Thursday, November 13, 2025
While Trump wrecks US efforts to fight climate change, state governors step up
New Data Finds Members Reduced GHG Emissions 24% and Grew GDP by 34%
US Climate Alliance
“We are resilient, determined, and undaunted. And most importantly, our states are standing together,” said Alliance co-chairs Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and California Governor Gavin Newsom in their Annual Report message. “Americans want a cleaner, safer, healthier future and that’s what we will continue delivering. No matter the obstacles, we are pressing forward.”
The report was released today by Governor Evers and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, during a press conference at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the world’s mayors, governors, and subnational leaders are showcasing how local action is driving global climate progress. The Alliance will lead a delegation of top state leaders to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, where they will send a clear message to the international community that climate action in the U.S. cannot be stopped. Learn more about the U.S. delegation of more than 100 local leaders in Brazil here.
Questions raised about long-term melatonin use
Think melatonin is safe? New research reveals a hidden heart risk
American Heart Association
Key Research Findings
Remember that statistical correlation is
not the same as causation
- A
large review of health data from more than 130,000 adults with insomnia
found that people who took melatonin for a year or longer were more likely
to develop heart failure, be hospitalized for the condition, or die from
any cause compared to those who didn't take the supplement.
- While the study cannot prove that melatonin directly causes these outcomes, the strong association raises important safety questions about long-term use of this popular sleep aid. Researchers emphasize that more studies are needed to fully understand melatonin's impact on heart health and ensure it can be used safely.
People who regularly take melatonin to improve sleep may
face serious health risks. A preliminary study presented at the American Heart
Association's Scientific Sessions 2025 found that adults with chronic insomnia
who used melatonin for a year or longer were more likely to develop heart
failure, be hospitalized for heart failure, and die from any cause than those
who did not take the supplement. The findings will be discussed at the AHA's
annual meeting, taking place Nov. 7-10 in New Orleans, a leading international
event for cardiovascular science and clinical research updates.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that
regulates the body's sleep-wake cycle. Its levels naturally rise in the dark
and drop during daylight hours. Synthetic melatonin, which is chemically
identical to the natural hormone, is widely used to treat insomnia (difficulty
falling and/or staying asleep) and jet lag. In many countries, including the
U.S., melatonin supplements can be purchased over the counter. However, because
they are not regulated in the U.S., products can differ widely in purity and
dosage.
‘Mega-Layoffs’ Under Trump as Corporations Have Cut 1 Million Jobs This Year—Most Since 2003
“Trump put billionaires in charge of everything”
As reported by the Washington Post on
Thursday, new data from corporate outplacement firm Challenger, Gray &
Christmas found that employers in October announced 153,000 job cuts, which
marked the highest number of layoffs in that month since October 2003.
Total announced job cuts in 2025 have now reached 1.1
million, a number that the Post describes as a
“recession-like” level comparable to the steep job cuts announced in the wake
of the dotcom bust of the early 2000s, the global financial crisis of 2008, and
the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
John Challenger, the CEO of Challenger, Gray &
Christmas, told the Post that the huge number of October
layoffs showed the economy was entering “new territory.”
“We haven’t seen mega-layoffs of the size that are being
discussed now—48,000 from UPS, potentially 30,000 from Amazon—since 2020 and
before that, since the recession of 2009,” he explained. “When you see
companies making cuts of this size, it does signal a real shift in direction.”
CNBC noted that the Challenger report found that the tech
sector is currently being hardest hit by the layoffs, and it said that the
adoption of artificial
intelligence was a significant driver of job cuts.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Van Slyke’s “commitment” to apple pie and motherhood is not enough to make up for fiscal mismanagement.
Van Slyke must answer for CCA’s glaring financial blunders that she helped to create
By Will Collette
 |
| Loving animals and nature is not this election's key issue, but money management is |
Her two opponents, Democrat Jill Fonnemann and Republican
Laura Rom, also believe in protecting our environment – clean water, healthy
ponds and streams, dark skies, and all our critters and birds. Jill is
especially strong on animal protection. The candidates differ on how to achieve
our goals, but don’t differ on the goals themselves.
