Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. When I think back on this nearly-finished year, and what made me realize that it was really going to be different, my mind goes to basketball. I am a sports fan after all.
It was Wednesday night, March 11, and I had just barely settled down on my couch when the TV went abuzz with the news that Rudy Gobert, a player on the Utah Jazz, had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Soon after, the NBA made the unthinkable announcement that it was suspending the season. My first reaction was that it was an overreaction, but it turned out to be the first in a tidal wave of cancelations as the world quickly shut down.
Tom Mooney spoke to Rhode Islanders – from state police Col. James Manni, to Rabbi Leslie Gutterman, to author Ann Hood – about the moments of 2020 that stopped them in their tracks.
The state today reported 26 coronavirus deaths and 879 new cases. Hospitalizations remained essentially flat, and less than 5% of the newly reported tests were positive. The seven-day average of new cases is down 37% from its peak, which was two weeks ago.
Rhode Island has agreed to spend $10 million from its CARES Act allotment to help providers for the intellectually and developmentally disabled community, many of which are in severe financial distress.
Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor says the state is on track to spend $125 million from the CARES Act to help businesses by the end of the year. He also responded to critics who say Rhode Island hasn't done enough.
In April we introduced readers to the Niemeyers of Westerly, a family of four who were were left out of help from the CARES Act because mother Sarah Niemeyer, who is in the United States legally from Uganda, used an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number instead of a Social Security Number. Sarah's husband, Rhode Island native Michael Niemeyer, said it made them feel like second-class citizens. The latest stimulus bill passed by Congress, which President Donald Trump has harshly criticized, would make them eligible for federal help for the first time. But when we caught up with the Niemeyers to get their reaction, we learned that their story had taken a harrowing turn.
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a tragic fire in Providence that killed a 7-year-old girl and left her 2-year-old sister in critical condition.
The two men who are about to become the leaders of the Democratic majority in the Rhode Island House of Representatives spoke about their priorities for next year – and they sounded a skeptical note on the state Lottery's proposed contract extension with IGT.
Meanwhile, Speaker-elect K. Joseph Shekarchi said it might be time to push the "pause" button on charter school expansions in the state. And with that, I've typed the word "pause" more often in December than in any previous month.
If you drive between the East Bay and Providence, heads up: the DOT will be closing lanes on the Henderson Bridge next week.
We began with basketball, so we'll end with it too: It's a big hoops night in New England. The Celtics open their season against Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks while the PC Friars look to go 2-0 in the Big East when they face Butler.
Have a great night, here's wishing all your holiday packages have arrived safe and sound. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please encourage a friend to sign up.
The Link LonkDecember 24, 2020 at 04:12AM
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2020/12/23/just-in-moments-2020-well-never-forget/4029801001/
Moments of 2020 we'll never forget - The Providence Journal
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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