of the Office of Government Ethics, the agency that oversees ethics compliance throughout the executive branch. The office is currently without a head or a chief of staff.Against that backdrop, ProPublica has, over the past year, used the disclosure records to investigate how personal financial interests have intersected with government decision-making inside the Trump administration.
The documents helped show that senior executive branch officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, made well-timed securities trades, at times selling stocks just before markets plunged because Trump announced new tariffs. (The officials either did not respond to requests for comment or said they had no insider information before they made their trades.)
Other disclosures revealed that two high-ranking scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency who recently helped downgrade the agency’s assessment of the health risks of formaldehyde had previously held senior positions at the chemical industry’s leading trade group. (The EPA said the scientists had obtained ethics advice approving their work on the project.)
In December, ProPublica reported that Trump has appointed more than 200 people who collectively owned — either by themselves or with their spouses — between $175 million and $340 million in cryptocurrency investments at the time they filed their disclosures. Some of those appointees now hold positions overseeing or influencing regulation of the crypto industry. Among them are Todd Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense attorney and now the second-highest-ranking official in the Justice Department.
Blanche’s disclosure records show that he owned at least $159,000 in crypto-related assets last year when he shut down investigations into crypto companies, dealers and exchanges.
Friday, March 13, 2026
Six Federal Scientists Run Out by Trump Talk About the Work Left Undone
Trump and Bobby Jr. ousted some of our very best medical experts
Philip Stewart, a Rocky Mountain Laboratories researcher focused on tick-borne diseases, said he retired two years earlier than planned because of hurdles that made it too challenging to do his job well.
Alexa Romberg, an addiction prevention scientist focused on tobacco, said she “lost a great deal” of the research she oversaw when federal grants vanished.
“If one is thinking about the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda and the prevention of chronic disease,” Romberg said, “tobacco use is the No. 1 contributor to early morbidity and mortality that we can prevent.”
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Over decades, the value of the NIH may be the one thing everyone in Washington has agreed on. Lawmakers have routinely boosted its funding.
“I’m so pleased to be associated with NIH,” former Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican and one of the NIH’s biggest champions in Congress, said in 2022 shortly before he retired.
But in President Donald Trump’s second term, the NIH has seen an exodus of scientists like Ernstoff, Stewart, and Romberg. Federal data shows the NIH lost about 4,400 people — more than 20% of its workforce. Scientists say the departures harm the U.S.’ ability to respond to disease outbreaks, develop treatments for chronic illnesses, and confront the nation’s most pressing public health problems.
“People are going to get hurt,” said Sylvia Chou, a scientist who worked at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, for over 15 years before she left in January. “There’s going to be a lot more health challenges and even deaths, because we need science in order to help people get healthy.”
URI Watershed Watch seeks volunteers to monitor ponds, streams, and coasts
Volunteer training starts in April
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| URI Photos / Watershed Watch |
A URI Cooperative Extension program, Watershed Watch
volunteers help researchers understand how snowy winters, stormwater runoff,
and droughts contribute to bacteria and surface algal blooms, affecting water
quality. With decades of data, Watershed Watch volunteers contribute to better
understanding how climate change impacts our local waters.
While volunteers are needed across the state, sites that are
in particular need this year include Alton Pond, an impoundment on the Wood
River bordering Hopkinton and Richmond, and several ponds in Cranston—including
Blackamore and Spectacle ponds and Meshanticut Lake. Volunteers are also needed
at several pond and stream sites in Warwick and at Melville Pond in Portsmouth.
A program of URI Cooperative
Extension, Watershed Watch volunteers help to assess the impacts of weather,
stormwater runoff, and other impacts on water quality, contributing to better
understanding of the health of local waters.
Data will be used to help regional organizations and
communities identify problems so they can protect and restore local water
resources.
Cotter and DiPalma again push to make ‘green bond’ greener
Hoping to add a Green Bond measure to the 2026 ballot
Legislation they have introduced would add funding to the
proposed Green Bond for state and local programs for conservation of open space
and farmland, as well as for recreational spaces and programs.
“Rhode Islanders value the protection of open space, which is evident by the wide approval our Green Bonds usually get each election. Conservation is usually a big part of our Green Bonds, and it’s what Rhode Islanders expect to get when they vote to support them,” said Representative Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton).
