AGP Executive Report

Business Recruitment: Rhode Island’s new SelectRI property-search tool aims to help companies compare sites, but attracting investment also depends on talent, infrastructure and a business-friendly process, a local commentary argues. Energy Costs: Block Island Utility District is proposing a 13.2% rate increase, citing capital needs and seasonal revenue swings; the proposal will go before the Public Utilities Commission. Health Care: Attorney General Peter Neronha has asked CharterCARE to revise its plan for sustaining Our Lady of Fatima and Roger Williams Medical Center, and his office is reviewing the new submission. Federal Investment: NOAA’s Atlantic fleet command is set to move to Newport in January to a $147 million facility at Naval Station Newport. Seafood Safety: Rhode Island recalled clams harvested by a Warren company from an area closed after heavy rain; no illnesses have been reported.

Business Climate: Rhode Island’s new Zoom Prospector tool lets companies search available sites by location, size and property type, aiming to make the state easier to choose for investment and expansion. Utilities: Block Island’s utility district is proposing a 13.2% rate increase to help fund capital projects, including poles and transformers. Providence Investment: Avatar Financial Group provided a $6.45 million bridge loan for the acquisition of Hotel Providence; the new owner plans an initial $1 million guest-room refresh while considering a boutique brand. Naval Economy: NOAA’s Atlantic fleet command is slated to move to Newport in January, to a $147 million complex at Naval Station Newport. Workforce: One in three Rhode Island skilled-trades workers is over 55, underscoring the need to train new workers; CCRI has launched HVAC and heat-pump training.

Hotel Investment: Avatar Financial Group provided a $6.45 million bridge loan for the acquisition and staged renovation of downtown Providence’s 80-room Hotel Providence. Economic Development: Rhode Island voters will decide on a $100 million bond for business sites and infrastructure, including funding for Quonset, the 195 District, life sciences, ocean technology and defense manufacturing. Defense Industry: The Navy’s Newport undersea warfare center wants Rhode Island companies involved earlier in technology development, while NOAA’s Atlantic fleet command is set to move to Newport in January to a $147 million complex. Workforce: One in three Rhode Island skilled-trades workers is over 55, highlighting the need for new workers; CCRI has launched HVAC and heat-pump training. Insurance: Amica is offering eligible Rhode Island policyholders a free Flume water monitor and three years of leak detection. Transportation: A new weekend express bus links Kingston and New London with New York City through Nov. 1, providing an alternative during Connecticut rail construction.

Financial Services: New England’s financial sector expects more than 500 new Rhode Island jobs over five years, about half entry-level. Citizens Financial Group is also investing $20 million over three years in workforce-development programs, including local partnerships. Hospitality: Rhode Island’s 3,000-plus restaurants employ 57,000 people, making food service the state’s second-largest private employer, but high turnover is leaving culinary jobs plentiful. Business Costs: All three leading gubernatorial candidates say they would scrap the state’s truck tolls, which have been inactive for four years. Ocean State Job Lot estimates restarting them could cost the company up to $3 million annually, with costs potentially passed on to consumers. Newport Investment: NOAA’s $147 million Atlantic operations center at Naval Station Newport is expected to be fully operational by January, bringing dozens of shore-based staff and supporting the state’s blue economy. Workplace Safety: Amazon says it will maintain regular contact with Johnston fire officials after the company’s fulfillment center prompted about 200 emergency responses since opening last year. Cybersecurity: Hasbro reported that a breach exposed personal information belonging to more than 600 Rhode Island residents.

Advanced Manufacturing: REGENT opened its 255,000-square-foot seaglider factory at Quonset Business Park, moving from prototype to production. The company says it has raised $340 million and expects to deliver its first vessels in 2027. Banking: Providence-based Citizens is bringing back unsecured personal loans through a Pagaya partnership, with a gradual rollout through its app. Workforce: Rhode Island faces a looming skilled-trades gap, with one-third of workers over 55; CCRI has launched HVAC and heat-pump training to help build the pipeline. Health Care: Health Concepts acquired Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Care Center, expanding its Rhode Island network to seven facilities. Housing: Gubernatorial candidates clashed over affordability, including a proposal to use a millionaire tax to help build 20,000 homes. Consumer Markets: Rhode Island casinos reported a 4% revenue decline in August, while Lottery sales fell 3%.

