Christopher Shea
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Reporter for @RICurrent covering politics, housing and transportation. Previously editor of @WeekDartmouth. He/him
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Articles by Christopher Shea
Federal election monitors in Pawtucket find no problems with primary voting after past violations Original
Four federal election monitors were watching polling places in Pawtucket Wednesday to ensure city officials followed through on a Biden-era consent order to assist Spanish-speaking voters. They found no significant problems, said Pawtucket’s top election official who anticipates their return in the November general election. “Everything seemed to go really well,” City Registrar Ken McGill said in an interview Thursday morning.
Kim Ahern wins Democratic primary for Rhode Island AG Original
Former state cannabis regulator Kim Ahern on Wednesday won the Democratic nomination to be Rhode Island’s next attorney attorney general, defeating three other candidates including the chosen successor of the outgoing AG. Ahern received 37% of the vote in the Democratic primary, according to preliminary, unofficial results from the Rhode Island Board of Elections.
US Sen. Jack Reed secures easy victory for Democratic nomination in bid for sixth term Original
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed on Wednesday secured the Democratic nomination to pursue a sixth term in office, defeating two long-shot progressive challengers in Rhode Island’s primary. Reed, 76, secured roughly 76% among Democratic primary voters, according to unofficial results from the Rhode Island Board of Elections. Connor Burbridge, a 31-year-old elder care worker, received 14% of votes.
Will Democratic challengers have the upper hand on Primary Day? Voters head to the polls to decide. Original
Up and down the ballot, the incumbent advantage is at risk today in Rhode Island’s primaries. If polls, campaign cash and endorsements piling up behind Helena Buonanno Foulkes prove an accurate predictor, Democratic Gov. Dan McKee could be the first incumbent to lose his primary reelection bid in Rhode Island in more than 30 years. McKee’s own party declined to endorse him. Lt. Gov.
Rhode Island rabies cases reach 34 after two Warwick raccoons test positive
Twenty raccoons have tested positive for rabies in Rhode Island so far this year, according to the state Department of Health. (Getty image) Two raccoons found about 5 miles apart in densely populated neighborhoods of Warwick tested positive for rabies this week, the latest cases in a year when Rhode Island’s tally of rabid animals has climbed well above its five-year average. The raccoons were found near Walter Street and Duncan Road, the Rhode Island Department of Health revealed Wednesday.
McKee calls FEMA’s denial of Rhode Island’s blizzard relief request ‘a new low’ Original
15:36 News Story Gov. Dan McKee and Rhode Island’s congressional delegation are blasting the Trump administration after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) again rejected the state’s request for $19 million to cover recovery costs associated with February’s historic blizzard. McKee’s office appealed FEMA’s initial denial of the state’s April request for funding relief under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act on July 15.
‘The knives are out’ as candidates make final sprint to the primary Original
A quiet summer overall in the Democratic primary races for attorney general and lieutenant governor has turned increasingly combative in the closing days of the campaigns. Lieutenant governor candidate Xay Khamsyvoravong on Thursday accused incumbent Sabina Matos of relying on a dark-money super PAC to keep her reelection bid afloat. Matos’ campaign has denied the allegation. Attorney General hopeful Keith Hoffmann on Wednesday had to correct his campaign’s closing ad after Barrington Rep.
Rhode Island rabies cases reach 34 after two Warwick raccoons test positive Original
Two raccoons found about 5 miles apart in densely populated neighborhoods of Warwick tested positive for rabies this week, the latest cases in a year when Rhode Island’s tally of rabid animals has climbed well above its five-year average. The raccoons were found near Walter Street and Duncan Road, the Rhode Island Department of Health revealed Wednesday. Three people and two dogs were treated for possible exposure.
Ethics Commission dismisses complaint against Lawson, opens probe of GOP whip Original
14:33 News Story The Rhode Island Ethics Commission on Tuesday declined to investigate a complaint against the president of the state Senate over votes a Koch-funded Virginia nonprofit claims benefited the education union she leads. Commissioners did, however, open a separate probe into the chamber’s No. 2 Republican over allegations involving his day job as a town public works director.
