This Just In: In praise of the National Guard; mixed response to health-care mega-merger

Also, help decide what my license plate can say. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Wednesday, February 24 [Cranston, RI, Feb 23,2021 - Members of the Rhode Island Army and Air National Guard talk about their experiences while running the Covid Vaccine center on Sockanosset Crossroad in Cranston. Left to right are: A1C (Airman First Class) Karina Nunez (Air National Guard), Captain Regan Keenan (Army National Guard), PFC Daniel Jimenez (Army National Guard), Sgt Matthew Medeiros (Army National Guard), and Staff Sgt Nicole MacKay (Air National Guard) at the Covid Vaccine center on Sockanosset Crossroad in Cranston. [The Providence Journal/Bob Breidenbach]]( [This Just In: In praise of the National Guard; mixed response to...]( Also, help decide what my license plate can say. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. While the vaccine rollout in Rhode Island has sometimes been the focus of controversy and criticism, it's important to remember that this is a historic effort with no parallel in recent history. Mark Patinkin was so impressed with the efficiency of the operation when he received his first shot recently, [he wrote his latest column in appreciation of the National Guard troops]( who make things run at the mass-vaccination sites, and hopefully helping all of us put the pandemic behind us. It is hopefully just a bump in the road, but today's coronavirus data report [was a break from recent, positive trends](. With 456 additional cases reported, the state's seven-day new-case average went up from yesterday. Test positivity was up slightly from the same day last week. Rhode Island also updated [its list of coronavirus cases by community](. While some communities saw significant declines, Narragansett and Smithfield were far out front in terms of new cases per capita. [Reaction continues coming in]( following yesterday's big news of a planned merger involving Lifespan and Care New England. While many leaders in the government and nonprofit worlds are cheering the development, others are concerned about the long-term implications for jobs and cost to consumers. As we reported earlier this week, the Department of Motor Vehicles [has temporarily stopped processing applications]( for vanity license plates, in response to a court ruling that said the old policy on deciding which plates were inappropriate was unconstitutional. Now, the DMV [is asking for your help]( in figuring out a fair way to decide what is and is not fair. Renn Olson, a Warwick lawyer who argued a landmark personal-injury case that led to the disappearance of diving boards from backyard and hotel pools across the country, as well as the successful wrongful-death lawsuit against Jamestown scuba shop owner David Swain, [has died in Florida]( The owner of a North Providence auto sales business is facing federal charges that [he smuggled vehicles to Lebanon]( Two Rhode Island restaurants [have made Yelp's list of the Top 100 Places to Eat in 2021](. One of the two has become an institution over the last several years, while the other is a new kid on the block. Finally, in something that has been unheard-of in the Ed Cooley era, the Providence College Friars [are playing out the stretch]( of the regular season as spoilers. With no chance of making the NCAA Tournament — short of running the table in the Big East tourney — the Friars are hoping to do damage to rival Xavier's postseason chances tonight. Have a great night. 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]( © 2021 75 Fountain St. , Providence, RI 02902