tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57831587335847327062024-03-19T09:00:31.276-04:00Progressive Charlestowna fresh, sharp look at news, life and politics in Charlestown, Rhode IslandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27460125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-60029835981055465572024-03-19T09:00:00.001-04:002024-03-19T09:00:00.131-04:00A Fight is Brewing Over Rhode Island’s Forests<p><b style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Prevent fires through more logging?</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By <a href="https://upriseri.com/"><span style="color: #272727; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Uprise RI Staff</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsGiKzSrYUWTGhFo2gIjbj2Uf6KFXGui2Zv7PZ1ApGDKiCwXsnl48lHFEI0gZA4EKEm4LPVzrdf2qKHNnAnjx-0xaJeN1vP1zaL_egMIuD5NaYu7NcL3dawa4SJun0BfwnHl0P8bmYvflXqEPQo3GHdaUPNHzAX3P6JWRFcY4CkOIcLIhvMIMTyEGQi4/s356/200%20(9).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="356" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsGiKzSrYUWTGhFo2gIjbj2Uf6KFXGui2Zv7PZ1ApGDKiCwXsnl48lHFEI0gZA4EKEm4LPVzrdf2qKHNnAnjx-0xaJeN1vP1zaL_egMIuD5NaYu7NcL3dawa4SJun0BfwnHl0P8bmYvflXqEPQo3GHdaUPNHzAX3P6JWRFcY4CkOIcLIhvMIMTyEGQi4/w400-h225/200%20(9).webp" width="400"></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deep within the corridors of power at the
Rhode Island State House, an intense battle is taking shape over the future of
the Ocean State’s forests. A series of bills have been introduced that
proponents say will help prevent devastating wildfires and promote sustainable
forest management. <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But critics argue the measures are a
thinly-veiled attempt by the timber industry to increase logging on public
lands for private profit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the center of the controversy is the
“Forestry and Forest Parity Act” (2024 H 7618), sponsored by Representative
Megan Cotter. The bill would provide significant tax breaks for commercial
logging operations, remove zoning restrictions on where they can take place,
and formally declare timber harvesting a “permitted use” in essentially all
areas of the state.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We need to adapt to our changing climate
with a new and more vigorous approach to forest management,” Cotter wrote in a
recent op-ed for RI News Today. “That means we must work as partners with
landowners, helping them safely manage the risks of fires, for their benefit
and the safety of the public.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/a-fight-is-brewing-over-rhode-islands.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-8912100207431242602024-03-18T23:13:00.000-04:002024-03-18T23:13:00.140-04:00Taylor Swift inspires new MAGA fever dream<p><b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/3/15/2229509/-Steve-Bannon-s-latest-theory-on-Taylor-Swift-is-the-craziest-conspiracy-yet"><span style="color: #e46e00; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Steve Bannon’s latest theory on
Taylor Swift is the craziest conspiracy yet</span></a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #3b3839; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">By Walter Einenkel</span></b><span style="color: #3b3839; font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> for <a href="https://www.dailykos.com/groups/main"><i><span style="color: #3b3839;">Daily
Kos</span></i></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOhLhfv1bQYFUAPpF83c8ygJ9fuhc3VfF_D9SBYhzoXxOqGukTTgfRREwy7IC-BNGUyey455tvMhj3178FbRRNIXgle0CVUUMEjF8U1wAtWX_Ivqt-BVPbJ9YFS5Z6eM_YDiGs30vTQmzcruBopJUo2Kgu_SOa9s4qEUmgISlNvU9K3mtGhxsbY9D12w/s361/Screenshot_16-3-2024_215623_www.google.com.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="361" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOhLhfv1bQYFUAPpF83c8ygJ9fuhc3VfF_D9SBYhzoXxOqGukTTgfRREwy7IC-BNGUyey455tvMhj3178FbRRNIXgle0CVUUMEjF8U1wAtWX_Ivqt-BVPbJ9YFS5Z6eM_YDiGs30vTQmzcruBopJUo2Kgu_SOa9s4qEUmgISlNvU9K3mtGhxsbY9D12w/w400-h399/Screenshot_16-3-2024_215623_www.google.com.jpeg" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Former Donald Trump adviser Steve
Bannon has a new addition for the right-wing conspiracy theory world. During an
interview with former Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam on “Bannon’s War Room
podcast,” the two men talked about the obstacles facing Trump this election
season, including the psychological operator Taylor Swift.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #302e2e; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">If you don’t know, according to
conspiracists, Taylor Swift is not-so-secretly being used <a href="https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/2/2/2221108/-Pentagon-confirms-Taylor-Swift-is-not-being-used-for-covert-deep-state-operations"><span style="color: #b55904;">by deep-state forces</span></a> hellbent on
reelecting President Joe Biden. Bannon plussed-up the conspiracy theory by
implying that Swift’s successful tour’s dates were not coincidental. Cue
dramatic sting!</span><span style="color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">d More<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">BANNON: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><i>This is the Taylor Swift
situation. I don't believe in coincidences. Her tour, which is the biggest
tour, I think, in music history, stops on 20 August and doesn't pick back up
until mid-November, early to mid-November. To be fully available after Labor
Day to do whatever. And she's pretty adamant. </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><i>She got involved in the ‘22
midterms, and Taylor Swift, with TikTok in back, is a formidable presence. And
anybody that doesn't believe that, I don't think is looking at the demographic
and the power she has with that demographic.</i></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><i></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #302e2e; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.2pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/taylor-swift-inspires-new-maga-fever.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-23071419680540030512024-03-18T20:07:00.000-04:002024-03-18T20:07:00.133-04:00Hey Supremes! Is this "insurrectionist" enough for ya?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://image.caglecartoons.com/283453/800/trump-bloodbath-hat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://image.caglecartoons.com/283453/800/trump-bloodbath-hat.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-7926313868826659222024-03-18T18:00:00.001-04:002024-03-18T18:00:00.130-04:00Trump's new campaign theme: "Elect me or I'll kill you."<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91GEPMYrmu48DLYg3Vw0KC3Nag0Yw6l3K4CU64GzcOYptHE-5hFhiNdqSei-_hJDy0CV8G-o1FiS2kOjsPRECxWy9tg-t4ktxe91We_VppEiZVf0RPvDbd8F_GsO18o1fLIRo3kmAyUKpEWCFF9d3uHfyPt0g5UZkEc5zK3mzk5pRvkVxVR-hqYVujKw/s435/Screenshot_17-3-2024_112851_www.blogger.com.