Friday, June 12, 2026
Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association announces upcoming events
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Why 40 per cent of people are avoiding the news, according to a psychologist
Coping by not looking
Ali Jasemi, Wilfrid Laurier University
During several recent conversations, people have told me that they’ve stopped checking their phones in the morning. Not because nothing was happening, but because everything was. They described the feeling as standing under a waterfall of perpetual bad news.
Long before smartphones or even the printing press, our cognitive architecture was shaped by a single problem: stay alive long enough to reproduce. Our ancestors whose attention drifted past the rustle in the grass left fewer descendants than those who froze, looked and listened.
This experience is far from an isolated one. According to Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report, 69 per cent of Canadians at least occasionally avoid the news now.
Globally, 40 per cent report they at least sometimes or often do the same, the highest figure ever recorded. People shared consistent reasons for this: the news put them in a bad mood, they felt overwhelmed and powerless to act.
As a researcher in developmental psychology, focusing on social development and psychological well-being, I argue that news fatigue is not laziness, weakness or a generational decline in civic interest. It’s the predictable response of a human brain meeting an environment it was never designed to navigate.
Wired for bad news
The brain that paid attention to threats was the brain that survived.
This is the foundation of what psychologists call the negativity bias, one of the most replicated findings in cognitive science. Across decades of research, the human mind has been shown to weigh negative information more heavily than positive, attend to it faster and remember it longer.
A predator nearby mattered more than a beautiful sunset. The cost of missing a real threat was death, while the cost of overreacting was a few minutes of wasted vigilance. The asymmetry made this bias adaptive.
Here is the problem: the human brain has not changed since then. We are the same species as we were thousands of years ago. What’s changed is the size of the world it’s asked to scan for threats.
How Melatonin Impacts Heart Health
Separating fact from rumor
It’s important to clear up one thing right off the bat:
There are currently no proven links between melatonin supplements and heart
disease or problems. So, you can rest a little easier if you’ve been worried.
But that doesn’t mean melatonin is risk-free — or even the
right solution for your needs.
Cardiologist Michael Hill, MD, walks us through the research.
Does melatonin use cause heart failure?
There’s no clear evidence that melatonin causes heart failure.
So, why the chatter? It’s because researchers found possible links between
melatonin and heart failure. They used a health records database to compare two
groups of adults with insomnia — those who took melatonin for at least one
year, and those who didn’t.
They found that within a five-year period, the melatonin
group had higher rates of:
- Heart
failure
- Hospitalization
for heart failure
- Death
from any cause
“These are striking findings, and that’s why they made
headlines,” Dr. Hill acknowledges. “But there are some important caveats.”
Dr. Hill explains:
- There’s
no proof that melatonin caused heart failure: The
research makes associations, but it doesn’t prove causation. That’s a huge
distinction. It means there are patterns, but there’s no proof that
melatonin is the driving factor.
- The
findings aren’t peer-reviewed: “This is a research abstract, meaning a
presentation of preliminary data,” Dr. Hill notes. “It must go through
rigorous peer review before we accept the findings as fact.”
- Gaps
remain: Because these are early findings, we don’t know the factors,
like melatonin supplement dosage or treatments given to the non-melatonin
group. We also don’t know if some people had sleep apnea or other
diagnoses.
- Heart
failure can cause sleep issues: It’s possible that some study
participants had issues because they were already in the
early stages of heart failure and didn’t yet have a diagnosis. That would
add more gray area to the findings.
“Based on the information available so far, we can’t say
that melatonin causes heart failure,” Dr. Hill clarifies. “But the topic is on
our radar, and we’ll continue learning.”
Why Wildfire Experts Are So Worried About This Year’s Fire Season
Trump cutbacks, climate change, widespread drought
At minimum, Charlestown will catch the smoke. Plus, we are in "moderate" drought
As bad as things got in Los Angeles in January 2025, when 31 people died and more than 16,000 buildings were destroyed by wildfires roaring into residential neighborhoods, many wildland firefighters look back on the rest of last year as a dodged bullet.
Across the nation, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), which coordinates the federal wildfire response, the total area burned in 2025 was about two-thirds of the average over the past 10 years.
This year is shaping up to be a very different prospect, wildfire experts warn. Key environmental indicators show that the nation is a tinderbox, gripped by widespread drought and with a light snowpack in the mountains that will offer little relief as its remnants melt away.
At the same time, upheaval in the federal wildland firefighting effort and the loss of many staff qualified to join wildfire incident teams since Donald Trump took power for the second time have left firefighters deeply concerned about their ability to mount an effective response.
