Senate approves Sen. Gu’s shoreline access education bill

Local fake fire districts who block beach access also need "educating" 

The Senate today approved legislation from Sen. Victoria Gu to educate tenants and short-term rental guests about public shoreline access rights.

“This bill expands upon the work we’ve done to codify shoreline access and educate buyers of shoreline property about the public’s right to access the shore,” said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown). 

“While a lot of people in Rhode Island are aware of the public’s right to access the shoreline, people coming in from other states to rent or book a short-term rental aren’t necessarily aware of them. This is an important consumer protection and education measure to ensure that people renting ocean front real estate understand the public’s right to access the shoreline.”

Senator Gu sponsored a new law in 2024 that requires similar disclosure to buyers of shoreline property. This bill (2026-S 2734A) would extend this disclosure to tenants of shoreline properties, requiring landlords to provide renters with written shoreline access disclosure before the start of tenancy.

The disclosure would include the public’s rights and privileges to the shore up to 10 feet above the recognizable high tide line, requires the landlord to disclose any known rights of way to the tenant and advise the tenant to contact CRMC to find out if any public rights of way or permits are tied to the property.

Health alert for Worden Pond

RIDOH and DEM Recommend Avoiding Contact with Worden Pond

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are advising people to avoid contact with Worden Pond in South Kingstown due to harmful algae blooms (HABs).

All recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking, is high risk to health and recommended to be avoided at this location. 

This HAB is caused by blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which are naturally present in bodies of water. HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals. 

Toxins and/or high cell counts have been detected by the RIDOH State Health Laboratory from water samples collected by DEM at several locations.

Use caution in all areas of Worden Pond as HABs can move locations in ponds and lakes. People should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies. Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water. This advisory recommendation remains in effect until further notice.

Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. Symptoms from ingestion of water can include stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Less common symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. 

Young children and pets are at higher risk for health effects associated with HABs because they are more likely to swallow water when they are in or around bodies of water. People who have had contact with these ponds and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

If you or your pet come into contact with an algal bloom (HAB):

They’re Called ‘Super Pollutants’—And Trump’s EPA Wants to Expose You to More of Them

Remember the cancer-causing "Ozone Hole?" Trump wants to bring it back. 

Brett Wilkins for Common Dreams

In a reversal of his past position and what critics are calling yet another betrayal of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign pledge, US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration is loosening limits on so-called “super pollutant” hydrofluorocarbons used in air conditioners and refrigerators at the expense of the environment and climate.

Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin spun the move as a measure that will “save American families and businesses more than $2.4 billion” by revising “costly overreaching restrictions” imposed during the Biden administration “limiting the type of refrigerants American businesses and families can use.”

“Today, the Trump EPA is fulfilling President Trump’s promise to lower costs and is fixing every problem we can under the authority Congress gave us,” Zeldin said. “Our actions allow businesses to choose the refrigeration systems that work best for them, saving them billions of dollars. This will be felt directly by American families in lower grocery prices.”

Grocery prices have continued to rise during Trump’s second term, driven by the administration’s erratic trade wars and actual war on Iran. Critics of Thursday’s move argue that it will do little to reduce consumer costs, while increasing pollution and health risks for American families.

RFK Jr. brought chaos to US health system

HHS is in chaos and his MAHA movement looks like a spent force.

Noah Berlatsky

Last week, Trump’s Food and Drug Administration just about tore itself apart in a paroxysm of confusion and chaos.

First, Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary resigned. He was replaced by Kyle Diamantis, a crony of Donald Trump Jr. who has no medical qualifications. Makary was soon followed to the exit by administrator Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg, an anti-vax crank aligned with the rolling public health disaster that is Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The turmoil at the FDA is a sign of the administration’s deeply unserious and incoherent approach to public health. That is not, obviously, something to celebrate.

Trump’s catastrophically inadequate response to covid helped kill 1.2 million people in the US. In his second term he seems determined to ensure that the US is even more unprepared to face any and every public health crisis than it was in 2020.