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="435" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91GEPMYrmu48DLYg3Vw0KC3Nag0Yw6l3K4CU64GzcOYptHE-5hFhiNdqSei-_hJDy0CV8G-o1FiS2kOjsPRECxWy9tg-t4ktxe91We_VppEiZVf0RPvDbd8F_GsO18o1fLIRo3kmAyUKpEWCFF9d3uHfyPt0g5UZkEc5zK3mzk5pRvkVxVR-hqYVujKw/w640-h636/Screenshot_17-3-2024_112851_www.blogger.com.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-37857852995304410252024-03-18T16:06:00.000-04:002024-03-18T16:06:00.159-04:00DEM, RI Seafood Marketing Collaborative Accepting Applications for New Microgrant Pilot Program to Support Local Seafood Businesses and Commercial Fishing Industry<p><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>$5000 grants to boost seafood. Short deadline: March 22</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIuZl5jWsAAaLP7?format=jpg&name=medium" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIuZl5jWsAAaLP7?format=jpg&name=medium" width="400"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Department of
Environmental Management (DEM) and the <a href="https://seafood.ri.gov/contact-us/about-us" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Rhode Island Seafood Marketing Collaborative</span></a>, a
public-private body chaired by DEM, are accepting grant applications for a new
Commercial Fishing Microgrant Pilot Program.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Small competitive grants up to
$5,000 will be awarded to eligible seafood businesses and commercial fishers to
bolster their efforts in the commercial fishing industry. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The pilot program aims
to provide support to commercial fishers, allowing them to focus their efforts
on expanding landings and building their businesses from declines experienced
during COVID-19 pandemic. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eligible applicants include seafood business
such as dealers, processors, commercial fishers, and for-hire fishers. Eligible
grant projects include technology updates, equipment purchases, safety
equipment, training for new staff, and other expenses that would otherwise
inhibit commercial fishers from expanding their businesses. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Applications will
be accepted until Friday, March 22.</span> For additional details and information on
how to submit an application, <a href="https://controller.admin.ri.gov/grants-management/state-rhode-island-grant-funding-opportunities" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">please visit here</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p></div><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/dem-ri-seafood-marketing-collaborative.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-76227850627084000832024-03-18T12:33:00.000-04:002024-03-18T12:33:00.135-04:00Gas stoves can be hazardous to your health<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Gas
Stoves Make for Toxic Roommates</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/author/caleb_heeringa"><span color="windowtext" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-transform: uppercase;">CALEB HEERINGA</span></a> for </span><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/" style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="windowtext">Common Dreams</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP3lvcG_ho1GhQVl6RRGOpWEnG3ybDyccmoHSoXXCff3GPVdk8ve42EtI5usJ9N56VUr3n1PYrP3NWpPYS9zlOmfQ9yQTcZpLr-HStRmBwBDNW2ZnXzjZ1RZTeN_bBmmnZ00KyZnUYLxUAdowCogRxU7Y_lzDO6o-RZq6R4xyStInVp5SlORuAEwYSfA/s266/200%20(13).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="266" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP3lvcG_ho1GhQVl6RRGOpWEnG3ybDyccmoHSoXXCff3GPVdk8ve42EtI5usJ9N56VUr3n1PYrP3NWpPYS9zlOmfQ9yQTcZpLr-HStRmBwBDNW2ZnXzjZ1RZTeN_bBmmnZ00KyZnUYLxUAdowCogRxU7Y_lzDO6o-RZq6R4xyStInVp5SlORuAEwYSfA/w320-h241/200%20(13).webp" width="320"></a></div>There’s nothing worse than a toxic roommate. But those of
us with “natural” gas in our homes may be living with them without ever knowing
it.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">That’s why the Gas Leaks Project launched <a href="https://hotandtoxic.com/" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">“Hot
& Toxic,”</span></a> a national campaign to inform consumers of the
dangers of so-called “natural” gas. Using reality TV tropes to personify the 21
toxins emitted by gas stoves, one unsuspecting homeowner must face the reality
that her dream home with a gas hookup is far from ideal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">At the <a href="https://www.gasleaks.org/" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">Gas Leaks Project</span></a>,
our goal is to spread the word about the harms of “natural” gas and fight the
fossil fuel industry’s disinformation machine. Hot & Toxic is our biggest
effort yet to flip the script and alert people that no matter what the industry
says, gas isn’t clean energy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">As part of the campaign, we’re asking the Consumer
Product Safety Commission to require gas stove manufacturers and retailers to
put appropriate warning labels on gas stoves. People deserve access to accurate
health information so they can make an informed decision when buying their next
stove.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/gas-stoves-can-be-hazardous-to-your.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-33652892703361048782024-03-18T09:00:00.001-04:002024-03-18T09:00:00.137-04:00Red Tape, Hurdles Slow Rollout of R.I.’s Income-Eligible Heat Pump Program<p><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><b>We need to upgrade the efficiency of this program!</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Rob Smith / ecoRI News staff<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQv0w28ma0cQSBGsuX66GTjHYdowDoBDXv6EGnept_asODuwK3-t7CgzTAA3p6_4gM_FBk7F4HxofsmMsKiVnwRh6qFUCtWrNJKAm_Ylh5D7VJ3MvpSWyUvNo3Sce6toieKI6cTFIMPK_FBvvFky2TKpxeW1yq4FMkgJ2f5dnImJgMrDVsGinikFrt78/s480/giphy%20(6).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQv0w28ma0cQSBGsuX66GTjHYdowDoBDXv6EGnept_asODuwK3-t7CgzTAA3p6_4gM_FBk7F4HxofsmMsKiVnwRh6qFUCtWrNJKAm_Ylh5D7VJ3MvpSWyUvNo3Sce6toieKI6cTFIMPK_FBvvFky2TKpxeW1yq4FMkgJ2f5dnImJgMrDVsGinikFrt78/s320/giphy%20(6).webp" width="320"></a></div>Sam Westman can’t wait to get away from
home heating oil.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Westman is a longtime Newport resident; he’s owned his
home, just blocks from Newport Hospital, since he was 17, after inheriting it
from a family member. His two-floor house dates back to the 19th century, and
has an aging furnace in the basement that Westman said he’s looking to replace