“I think this is going to be the year,” warned Timothy Ingalsbee, co-founder and executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology. “The conditions are just ripe for some really bad outcomes.”
Indeed, 2026 is already off to an inauspicious start.
As of Friday, the NIFC reported that some 2.4 million acres had burned in wildfires for which it had generated incident reports. That’s almost double the 10-year average for the time of year.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Great new local website breaks great news about a new Charlestown Town Council candidate
Eat your heart out, CCA
By Will Collette
 |
| This is Cynthia's Corgi, Maris, who WON'T be on the campaign trail |
Fortunately, Alex won the post of Executive Editor for the
Westerly Sun and is working hard to revitalize that local institution. But
having way more energy than me, he has also set up a side gig.
Working with Sun columnist Nancy Burns-Fusaro, there’s a new
media source called the South
County Star where Alex is continuing to work on the stories that made
him a must-read/hear source on The Public’s Radio. Call the Star another
must-read source.
He just broke
the story that another fine local journalist, Cynthia Drummond, will be
running as a Democrat for a seat on the Charlestown Town Council. She will not
seek endorsement from either the CCA or Charlestown Residents United (CRU) but
WILL seek the support of the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee.
In the 25 years since Cathy and I returned to Rhode Island
to live in Charlestown, we’ve enjoyed Cynthia’s work. Charlestown was lucky to
have her as its Westerly Sun specialist for many years. I loved her attention
to detail, witty writing style and fairness. I was sorry to see her retire,
though I still followed her freelance work for such publications as EcoRI.
Charlestown Town Council President Deb Carney told Alex
Nunes she was “very excited” to run with Cynthia as both will be running as endorsed
Democrats, elaborating further, “I know Cynthia going back to 2010. She’s very
smart. She’s very scientific. She does her research.”
As does Deb.
Cynthia Drummond began her journalism career as a television reporter in Canada. She holds a Master of Marine Affairs degree from the University of Rhode Island and worked for several years at The Westerly Sun, covering Hopkinton, Richmond, Charlestown and the Chariho Regional School District. In addition to writing for the Rhode Island Current, Cynthia covers the Town of Richmond for the Beaver River Valley Community Association.
Alex reported that she moved to the US in 1998 and became a
US citizen.
One thing she won’t do as a candidate is use her beloved Corgi
Maris as a political prop as so many others do. Maris is prominently featured
in Cynthia’s Bluesky
account and she seems like a natural campaigner.
Assembly approves Victoria Gu legislation to expand online database of affordable housing
First step in getting a place to live is finding one
“A few years ago, the General Assembly tasked RIHousing with creating and maintaining a searchable online database of low-income housing developments to inform the public of low-income housing opportunities,” said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown).
“But that law
only narrowly applied to the limited number of rental units funded by
RIHousing, leaving large gaps that made it difficult for Rhode Islanders
searching for affordable housing to find an available unit. This bill expands that
database to all low- and moderate-income housing units — including
homeownership units — to create a comprehensive one-stop location for Rhode
Islanders searching for housing.”
The legislation (2026-S 2690, 2026-H 7778) expands the database to include all
residential developments that meet the definition of low- or moderate-income
housing, including homeownership units. Currently, the database is limited to
rentals in specific low-income housing developments and subsidized housing
developments.
Foulkes campaign accuses McKee of false statements about CVS
Dan McKee Yet Again Attacks CVS, Rhode Island’s Largest Employer
“It’s been just two weeks since Dan McKee lied about Helena in his first ad, claiming she held a position she never had, that she was responsible for a merger that closed after she left CVS, that she was responsible for the other company’s decisions prior to the merger, and that she doesn’t care about Rhode Islanders’ health. This new ad doubles down on these lies and is a direct attack on Rhode Island’s largest employer. Helena is proud to have led the charge to take tobacco off the shelves at CVS, despite the large amount of revenue tobacco generated.”
“McKee can’t defend his record as governor so is lashing out at Helena because he knows voters do not think he deserves an unprecedented third term.”
The facts are:
- Helena
ran the retail division. She was never the CEO of CVS, and it is absurd to
suggest she merged CVS with Aetna.
- Helena
left CVS before the merger closed.
- The
premium increase and changes to enrollment cited in the ad occurred before
Aetna merged with CVS.
Rep. Tina Spears bill for guardrails on use of artificial intelligence in mental health care passes the General Assembly
Great job, Tina!
The first bill (2026-S 2195Aaa, 2026-H 7350Aaa) requires developers to incorporate protocols to protect vulnerable users who may express suicidal ideation, desires for self-harm or desires to physically harm others while interacting with a chatbot.
