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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management reopened a 462-acre shellfishing area along the Portsmouth shoreline south of the Mount Hope Bridge for the first time since 1975. Improved water quality from wastewater infrastructure investments enabled the upgrade. The announcement coincides with Rhode Island's 10th annual Quahog Week celebrating the state's fishing and marine trades.
Rhode Island's unemployment rate increased to 4.6% in Q1 2026, the highest since Q3 2021 and exceeding New England and US rates (both 4.3%). Resident employment fell 6,100 jobs year-over-year (1.1%), marking the third consecutive quarterly decline and lowest level since Q1 2023. Labor force participation dropped to 63.5%, down for seven straight quarters. Q4 2025 GDP declined 0.4% annualized, versus growth in New England (0.9%) and nationally (0.5%), according to RIPEC and Bryant University.
Ocean State Labs, Rhode Island's first life sciences startup incubator, officially opened with support from Brown University, the State of Rhode Island, the I-195 Redevelopment District, and L&G Asset Management America. Brown provided 30,000 square feet of leased space valued at $13 million over 10 years. The incubator, located at 150 Richmond Street in Providence and managed by Portal Innovations, offers lab space, infrastructure, operational support, and capital networks to early-stage biotech and medical companies.
Gov. Dan McKee submitted a budget amendment providing $1.6 million in dedicated funding to Newport Hospital's birthing center, contingent on its continued operation. Brown University Health had publicly requested $4.9 million to keep the center open. The governor's office emphasized commitment to women's and maternal health care while stating behind-the-scenes advocacy already helped keep the center operating to date.
Rhode Island faces an estimated $400 million loss in federal Medicaid and SNAP funding following Congress's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." More than 10,000 residents have lost health coverage after enhanced premium tax credits expired. The General Assembly is considering a 3% surtax on the top 1% of earners (households above $640,000 taxable income), estimated to generate $203 million annually according to the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, writes Economic Progress Institute head in Boston Globe commentary.
Rhode Island Lottery selected Bally's Corporation to operate the state's second licensed online sportsbook, ending IGT's single-operator market since 2019. Bally's, which already operates RI's two physical casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton, is expected to launch in November when IGT's exclusivity period expires. The company will collect the full 49% operator revenue share as both digital platform and physical sportsbook rights holder, representing a significant revenue shift from its current 17% share.
Matunuck Oyster Bar owner Perry Raso announced plans to reopen the original South County restaurant location by fall 2026, with inspections targeted for completion by August 31. The timeline comes one year after a May 20, 2025 fire destroyed the restaurant days before Memorial Day weekend. Raso opened a temporary tent location in July 2025 after state legislators passed the "Take it Outside" law, and raised over $400,000 in community support to sustain operations during rebuilding.
A May 4 sewage spill in East Providence released 880,000 gallons of wastewater into Narragansett Bay, forcing the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to close shellfishing area 16E, one of the state's most productive quahog beds. Fishermen report the area is three to four times more productive than other accessible waters. The closure represents mounting financial losses for Rhode Island's quahog industry.
Aspen Aerogels, Inc. announced it is initiating a staged restart of its East Providence, Rhode Island manufacturing facility following an April 8 incident. The company completed comprehensive mechanical, operational, and safety reviews with multiple government agencies before beginning the phased production ramp. Fully restoring the plant's capabilities will take time, and Aspen continues to leverage external manufacturing partners while investigating the incident.
Flexible packaging equipment supplier Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp. completed a major expansion of its North American headquarters in Lincoln, Rhode Island, more than doubling warehouse capacity and significantly increasing office space after two years of construction. The facility now employs nearly 100 people, a 20% increase over two years, and features photovoltaic panels expected to generate most of the building's electricity needs, supported by federal funding and a Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund grant.
Global Asset Management Group announced a major milestone in its $92 million acquisition and redevelopment of the former Memorial Hospital campus in Pawtucket, with deed restriction amendments now clearing the way for final design and planning. The 386,404-square-foot property on 7.68 acres will be developed into a mixed-use residential community focused on affordable housing and veteran housing.
