Daily Briefing: A couple of thoughts on last night's election results

ALSO: Reaction from the candidates and all the headlines as election season comes to a close. Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Wed Nov 8 2023 Will Richmond | Managing Editor Communities & R.I. [@Will_Richmond]( Good morning, I'm Will Richmond at The Providence Journal and this is the Daily Briefing. Election Day is now behind us and [Rhode Island is poised to send a new Congressman to Washington, D.C.]( Here are two thoughts from the day. Amo has to hit the ground running [02_Amo_11062023.JPG] New Elected RI District 1 Representative, Democratic Gabe Amo gives both thumbs up to the room full of election night supporters at The Guild in Pawtucket, RI. Amo is the first person of color to represent Rhode Island in the US Congress. Photographed on Nov 7, 2023. Kris Craig, The Providence Journal Gabe Amo's victory is a historic win, with Amo becoming the first Black representative from Rhode Island. Amo seemingly cruised after capturing the highly competitive Democratic primary in September and will now need to hit the ground running. Unlike new members of Congress who enter in regular election years and find themselves among a group of newly elected officials who get to learn the ropes together, Amo finds himself entering a House Of Representatives that just elected a new Speaker following multiple rounds of dysfunctional voting and is facing a potential government shutdown on Nov. 17. While Amo will have plenty to prove as a Congressman, he does enter with D.C. experience, having served on President Joe Biden's staff. That may be enough to ease the transition just enough. Voting with their wallets More than $1.3 billion worth of bond questions went before voters in nine communities Tuesday, mostly to fund the construction of new schools and/or school repairs. When it came to schools they all passed. If your community was looking for something else, not this year. Voters in North Kingstown rejected a pair of bonds for a public safety complex and recreation center, while in North Smithfield funds for police station renovations failed. Generally, the school bonds passed by wide margins, except in Middletown, where opponents of the bond attacked the potential tax increase hard, pushing the number on yard signs in big letters and raising concern about the affordability for all, especially senior citizens. Their effort almost worked, but ultimately the measure passed by 2 percentage points. Otherwise, voters overwhelmingly said they wanted to invest in education. State reimbursements certainly help, and while there will be lumps to swallow when tax bills come calling to pay off the bond, the fact is new facilities have the potential to pay for themselves. With hiring for public positions such as teachers a difficult task, new schools could be the deciding factor for an applicant choosing between municipalities – assuming other factors such as pay are equal. Now comes the hard part for the municipalities where school bonds were approved. With projects currently in the works facing budget issues due to supply chain problems and other obstacles, town leaders must do all they can to ensure the projects meet the promise made to voters. But with new schools popping up around the state and the buzz that comes from them, being left behind could prove costly in the long run. There will be plenty more to talk about in the next couple of days as the results are finalized and the action moves from campaign mode to reality. Then we get to do this all over again next year. WORTH A READ 👶 An 'unacceptable American crisis': [Cases of babies with syphilis reach staggering numbers]( 👩‍⚕️ There are [more than 200 openings for school nurses]( throughout Massachusetts 📰 More than a 'fancy house': [How Newport's Rough Point mansion gives back]( to the city [Today's Weather]( 🌤️ Breezy in the morning; otherwise, cooler with sunshine mixing with some clouds. Highs in the mid-40s. TOP STORIES [How this program is caring for RI's sexual assault victims]( [Dr. Susan Duffy, left, and RI SAFE Program Director Lori Clements. Lifespan received a $600,000 federal grant to launch the state's first Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner program, which since January has provided trauma-informed care to victims of sexual assault through on-call practitioners. Photographed on Nov 6, 2023.]( For years, patients would sit in emergency rooms for hours waiting for a trained nurse. Now, victims receive wraparound care. Here's how it happened. [READ MORE]( Advertisement [Dr. Richard Gordon sits in court Wednesday after being convicted of simple assault and disorderly conduct in an August altercation with a neighbor in Barrington. Prosecutors persuaded the judge to allow, at Gordon's sentencing, evidence of racial bias in the assault.]( [Why the defense is calling case against RI dentist a 'train wreck']( Lawyers for Barrington dentist Dr. Richard Gordon argued that the state was 'hellbent' on hate crime charges after an argument with his neighbor. [READ MORE]( [Check out the city's skyline and architecture on a riverboat tour with the Providence River Boat Company.]( [Providence will spend $132m on infrastructure projects. Here's the list.]( Among the projects that will get money - sidewalk and road improvements, and improvements to Roger Williams Park. [READ MORE]( [Track 15 is the name of the food hall that will open in Union Station in late summer 2024. Five merchants have been announced for the space.]( [Providence's first food hall has a name, merchants and an opening date]( The new food hall will also have burgers and entertainment. Will you go? [READ MORE]( [ORG XMIT: KRT LIFESTYLE STORY SLUGGED: HEALTH-NTR-BALLPARK KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY TEAK PHILLIPS/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH (May 16) Nachos with cheese and jalapenos served at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri has 975 calories. (nk) 2003]( [Vote now for your favorite high school concession food in RI]( Best place for burgers? How about pizza slices, or chicken tenders? Take our poll and let us know which high school menu makes the cut! [READ MORE]( Advertisement Love where you work? Get your organization awarded as an employer of choice by USA TODAY. Participation is easy. [NOMINATE NOW]( [NOMINATE NOW]( Sign up for the news you want Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don’t miss out! We’re always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. 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