Brown external review identifies security, leadership gaps in mass shooting response Original
Two campus police dispatchers were on duty at Brown University when reports of gunfire first emerged at 4:04 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2025. Within minutes, they were overwhelmed. The flood of incoming calls and radio chatter that stunned dispatchers is one of the communication breakdowns described in an independent review of the mass shooting at the Ivy League university on Providence’s East Side, released Friday afternoon by the university.
Independent review praises Providence response to Brown shooting but flags communication gaps Original
Providence’s response to the December 2025 mass shooting at Brown University was “highly effective” and “decisive,” according to an independent review commissioned by Mayor Brett Smiley earlier this year.
Six candidates advance in inspector general search Original
About one in four applicants seeking to be Rhode Island’s first inspector general has the certification required for the job, the commission tasked with selecting finalists revealed Wednesday. Only eight of the 33 applicants had certification from the Association of Inspectors General, but the panel narrowed the candidates down to six names during a 45-minute meeting at the State House.
5:15 News Story The woman still in her pajamas sized up the man in a black jacket and blue jeans holding a clipboard at her door in Providence’s Smith Hill one rainy Saturday in May. He had just told her he’s running for U.S. Senate. As Connor Burbridge outlined a platform of taxing billionaires and support for universal healthcare, she cut him off with one question. “Who are you kicking out?” “It would be Sen. Reed in the primary,” the 31-year-old first time office seeker replied.
33 apply to be Rhode Island’s first inspector general. Few may qualify. Original
Nearly three dozen people want to be Rhode Island’s first inspector general to root out waste and improve government efficiency. But the pool of qualified candidates may be much smaller. The five-member Inspector General Independent Advisory Commission received resumes from 33 applicants by Friday’s deadline for the position created in the fiscal 2027 state budget, the Secretary of State’s office confirmed to Rhode Island Current.
Who’s in the running for two open Rhode Island Superior Court seats Original
Rhode Island’s former U.S. attorney, along with a labor lawyer and policy adviser to the House of Representatives, are among a total of eight finalists under consideration by Gov. Dan McKee to fill two vacancies on the state’s Superior Court. The state’s Judicial Nominating Commission sent two lists of recommendations to McKee following the panel’s Aug. 12 interviews with applicants to fill the seats formerly held by judges Jeffrey Lanphear and Joseph A. Montalbano.
RIPTA board votes to move ahead on new Providence bus hub Original
A 4.4-acre plot of land used to host Providence’s World Cup festivities next to the city’s Amtrak station is the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s choice for its state-of-the-art transit center. On Thursday, RIPTA’s board of directors voted 6-0 to direct contractor Next Wave Partners to move ahead with drafting bid specs and cost estimates for the proposed bus hub that will eventually replace operations at Kennedy Plaza.
Ahern’s new ad invokes praise from Rhode Island’s outgoing AG. But he endorsed her rival. Original
Kim Ahern’s latest campaign ad in the four-way Democratic primary for Rhode Island’s next attorney general begins with her reading from a plaque she was given on her final day as a prosecutor in 2019. “Your unwavering dedication to the mission of the department and victims of crime is an inspiration to all of those who have worked with you,” Ahern intones in the 40-second video posted to Facebook and Instagram.
Federal judge clears path for RI cannabis retail license process to begin anew Original
A federal court order that blocked Rhode Island regulators from awarding cannabis retail licenses is now lifted, clearing the way for a new application process already underway. U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose on Friday dissolved the preliminary injunction she issued against the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission on April 8 now that the state’s 2022 Cannabis Act Act no longer requires all retail license holders to be majority-owned by Rhode Island residents.
Rhode Island candidates look to TV ads to sell themselves to voters
Rhode Island’s airwaves are getting increasingly crowded as more candidates launch ad campaigns in a more-than-$3-million battle for voters’ attention ahead of the Sept. 9 primary. Barrington Rep. Jason Knight on Friday became the third Democrat running to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general to make his TV debut in the four-way race.