The systems would also be required to refer users to a crisis service provider as soon as it detects any of these expressions, and developers would have to submit annual reports to the Attorney General’s office showing the number of safety protocol activations and related metrics.
“AI chatbots are a new kind of technology that provide an
experience that to many users feels like speaking to a friend or a therapist.
But chatbots aren’t human and they do not live up to the professional standards
of a trained therapist,” said Representative Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown,
New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly). “This legislation puts up necessary
guardrails to protect the users of chatbots, because, as we have seen in too
many tragic instances, the products are not currently equipped to deal with
users experiencing a crisis in a safe and responsible manner. Whether at home
or in a clinical setting, human oversight and thoughtful safety regulation are
necessary to keep Rhode Islanders safe from a growing and untested technology.”
BAD air and heat today. Smog lifts Saturday
Air Quality Alert: Unhealthy Ozone for Sensitive Groups Expected Thursday
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) forecasts that air quality will reach UNHEALTHY levels for sensitive groups due to elevated ground-level ozone on Thursday, June 11. The alert is being issued statewide.
- UNHEALHTY
ozone levels for sensitive groups are expected across the entire state.
- Peak
levels begin early afternoon, continuing into the evening.
- Fine
particles are also expected to be elevated, reaching MODERATE.
- Throat
irritation, coughing, and chest pain
- Shortness
of breath and increased risk of respiratory infections
- Worsening
of asthma and other lung conditions- particularly for children, the
elderly, and others with pre-existing respiratory issues.
Recommended Actions:
- Reduce
prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
- Take
frequent breaks and choose less strenuous activities.
- Monitor
for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath.
- People
with asthma or lung conditions should follow their action plans and carry
quick-relief medications.
- Schedule
outdoor activities in the morning when ozone levels are lowest and
typically GOOD on the Air Quality index.
Air quality can change throughout the day. To stay informed,
download the AirNOW app or
visit www.airnow.gov for
real-time updates and forecasts.
Additional information is also available on DEM’s air
quality forecast page at www.dem.ri.gov/airquality.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives,
visit www.dem.ri.gov
[pvxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net]. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X
(@RhodeIslandDEM), or
Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for
timely updates. Sign up here to
receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs
Office to your inbox.
New Pell Center national survey finds Americans with the strongest authoritarian attitudes are the most likely to support violations of democratic norms
By the numbers, Republicans like fascism more than Dems
Salve Regina University’s Pell Center
While
support for democratic norm violations is generally low across the population,
high authoritarians—a characteristic identified through a series of questions
designed to surface those sentiments—are more likely to support government
actions like ignoring court decisions, censoring media sources, and changing
election rules to disadvantage the political opposition.
Download the full
report here.
The survey was directed by Pell Center Associate Director and Fellow Katie Sonder and fielded by Embold Research between May 4-12, 2026.
It gathered responses from 2,034 likely voters in the United States, with a
modeled margin of error of 2.2 percent. It examined how Americans perceive the
health of U.S. democracy, democratic norm violations, and partisan identity, as
well as the relationship between authoritarian attitudes and those views.
While support for democratic norm violations remains
relatively low, substantial differences exist across partisan and ideological
groups. Most Americans do not support election interference, but high
authoritarians are more likely than any other demographic subgroup (gender,
race, age, etc.) to support changing election rules to make victory harder for
the opposition.
Additionally, higher levels of authoritarianism were
strongly associated with conservative political identification.
Of those scoring highest on the authoritarian scale, 80% were Republican or Republican-leaning. Of those scoring lowest on the scale three-quarters were Democrat or Democrat-leaning.
Finally, Americans remain deeply divided on the basic state of American democracy
itself. While 95% of Democrats say the United States is facing a constitutional crisis, a majority of Republicans believe the country has a strong system of checks and balances and a thriving economy.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Local state reps getting measures passed by getting them folded into the state budget
Local Democratic women legislators use the budget to get good legislation passed
By Will Collette
While some may call this cheating, it is a time-honored method of getting bills passed that might otherwise fail, either because they are low-visibility or easily defeated by opposing lobbyists.
The US Congress uses what they call the "reconciliation" process to accomplish this, most recently when Republicans used it to pass a full funding for ICE immigration thuggery. Generally, this procedural device can only be used for issues that involve direct spending.
I used it once when I worked in DC as staff director for the Citizens Coal Council. Our priority legislation aimed to protect and compensate people when their water is threatened by underground coal mining. The coal industry blocked this bill when it stood on its own but couldn't stop it from passage when we got it into the federal budget.
Reps. Tanzi and Cotter, and Sen. DiMario had news releases sent out to describe the measures they inserted into the budget. The following summaries are taken from those news releases.
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