Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

ARPA Task Force meets Tuesday

 

STATE HOUSE – The Rhode Island House of Representatives American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, September 21 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 35 of the State House.

“In adopting the budget in June, the General Assembly did not authorize spending of the state’s share of American Rescue Plan Act stabilization funds. We preserved the full amount for a more robust public process on the proposed uses for these funds, which are available for use over several years,” said Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick). “The Task Force is intended to be one of the many aspects of that process and will focus on developing a deeper understanding of the allowable uses, expected updates to federal guidance on usage, experience in other states and other relevant information that will help inform future deliberations.”

The House ARPA Task Force will assess the evolving federal guidelines and evaluate what other states are doing regarding potential projects to fund. The state of Rhode Island has received $1.1 billion in ARPA funds that will be available for use over the next several years, through the state’s fiscal year 2025.

Speaker Shekarchi appointed the following members to the House ARPA Task Force: Representatives Mia Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland), Jean-Philippe Barros (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket), Susan R. Donovan (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth), John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth), Alex D. Marszalkowski (D-Dist. 50, Cumberland), Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist 33, Narragansett, South Kingstown), George A. Nardone (R-Dist. 28, Coventry), Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence), Teresa A. Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett), Carlos E. Tobon (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket), Camille F.J. Vella-Wilkinson (D-Dist. 21, Warwick) and Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence).

Representatives Marszalkowski and Tobon will serve as co-chairs.

The meeting will be televised on Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox Channels 15, and 61, in high definition on Cox Channel 1061, on Full Channel on Channel 15 and on Channel 34 by Verizon subscribers. It will also be live streamed at http://rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx

 

 

 

Opening statements are expected Monday in former President Trump's criminal trial in New York. The six alternate jurors have been seated and the 12 jurors are already in place. The former President is accused of falsifying business records in order to cover up payments allegedly made to an adult film star just prior to the 2016 election.       New York police say the man who set himself on fire outside the Donal Trump trial drove from Florida to New York City earlier this week. The man had some papers with him that detailed conspiracy theories involving local politics. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.       The White House is imposing sanctions on two groups accused of fundraising for Israeli extremists and the leader of an organization that attacked Palestinians. The Treasury Department says the Biden Administration did this because they were "responsible for or complicit in" actions that went against "peace, security, or stability of the West Bank." Israel has been at war with Hamas since the October 7th attack on their soil.       The House is expected to vote for final passage of House Speaker Mike Johnson's foreign aid package over the weekend. The House approved a rule vote today to begin debate on individual bills to provide military aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. In an unusual move, Democrats voted with Republicans to advance the legislation as many conservatives voted no.        The FAA and United Airlines are investigating a video that appears to show a Colorado Rockies staff member in the cockpit during a flight. The incident happened during the team's April 10th chartered flight from Denver to Toronto. In the video posted on social media that has since been deleted, an unauthorized person appears to sit in the pilot's seat. United Airlines says at least two pilots have been removed from the job.       Horror film "Abigail" is looking to take the top spot at this weekend's box office. It's expected to make between 12-million and 15-million-dollars in its first weekend. "Abigail" is expected to just beat out last week's winner "Civil War" for first place.       

Old News Archives