This Just In: Meet RI's electors; winter on Prudence Island

Also, hopeful news for Jhamal Gonsalves. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Friday, December 11 [Prudence Island. The Providence Journal / David DelPoio] ]( [This Just In: Meet RI's electors; winter on Prudence Island]( Also, hopeful news for Jhamal Gonsalves. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal, wrapping up my 39th week of working from home. It's been a busy week, and I needed to get to bed at a decent time last night, so I think [what the Patriots did was really a service]( Rhode Island's four electors are set to meet Monday to cast the state's Electoral College votes for Joe Biden. It's normally an event steeped in pomp and ceremony, but of course there will be far less of that this year. Still, we figured you might want to know who the electors are and what exactly they'll be doing on Monday, [so here you go]( Rhode Island today [reported 11 coronavirus-related deaths and 1,571 additional cases](. That brought the total number of deaths over 1,500, and the total number of known cases over 70,000. Prudence Island isn't a place that changes very much. But winter on the island [feels different this year]( and the coronavirus is part of the reason – even though there haven't been any known cases there. Earlier this week, a Russian health official created something of an uproar when she said that people who receive that country's COVID vaccine should abstain from drinking for two months. We asked the Rhode Island Health Department if that's something that Americans should plan to do. [Here's the answer]( High-school athletes are [waiting for more information]( on whether there will be a winter season in the wake of Gov. Gina Raimondo's decision to extend her statewide "pause." Jhamal Gonsalves, the 24-year-old man gravely injured in a police-involved moped crash nearly two months ago, [is emerging from his coma]( a family lawyer says. But Gonsalves' father says the young man is not out of the woods yet. Republicans in Rhode Island are criticizing Superior Court Judge Melissa Long for her ruling closing a gym that had defied Raimondo's COVID orders, [just four days before Raimondo nominated her for a spot on the Supreme Court]( Monique Brady, the former East Greenwich woman who stole millions of dollars from friends and family, [has lost her latest bid for release]( from federal prison. Congratulations to Youth in Action, a South Providence nonprofit, [which has won $20,000]( in a national fundraising competition sponsored by the Gannett Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Providence Journal's parent company. Finally, Jim Hummel this week profiles an organization [that has been helping Rhode Island students succeed for nearly a century.]( Have a great weekend. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, [please encourage a friend to sign up]( [Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.]( [click here]( Problem viewing email? [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( • [Manage Newsletters]( • [Terms of Service]( • [Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights]( • [Privacy Notice]( • [Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy]( • [Feedback]( © 2020 75 Fountain St. , Providence, RI 02902