with a system of electric heat pumps.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His hot water heater is already electric, and he has
concerns about some of the fumes coming from his furnace. Westman’s daughter,
born premature, has a severe case of asthma, and switching to electric heat
could improve the air quality in their home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In October, just a month after it launched, Westman
applied for the income-eligible incentive in the <a href="https://energy.ri.gov/heating-cooling/clean-heat-ri" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">Clean Heat RI</span></a> program, the state’s new
financial assistance fund for homeowners and businesses currently using propane
or heating oil looking to make the transition to electric heat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His household was already enrolled in Rhode
Island’s <a href="https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/energy-and-water-assistance-programs/low-income-home-energy-assistance" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">Low Income Heating Assistance
Program</span></a> (LIHEAP), which qualified him automatically for the
income-eligible incentives. The incentive covers the cost of the heat pumps and
installation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“It was not affordable to me without the Clean Heat
income eligibility program,” Westman said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite being live for six months, the rollout of Clean
Heat RI’s financial incentives for income-eligible residents is slow. Gov. Dan
Mckee <a href="https://ecori.org/heat-pump-program-receives-25m-boost/#:~:text=The%20program%2C%20dubbed%20Clean%20Heat,and%20businesses%20around%20the%20state." target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">announced in 2022</span></a> he
was allocating $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to create the
incentives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The program has paid out 747 rebates since September,
totaling just over $5 million. Only six of those, however, have been to
income-eligible homeowners. An additional two are listed as reserved, meaning
the homeowners are in the design state, but no money has been issued.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The program notably excludes a huge swath of the state;
it’s currently only open to homes and businesses that heat using propane or
heating oil. More than half the state relies on natural gas for heating, and
those homes <a href="https://ecori.org/heat-pump-incentive-program-reports-sluggish-use-so-far/" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">are not eligible</span></a> for
the program’s incentives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/red-tape-hurdles-slow-rollout-of-ris.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-33728781417890831772024-03-17T23:51:00.000-04:002024-03-17T23:51:00.136-04:00The dire need to reform RI's open records law<p><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Full and timely disclosure necessary to build public trust</b></span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">By John Marion, <a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com">Rhode Island Current</a></span></h1> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFyjVCutLbNO3_TmldLbU3XlRMtOEwlQVGk3RCi2JrMsGUWaloVYLwA9UMJKIGLw2C97rQHoaXRJG8bHD-z8v1ICLYSGnsT0cu8jqwj9JlQEnmLC6ub3vc4tQGsCo1DjMOmWsEUtEdOk/s400/Weidman+to+Platner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="400" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFyjVCutLbNO3_TmldLbU3XlRMtOEwlQVGk3RCi2JrMsGUWaloVYLwA9UMJKIGLw2C97rQHoaXRJG8bHD-z8v1ICLYSGnsT0cu8jqwj9JlQEnmLC6ub3vc4tQGsCo1DjMOmWsEUtEdOk/w400-h381/Weidman+to+Platner.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: xx-small;"><b>The Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA Party) weaponized <br>the APRA to cover up its shady land deals. Here is <br>one of many examples where ex-Town Administrator Mark <br>Stankiewicz abused loopholes in the law to hide information <br>from the public. </b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The emergency closure of the Washington Bridge has wrought havoc for many Rhode Islanders. The traffic has been unfathomably bad. The government’s response has been lackluster at best. The adverse effects on East Providence businesses have been severe. I personally spent over four hours in traffic on that fateful December day when the bridge was first shut down. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Earlier this year, several news outlets sent the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) public records requests seeking information about the agency’s response to the bridge closure. The RIDOT charged <a href="https://www.wpri.com/target-12/mckee-forces-ridot-to-refund-news-outlets-after-charging-for-bridge-docs/">WPRI 12</a> and the Providence Journal hundreds of dollars for access to the records — and, strangely, did not charge the Boston Globe at all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Following reporting about the inequitable fines, and the public outcry those stories yielded, Gov. Dan McKee ordered the RIDOT to give the news outlets a refund. Several news outlets appealed their charges to Attorney General Peter Neronha but his office responded that under the current law they couldn’t force the fines to be waived.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though this is the most recent and high-profile case of an agency charging a news outlet for records, it’s certainly not the first. As noted by WPRI, the Boston Globe previously <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/02/01/metro/records-show-not-adequate-vetting-of-ri-ethics-commission-appointee/">disclosed</a> that it paid $229 for records used in a recent article about sexual harassment complaints made against an Ethics Commission nominee. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As inconvenient, poorly-planned, and downright annoying as this bridge closure has been for all of us, there is a single silver-lining to this catastrophe: It has made Rhode Islanders concerned about public records access for the first time in over a decade. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And fortunately, our lawmakers have the opportunity to make key improvements to the Access to Public Records Act (APRA) this session. Sen. Lou DiPalma and Rep. Patricia Serpa have introduced legislation that would overhaul the APRA. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/the-dire-need-to-reform-ris-open.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-23097326794477906352024-03-17T20:04:00.000-04:002024-03-17T20:04:00.125-04:00Do you want fries with that?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-mBIyZHKunZlhXH4l822IUbF047CyG8sD01fexQHxuV3a7q12hWjoFb0fhA0qepTGz2pmzGgeUp0x6d07LsKlsAVeTn6qi8VmgJxmZYISxvU3EXy2xFveFvdEGWuhpHMIOXWf4uIHUsiMdoJmf_JtuTMYOgJ7FIU6EKSeg3t_XAl1exUarXq-ddorQs/s627/Screenshot_11-3-2024_154433_www.tribel.com.