So let’s stipulate that all the candidates love our town and
its beautiful environs. And dogs.
The real difference between Van Slyke and her rivals comes into
sharp relief when you look at her record on how to manage the taxpayers’ money.
Van Slyke makes two “promises” that are belied by her actions and omissions.
Van Slyke pledges “to provide open, honest, responsible
leadership” and commits to “manage our town’s administration and budgets
effectively” which she failed to do during her previous time on the Town Council.
Bonnie B. left the Town Council in 2022 at the height of
Charlestown’s worst financial scandal in a generation, a crisis where she was
one of the key architects and led the cover-up and misinformation campaign.
And in her own writings for this special election, she still
is.
In 2022, Charlestown learned that under the total control of
the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, Charlestown had not only achieved the dubious
distinction of having the highest administrative costs in the state but
that this CCA-controlled administration had “lost” (they say “misallocated”) $3
million for two years. The “$3
million oopsie.”
Van Slyke was the CCA’s principal spokesperson leading the
cover-up and disinformation campaign to deny there was a problem and, failing
that, blame someone else while refusing
reasonable requests for an outside, impartial review.
Van Slyke pushed – and still pushes – pumping
up the town’s surplus (“Unassigned fund balance”) beyond any reasonable need.
The $3 million oopsie grew out of the accumulated pockets of cash the CCA had
squirreled away in the town budget often used to finance Planning Commissar
Ruth Platner’s shady land deals.
Van Slyke praised and defended ex-Town Administrator Mark
Stankiewicz even though he failed at his #1 job which was to take care of the
money. Instead, he presided over ending legal public access to records about
the town’s finances and shady land deals and allowed the $3 million to get lost.
Then Stanky and ex-Budget Commission Chair Dick Sartor did their own self-audit
and of course found themselves blameless.
Van Slyke consistently obstructed every effort by then
minority Council member Deb Carney to bring in an outside forensic auditor to
find out what really happened and to fix it.
And did I mention that according to the RI Public
Expenditure Council, Charlestown’s administrative costs
peaked as the worst in the state per capita during the final year of CCA's reign? We're right there at the very bottom of the chart. Here's what RIPEC found (and note that the CCA NEVER even acknowledged this data, never mind acted on it):
 |
| Stonewall Stanky, Charlestown's cover-up king |
The facts showed that Stanky’s
only talent was his loyalty to the CCA, but even that turned out to be phony. It turns out Stanky
had already lined up a new job in Berkley, MA even before the 2022 election
which the CCA was expected to win.
While clueless Van Slyke and the CCA were campaigning to
save his job in 2023, Stanky was already out the door and was simply trying to
get the biggest severance package he could. Incidentally, Stanky
only lasted six weeks at the Berkley job before moving on to mess up
Pawtucket’s finances.
Then in 2025, Van Slyke and the CCA repeated the process when
the CRU decided not to confirm CCA-aligned Budget
Commission chair Dick Sartor – a central figure in the CCA fiscal meltdown
– to another term on the Commission. Sartor failed at his job to provide
oversight over Charlestown’s finances and teamed with Stankiewicz to run the
cover-up of the $3 million oopsie.
The CRU wanted him out but naturally, Van Slyke wanted him
retained. Ever the champion of incompetence.
Since the CCA was booted out of office, the CRU-led Town Council has done a great job of cleaning up the mess the CCA left. And to see exactly what the CRU did, see what the state's chief auditor found.
According to the Rhode Island Auditor General, in their first year in office, the CRU-led Council improved
Charlestown’s financial management in the following ways:
Raised more revenue.
Under the CCA, revenue was $28 million. Under the CRU, this
increased to $30 million.
Lowered expenses.
RIPEC flagged Charlestown’s highest in the state expenses
which were $31.2 million, more than the revenue collected. Under the CRU,
expenses dropped to $29.8 million.
