This Just In: Budget rolls out, and Rhode Island keeps opening up

Also, a tribute to the father of the state Lottery. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Friday, March 12 [At the weekly COVID-19 press briefing today, Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor announced a lift on some business restrictions. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (pictured) and Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott gave their weekly update on the state’s COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout Friday morning.]( [This Just In: Budget rolls out, and Rhode Island keeps opening up]( Also, a tribute to the father of the state Lottery. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. This weather is so nice, it almost makes me a little angry to think that [it's going to be gone in a matter of hours]( This Just In had a little hiatus last night, since we were pumping out coverage of Gov. Dan McKee's [budget proposal](. If you're looking for some highlights, Patrick Anderson [compiled five key takeaways]( The proposal includes a plan to open an "[Institute of Mental Disease]( on the campus of the Eleanor Slater Hospital, at a time when discharges of patients from the state hospital are drawing criticism. That proposal brings back memories of an earlier era, when Rhode Island's Institute of Mental Health housed 3,000 patients. Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state [are not exactly plunging]( but officials are looking to ease up on many different COVID-related restrictions [beginning a week from today](. In changes that go into place right away, restaurants will be able to put indoor tables closer together, bar areas will be allowed to remain open until midnight, and outdoor retail operations such as garden shops will be allowed to operate without capacity restrictions. Meanwhile, the state [has broadened vaccine eligibility]( to include all residents 60 and older as well as younger people with certain health conditions.  For some Rhode Islanders 75 and older, however, getting their vaccine appointments [has not been easy]( It's not always easy to keep track, so [here's a rundown]( of what is and isn't allowed in Rhode Island now. And [here's where travel restrictions stand]( across the New England states. As we observe Women's History Month, a Barrington resident has the distinction of having been a close friend of a true pioneer. Ann Kittner attended high school with the future Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, [and the two became lifelong friends]( Peter O'Connell, who in the 1970s became the first director of the Rhode Island Lottery, after a high-profile career in the state police, [has died]( just a few weeks shy of his 100th birthday. Lawyers [delivered closing arguments]( in the trial of Providence police Sgt. Joseph Hanley, who is accused of simple assault on a handcuffed prisoner. The judge said he will issue his decision on Thursday. A suspect in a Providence murder from 2010  [has been arrested in Texas]( A new show on the Syfy network has an opening tune that will be familiar to denizens of the Providence music scene: It was recorded by [the local folk duo Brown Bird]( which came to an end with the tragic death of singer Dave Lamb in 2014. It wasn't exactly the Meghan and Harry interview, but the guy who got caught on camera in 2007 chucking a slice of pizza at another fan in Fenway Park [has broken his silence]( The Patriots [have decided to bring Cam Newton back]( Finally, if you're looking to take a walk this weekend, bundle up and head to the Fort Wildlife Refuge in North Smithfield. As a reminder, [we have a great deal right now]( $39 for a year of full digital access for new subscribers only. 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]( © 2021 75 Fountain St. , Providence, RI 02902