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="627" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-mBIyZHKunZlhXH4l822IUbF047CyG8sD01fexQHxuV3a7q12hWjoFb0fhA0qepTGz2pmzGgeUp0x6d07LsKlsAVeTn6qi8VmgJxmZYISxvU3EXy2xFveFvdEGWuhpHMIOXWf4uIHUsiMdoJmf_JtuTMYOgJ7FIU6EKSeg3t_XAl1exUarXq-ddorQs/w640-h460/Screenshot_11-3-2024_154433_www.tribel.com.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-14228439669224243692024-03-17T18:08:00.000-04:002024-03-17T18:08:00.143-04:00Likelihood around 100%<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVpSe_F6aBv4mYVkuET30qOhBPTh00kD-cKDiTfX_e9YmsnLvLCOidxHzS2gO7NVNll-X8E1OiJx7Z3NXq7zrjUi00d9z-K2vB4OoWpe2dfzNWPXw1AzBOihnk5fms_G47YXe6AeLrPnZtYXnVHj7OMF_JHRIvCj4O-vYx7Fy9eMWGTwCuN6_UPrIUSM/s435/Screenshot_12-3-2024_1298_www.blogger.com.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="432" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVpSe_F6aBv4mYVkuET30qOhBPTh00kD-cKDiTfX_e9YmsnLvLCOidxHzS2gO7NVNll-X8E1OiJx7Z3NXq7zrjUi00d9z-K2vB4OoWpe2dfzNWPXw1AzBOihnk5fms_G47YXe6AeLrPnZtYXnVHj7OMF_JHRIvCj4O-vYx7Fy9eMWGTwCuN6_UPrIUSM/w636-h640/Screenshot_12-3-2024_1298_www.blogger.com.jpeg" width="636" /></a></div><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-12455429321252447462024-03-17T16:00:00.001-04:002024-03-17T16:00:00.133-04:00Why Covid Patients Who Could Most Benefit From Paxlovid Still Aren’t Getting It<p><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b>The lingering effects of anti-vaxxers</b></span></p>
<div> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="byline">Arthur Allen</span> </span></div>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/GettyImages-1407371846-1.jpg?resize=2048,1365" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="267" src="https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/GettyImages-1407371846-1.jpg?resize=2048,1365" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #949494; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;">(JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Evangelical minister Eddie Hyatt believes in the healing power of prayer but “also the medical approach.” So on a February evening a week before scheduled prostate surgery, he had his sore throat checked out at an emergency room near his home in Grapevine, Texas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A doctor confirmed that Hyatt had covid-19 and sent him to CVS with a prescription for the antiviral drug Paxlovid, the generally recommended medicine to fight covid. Hyatt handed the pharmacist the script, but then, he said, “She kept avoiding me.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">She finally looked up from her computer and said, “It’s $1,600.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The generally healthy 76-year-old went out to the car to consult his wife about their credit card limits. “I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than $20 on a prescription,” the astonished Hyatt recalled.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">That kind of sticker shock has stunned thousands of sick Americans since late December, as Pfizer shifted to commercial sales of Paxlovid. Before then, the federal government covered the cost of the drug.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The price is one reason Paxlovid is not reaching those who need it most. And patients who qualify for free doses, which Pfizer offers <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/Treatment-PDF_PAXCESS-Brochure.pdf?">under an agreement</a> with the federal government, often don’t realize it or know how to get them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/why-covid-patients-who-could-most.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-45749768729870910422024-03-17T12:01:00.000-04:002024-03-17T12:01:00.147-04:00Eating Refined Carbs Reduces Your Facial Attractiveness – Regardless of BMI or Age<p><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><b>It's a bad look</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; padding: 0in;">By</span><span style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; text-transform: uppercase;"> <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">PLOS</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z4jTXRAeYHkSTv9k4vum0p9TMwXeUvBxYPbYwr5_m3hKeeuagNXbzMv-yAiWHqyME0mcuomEW9sEYDi2aCigcKKCgxxDhyphenhyphenwHFX5NIw4oDj0WWbXPwbgIJTE3eKNHv420h7UKhmHdGKz_No9Bg2Ht9INSaIX89fthvqcWdXXzyUFuhyphenhyphennbBhZ0591poSA/s360/200%20(7).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="360" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z4jTXRAeYHkSTv9k4vum0p9TMwXeUvBxYPbYwr5_m3hKeeuagNXbzMv-yAiWHqyME0mcuomEW9sEYDi2aCigcKKCgxxDhyphenhyphenwHFX5NIw4oDj0WWbXPwbgIJTE3eKNHv420h7UKhmHdGKz_No9Bg2Ht9INSaIX89fthvqcWdXXzyUFuhyphenhyphennbBhZ0591poSA/w400-h223/200%20(7).webp" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">A recent study has found that consuming refined
carbohydrates may negatively affect facial attractiveness, as determined by
opposite-sex ratings. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The research highlights the potential social consequences
of dietary choices, emphasizing the need for further exploration into how
nutrition influences perceived attractiveness and other social characteristics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Consuming high-glycemic foods both short-term and
long-term was linked to lower attractiveness scores, regardless of other
variables like body mass index (BMI) and age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">A recent research project has discovered a statistical
link between the amount of refined carbohydrates consumed by individuals and
their perceived facial attractiveness, as evaluated by heterosexual volunteers
of the opposite sex. This study, conducted by Visine and their team at the
University of Montpellier in France, was published in the open-access
journal <i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">PLOS ONE</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The Western diet consists of high levels of refined
carbohydrates—foods processed in ways that typically remove much of their
nutritional value, such as white flour, table sugar, and ingredients in many
