Latest Rhode Island Headlines

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

Citing R.I. Report, Lead Paint Defendants Seek Retrial

Aug 23 2006 // Former lead paint manufacturers found liable for creating a public nuisance in Rhode Island say lawyers for the state misrepresented to jurors the extent of the state’s childhood lead poisoning problem and are...

R.I. AG Lynch Defends DuPont Lead Paint Settlement

Aug 11 2006 // Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch is defending a multimillion deal struck with DuPont Co. last year that dropped the company from the state’s lawsuit against former lead paint manufacturers.DuPont agreed to...

R.I. Offers Loans to Tiverton Homeowners with Contaminated Land

Jul 25 2006 // Rhode Islanders whose homes are contaminated with toxic waste can now apply for low-interest loans from the state government under a bill signed by Gov. Don Carcieri.The signing ceremony was held in a Tiverton neighborhood...

R.I. Adopts Multi-Pronged Health Care Affordability Program

Jul 7 2006 // The Rhode Island General Assembly recently passed the Health Care Affordability Act, a set of 14 bills intended to lower health insurance costs for small businesses, strengthen state control over provider expansion,...

R.I. Ups Breathalyzer Penalties

Jul 5 2006 // Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri will sign legislation today eliminating what some claim is a major loophole in the state’s drunk driving laws. The new law increases the penalties for those who refuse to...

R.I. Governor Vetoes 24-Hour Insurance Proof Bill as ‘Unnecessary’

Jun 28 2006 // Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri has vetoed a bill that would have given Rhode Island drivers 24 hours to produce proof of insurance after they are stopped by a police officer or involved in an accident.The legislation was...

R.I. Governor Denounces Bill to Curb His Control Over Beacon Mutual

Jun 23 2006 // Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri is expressing strong opposition to legislation (Senate bill 2882) that would subject his appointments to the Beacon Mutual Insurance Company board of directors to Senate advice and...

Bill to Regulate R.I. Contractors Filed

Jun 22 2006 // House Speaker Tempore Charlene M. Lima (D-Dist. 14, Cranston) has introduced legislation to regulate the registration of contractors in Rhode Island.The legislation (2006-H 8245) would amend the contractors’...

Beacon Mutual Seeks 16% Workers Comp Price Drop in R.I.

Jun 12 2006 // Beacon Mutual insurance Co., which writes workers compensation for about 90 percent of the businesses in Rhode Island, has filed for a 16 percent reduction in rates to cover its workers compensation loss costs.A company...

Most R.I. Homeowners Go Without Flood Coverage

Jun 12 2006 // There were big gains this year in the number of Rhode Island homeowners with flood insurance, but the state still has one of the lowest rates in the country of participation in a federal flood insurance program, according...

R.I. Governor Loses Bid to Replace Two Beacon Mutual Directors for Now

Jun 9 2006 // The Rhode Island Supreme Court has denied the request of Governor Donald L. Carcieri to stay a Superior Court ruling which prohibits him from removing Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members George Nee and Henry...

Judge Fines R.I. Attorney General for Lead Paint Case Comments

Jun 4 2006 // A judge fined Rhode Island’s attorney general $10,000 last week for public comments he made after the state won a lawsuit against former lead paint manufacturers, his second fine over statements about the case.A jury...

R.I. Adopts Hurricane Plan

May 31 2006 // Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri has approved the state’s first hurricane plan in time for the June 1 start of the hurricane season.Under the plan, the state and other agencies will start emergency preparations 72...

R.I. Governor Appeals Judge’s Ruling Blocking His Beacon Mutual Firings

May 30 2006 // Rhode Island Gov. Donals Carcieri is appealing a judge’s decision that bars him from firing two members of the board of directors at Beacon Mutual Insurance Co.A Superior Court judge last week denied Carcieri’s...

R.I.-Based Brokers’ Service Marketing Expands Management Team

May 26 2006 // David Greenberg has been named president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island-based Brokers’ Service Marketing Group.In his new capacity, Greenberg, who is a partner in the life insurance and financial...

R.I. Senate Wants to Raise Liability Limits for Taxis, Shuttles

May 25 2006 // The Rhode Island Senate has approved legislation to require taxis and transport vehicles such as airport shuttles to carry $300,000 worth of personal injury and property damage insurance.The bill, introduced by Sen....

Rains, Floods Place Southern New England In State Of Emergency

May 15 2006 // More than five straight days of rain have flooded homes, businesses and roads, swelled riverbanks and placed a number of dams in southern New England under strain.The governors of Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire...

R.I. Governor Names College President as Beacon Mutual Director

May 8 2006 // Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri has named the president of Salve Regina University, Sister Therese Antone, Ed. D., to replace John Holmes on the board of directors for Beacon Mutual Insurance Company.Holmes...

Judge Finds R.I. Attorney General in Contempt in Lead Paint Case

May 7 2006 // A judge held the Rhode Island attorney general in civil contempt and fined him $5,000 for publicly accusing former lead paint makers of twisting the facts during Rhode Island’s landmark lawsuit against the companies,...

R.I. Judge Blocks Governor’s Firing of Beacon Mutual Directors; Sets Hearing

May 4 2006 // Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri has been handed a setback in his campaign to fire two Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members.Superior Court Judge Steven Forunato has issued a temporary restraining order delaying...