At the same time, the instability at US public health agencies underlines the precarity of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, with all its snake-oil, fatphobia, and eugenic woo woo. MAHA never had a solid constituency on the right, and its support appears to have eroded further the longer the nation has stared into Kennedy’s beady, fanatic eyes.

Look what he's done to the White House...Ultimate Fighting cage being erected on White House lawn

South County Rising calendar of PRIDE events

Charlestown voters urged to turn out on Monday to vote on town budget

 

Voter and Election Information   ALL-DAY FINANCIAL REFERENDUM   Monday, June 1, 2026 Polls open: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. All Charlestown voters will vote at: Charlestown Town Hall, Council Chambers 4540 South County Trail, Charlestown RI 02813 Questions? Call (401) 364-1200 Best, Tim Quillen, CRU Chair Charlestown Residents United | PO Box 412 | Charlestown, RI 02813 US

Seth Magaziner gets $750,000 in federal funding for Wood River Health

Study Finds No Significant Health Effects from Wind Turbine Exposure

King Donald is wrong again

By Bioengineer 

In a groundbreaking study published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on May 19, 2026, researchers have shed light on a subject of mounting public interest and controversy: the health impacts of living near wind turbines. 

Opposing the narrative popularized in some media and public discourse that posits wind turbines as a source of significant health problems, the collaborative research involving the University of Pittsburgh, Columbia University, and the University of Augsburg delivers rigorously analyzed, empirical evidence that challenges these claims.

Wind energy is heralded globally as a pivotal element in the transition from fossil fuels toward sustainable energy systems. However, despite the environmental benefits, there remains a persistent public apprehension regarding the potential health effects of turbines, with claims ranging from sleep disturbances and headaches to heightened depression and even increased suicide rates. These assertions have often led to local opposition against turbine installations, complicating the advancement of wind energy projects.

Sen. DiMario, Rep. Fogarty introduce legislation to address loopholes in campaign finance law

Bills need action before General Assembly session ends 

Here is a prime example of the kind of election abuse
this legislation is designed to fight. From the League
of Rhode Island Businesses (LORIB) which set up
40 PACs and is running candidates against nearly
every Democratic woman legislator in South County.

Sen. Alana M. DiMario and Rep. Kathleen A. Fogarty have introduced legislation to close a variety of loopholes in state campaign finance law.

“As elected officials, our constituents expect us to represent their best interests and not the best interests of wealthy donors,” said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham). 

“Furthermore, our state constitution charges the General Assembly with setting limits on political donations and ensuring that campaign donations and expenditures are clearly and publicly reported. But as with many laws that we pass, we have to keep an eye on them so that they work as intended. This bill seeks to close the gaps between intention and practice in campaign finance by closing loopholes that have become apparent over the years. It’s time for the letter of the law to reflect the spirit of open, fair and transparent campaigning set down in our constitution.”

The bill (2026-S 2720, 2026-H 7450) would strengthen Rhode Island’s campaign finance laws in a variety of ways, including closing a loophole that allows campaigns to receive unlimited donations from vendors if those vendors agree to allow an outstanding invoice for their services to remain unpaid for an indefinite period of time. The bill would set a time limit for unpaid invoices before they must be classified as donations.

“This is critical legislation that closes loopholes surrounding election donations and campaign expenditures,” said Representative Fogarty (D-Dist. 35, South Kingstown). “Our laws are clearly intended to place reasonable limits on the role of money in politics and make sure its influence is transparently reported. But we’ve been falling behind upholding these ideals as donors, candidates and political action committees have found and exploited loopholes since our laws were last updated. By addressing areas where our laws are coming up short, this bill will increase transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral process.”

The bill would also prohibit using multiple political action committees under the control of the same person or group of people to evade the annual $2,000 limit on contributions to a political candidate — a practice already outlawed in federal elections — and strengthen the penalties for illegal straw donations that are similarly used to subvert contribution limits.