packaged snacks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/eating-refined-carbs-reduces-your.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-36755025784808185062024-03-17T09:00:00.002-04:002024-03-17T09:00:00.146-04:00Can witches fly?<p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Definitely NOT in flying cars!</b></span></p><div><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-d-bailey-546272">Michael D. Bailey</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/iowa-state-university-1322">Iowa State University</a></em></div><div><br></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="285" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/578977/original/file-20240229-24-sr8g1w.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1417%2C1009&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #800180; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">One of the earliest depictions of flying witches is in a <br>15th-century text entitled “Le champion des dames,” or <br>“The Defender of Ladies.” <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Champion_des_dames_Vaudoises.JPG">Martin Le Franc/W. Schild. Die <br>Maleficia der Hexenleut' via Wikimedia Commons</a></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">The image of a witch flying on a broomstick is iconic, but it is not nearly as old as the idea of witchcraft itself, which dates to the </span><a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300238679/the-witch/" style="font-family: inherit;">earliest days of humankind</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several theologians, church inquisitors, secular magistrates and other authorities first wrote about such flight in the early 1400s. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The earliest known visual depiction of flying witches appears in a 1451 manuscript copy of one such text, “<a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-trial-of-womankind/">Le champion des dames</a>” (“The Defender of Ladies”), by the French poet Martin Le Franc.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Witchcraft accusations at this time were increasingly <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/39656">focused on women</a>. The clothing of the figures in <a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/49030810/">Le Franc’s text</a> depicts them as coming from non-elite ranks of medieval society. So do the implements on which they fly. Staffs and brooms were tools for ordinary housework.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The notion that witches could fly served to support the idea that they gathered in large groups <a href="https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-08910-2.html">called sabbaths</a>. These gatherings, in turn, heightened the supposed threat witches posed to Christian society. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even after the idea of witches flying on brooms was introduced to European society, it was not readily accepted. Many who wrote about witchcraft at this time, including Le Franc, were quite skeptical about the reality of flying witches.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As it turned out, however, authorities could still perceive a threat even if they believed witches’ flight was imaginary. </span></p>
<h2><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span></span></span></h2><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/can-witches-fly.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-51470739027549961632024-03-16T23:11:00.001-04:002024-03-16T23:11:00.130-04:00'Shrinkflation' Playing Crucial Role in Rising Prices, Corporate Profits: Analysis<p><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sneaky way to bump up the cost of everything</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: top;"><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/author/julia-conley"><span color="windowtext" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: inherit; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-transform: uppercase;">JULIA CONLEY</span></a> for Common Dreams</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2022-03/15/20/asset/c1de3db394fb/sub-buzz-1024-1647376181-16.jpg?crop=3000:1490;0,2510&downsize=600:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="600" height="199" src="https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2022-03/15/20/asset/c1de3db394fb/sub-buzz-1024-1647376181-16.jpg?crop=3000:1490;0,2510&downsize=600:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Executives in corporate earnings meetings call it "price pack
architecture," but economic justice advocates, Democrats in Congress, and
in recent days, <a href="https://twitter.com/MeCookieMonster/status/1764692032914690276" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">Cookie Monster</span></a> of
"Sesame Street" have a different term for companies' practice of
reducing the weight or size of a product while charging the same amount for it:
shrinkflation.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Major corporations like PepsiCo and Utz have not only <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/corporate-profits-inflation" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">kept prices high</span></a> even
as pandemic era supply chain and labor issues have eased—a practice recognized
as "<a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/corporate-profits" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext">greedflation</span></a>"—but
have also increasingly been reducing the size of products like snacks, drinks,
and even essentials like toilet paper rolls, a new analysis from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/tag/groundwork-collaborative"><span color="windowtext">Groundwork Collaborative</span></a> shows.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/shrinkflation-playing-crucial-role-in.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-26168793725422826592024-03-16T20:07:00.000-04:002024-03-16T20:07:00.135-04:00Nyet<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/cartoons-s3/styles/product_detail_image/s3/D6759896-4E7D-43F7-975A-5D4759D3CB94.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="776" height="640" src="https://s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/cartoons-s3/styles/product_detail_image/s3/D6759896-4E7D-43F7-975A-5D4759D3CB94.jpeg" width="621" /></a></div><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-37336546503899728302024-03-16T18:00:00.001-04:002024-03-16T18:00:00.126-04:00Where to go to buy your Trump merch<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.ragingpencils.com/2024/3-11-24-kids-department.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="605" height="800" src="https://www.ragingpencils.com/2024/3-11-24-kids-department.jpg" width="605" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-23115800573183278752024-03-16T16:05:00.000-04:002024-03-16T16:05:00.135-04:00Science and compassion overcome bigotry and ignorance at Healthcare Provider Shield Act hearing<p><b style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">Protect
RI providers against MAGA attacks from other states</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://substack.com/@steveahlquist"><span color="windowtext">STEVE
