Rhode Island should be next to ban data centers! Their negative environmental impacts are enormous.

Next Thursday, April 9, I'm giving a presentation about the Wyatt Detention Facility -- Rhode Island's main ICE detention center -- at Providence's First Unitarian Church. The event is free and open to the public. I'll be joined by Sophia de los Reyes from AMOR during the Q&A session.

This Trans Day of Visibility I’m thinking about the many fabulous trans people I know, and who I don’t, and who all add beauty to our world. Proud to work to make and keep R.I. a welcoming state.

📢🚨It’s a big week at the State House, from our Save RIPTA package, to Stop Super Speeders & public records reform, raise your voice in support of transit, transparency, and safe streets! Check out all of the bills and view testimony guides ⤵️ prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/E...

Sydney Keen testifying in favor of Ranked Choice Voting with really important argument. More candidates *should* be a good thing, but in current system will be dissuaded because “you’ll split the vote” Talks about RI01 race where 4 of 11 candidates were women of color.

“A shrunken RIPTA that delivers less service across the state — including up to 22 percent less weekend service — is clearly the wrong size.” Thank you @karenalzate.bsky.social & Sen. McKenney for this 🔥 commentary! 🚌❌The service cuts need to be reversed! www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/23/m...

Proud to be governing with @mackdistrict6.bsky.social and @karenalzate.bsky.social and attending a bilingual press conference about the RIBLIA caucus 2026 priorities.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Safe Streets Advocates Host “Intelligent Speed Assist” Demonstration Event on March 31st 🚗💨“Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA)” Demonstration Event & Media Availability ⏰March 31, 2026, 2:00pm-4:00pm, brief speaking program at 3:00pm 🏛️RI State House Lower Parking Lot”- Smith Street side

The potholes are real - we know. (I drove into a shockingly deep one a few days ago in the dark - I get it!). The City is working hard to patch but that’s not much consolation if you’ve popped a tire! Check out these resources if you’re looking for help. Link to the referenced map in the comments.

This looks like a lot of fun!

We should stop changing the clocks!!!

Iran war drives oil price above $100 a barrel for first time since 2022

This is such a good explainer about how we pay for our power. Cutting efficiency incentives is exactly the wrong thing to do.

I have a handy RSVP form for my community meeting tomorrow night (forms.gle/iU3NqjK5PTgZ...) and so I know that someone wants to talk about the @rifoundation.bsky.social report on educational funding. And now I can do some homework to prepare! rifoundation.org/news/equaliz...

The documentary "The Librarians" is free to watch on YouTube. And I can't recommend it strongly enough.

Join me for a community meeting on Monday March 9. I will provide an update about this year's legislative session, hear from you about your priorities, do a quick know your rights session and we'll hear about volunteer opportunities to support immigrant communities in Rhode Island.

Happening now: @RIHouse Judiciary hearing on immigration-related bills. buff.ly/jhHB0le Watch here: buff.ly/3OmGgTb

Commentary by @alankrinsky.bsky.social of Economic Progress Institute -- McKee’s plan to exempt Social Security income from state taxation will do nothing to help those who need it most www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/03/m...

I'm looking forward to my community meeting in one week,6 p.m. March 9 at the Rochambeau Library. Here's where you can RSVP and let me know what questions you have ahead of time! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

I'm looking forward to my community meeting in one week,6 p.m. March 9 at the Rochambeau Library. Here's where you can RSVP and let me know what questions you have ahead of time! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

So much snow fun!!! Come to Billy Taylor Park or Lippitt Park and make some snow art!!!! There will be judging and $50 in prizes.

I love how small R.I. is!!! At the train station I saw David Cicilline and June Speakman. We’re all heading different places on different trains (except @katrinaspeak.bsky.social and I are on the same train, different places). Also riding the train was the right call, I’m getting so much work done!

PVD people with snow questions, here's a FAQ from Mayor Smiley's office: www.providenceri.gov/snowstorm. Big thanks to everyone who is helping us recover. PVD employees, workers from out of state, local business owners, and the many volunteers helping us dig out, we see you and we're so gratetful.

RI House Speaker @joeshekarchi.bsky.social unveils sixth package of housing bills. “Our advocacy is working. But building takes time, and we are still trying to play catch-up for all the years that RI was dead last in the country for new housing starts.” www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/26/m...

