This Just In: Providence cop convicted; dress code proposal under fire

Also, revealing my tourney predictions [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Thursday, March 18 [Judge Brian Goldman gave his verdict Thursday afternoon, siding with prosecutors who had argued that Sgt. Joseph Hanley had kicked and punched a 28-year-old man, Rishod Gore, as Gore lay prone and handcuffed on a Federal Hill sidewalk.]( [This Just In: Providence cop convicted]( Also, revealing my tourney predictions Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal, and I'm excited that the NCAA Tournament is here for the first time in two years, even if it does mean three weeks of coaches competing to see who does the worst job wearing their mask (Hint: If you take it down every five seconds to scream at everyone, you may as well not be wearing it.). It's been a very busy news day. Here are the highlights. A District Court judge has found Providence police Sgt. Joseph Hanley [guilty of simple assault]( on a handcuffed suspect, Rishod Gore, during an incident in April of last year. Judge Brian Goldman, who sentenced Hanley to a year of probation, described the sergeant's testimony as "utter fabrication." A freshman state senator from Central Falls, Jonathon Acosta, [is objecting to a proposed dress code]( that would require everyone in the chamber to "dress in proper and appropriate attire, such as blouses, dress slacks and collared shirts with accompanying jacket." Acosta contends that the rules require conforming to the style of "white collar, white people." The Narragansett Electric Company, which serves electric and natural gas customers in Rhode Island, [is being sold]( to a Fortune 500 company out of Pennsylvania. Gov. Dan McKee announced that, thanks to news of a coming increase in supply from the federal government, Rhode Island will allow all residents 16 and older [to sign up for vaccinations]( starting April 19. McKee also said Rhode Island would go forward with plans to ease many COVID-related restrictions tomorrow, despite pleas by Brown University dean of public health Dr. Ashish Jha that states [not ease up for a few more weeks]( As Jha notes, cases are no longer declining in much of the country, and that is true in Rhode Island. The state Department of Health today [reported six COVID deaths and 432 additional cases](. The seven-day new-case average here is slightly higher than it was a week, and a month ago. On the bright side, and for the first time, more Rhode Islanders are fully vaccinated than are known to have contracted COVID-19. The acting medical director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections says that the ACI [is nearing herd immunity]( due to widespread vaccination and, unfortunately, significant outbreaks late last year. Columnist Mark Patinkin has spent much of the past year telling the stories of people on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. [He offers this appreciation]( A winning $1-million lottery ticket, sold in North Smithfield, [has gone unclaimed]( after a year. The money now reverts to the state's General Fund. Finally, pro tip: [Illinois is going to win it all](. But my 10-year-old [thinks it's going to be Arkansas]( 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