AHLQUIST</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.outcarehealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/np_file_156690.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="800" height="259" src="https://www.outcarehealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/np_file_156690.jpeg" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It became obvious during Thursday’s <a href="https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/318?site=1"><span color="windowtext">Senate Judiciary hearing</span></a> that opposition to
the <a href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText24/SenateText24/S2262.htm"><span color="windowtext">Healthcare Provider Shield Act</span></a>, which upon
passage would create a protective legal shield for healthcare providers,
precluding any civil or criminal action by other states or persons against
healthcare providers treating persons seeking access to transgender and
reproductive healthcare services provided in Rhode Island, is grounded in
ignorance and bigotry against transgender and non-binary people.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bill is needed because “state bans on healthcare for
transgender adolescents passed at an alarming rate in 2023 and now 23 states
ban access to this standard of care treatment,” noted Polly Crozier,
Director of Family Advocacy at <a href="https://www.glad.org/glad-now-stands-glbtq-legal-advocates-defenders/"><span color="windowtext">GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders</span></a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The
impact of these bans has been devastating for transgender young people and for
their parents who are now blocked from providing the medical care they have
seen help their children thrive and flourish.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The legislation is supported by a host of pediatric
professional organizations and is considered “established best-practice medical
care” and “legal standard-of-care medicine.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bill will also help Rhode Island retain and attract
healthcare workers who may otherwise choose to practice in states, like
Connecticut and Massachusetts, which have already passed healthcare provider
shield laws. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (Democrat, District 4,
North Providence), who last Tuesday <a href="https://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease/_layouts/15/ril.pressrelease.inputform/DisplayForm.aspx?List=c8baae31-3c10-431c-8dcd-9dbbe21ce3e9&ID=374136"><span color="windowtext">introduced a package of bills</span></a> meant to
improve healthcare access and affordability in Rhode Island, noted that
“healthcare must be accessible and affordable for all Rhode Islanders. But for
too many people in our state, care is too expensive or too difficult to get.
And we know that many healthcare providers are feeling enormous strain due to
many factors.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One reason for the strain felt by healthcare providers is
that there are too few providers. “A shortage of providers across all facets of
the health system is an especially urgent concern, and while that starts with
primary care, it extends to nurses, specialists, counselors, and beyond,” said
Senator Pamela Lauria (Democrat, District 32, Barrington) at the same
press conference.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Healthcare providers testifying before the Senate
Judiciary Committee confirmed this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/science-and-compassion-overcome-bigotry.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-9551624200080071322024-03-16T11:59:00.000-04:002024-03-16T11:59:00.130-04:00Sweetened drinks linked to atrial fibrillation risk<p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Do yourself a favor: Lay off sweetened drinks</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">American Health Association</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqdvFZLF2LNLB87uxnCgWv2Hq8xAcivRPhEFiO3FS_GAW68Y5k6Dc9FrzWCzAsSdk-ChO_lbUp1SHEMDSc9GdzSOyGTw7osJD18ymkNtXGMadCfBTGi5mLn2I2mDHq4XJCOG6jG4gPl94YZFR8Zprhvh0LRSVNilr159Bl2kr3bnEs9HKUDmxwmf0wb8/s278/200%20(8).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="278" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqdvFZLF2LNLB87uxnCgWv2Hq8xAcivRPhEFiO3FS_GAW68Y5k6Dc9FrzWCzAsSdk-ChO_lbUp1SHEMDSc9GdzSOyGTw7osJD18ymkNtXGMadCfBTGi5mLn2I2mDHq4XJCOG6jG4gPl94YZFR8Zprhvh0LRSVNilr159Bl2kr3bnEs9HKUDmxwmf0wb8/w320-h230/200%20(8).webp" width="320"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Drinking sugar- or artificially sweetened beverages was associated with
increased risk of irregular heart rhythms, finds a study in Circulation:
Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #222328;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adults who reported
drinking two liters (about 67 ounces) or more of sugar- or artificially
sweetened drinks per week had a higher risk of an irregular heart rhythm known
as <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation" target="_blank"><span style="color: #334cd5;">atrial fibrillation</span></a> compared
with adults who drank fewer such beverages, according to new research published
in <b>Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology</b>, a peer-reviewed
journal of the American Heart Association.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #222328;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/sweetened-drinks-linked-to-atrial.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-58428343389891566332024-03-16T09:00:00.001-04:002024-03-16T09:00:00.133-04:00What families need to know about how to safely store firearms at home<p><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Safest place for your gun is back at the gun store</b></span></p><h1 class="legacy"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kerri-raissian-1185361" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Kerri Raissian</a><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">, </span><em style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-connecticut-1342">University of Connecticut</a></em><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jennifer-necci-dineen-1512215" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Jennifer Necci Dineen</a><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">, </span><em style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-connecticut-1342">University of Connecticut</a></em></h1>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="280" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579045/original/file-20240229-20-8z3by2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=42%2C0%2C3430%2C2404&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Guns are the leading cause of death of children in the U.S.