As of tonight, licenses of trans people across Kansas are being invalidated en masse, enabling the overnight criminalization of an entire group of people for going about our lives. It’s often said you never know when you’re living through history, so let me assure you: that’s what’s happening now.

Jo and I went out in snow shoes on the Boulevard today. So pretty!

@rihouseofreps.bsky.social postpones today's Finance Committee hearing but the House is back in action Thursday after the blizzard.

Commentary by Christian Roselund, co-lead of @climateactionri.org's Yes to Wind team -- Cutting clean energy won’t solve high R.I. power costs www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/24/m...

From the Mayor's Office re: storm response: Most roads still remain unpassable, and it is important for neighbors to know that they have not been left behind. We asking that everyone **stays off the roads unless it is an emergency.**

Thank you neighbors!!!!

PVD will not be picking up trash this week. Garbage and recycling pick up will resume on Monday, March 2. www.providenceri.gov/city-of-prov...

Trash collection in Providence is suspended for the rest of the week to support snow removal. Regular service will resume on Monday, March 2. A citywide parking ban remains in effect. Please move vehicles off city streets. More info here: www.providenceri.gov/city-of-prov...

For those who want some good counter-programming, this is solid!

This is a great idea!!!! Let's donate to democrats running for office tonight!

For those of you following along with bingo cards tonight, a reminder that @charlesgaba.com recommends substituting "donation bingo" for "drinking bingo." Better for you, better for your country. bsky.app/profile/char...

My latest newsletter, with snow-related updates from the city. buff.ly/4u9kiXa]

I saw a tiny car driving on one of the few plowed roads near me and maybe the driver is a critical worker but I do not understand how they will not get stuck somewhere. Please stay off the roads! If you need to drive to your job at a hospital or whatever, please do it in a vehicle meant for this.

Report from Providence: We have so much snow. More snow than I’ve ever seen at one time. 3 feet!? It’s mostly stopped. I don’t know how the plows will do with this much snow. The two main roads near me have been plowed a bit but nothing else. The drifts are monumental.

I hope everyone is getting ready for what I hope will be a cozy storm. And some more updates in my newsletter from today: mailchi.mp/db82e0eb62ac...

I spent my childhood inside of American concentration camps. I know one when I see one. And that is what ICE is building.

“I don’t want to be in this place I want to go to my school.” - 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas. Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children. www.propublica.org/article/ice-...

Let's try out Ranked Choice Voting and have some fun this week! The Candydates this year are a great mix of Valentine's candy. Check it out and vote here: buff.ly/ykAnuj6 Voting is open until 8 p.m. We had fun at the State House today. @meghankallman.bsky.social and Rep Jennifer Stewart

‘Candy election’ at Statehouse tomorrow to demo ranked-choice voting

An Irishman living in the U.S. for over 20 years who has been detained by ICE since last September describes the experience as “torture.” “I don’t know how much more I can take,” Seamus Culleton said, calling for Prime Minister Micheál Martin to raise his case with Trump during his upcoming visit.

ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps. If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...

When COVID suspended Medicare's longtime 3-day rule, it allowed for a natural experiment: Does the rule cause unnecessary hospital days? And what are its health impacts? Learn at the link how many thousands of additional hospital days researchers found just one month after the rule's reinstatement.

Officials in a small Georgia city east of Atlanta say Immigration and Customs Enforcement has finalized the purchase of an industrial warehouse with plans to turn it into a sprawling detention facility, where as many as 10,000 immigrants could be held. www.ajc.com/politics/202...

I'm on a train so I have some time. Will write a thread about this moment in time. I'm thinking a lot about this newsletter I wrote in December 2024: mailchi.mp/3842e98a0f47... 1/

Energy efficiency is cost-effective & helps ratepayers manage their usage & bills. I’m glad Toray was able to use these programs - but also other RI residents and businesses should be able to access these same tools Toray used a decade ago. These programs work for RIers. Cutting them doesn’t.

The governor is holding a presser today to bolster his proposal to slash energy efficiency & clean energy. Toray Plastics, speaking at the presser, ironically has received large investments from these programs to help lower their energy usage and stabilize bills: ripuc.ri.gov/sites/g/file...