Take two on RI cannabis licenses: Regulators restart application process Original
Rhode Island’s Cannabis Control Commission on Friday reopened the application process for prospective retailers after regulators’ first attempt to license more pot shops was halted by a federal court order and voided under a new state law. Gov. Dan McKee on June 10 signed a pair of bills that undo a provision in the original 2022 Rhode Island Cannabis Act that required cannabis retailers be majority-owned by Rhode Island residents, along with kickstarting a new application process within 60 days.
Behind locked doors, AG candidates keep it civil
“Man, I sure wish this was a debate,” one candidate running to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general remarked during a two-hour forum Thursday night at the Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence. It was by design. Organizers at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island asked four of the candidates vying for the office to avoid direct exchanges to maintain a level of “model civil discourse” amid a time of growing polarization.
Judge orders release of Providence man ICE seeks to deport to Cambodia
A Rhode Island federal judge on Tuesday ordered federal immigration officials to release a Cambodian refugee who has lived in Providence since arriving in the United States as an infant and whose detention last month prompted appeals from advocates and elected officials. Chansareth Hong’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus was granted by U.S. District Judge Mary S.
Federal judge schedules contempt hearing in Johnston eminent domain dispute
One week after a Rhode Island federal judge ruled Johnston’s attempted seizure of a 31-acre property for a proposed apartment complex was unlawful, its owners are asking the court to hold town officials in contempt as they still try to take the land.
Ethics Commission to appeal decision that allowed former Speaker to seek Supreme Court seat Original
The Rhode Island Ethics Commission will appeal a recent Superior Court ruling that cleared the way for former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi to seek a vacancy on the state’s Supreme Court. Following an hour behind closed doors Tuesday, commissioners voted 4-1 to authorize its executive director and attorneys to seek a declaratory judgment from the state’s highest court on whether Shekarchi’s jump from the legislature to the judiciary violates the state’s ethics laws.
A former Providence mayor endorses Morales to take down the incumbent Original
When David Morales was elected to the State House in 2020, then-Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza called to congratulate him and invited the freshman lawmaker to meet the next day, offering advice about governing and public service. Six years later, Elorza formally endorsed Morales’ bid to unseat Providence Mayor Brett Smiley.
RI attorney general candidates find common ground before policy clashes emerge late in debate Original
Rhode Island’s four Democratic candidates seeking to succeed term-limited Attorney General Peter Neronha found common ground on most issues during a two-hour debate Thursday evening, though the cordial tone turned more contentious toward the end. Kim Ahern, Keith Hoffmann, Rep. Jason Knight, and Rep. Joe Solomon sat before over 100 people inside the community room at Southside Cultural Center in Providence for a “justice and policy debate” hosted by OpenDoors.
Judiciary commission members criticized for not revealing campaign contributions to ex-House speaker Original
More than half of the Judicial Nominating Commission members who voted to advance former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s bid to fill an opening on the Rhode Island Supreme Court have donated to his political campaigns in recent years, state finance records show. Four of the panel’s nine members collectively contributed over $30,000 to the Warwick Democrat’s campaign account since he first ran for office in 2012.
Dems ramp up TV ad spending in primary race for AG race Original
The television campaign in Rhode Island’s four-way Democratic attorney general primary is growing as a second candidate debuted ads Wednesday, while another reserved airtime the same week early voting begins next month. Six days after Keith Hoffmann became the first candidate to take to the airwaves, Kim Ahern on Wednesday unveiled her first television commercial as part of a six-figure advertising campaign through the Sept. 9 primary.
Shekarchi makes the list of Rhode Island Supreme Court potential nominees. But will he make the cut? Original
12:00 News Story Two judges, a state prosecutor, an appellate litigator who has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, and former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi made the list of potential nominees to fill an open seat on the state’s high court the Judicial Nominating Commission approved Tuesday. All five applied in May to fill the vacancy left when Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg retired in March.