Increased the town’s savings.
This is the unassigned fund balance (UFB) that the CCA
criticized the CRU for failing to increase. In fact, according to the Auditor
General, the CRU raised the UFB by 17% from the CCA’s $5.3 million to $6.2
million.
Improved pension funding.
Funding to cover future pension costs rose from the CCA’s
$8.3 million level to $8.8 million under the CRU.
Reduced Charlestown’s debt by a LOT.
Under the CCA, Charlestown’s debt was $7.9 million. Under
the CRU, debt dropped to $6 million, almost 25% less.
Erased the deficit the CCA left behind.
According to the Auditor General, the CCA left behind a
DEFICIT of $3,266,029. The CRU erased that deficit and ended FY23
with a SURPLUS of $157,666.
This table on page 16 of the Auditor
General’s report gives the detail:
Not once has the CCA acknowledged these hard facts, sticking instead to Bonnita Van Slyke's false narrative that the CCA was infallible. Oh, she also loves her dog.
Election started today (November 12)
Early, in-person voting has started at Town Hall. If you plan to vote by mail, ask our Town Clerk Amy Weinreich for a mail ballot application. If you've already applied, your ballot should be on the way.
Generally, special elections like this draw almost exclusively from those who pay attention to politics. Turn out is usually very low, maybe a thousand if we're lucky. A three-way race like this is especially hard to predict.
The CCA will spend from its huge treasury built on non-resident cash to send you fancy mailers telling you Charlestown needs to go back to the good old days when they ran things. The financial facts shown above tell a very different story.
Democrat Jill Fonnemann is pledged to support the CRU’s sound financial management for a better, more prosperous Charlestown. Let's move FORWARD, not backwards.
Speaker Shekarchi appoints Rep. McEntee as chairwoman of House Judiciary Committee
McEntee replaces Bob Craven after Craven’s aborted AG campaign
“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed as the new
Judiciary chair, and I thank Speaker Shekarchi and my House colleagues for
having faith in me to lead this important committee. At a time when countless
rights are being trampled upon and disregarded, the House Judiciary Committee
stands as a crucial line of defense for all Rhode Islanders and that will not
change. I look forward to working with other members of the committee and the
entire House of Representatives to ensure that the people of Rhode Island are
cared for, supported and protected,” said Chairwoman McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South
Kingstown, Narragansett).
EDITOR'S NOTE: South Kingstown representative Carol Hagen McEntee replaces long-time Charlestown assistant solicitor Bob Craven after Bob's four-day long disastrous campaign for Attorney General revealed issues about his past legal problems that made his candidacy untenable. In addition to ending his campaign, Bob also resigned as Judiciary Committee chair, the position McEntee is filling, and declared he is not seeking re-election. - Will Collette
The Quiet Collapse of America’s Reproductive Health Safety Net
Next comes a big uptick in unplanned pregnancies, miscarriages and sexually transmitted diseases as Trump and Bobby Jr. de-fund reproductive health
“People don’t realize how much these clinics hold together the local health system until they’re gone,” said George Hill, the group’s president and CEO. “For thousands of patients, that was their doctor, their lab, and their lifeline.”
Maine Family Planning’s closures are among the first visible signs of what health leaders call the biggest setback to reproductive care in half a century. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs, which administers the Title X family planning program, has been effectively shut down.
At the same time, Medicaid cuts, the potential lapse of Affordable Care Act subsidies, as well as cuts across programs in the Health Resources and Services Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are eroding the broader safety net.
“When you cut OPA, HRSA, and Medicaid together, you’re removing every backup we have,” said Clare Coleman, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association. “It’s like taking EMTs off the road while closing the emergency rooms.”
Asked about the cutbacks, HHS press secretary Emily G. Hilliard said, “HHS will continue to carry out all of OPA’s statutory functions.”
Supreme Court blocks transgender people from updating passports
The relentless attack on transgender people
This story was originally reported by Kate Sosin of The 19th. Meet Kate and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy.
