Friday, March 20th
Madness abounds – these headlines as URI women set to take on Alabama tomorrow in Louisville.
Headlines
Trump says he will not deploy troops to the middle east; Hegseth says “no timeline” for war.
Trump’s comments come as Netanyahu says a ground component is “necessary.” Meanwhile, the DoD is requesting another $200 billion for the war, while Hegseth reports over 7,000 targets hit.
“Obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys,” Hegseth said.
Three international reports find that the U.S. is steadily declining towards dictatorship under Trump.
Trump has tried to stop further attacks, but says he cannot fully restrain Israel. Gulf states’ tolerance is wearing thin.
Iran says it only used a fraction of its firepower in its attack on energy infrastructure in response to the South Pars gas field attack. The nation warned through its foreign minister on Thursday that further attacks on its energy infrastructure would be met with an unrestrained response.
Quick Hits
- White House border czar Tom Homan met with a group of Democrats at the Capitol on Thursday, circumventing Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, in hopes of reaching a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.
- Debate over the SAVE Act is devolving into a circular firing squad amongst Senate Republicans. Trump and MAGA loyalists are threatening to primary anyone who opposes the bill; some Republicans think the bill is poorly written.
- Treasury department to assume control over student loans as the Department of Education is dismantled.
- A 19-year-old was found dead in ICE custody. Royer Perez-Jimenez was in detainment in Florida when he passed away. The cause is under investigation.
- A Georgia woman is facing murder charges after taking pills to induce abortion.
- Rapper Afroman won a defamation lawsuit filed in response to his mocking Ohio sheriff’s deputies that raided his house in 2023, finding no cause for arrest.
- Mexican military says 11 killed in raid targeting Sinaloa cartel leader. Omar Oswaldo Torres, the leader of the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa criminal network, was detained in the raid.
- Brazil’s president Lula de Silva criticizes the U.S. for thinking ‘they own the world’.
- Nexstar to merge with TEGNA after FCC, DOJ approval. After this merger, Nexstar will now control local newscasts in more than 70 percent of households across the country.
- Uber to pay Rivian up to $1.25 billion to deliver 10,000 of Rivian's autonomous R2 SUVs that Uber can deploy as robotaxis starting in 2028. Initial funding of $300 million.
- Artemis II nears standby for launch, with a possible moon-bound mission beginning as soon as April 1st.
R.I. Stories
Speaker of the RI House, K. Joseph Shekarchi, is a member of a legal team that is suing Rhode Island-based CVS. The case is being brought under allegations of racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO), by the Roofers’ Unions Welfare Trust Fund, claiming that CVS’s well-documented vertical integration through insurance and PBMs concealed kickbacks to the company that incentivized them to specially place specific products. (GoLocal)
The Ocean Race, an international sailing competition that generated over $30 million for the Rhode Island economy when it was hosted in Newport in 2015, will not return this summer after the hosting nonprofit cited prohibitive costs. In 2023, the event cost the nonprofit $4.8 million, double the organization’s annual budget. (Projo)
ICE was spotted downtown in Providence on Westminster Street, where they reportedly took someone into custody. Reported sightings also in West Warwick.
On Broadway, a Providence police cruiser was involved in a chase with one vehicle that then crashed into another. (GoLocal)
Mitrelis Family LP is suing Plant City Providence LLC and owner Kimberly Anderson for $1.5 million. The partnership, which owns the building that Plant City occupied until it closed earlier this year, claims that Plant City is systematically liquidating its assets to avoid paying over $300,000 in back taxes and about $1 million in future obligations. (WPRI)
Janet Coit, the former director of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, has been named the executive director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island. (PBN)
TF Green will undergo main runway renovation in addition to $60m terminal renovation. (WPRI)
R.I. Politics
The Rhode Island Black, Latino, and Asian American Caucus announced their platform for the 2026 session, which largely focuses on protecting the rights of immigrants. Steve Ahlquist has more.
Questions are being raised about the recovery grants brought to the Thayer, Wayland, Wickenden merchant associations following the Brown University shooting. When asked how the money was to be used Mayor Brett Smiley said “It is towards business. It’s for every merchant on the strip. It’s really their decision and these businesses … are members of that association so they should work that out amongst themselves.” (WPRI)
Providence City Councillor Shelly Peterson introduced a bill to establish a board to oversee student housing. The bill would restrict student housing to within the boundary defined by the board. (WPRI)
McKee nominates a second conservative to the bench, this time nominating Montalbano to serve as chief justice of the superior court. (GoLocal)
Sports
URI Women’s Basketball (#11) will face off against University of Alabama (#6) in the first round of the NCAA tournament tomorrow at 2:30 pm in Louisville, Kentucky.
Celtics will play Memphis tonight at 8:00 pm. Celtics are 7-3 in their last 10.
Bruins won 6-1 over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night, they remain in a three-way battle for two wildcard spots. Boston and Detroit maintain a one-game advantage over Columbus. Next game against Detroit Saturday at 8:00 pm.
The MLS will play a “sprint season”. Each team will play 14 regular season games against conference opponents. The top eight teams in each conference will enter the playoffs for a streamlined single-elimination bracket with the playoffs wrapping up in May.