<br> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/child-holding-gun-mid-section-b-w-royalty-free-image/pha184000035?phrase=kids+guns&adppopup=true">Laurent Hamels via Getty Images</a></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the past few years, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/14/magazine/gun-violence-children-data-statistics.html" style="font-family: inherit;">guns have been identified</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> as the </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/14/magazine/gun-violence-children-data-statistics.html" style="font-family: inherit;">leading cause of death</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for children in the United States.</span>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were <a href="https://www.kff.org/mental-health/issue-brief/child-and-teen-firearm-mortality-in-the-u-s-and-peer-countries/">2,571 children age 1 to 17 who died in shootings</a> in the U.S. in 2021, 68% more than the 1,531 that occurred in 2000.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">To help reduce the number of firearm-related deaths and injuries among children, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in January 2024 <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/secletter/012524.html">called upon school and district administrators</a> to talk with parents and guardians about safe firearm storage practices.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6kAiow8AAAAJ&hl=en">experts</a> on the <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=r9lbnH0AAAAJ">safe storage of firearms</a> – and as leaders of the University of Connecticut’s <a href="https://arms.chip.uconn.edu/">ARMS Center for Gun Injury Prevention</a> – we often get questions about the best ways to keep guns out of the hands of children. We offer the following tips:<span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/what-families-need-to-know-about-how-to.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-82227375974025400722024-03-15T23:40:00.000-04:002024-03-15T23:40:00.252-04:00Federal appeals court upholds Rhode Island ban on high capacity magazines<p><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Gun nuts upset by common sense decision</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Christopher Shea, <a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com">Rhode Island Current</a><br></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuzuMOHwxSv7yCKiGhyphenhyphen13G6RbH47JBLEqH2S8U13wU_hqAhYFqbbep2BDWeL1PqzNEgVLrDXKURuGKl_BcwL2DXLDLCU6zzi5dqHh3kESkhlzExV0zNucVSVzzD5cc66Bgktit6C5n5bEXMWIg4cPRWjuCSLeTJ-_GAWHD2eh3oFRLOUnckp11930PmA/s300/200%20(6).webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuzuMOHwxSv7yCKiGhyphenhyphen13G6RbH47JBLEqH2S8U13wU_hqAhYFqbbep2BDWeL1PqzNEgVLrDXKURuGKl_BcwL2DXLDLCU6zzi5dqHh3kESkhlzExV0zNucVSVzzD5cc66Bgktit6C5n5bEXMWIg4cPRWjuCSLeTJ-_GAWHD2eh3oFRLOUnckp11930PmA/w400-h267/200%20(6).webp" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">A federal appeals court has upheld Rhode Island’s 2022 law banning gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, rejecting arguments by a group of gun owners that the legislation violated the Second Amendment.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The three-member panel of the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday <a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/23-1072P-01A.pdf">ruled</a> that Rhode Island’s ban was “consistent with our relevant tradition of gun regulation” in rejecting a challenge filed by a group of gun-rights advocates.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The group included Glocester-based Big Bear Fishing and Hunting, along with Rhode Island gun owners Mary Brimer, James Grundy, Jeffrey Goyette, and Jonathan Hirons. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Defendants in the case were Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha and Rhode Island State Police Col. Darnell Weaver. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Big Bear co-owner Will Worthy told Rhode Island Current Friday afternoon he was “disheartened,” but not surprised by the court’s decision.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I shake my head,” he said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Worthy, who is also president of the Glocester Town Council, blasted the state law which took effect Dec.18, 2022. He said all it did was prevent responsible gun owners from keeping their homes safe and took away what he said were standard-capacity magazines.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“High-capacity magazines are anything over 30,” he said. “If you got a bad guy coming into your house, with 10 rounds you might put two holes in that person.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/federal-appeals-court-upholds-rhode.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-52277162239313175802024-03-15T20:06:00.000-04:002024-03-15T20:06:00.139-04:00It's YOUR fault<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000018d-f0c1-d913-a7df-f2d926230000/20240228edshe-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="800" height="414" src="https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000018d-f0c1-d913-a7df-f2d926230000/20240228edshe-b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-60749388628574373922024-03-15T18:01:00.000-04:002024-03-15T18:01:00.133-04:00On Nov. 5, the choice is yours, Part 2<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/politicalcharge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/img_0563-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C726&ssl=1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="800" height="454" src="https://i0.wp.com/politicalcharge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/img_0563-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C726&ssl=1" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #0a0909; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">By Darrin Bell</span></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-41497886858282768982024-03-15T16:04:00.000-04:002024-03-15T16:04:00.135-04:00An Inside Look at Beech Leaf Disease<p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Another threat to our woods</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Yale School of Environment<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><a href="https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/images/05_bld-fasy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/images/05_bld-fasy.jpg" width="400"></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">A new study led by a team of scientists from YSE found
differences at the cellular level of leaves from infected Beech trees —
variations that may account for tree mortality.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Beech trees provide food for animals, timber
for wood products, and sustenance for beech drop plants, but they are under
threat from Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The disease, first documented in 2012 in
the Midwest, is associated with the nematode <i>Litylenchus crenatae