It would also clarify the definition of an in-kind contribution, require campaigns to itemize payments to vendors, tighten rules for political action committees to stop them from scamming donors by spending the bulk of their funds on overhead and close a loophole that could allow corporations that are banned from donating to candidates in Rhode Island to evade the ban by donating paid personal services.

Senator DiMario and Representative Fogarty’s legislation was supported in committee by the Rhode Island Board of Elections, the Campaign Legal Center and Common Cause Rhode Island, the latter of which wrote “together these changes will make our campaign finance limits and reporting more effective and reduce the role of money in our politics.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: LORIB has targeted Charlestown state Rep. Tina Spears as well as our state Senator Victoria Gu. The authors of the legislation, Rep. Kathy Fogarty and Sen. Alana DiMario are also targets, as are Rep. Teresa Tanzi, Rep. Carol McEntee, and Sen. Bridgette ValVerde. Many of these challenges take the form of putting up a DINO (Democrat in name only) candidate up against a real Democrat in the September 9 Democratic Primary. That's the case in Charlestown where a pro-gun lawyer specializing in defending clients charged with sex crimes is up against our hard-working state Rep. Tina Spears.    - Will Collette

Introducing TRUMPGroceries

Burn her!

Leave the babies alone!

Respect Wildlife - Don't Touch!

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) asks the public to give baby wildlife some space, especially fawns – the tiny spotted deer that are often mistakenly thought to be “abandoned” when they’re right where Mom left them. 

As tempting as it may be to “rescue” a lone fawn, touching or moving it is putting its survival at risk. 

“In nature, it’s normal for a fawn to be hidden in grass or brush for the first week after birth, as it can’t yet follow its mother,” said Dylan Ferreira, a wildlife biologist in DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). “Sometimes well-intentioned people wrongly assume that a fawn is abandoned and take it home and try to rescue it, but the mother is usually nearby and returns to feed it. If you see a fawn alone, please leave it alone – it does not need help and should not be handled.”

Childhood junk food may rewire the brain for life

Bites back later in life

University College Cork

Childhood junk food may secretly rewire the brain for life — but gut bacteria could help fight back.

Children who regularly eat high-fat, high-sugar foods may experience lasting changes in the brain that continue long after their diets improve, according to a new study from University College Cork (UCC). Researchers also found that beneficial gut bacteria and prebiotic fibers could help reduce some of these long-term effects and support healthier eating behaviors later in life.

Scientists at APC Microbiome, a leading research center based at UCC, discovered that unhealthy diets during early life can alter how the brain controls appetite and feeding. These changes persisted even after the unhealthy diet ended and body weight returned to normal.

Today's children are surrounded by highly processed foods that are heavily marketed and easy to access. Sugary and fatty foods have become common at birthday parties, school events, sports activities, and even as rewards for good behavior. Researchers say this constant exposure may shape food preferences from an early age and encourage eating habits that continue into adulthood.

Childhood Diets and Long-Term Brain Changes

The study, published in Nature Communications, found that early exposure to calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods can leave lasting effects on feeding behavior. Researchers used a preclinical mouse model and found that animals exposed to a high-fat, high-sugar diet early in life showed persistent changes in eating behavior as adults.

The team linked these behavioral effects to disruptions in the hypothalamus, a brain region responsible for regulating appetite and energy balance.

The research also explored whether targeting the gut microbiome could help counter these effects. Scientists tested a beneficial bacterial strain (Bifidobacterium longum APC1472) along with prebiotic fibers (fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), naturally present in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus and bananas, and widely available in fortified foods and prebiotic supplements).

According to the findings, both approaches showed potential benefits when given throughout life.

Gut Bacteria May Help Restore Healthy Eating Patterns

"Our findings show that what we eat early in life really matters." said Dr. Cristina Cuesta-Martí, first author of the study. "Early dietary exposure may leave hidden, long-term effects on feeding behavior that are not immediately visible through weight alone."

