Officials say a Roman Catholic Mass to be held in western Pennsylvania this weekend in solidarity with LGBTQ Catholics has been canceled at the request of the diocese after protesting emails and calls, some of them threatening. The Mass scheduled Sunday at Duquesne University was organized by Pittsburgh-based Catholics for Change in Our Church with the help of LGBTQ outreach ministries. Bishop David Zubik of the diocese of Pittsburgh said protests began after one group promoted it as a ‘Pride Mass’ in conjunction with Pride Month, which he said supports “lifestyle and behavior” that the church couldn’t support. He says he asked that the gathering be canceled.
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Posted inArticle, Politics
RI House of Representatives approves largest budget in state history
A sharp debate on fallout from Rhode Island’s 2011 pension overhaul punctuated an otherwise placid and uncharacteristically fast budget debate, as the House of Representatives on Friday evening approved a $14 billion spending plan for 2023-24. The budget won approval in under three hours, on a 68-to-4 vote, with four GOP lawmakers, Reps. Patricia Morgan […]
Posted inArticle, Metro Desk
Portugal’s national day takes on an American flavor at Rhode Island Day of Portugal
Portugal’s national day is a holiday marking the death of a famous Portuguese Poet… and the celebrations have become a lot more important in the United States than in Portugal.
Posted inArticle, South County Bureau
Rhode Island Senate approves shoreline access bill
The bill seeks to clarify where people are allowed to be along the state’s shoreline and help diffuse decades of disputes between property owners and beachgoers.
Posted inArticle, Politics
RI officials’ behavior during Philadelphia visit called ‘racist, sexist and unprofessional’
Conduct by two top officials with the Rhode Island Department of Administration left a Philadelphia company wondering “how to work with people who are so blatantly racist, sexist and unprofessional,” according to an email released Thursday by Gov. Dan McKee’s office.
Posted inArticle, Metro Desk
The unsheltered homeless population in RI is up by 370% since before the pandemic
Housing costs and availability are pushing more people out onto the streets, says the director of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness.
Posted inArticle, Education
New report shows racial disparities, workforce crisis are behind RI education challenges
The executive director of Rhode Island Kids Count says there’s hope but a lot of obstacles when it comes to fixing the state’s education system.
Posted inArticle, Politics
Attorney General Neronha sues RI landlord over health and safety violations
Tenants’ complaints include “significant lead poisoning hazards, persistent rodent infestations,” and deteriorating building structures.
Posted inArticle, Education, South County Bureau
Westerly Town Council rejects resolution backing library obscenity bill
Proponents of the bill hoped the symbolic resolution would jumpstart activity at the State House in support of a bill that would expand the list of explicit materials and hold public and charter school libraries liable for distributing the content to minors.
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RI House Finance Committee approves $14B budget
A $14 billion budget for 2023-24 that steers more money to housing and education while offering tax relief to most Rhode Island businesses sailed through the House Finance Committee on a 13-to-3 vote Friday night. “This is a budget that meets the needs of Rhode Islanders,” House Speaker Joe Shekarchi said during a briefing ahead […]
