Vol. CXXXII · No. CDLXXXIXSUNDAY, JULY 12, 2026Ocean State Edition

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489 articles · page 38 of 41
CommerceFree press

Electric Boat to hire 8,000 workers by year-end, 3,500 at Quonset Point

Electric Boat plans to hire 8,000 workers by the end of 2026, with 3,000–3,500 new jobs at its Quonset Point facility in North Kingstown. The hiring push follows a $15.38 billion Navy contract to expand Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine production. Electric Boat's Director of HR reported the company is already ahead of pace on hiring goals in Rhode Island, where more than 8,000 workers are currently employed at Quonset.

turnto10.comAPR 23, 2026
CommerceGovernancePaywall

RI Commerce opens applications for Main Street, Site Readiness grants through May 29

R.I. Commerce Corp. announced it is accepting applications for two commercial improvement grant programs until May 29: the Main Street Rhode Island Streetscape Improvement Fund and the Site Readiness Program. The Streetscape fund supports projects improving appearance, accessibility, and appeal of commercial corridors, while the Site Readiness program targets site-development needs. Both are aimed at developers, nonprofits, and private entities.

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© 2026 RI Capitol · All rights reserved.Aggregated summaries linking out to original sources. XPoLL.
pbn.comAPR 23, 2026
CommercePrimary

Aspen Aerogels' East Providence facility remains offline after April 8 explosion

Aspen Aerogels reported its East Providence manufacturing facility remains offline following an explosion on April 8, 2026, that damaged production space and injured eleven employees. The company is investigating the cause (preliminary reports point to a high-temperature oven) and working with authorities on a restart plan. Aspen has business interruption insurance and expects to provide a further update in early May.

globenewswire.comAPR 23, 2026
CommercePaywall

RI publicly traded stocks surge: Citizens Bank up 81.6%, United Natural Foods 94%

Rhode Island's publicly traded companies posted strong gains over the past year, outpacing the S&P 500's 33% rise. Citizens Bank shares climbed 81.6%, United Natural Foods 94%, Hasbro 80%, and Textron 39%. CVS Health and Washington Trust also saw double-digit gains, while Bally's declined 29%. The data covers major RI-headquartered firms including banks, manufacturers, and retailers.

bostonglobe.comAPR 23, 2026
CommercePaywall

Kent Hospital announces 90,000-sq-ft facility expansion to meet patient demand

Kent Hospital, part of Care New England, has begun a multi-phase campus renovation to expand clinical capacity. The project includes a new 90,000-square-foot ambulatory services facility, expansion of the cardiac catheterization suite, emergency department renovations, and a new entrance. Hospital president Carolyn Jackson cited rising patient demand as the driver for the investment.

providencejournal.comAPR 23, 2026
CommerceGovernancePaywall

RI awards $72 million to produce, preserve 332 homes including 308 affordable units

Gov. Dan McKee and RIHousing announced nearly $72 million in state and federal funding to produce and preserve 332 homes statewide, including 308 affordable units. The awards include $31 million from voter-approved bonds and represent the first wave of a $113 million consolidated funding round. Projects range from new construction in South Kingstown and Pawtucket to preservation of existing affordable housing in Newport.

pbn.comAPR 23, 2026
CommerceFree press

Applebee's opens new Cranston location after 2024 fire destroyed Garden City site

A new Applebee's location in Cranston's Chapel View complex held its grand opening April 20, replacing the Garden City Center restaurant lost in a 2024 fire. The fire, caused by a gas leak during hood system cleaning, was ruled accidental. The new location hired over 100 staff members, according to Flynn Applebee's New England South market president Eleanor Clancy.

turnto10.comAPR 23, 2026
CommerceGovernancePaywall

RI debates data center development, starting with Smithfield Hanton City proposal

Rhode Island finds itself in a political debate over data center development, with a team of local developers proposing a data center in Hanton City—a 17th-century ghost town site behind Fidelity Investments' Smithfield campus. The project is part of a new business park proposal. The story is paywalled and limited detail is available, but it signals emerging regulatory and land-use questions around data centers in Rhode Island.

providencejournal.comAPR 23, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Rhode Island Supreme Court considers emergency motion to suspend grandparents' visitation trial

The Rhode Island Supreme Court will hear arguments on widower Scott Naso's emergency motion to halt a Family Court trial over his in-laws' petition for visitation rights to his 4-year-old daughter. Naso argues that Rhode Island's grandparents-rights statute violates his parental rights as a fit parent, but Family Court Judge Felix Gill ruled the law is narrowly tailored and declined to dismiss or stay proceedings. The high court has not yet indicated whether it will review the statute's constitutionality.

bostonglobe.comAPR 23, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Judge acquits Providence teacher Joseph Gannon on all sexual assault charges

Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Luis Matos found former Nathanael Greene Middle School teacher Joseph Gannon, 51, not guilty of four counts of first-degree sexual assault and related charges. The judge ruled the state failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gannon coerced the victim into a sexual relationship. Gannon, who had been accused of repeatedly assaulting a former student beginning when she was 15, was released following the bench trial.

bostonglobe.comAPR 23, 2026
JudiciaryPrimary

Providence Man sentenced to 84 months for fentanyl trafficking conspiracy

U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Willys Enrique Santana Ramirez, 48, of Providence, to seven years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl on behalf of a Mexican drug supplier. The investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in the seizure of over 8,900 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and additional fentanyl powder. Santana Ramirez pleaded guilty in February 2025 and will serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.

dea.govAPR 23, 2026
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