Researchers found that unhealthy diets early in life disrupted brain pathways linked to feeding behavior, with effects continuing into adulthood. The findings suggest this could raise the risk of obesity later in life.

Importantly, scientists found that modifying the gut microbiota helped reduce these long-term effects. The probiotic strain Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 significantly improved feeding behavior while causing only minor changes to the overall microbiome, suggesting a highly targeted effect. Meanwhile, the prebiotic combination (FOS+GOS) produced broader changes across the gut microbiome.

Microbiome Research Opens New Possibilities

"Crucially, our findings show that targeting the gut microbiota can mitigate the long-term effects of an unhealthy early-life diet on later feeding behavior. Supporting the gut microbiota from birth helps maintain healthier food-related behaviors into later life." said Dr. Harriet Schellekens, lead investigator of the study.

Professor John F. Cryan, Vice President for Research & Innovation at UCC and collaborator on the project, said: "Studies like this exemplify how fundamental research can lead to potential innovative solutions for major societal challenges. By revealing how early-life diet shapes brain pathways involved in the regulation of feeding, this work opens new opportunities for microbiota-based interventions."

The UCC-led study involved collaborators from the University of Seville (Spain), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), and Teagasc Food Research Centre (Fermoy, Ireland). Funding came from Research Ireland, a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship, and a research award from the Biostime Institute for Nutrition & Care.

Journal Reference:

1. Cristina Cuesta-Marti, Eduardo Ponce-España, Friederike Uhlig, Iris Stoltenborg, Luiza A. Wasiewska, Lamiah Kareem, Dara Hedayatpour, Loreto Olavarría-Ramírez, Cristina Rosell-Cardona, Thomaz. F. S. Bastiaanssen, Gabriel. S. S. Tofani, Benjamin Valderrama, Klara Vlckova, Suzanne L. Dickson, Aonghus Lavelle, Catherine Stanton, R. Paul Ross, John F. Cryan, Timothy G. Dinan, Gerard Clarke, Siobhain M. O’Mahony, Harriët Schellekens. Bifidobacterium longum and prebiotic interventions restore early-life high-fat/high-sugar diet-induced alterations in feeding behavior in adult mice. Nature Communications, 2026; 17 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68968-2

Retirees Are Worried About the Cost of Healthcare – and Who Can Blame Them?

Rising premiums, deductibles, co-pays, supplemental coverage and out of pocket costs hurt

Alicia H. Munnell 

The 10-percent increase in Medicare Part B premiums for 2026 has reignited concerns about how much Social Security and total income people will have after they cover their out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending.  Fortunately, my colleague Matt Rutledge has updated earlier research to answer precisely that question.

Even though retirees ages 65+ have Medicare, they still face considerable costs. In the case of Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital care and is financed primarily by payroll taxes, beneficiaries face cost-sharing. Medicare Part B, which covers physician and outpatient hospital services, and Part D, which covers prescription drugs, are partly financed by premiums and include further cost-sharing. 

Because Medicare’s OOP costs are often substantial, many enrollees buy supplemental coverage, which may include additional premiums. Finally, many services, such as dental, vision, and hearing, are not covered by Medicare.

To identify total out-of-pocket healthcare costs, Matt used the 2018, 2020, and 2022 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The sample included respondents who were ages 65+ and were receiving both Social Security and Medicare. In terms of expenditures, the HRS captures prescription drugs, special facilities, surgery, and medical visits to doctors, hospitals, and dentists. It also includes self-reported premiums paid for Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, and private supplemental plans. Medicare Part B income-related premiums were estimated based on the individual’s income. 

The central finding was the percentage of Social Security left after paying out-of-pocket health costs and how those results changed over the three surveys. As shown in Figure 1, the median percentage remaining in 2022 after medical OOP spending was 71 percent for Social Security benefits and 88 percent for total income. And these percentages were virtually unchanged over the three surveys.

In other words, OOP takes a big chuck of retirees’ resources, and the 10-percent increase in Medicare Part B premium suggests no relief on the horizon.