Politics + Justice

A federal judge in Providence has ordered the USDA to release emergency funds to restore food assistance, siding with Rhode Island nonprofits and cities nationwide that sued over the shutdown’s freeze on SNAP benefits

Groups from Providence, Woonsocket and Central Falls say shutdown-related halt to food aid will strain local resources and leave families hungry

Rhode Island AG’s cold case unit finally delivers results, clearing its first two homicides

Mayor Brett Smiley discusses how his administration is tackling the city’s biggest issues — from the housing shortage and SNAP crisis to community trust in police — as he looks ahead to a 2026 re-election bid

Gov. Dan McKee says the state will shift $6 million from other federal programs to help feed Rhode Islanders as SNAP benefits run out — while Attorney General Peter Neronha joins a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore funding

Rescheduling after federal stop-work order puts two dozen laborers out of work

Rhode Island state Rep. David Morales, an avid wrestler, shares why he thinks American politics may be borrowing too heavily from the WWE

From Ken Burns’ view on what we learn from history to new oversight on the Washington Bridge, a booming tourism report and Rhode Island’s latest political moves — here’s what’s making news this week, plus a few thoughts on baseball, public media, and Bulldogs’ soccer glory

Three Democrats and one Republican are now running to replace the term-limited AG in 2026 — with Ahern, a former prosecutor and Cannabis Control Commission chair, pledging to “fight for Rhode Islanders’ rights”

Reed, Whitehouse, Magaziner and Amo say they’ll withhold their salaries until the government reopens, joining a growing bipartisan call for “no work, no pay” during shutdowns