Federal judge voids Johnston’s land seizure under eminent domain Original
A Providence federal judge on Tuesday invalidated the town of Johnston’s 2024 attempt to seize 31 acres of land by eminent domain from a family-owned homebuilding company in order to build a new public safety complex and town hall. Rhode Island U.S. District Judge Melissa R. DuBose ruled that the town failed to meet basic constitutional requirements when it sought to take over the site of a planned 252-unit affordable housing complex on George Waterman Road.
Amore requests DMV audit after New Jersey mistakenly registered noncitizens to vote Original
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore has asked the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to audit records covering the first two years of the state’s contract with the company now under scrutiny for a software glitch in New Jersey where 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote. Amore’s request aims to confirm if any noncitizens who obtained identification cards or drivers licenses in Rhode Island between 2017 and 2019 were mistakenly registered to vote at the same time.
Court ruling clears path for Shekarchi to continue his pursuit to join RI Supreme Court Original
One day before the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission is scheduled to interview former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and other candidates to fill a vacancy on the state’s high court, a Superior Court judge declared there’s no constitutional reason preventing a sitting lawmaker from taking the job.
Refunds on the way as regulators reset RI’s cannabis retail licensing process Original
Seventy-five prospective Rhode Island cannabis retailers will soon receive $7,500 refunds as state regulators prepare to restart the licensing process that was halted under a federal court order. The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission on Friday received an update on the timeline for restarting the state’s cannabis retail licensing process after lawmakers eliminated the residency requirement that prompted multiple federal lawsuits that upended the first round of applications.
Man sought in Dominican Republic homicide back in custody months after release by RI judge Original
A man wanted in connection with a 2021 homicide in the Dominican Republic is back in custody nearly three months after disappearing following his release by a Rhode Island federal judge who was not made aware of the warrant. Bryan Rafael Gomez failed to self-report to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office on May 5 after U.S. District Judge Melissa R. DuBose ordered that he be re-detained.
Settlement keeps State House rotunda open for protests during governor’s annual address Original
The rotunda to the Rhode Island State House will remain open for public use and peaceful protests during future governors’ annual addresses to lawmakers under a settlement reached Wednesday between Gov. Dan McKee and the state’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU of Rhode Island sued McKee in federal court in October after his administration roped off much of the State House from the public during his 2025 State of the State speech.
A court order that blocked state regulators from awarding cannabis retail licenses may come to an end soon, a Rhode Island federal judge indicated Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose wrote in an order that she would dissolve the preliminary injunction she issued April 8 now that the Rhode Island Cannabis Act no longer requires all retail license holders to be majority-owned by Rhode Island residents.
ICE detains Providence man facing deportation to country he has never known Original
“Bring Chan home!” That was the chant of more than 100 demonstrators outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office off Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick Wednesday afternoon. They were demanding the release of Chansareth Hong, a Cambodian refugee who has lived in Providence since arriving as an infant in the 1970s.
Amore says no signs noncitizens were registered to vote in Rhode Island Original
The same French multinational biometrics technology company behind the motor voter system in New Jersey where a software glitch mistakenly registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote — of whom a few hundred did so — also provides software and equipment for the state of Rhode Island. But Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore said Wednesday there is no evidence that the state’s system improperly registered noncitizens to vote.
Inspector general search panel has only just begun. Already the end is near. Original
You could say Rhode Island’s search for its first inspector general began Tuesday afternoon. Or you could say the clock started 21 days ago. A five-member selection commission met for the first time at the State House to discuss how it will select the top contenders for the position created in the fiscal 2027 budget to investigate waste, fraud and abuse and improve government efficiency.