The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to bar transgender people from changing the gender markers on their passports, it announced in an order Thursday. The order is the latest in a back-and-forth on the policy as the country debates the right for its transgender citizens to live openly.
Emily Scherer for The 19th
LGBTQ+ advocates quickly called the order dangerous and discriminatory.
“This decision will cause immediate, widespread and irreparable harm to all those who are being denied accurate identity documents,” said Jessie Rossman, legal director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “The Trump administration's policy is an unlawful attempt to dehumanize, humiliate and endanger transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans, and we will continue to seek its ultimate reversal in the courts.”
Transgender people have been able to change the gender markers on their passports since 1992. Gender markers delineating nonbinary people as “X” became available in 2021. The Trump administration sought in January to block gender changes in passport updates, declaring that the federal government would recognize only “male” and “female” and saying these could not be changed after birth.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Trump's Golden Ballroom turns into giant bribery factory
Trump no longer seems to try to hide his corruption
Jake Johnson for Common Dreams
 |
| IDIOTS! Donald Trump NEVER pays contractors |
The merger deal is valued at over $30 billion and would mark
Alphabet’s largest acquisition to date, even as the company faces antitrust cases at
the state and federal level. Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport announced the Justice
Department’s decision on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Wall Street Journal.
The DOJ approval came after Bloomberg reported in June that the Justice Department’s
antitrust arm was reviewing whether Alphabet’s acquisition of Wiz would
illegally undermine competition. The following month, the Justice
Department ousted two of its top antitrust officials amid
internal conflict over shady corporate settlement deals.
Lee Hepner, an antitrust attorney and senior legal counsel
for the American Economic Liberties Project, called the
DOJ’s clearing of Alphabet’s Wiz acquisition “the kind of blunt corruption that
most won’t notice.”
Hepner observed that news of the approval came shortly after
the White House released a list of individuals and corporations that
have pumped money into Trump’s gaudy ballroom project. Google—which also
donated to Trump’s inauguration—was one of the prominent names on the list,
alongside Amazon, Apple,
and other major corporations.
“These giant corporations aren’t funding the Trump ballroom
debacle out of a sense of civic pride,” Robert Weissman, co-president of the
consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said
earlier this week. “They have massive interests before the federal government
and they undoubtedly hope to curry favor with, and receive favorable treatment
from, the Trump
administration.”
“Millions to fund Trump’s architectural whims are nothing
compared to the billions at stake in procurement, regulatory, and enforcement
decisions,” he added.
According
to a Public Citizen report published Monday, two-thirds of the 24
known corporate donors to Trump’s ballroom project—including Google—are
beneficiaries of recent government contracts.
Nov. 13: Microplastics in Narragansett Bay: Hotspots, pathways, and solutions
The rising price of plastic pollution
By Meredith Haas
 |
| Victoria Fulfer (Michael Salerno) |
Lightweight, durable, and nearly indestructible, they
persist for decades, accumulating in rivers, estuaries, and the ocean. Recent
studies estimate that humans ingest tens of thousands of microplastic particles
each year, while coastal ecosystems face mounting risks to food webs, water
quality, and sediment health. Until recently, scientists lacked a clear
understanding of how these pollutants travel through estuaries like
Narragansett Bay, or where they tend to accumulate. University of Rhode Island
researchers have found that the
top two inches of the floor of Narragansett Bay contain more than
1,000 tons of microplastics.
URI researchers Sarah Davis, Ph.D. ’24
(postdoctoral research fellow) and Victoria
Fulfer, Ph.D. ’24 (5 Gyres Institute) will share ongoing microplastics
research and results from recent studies examining how and where microplastics
accumulate in the waters and sediments of Narragansett Bay—and what that means
for future studies on the impacts to coastal ecosystems.
Their presentations will be featured during Rhode Island Sea
Grant’s Coastal State Discussion, held Thursday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. (ET).
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