“Our legislation ensures our
state and local conservation programs can continue to save farmlands, forests
and other vital resources that help protect our environment, maintain our
state’s natural beauty and character and provide access to recreation and
peaceful places that all Rhode Islanders deserve.”
Sen. DiMario introduces legislation to address workforce shortages through loan assistance
DiMario wants to help with student debt
“Student loan debt is a burden facing so many of our young professionals, and having a program established to assist them will allow the state and its employers to quickly put available workforce development dollars from any source to effective use to attract and retain much-needed talent,” said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham).
“In
the short term this could address our state’s health care staffing crisis by
helping to recruit and retain professionals in high-demand areas, including
primary care providers and mental health practitioners, but it would work
equally well for other sectors of our workforce that might experience shortages
in the future. Additionally, administering this program through the
existing Rhode Island Student Loan Authority cuts down on administrative costs
for the state by reducing duplicative programs and means that participants
could maximize their repayment and tax benefits.”
The bill (2026-S 2662) would establish a fund under the
administration of RISLA to provide loan-repayment assistance to workers in
high-need professions who have committed to work full-time in their profession
for a prescribed term of service.
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Investing Public Pensions in Fossil Fuel and AI Companies Is More Than Amoral – It’s Bad Business
Public pension money should be directed to where it will do the most good
Liz Perlman and Stephen Lerner for Common Dreams
Our country faces an affordability crisis amidst fundamental
attacks on democracy.
Public employee pension plans can either be part of the solution or part of the
problem.
We're not this guy
Late last year, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander recommended the city’s pension boards drop BlackRock and other portfolio managers that don’t have decarbonization plans up to the city’s standards. Lander’s initiative was blocked, and the editorial board of The Washington Post accused him of playing politics. But Lander argued that his recommendation was in line with the government’s fiduciary duty to protect the long-term value of pension funds, the retirement systems most public sector workers rely on—and have been paying into their entire careers. He’s right.
In this critical moment
in history, companies that are actively hastening climate change,
threatening housing security, eliminating jobs and industries, and
destabilizing our democracy and economy do not deserve our investment. Yes,
they are acting immorally but they are also very bad investments with little
promise of future returns for public sector workers. It’s not “playing
politics” to refuse to fund their efforts to dismantle our society. That’s why
we’re calling on pension boards across the country to take a hard look at their
portfolios and make the smart business decision: stop investing in companies
like this today.
The stakes could not be higher: pension funds account for $6.1 trillion in state and local defined-benefit funds alone. Every month, nearly 15 million workers across the country contribute part of their paycheck to ensure they have enough income to retire securely. This is a big pot of money and the companies that boards choose to invest it with matter.
For public sector workers, pensions are not only retirement funds,
but deferred current compensation. Workers are forsaking their hard-earned
money today for the potential of a dignified future. Meanwhile, corporations
are using that money today to further their own goals—many of which are
directly at odds with the goals, livelihoods, and futures of public employees.
EDITOR'S DISCLOSURE: Steve Lerner and I go back 40 years when he was a young textile worker organizer. Steve was a frequent house guest at our suburban DC home. On one of his visits, Cathy and I (well, mostly Cathy) introduced him to Marilyn Sniederman. I told Cathy I wouldn't recognize her skills as a yenta until the bris of their first son. When that happened, I admitted my mistake. Later on, when I went to work in the labor movement, I worked with both Marilyn and Steve in my first union job. I owe them both. - Will Collette
Campaign Training for Women
Campaign Training for Women
Event Date
Friday, March 27, 2026Event time
10:00 AM - 3:00 PMCost / donation
$30
For women who may be interested in running for elected office, a one-day nuts-and-bolts training session is coming to Providence Friday March 27.
The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island and the Women’s Fund of the Rhode Island are sponsoring The Campaign School at Yale’s (TCSYale) “The Basics” training to help women (and those supporting their campaigns) gain the skills needed to run and win.
The session runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers practical guidance, campaign fundamentals, and the confidence to take their first step toward public leadership. Registration is $30 and lunch is included.
Event Date
Friday, March 27, 2026Event time
10:00 AM - 3:00 PMCost / donation
$30
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