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LRT Company fully subscribed its $20.55 million Delaware statutory trust offering for a 50-year triple net ground lease on 14 acres in Coventry. The site will host Tiffany Laurel Reserve, a 204-unit senior housing campus with independent living, assisted living, and memory care. The project includes low-income units and is expected to total 157,000 square feet with structured parking.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit demanding detailed voter registration information from Rhode Island, ruling federal law does not permit 'the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here.' The Trump administration had sought unredacted voter rolls including partial Social Security numbers and driver's license data. The decision follows similar rejections in California, Michigan, Oregon, and Massachusetts, marking the fifth consecutive court loss for DOJ in its nationwide voter data collection campaign.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit seeking unredacted voter data from Rhode Island, calling the DOJ's effort a "fishing expedition" with no plausible factual basis. The ruling marks the fifth consecutive judicial defeat nationwide for the DOJ's voter-data demands. Secretary of State Gregg Amore, represented by AG Peter Neronha, said the decision reaffirms state authority over voter file privacy.
Rhode Island Family Court Judge Felix Gill denied Scott Naso's motion to suspend a trial over grandparents' visitation rights, ruling the state statute is "narrowly tailored" and does not violate parental constitutional rights. Gill also excluded a key witness for the grandparents after she violated the court's sequestration order. The trial, which began in October, has now spanned 16 days in Kent County Family Court.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose (D.R.I.) issued a preliminary injunction halting DOJ restrictions on Office of Justice Programs grants that would have barred domestic-violence organizations from serving undocumented immigrants. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence spearheaded a multi-state suit challenging the funding conditions imposed in January 2026. Plaintiff groups call the injunction a temporary victory pending permanent relief.
Nelson Reyes Luciano, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy to 78 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Reyes Luciano shipped 10 parcels of narcotics from California to a Providence co-conspirator's home; law enforcement recovered drugs, scales, presses, and packaging materials during a search warrant execution.
The City of Providence settled a lawsuit with Sybil Bailey, its former human resources director, paying $45,000 (plus legal fees) to resolve claims she was wrongfully terminated during Jorge Elorza's mayoral tenure. Bailey alleged age and sex discrimination after being fired in 2019; the city denies wrongdoing. A 2020 City Council dispute over an earlier $138,000 severance deal helped trigger the suit.
Gov. Dan McKee and primary challenger Helena Foulkes have committed to three debates before early voting begins in August. Foulkes publicly called for the debates to discuss housing, health care costs, and her vision for the state. The General Assembly is moving the primary election day to September 9, with early voting starting earlier.
Rhode Island's publicly traded companies outperformed alongside broader market gains over the past year. Citizens Bank rose 81.6 percent, United Natural Foods 94 percent, and Hasbro 80 percent. CVS Health, Textron, Washington Trust, and AstroNova all posted gains, while Bally's fell 29 percent. The Nasdaq rose 48 percent and the S&P 500 33 percent over the same period.
Rhode Island issued 3,778 building permits across all municipalities in the past year, the highest level since the 1980s, according to the state's Executive Office of Housing's April 15 integrated housing report. Despite the surge in new construction, the affordability of existing housing stock remains a critical concern for the state.
Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins is seeking a 7.4 percent increase in the city's tax levy to address a nearly $10 million budget deficit, which would raise the average single-family home tax bill by $500. The mayor's budget also eliminates funding for dozens of city jobs, with 17 staff members already accepting buyouts. Hopkins blamed the former finance director for submitting inaccurate budget projections over two years.
