Newport is one of New England’s most popular wedding destinations, but COVID-related restrictions brought many couples’ plans to a halt this summer. Some are now holding scaled-down “micro weddings” instead, but workers in the wedding industry say this trend isn’t solving their financial troubles.
Business
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Activists accuse local alternative media site of racial bias, call for businesses to pull ads
Grassroots activists in New Bedford are calling for businesses to pull ads from an alternative media company in the area, claiming it is racially divisive and biased.
Posted inArticle, Business, Newport Bureau
Newport residents seek to promote racial justice through Black business ownership
As protests against racism continue in Rhode Island this summer, several Black business owners in Newport hope to address systemic inequalities by providing camaraderie and logistical support to aspiring Black entrepreneurs. Antonia Ayres-Brown recently sat down with the cohort as they discussed why, in addition to marching with protest signs, they want more residents to march into city hall with binders full of business plans.
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Downtown Providence bracing for uncertain future in wake of COVID-19
Downtown went quiet this spring when workers vacated their offices as the pandemic hit, and fewer than half have returned. Some fear COVID-19 could reverse decades of development.
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Five takeaways from Facebook’s civil rights audit
A two-year audit of Facebook’s civil rights record found “serious setbacks” hurting the social network’s progress on matters such as hate speech, misinformation and bias. Facebook had hired former American Civil Liberties Union executive Laura Murphy, in May 2018 to assess its performance on vital social issues. On Wednesday, the final 100-page report said that the company’s elevation of free expression _ especially by politicians _ above all other matters has hurt its progress on other matters like discrimination and protecting vulnerable users.
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A subdued Independence Day celebration in Bristol this year
It’s July, which means it’s time for the Bristol, Rhode Island 4th of July parade, billed as the oldest independence day celebration in America. But things are going to be different this year.
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Scaled-back phase 3 begins Tuesday in RI
Governor Gina Raimondo announced that Rhode Island Tuesday will move into the state’s third phase of economic reopening.
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Flight testing for Boeing’s 737 Max could begin Monday
Flight-certification testing for Boeing’s 737 Max, which has been grounded since March 2019 because of two deadly crashes, could begin as early as Monday. The company needs clearance from the FAA before the planes can fly again, and the test flights, with FAA test pilots, are a key step. Even if no new problems are discovered during the test flights, it’s likely to take at least a month to get pilots trained and get mothballed planes upgraded, inspected and serviced. The Max’s flight control system, triggered by faulty readings from sensors, had pushed the planes into nosedives that led to crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people.
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GM wants judge removed in legal fight with Fiat Chrysler
General Motors is asking a federal appeals court to overturn an order that requires its CEO to meet with the head of Fiat Chrysler by next week to try to settle a lawsuit. GM also wants U.S. District Judge Paul Borman removed from the case. GM accuses Fiat Chrysler of getting an advantage by paying off union leaders to reduce labor costs. The judge describes the lawsuit as a “nuclear option” that would be a “waste of time and resources” for years if he allows the case to move forward. GM says Borman can’t be considered impartial. The judge declined to comment.
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Official: US might help others buy non-Huawei telecom gear
A U.S. official says Washington is willing to help other countries pay for next-generation telecom technology from Western providers in order to avoid Chinese gear from tech giant Huawei, which Washington sees as a security threat. Washington is urging European and other allies to avoid Huawei, but its lower-cost equipment is popular with developing countries. An undersecretary of state, Keith Krach, says “countries like us are willing to help provide” financing to buy Western equipment “because we recognize this danger.” Huawei denies U.S. accusations it facilitates Chinese spying or is controlled by the ruling Communist Party. Washington has imposed sanctions that cut off the company’s access to most American components and technology.