mccannii </i>and is spreading rapidly throughout the central and northeast
regions of North America.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ZStack__20220930_110516732-1536x863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ZStack__20220930_110516732-1536x863.jpg" width="320"></a></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">A team of scientists led by <a href="https://environment.yale.edu/directory/faculty/craig-brodersen" title="Craig Brodersen"><span style="color: #286dc0;">Craig Brodersen</span></a>,
professor of plant physiological ecology, and Leila Fletcher, postdoctoral
associate, at the Yale School of the Environment has uncovered new insights on
how the disease is impacting leaves at the cellular level and provided a novel
mechanistic explanation for the decline of the trees post-infection.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Brodersen first became interested in the
disease after noticing the infected trees during a walk in the woods with his
children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/an-inside-look-at-beech-leaf-disease.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-68363158392835828872024-03-15T12:00:00.000-04:002024-03-15T12:00:00.136-04:00Mental fatigue has psychological triggers − new research suggests challenging goals can head it off<p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fighting fatigue</b></span></p><h1 class="legacy"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-robison-1492845" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Matthew Robison</a><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">, </span><em style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-texas-at-arlington-718">University of Texas at Arlington</a></em></h1>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="268" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574501/original/file-20240208-20-qjkjml.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=27%2C9%2C6108%2C4093&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #800180; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Feeling wiped out by mental work has different causes than <br>what drives physical fatigue.<br> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/stressed-business-woman-working-from-home-on-laptop-royalty-free-image/1249628154">nensuria/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you ever feel spacey, distracted and worn down toward the end of a long work-related task – especially if that task is entirely a mental one? </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For over a century, psychologists have been trying to determine whether mental fatigue is fundamentally similar to physical fatigue or whether it is governed by different processes.</span>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2003.11.001">researchers have argued</a> that exerting mental effort depletes a limited supply of energy – the same way physical exertion fatigues muscles. The brain consumes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.325">energy in the form of glucose</a>, which can run low.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/h0069511">Other researchers</a> see mental fatigue as more of a psychological phenomenon. Mind-wandering means the current mental effort is not being sufficiently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2008.07.001">rewarded</a> – or opportunities to do other, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X12003196">more enjoyable activities are being lost</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=JGWPdcMAAAAJ">My</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=1fv9jBIAAAAJ">colleagues</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=I5HWMl8AAAAJ">I</a> have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-023-02803-4">trying to resolve this question</a>. Our research suggests mental fatigue is in large part a psychological phenomenon – but one that can be modified by setting goals.</span></p>
<h2><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span></span></span></h2></div><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/mental-fatigue-has-psychological.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5783158733584732706.post-57537957243137330552024-03-15T09:00:00.003-04:002024-03-15T09:00:00.141-04:00RI Senate Republicans vote AGAINST safe gun storage<p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Safe weapons storage bill advances to Senate floor after partisan committee vote</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Christopher Shea, <a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com">Rhode Island Current</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://coloradohandgunsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/gun-safety-for-kids.png.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://coloradohandgunsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/gun-safety-for-kids.png.webp" width="400"></a></div>After failing to clear committee the past two years, legislation that would require the safe storage of firearms is now headed to the Senate floor.<p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday voted along party lines 9-3 to advance <a href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText24/HouseText24/H7373.pdf">the bill sponsored by Sen. Pam Lauria</a>, a Barrington Democrat. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was the only one of the 19 bills the committee heard during the three-and-a-half hour meeting that was not held for further study, as is standard practice when legislation is first introduced.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The vote came one week after Rhode Island’s faith leaders called on state leadership to pass the bill, along with legislation that would ban assault-style weapons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We read of the tragic occurrences of shootings with unsecured firearms in all too alarming regularity,” Lauria told the committee. “Gun violence isn’t something that happens to someone else.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lauria’s bill was supported by all Democratic members of the committee: Chairperson Dawn Euer of Newport; Mark P. McKenney of Warwick; Jake Bissaillon of Providence; John Burke of West Warwick; Ana Quezada of Providence; Matthew LaMountain of Warwick; Majority Whip Valarie Lawson of East Providence; David Tikoian of Smithfield; and Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson of Cumberland.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: inherit;">Voting against the bill were Republicans Anthony P. DeLuca of Warwick; Minority Whip Gordon Rogers of Foster; and Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2024/03/ri-senate-republicans-vote-against-safe.html#more">Click Here to Read More >></a>Progressive Charlestownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616626646140586292noreply@blogger.com