Daily Briefing: Meet Save the Bay's new leader

ALSO:🏙️ Soaring rent prices aren’t just hurting wallets. They’re shortening lifespans. Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Thu Jan 11 2024 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. It's hard to live in Rhode Island and not have some sort of connection to Narragansett Bay and the waterways around the state. Fortunately, for a resource of such value, there are people in place to help protect it and allow it to thrive. Save the Bay has held that role for decades and this week welcomed a new executive director, Topher Hamblett. [The Pell Bridge is partially shrouded in fog as several sailboats head out on Narragansett Bay, as seen from the Fort Adams Bay Walk.] The Pell Bridge is partially shrouded in fog as several sailboats head out on Narragansett Bay. John Kostrzewa Once an intern with the organization, Hamblett has served in the top role in an interim position for the past couple of months and recently talked with The Journal's Alex Kuffner about his view for the future. Part of that future is the building of a new aquarium in Newport in the city's Gateway Center. Previously housed in the Rotunda at Easton's Beach the new site will be bigger and include space for classrooms and camps. The facility – which is expected to open this year – has the potential to be a great asset to both the city and the state. [Check out Alex's story and learn more about Hamblett and his vision for the future of Save the Bay.]( Enjoying the Daily Briefing? Send me a note to let me know what you think of this newsletter. Your comments are appreciated. Reach me at frichmond@gannett.com. WORTH A READ 🏙️ [Soaring rent prices aren’t just hurting wallets.]( They’re shortening lifespans. 🌿 A new fund in Massachusetts could [help level playing field in cannabis industry]( ☕ A $10 lunch? $15 for a facial? [RI's career academies are the best-kept secrets in town.]( Today's Weather 🌤️ Breezy with sunshine and patchy clouds. Highs in the mid 40s. TOP STORIES [Rhode Islanders pick up the pieces after Wednesday's floods]( [Sneech Brook washed out a segment of Westwood Road in Cumberland. The small neighborhood, with several side roads, lies between Mendon and Albion Roads, so none of it is cut off.]( Businesses like Apponaug Brewing Co., almost ready to open again after December's floods, were set back again after this storm. [READ MORE]( Advertisement [A roll of "I voted" stickers on a table at Gaudet Middle School.]( [RI GOP struggles to gather signatures for presidential primary ballot]( Beyond still being below the 1,000 point threshold, at least two communities have questioned the validity of some signatures submitted. [READ MORE]( [Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.]( [Holiday gatherings lead to more COVID cases in RI]( The holidays have left more than pleasant memories and big credit-card bills, but also an increase in COVID-19 and flu cases. [READ MORE]( [Central Coventry Fire District Chief Frank Brown.]( [Coventry fire chief settles ethics complaint over hiring of wife]( An investigation found Frank M. Brown violated the state ethics code when he was on the committee overseeing his wife's appointment as tax collector. [READ MORE]( [Lisa Raye Of West Warwick.]( [West Warwick's Lisa Raye chasing history on the track this winter]( What is Lisa Raye going to do for an encore? On Tuesday, the West Warwick star gave everyone a taste of what's to come. [READ MORE]( Advertisement 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. [SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔]( SUBSCRIBE TODAY Our Reporting. Your Stories. Full access to subscriber-only content on all devices. Share bonus subscription with a family member or friend. The universal eNewspaper, the digital version of our print paper, plus bonus monthly magazines and hundreds of local papers. Original reporting of our hometown teams, from high school sports to the pros. [Unlock news for $1]( [SUBSCRIBE TODAY]( Follow Us 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](