Hoffmann launches first TV ad in Rhode Island attorney general race Original
Keith Hoffmann kicked off the first television advertising campaign in Rhode Island’s crowded Democratic race for attorney general Tuesday with a 30-second spot and a plan to spend more than $1 million in paid media between now and the Sept. 9 primary. The commercial shows Hoffmann with his family, walking near the Licht Judicial Complex in downtown Providence and speaking before crowds while highlighting his endorsement from term-limited Attorney General Peter Neronha.
Judge’s ruling in Shekarchi’s bid to quash ethics probe expected in one week Original
WARWICK — The fate of the state Ethics Commission’s investigation into whether former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi can join the Rhode Island Supreme Court will be determined within a week, a Kent County Superior Court judge said Monday.
State declares its seven-year takeover of Providence Public Schools a success. What the metrics say. Original
By some metrics, things are looking up for the Providence Public School District (PPSD). Students are coming to class more often. Their standardized test scores are rising. And more of them are graduating high school. These are a few of the accomplishments the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) highlights in a 62-page report released Friday — an epilogue to the agency’s intervention in the capital city’s public schools, which went under state control in 2019.
Citizens Bank is parting ways with two ICE contractors Original
Following months of protests outside its branches and Providence headquarters, Rhode Island’s largest bank announced Friday it is cutting its financial ties with two for-profit prison operators that have detained immigrants on behalf of the Trump administration. Citizens Bank in a statement said it will end its credit facilities with GEO Group and CoreCivic, two of the biggest contractors for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
AG candidates show mostly subtle differences in first public forum Original
Four of the five candidates running to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general tried to set themselves apart during their first public forum Thursday morning in Providence. But they mostly agreed on the issues of gun safety legislation, reining in federal immigration raids, and funding domestic violence prevention.
RI federal judge denies Trump’s emergency stay request in asylum application freeze case Original
A Rhode Island federal judge on Wednesday left intact his ruling from last month blocking the Trump administration’s freeze on processing asylum applications from nearly 40 countries. Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. denied U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) request to put his June 5 order on hold while the case is appealed, writing that administration officials “did not offer a persuasive reason” to disturb the ruling and undercut it through their own affidavit.
Mount Hope Bridge inspection made public as Bristol fights to keep records lawsuit alive Original
Despite cracked concrete, corroded steel, leaking expansion joints, broken anchor bolts, worn bearings, potholes and dozens of other deficiencies, the Mount Hope Bridge “continues to function as designed.” That’s according to a June 2024 inspection report released Friday by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority in response to a federal lawsuit filed against the agency and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) by the town of Bristol.
Smiley goes on the attack in his 2026 Providence mayoral race ad debut Original
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley attacked his Democratic challenger over past calls to defund the city’s police department in his first ad of the 2026 primary season this week. The 30-second spot launched Thursday claims State Rep. David Morales would effectively “turn back the clock” on the city’s progress in reducing crime under Smiley’s administration if elected as the capital city’s next mayor. “David Morales wants to slash police funding and make us less safe,” the ad’s narrator states.
Feds threaten Rhode Island’s top election official with criminal charges if noncitizens vote Original
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore says he is being threatened with criminal charges by the Trump administration if state and local election officials fail to prevent noncitizens from voting in the upcoming midterm elections. Amore’s office on Friday released a July 7 letter from Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon asking for an outline of the steps the state is taking to maintain “clean voter lists” and how it’s complying with federal law within five days.
Rhode Island’s T.F. Green remains America’s best airport in national ranking
Posted 7/9/26 For the second consecutive year, Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport has landed Travel + Leisure magazine’s top honor as the nation’s best airport — scoring higher than its first stop at No. 1 spot. T.F. Green earned a score of 85.16 in the annual rankings, based on reader surveys evaluating airport access, check-in and […] This item is available in full to subscribers.
Rhode Island’s T.F. Green remains America’s best airport in national ranking Original
For the second consecutive year, Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport has landed Travel + Leisure magazine’s top honor as the nation’s best airport — scoring higher than its first stop at No. 1 spot. T.F. Green earned a score of 85.16 in the annual rankings, based on reader surveys evaluating airport access, check-in and security, dining, shopping, and design.
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