Latest Rhode Island Headlines

All the headlines from our Rhode Island Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Former R.I. State Sen. Irons Seeks Jury on Ethics Charges

May 3 2007 // Former Rhode Island state Senate President William Irons, facing civil conflict-of-interest charges before the state Ethics Commission, wants a jury to hear his case.The ethics panel typically conducts a trial-like hearing...

R.I. Staging Massive Hurricane Response to Fake Hurricane Yvette

May 1 2007 // Rhode Island is prepping for the worst hurricane to ever crash into New England — on paper at least.About 250 federal emergency management officials plan to stage a response to the fictional “Hurricane...

State, Paint Makers At Odds Over R.I. Lead Cleanup

Apr 18 2007 // The state of Rhode Island has recommended that a public health expert assist a judge who is preparing to order a massive cleanup of homes contaminated by lead paint, while three manufacturers who lost a landmark lawsuit...

R.I. Court Seeks Health Expert Advice on Lead Paint Cleanup

Apr 17 2007 // Lawyers for the state of Rhode Island and former lead paint manufacturers were expected this week to recommend experts to assist a judge as he directs the companies to carry out what could be a hugely expensive cleanup of...

Fire Marshal, State Ask Dismissal from R.I. Nightclub Fire Case

Apr 11 2007 // A state fire marshal who said he never noticed a major safety problem at a Rhode Island nightclub where a fire later killed 100 people can’t be sued because state law shields him from liability and because he...

R.I. Ethics Panel Nixes Settlement with Former Senate President Irons

Apr 5 2007 // The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has rejected an offer by former Senate President William Irons to settle conflict-of-interest charges related to his business dealings with CVS Corp.After a closed-door meeting,...

UnitedHealthcare Dividend Plan Under Scrutiny in R.I.

Mar 21 2007 // The Rhode Island health insurance commissioner is reviewing a proposal by UnitedHealthcare of New England to transfer $36.8 million in profits made in Rhode Island to its parent company in Minnesota.The public was allowed...

Beacon Mutual gets R.I. audit

Mar 12 2007 // Rhode Island officials have completed their audit of Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. and turned over the results to the workers’ compensation insurer. However it will be weeks before the public learns what is in the...

R.I. Judge Orders Cleanup by Former Lead Paint Manufacturers

Feb 28 2007 // A Rhode Island judge has ordered three former lead paint manufacturers to clean up contamination in Rhode Island and said he would appoint a special master to advise him on exactly what the companies should be required to...

R.I. Lawmaker Targets Hospital Errors

Feb 27 2007 // Between 44,000 and 98,000 patients die each year in U.S. hospitals because of mistakes, infections and other adverse situations. That’s more deaths than those caused by breast cancer, AIDS or car accidents.Most of...

Landmark R.I. lead paint case remains in legal limbo

Feb 26 2007 // It’s been more than a year since Rhode Island won a precedent-setting court victory against three former lead paint manufacturers, but the case has been in legal limbo since then as the companies have challenged the...

Don’t blame insurance agents for coastal mess

Feb 26 2007 // Over the past several months, a group of legislators from the Rhode Island House of Representatives has been meeting in an effort to understand and respond to the recent drastic — and, in some instances, draconian...

Families, Survivors Mark 4th Anniversary of R.I. Nightclub Blaze

Feb 20 2007 // So much has changed since the last anniversary of The Station nightclub fire — a 2003 blaze sparked by pyrotechnics for the ’80s rock band Great White that killed 100 people and injured more than twice that many in...

R.I. Lead Paint Court Case Remains in Legal Limbo

Feb 13 2007 // It’s been a year since Rhode Island won a precedent-setting court victory against three former lead paint manufacturers, but the case has been in legal limbo since then as the companies have challenged the verdict...

News Currents

Jan 28 2007 // R.I. lawmakers study ways to assist coastal homeownersA group of Rhode Island legislators examining insurance companies’ recent changes to homeowners’ policies for coastal areas met recently at the University...

R.I. High Court Throws Out Lawsuit Based on Bad Job Reference

Jan 24 2007 // Rhode Island’s highest court this week dismissed a lawsuit filed by a licensed nurse who sued her former boss over a bad job reference.Paula Kevorkian said Judith Glass, her former supervisor at the Pawtuxet Village...

R.I. Gov. Carcieri Adds to Control Over Beacon Mutual

Jan 12 2007 // Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri has increased his influence over the operations of the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer by naming two new board members, a week after one of his business and...

Former R.I. Gov. Sundlun and Lloyd’s at odds

Jan 8 2007 // The London insurance market Lloyd’s has sued former Rhode Island Gov. Bruce Sundlun, accusing him of failing to pay about $300,000 in principal and interest.But Sundlun says he doesn’t owe Lloyd’s any...

Former R.I. Gov. Sundlun and Lloyd’s at odds

Jan 7 2007 // The London insurance market Lloyd’s has sued former Rhode Island Gov. Bruce Sundlun, accusing him of failing to pay about $300,000 in principal and interest.But Sundlun says he doesn’t owe Lloyd’s any...

A New President – and a New Era – For R.I.’s Beacon Mutual

Jan 5 2007 // James V. Rosati, a banking and investment executive and current chairman of the R.I. Airport Corp., has been selected to serve as president and chief executive officer of Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., Rhode Island’s...