Life Sciences: Rhode Island has more than 100 life-sciences companies and 6,000 industry workers, but advocates say sustained investment is needed to turn the state’s research strengths into jobs and new products. Education Funding: A proposed overhaul of school funding could add $525 million a year in state formula aid, with further costs still to be counted. Housing: The state expanded its first-time homebuyer program with three new lenders after financing 119 purchases. Workforce: One in three Rhode Island skilled-trades workers is over 55; CCRI’s new HVAC and heat-pump training program aims to help fill the pipeline. Healthcare: Brown Health is offering buyouts and cutting executive positions amid a bleak financial forecast. Gaming: Rhode Island casinos’ August revenue fell 4%, while Lottery sales dropped 3%.

Business Costs: Rhode Island gubernatorial candidates at a Northern Rhode Island Chamber forum outlined plans to lower business costs and improve state government. Housing: The state expanded its affordable mortgage program for first-time buyers, adding three lenders after financing 119 home purchases; housing affordability will also be on November’s ballot. Workforce: With one in three Rhode Island skilled-trades workers over 55, CCRI has launched HVAC and heat-pump training to help build the next generation of workers. Major Projects: Skanska won a $271 million contract to build a Coast Guard pier at Naval Station Newport. Health Care: Brown Health announced buyouts and executive layoffs amid a bleak financial forecast. Gaming: Rhode Island’s two casinos recorded $55.1 million in August gaming revenue, down 4% from a year earlier.

Workforce & Energy Training: Community College of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources launched a new HVAC/R and heat pump workforce program, funded with $200,000 and set to begin for students in September 2027, aimed at building the skilled labor needed for building electrification. Transit & Access: URI students, faculty and staff can ride RIPTA buses free under a U-Pass agreement that took effect Oct. 1, using campus ID cards for unlimited travel statewide. Housing Finance: Rhode Island expanded its RI AnchorHome first-time homebuyer mortgage program by adding BayCoast Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank and Westerly Community Credit Union; the program has financed 119 purchases totaling more than $45 million since launching in December 2025. Local Business: Blank Street Coffee is opening its first Rhode Island location at 218 Thayer St., taking over the former Starbucks spot near Brown University. Public Safety & Tech: Hopkinton’s council discussed Flock license-plate-reading cameras and approved a transfer-station agreement, with police saying the town doesn’t operate its own Flock units. Health & Consumer Costs: A new report highlights how medical debt is driven largely by hospital bills and rising coverage gaps, with more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults affected. Regulated Hemp Watch: Rhode Island’s regulated hemp market is facing potential disruption as federal law will restrict sales of hemp-derived products above a total THC threshold starting Dec. 11.

Coffee Retail Expansion: Blank Street Coffee is opening its first Rhode Island shop at 218 Thayer St., taking over the former Starbucks spot near Brown after a 2025 closure, with construction set to begin soon. Local Food Business: Scrappie’s Pizza is moving from a high-demand bread-scrap pop-up to a permanent storefront at 42 Charles St., building on its repurposed-dough concept. Housing Oversight: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed FHFA Director Bill Pulte to cooperate with a watchdog probe tied to alleged mortgage fraud referrals, raising questions about FHFA’s handling of GAO inquiries. RI Homebuyer Program: Treasurer James Diossa announced Phase 3 for RI AnchorHome, aimed at making first-time homeownership more attainable through partner financial institutions. Manufacturing & Jobs: Providence Business News named igus CEO Felix Brockmeyer a 2026 Manufacturing Awards Strategic Leadership winner, highlighting major Rumford expansion plans. Skilled Trades Pipeline: A new report flags Rhode Island’s skilled-trades workforce strain, with 31.4% of workers age 55+ and a limited training pipeline. Fiber Competition: GoNetspeed plans to bring 100% fiber to Haverhill, while OpenCape welcomed Gateway Fiber’s Cape Cod expansion using OpenCape’s backbone. Energy & Policy: A coalition of cities and counties challenged NHTSA’s new fuel-economy rule in federal court, arguing it weakens standards.

Fuel-Efficiency Fight: A coalition of cities, counties and states—including Rhode Island’s neighbors—has petitioned the First Circuit to challenge NHTSA’s new, weaker corporate average fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, arguing the rule is unlawful and arbitrary. Local Education & Money Skills: Rhode Island kept a “B” grade in a national financial literacy report, with the state still not requiring a standalone personal-finance course for graduation. Community Giving: Navigant Credit Union Charitable Foundation raised more than $95,000 at its inaugural Driving Home Hope charity golf tournament to support Rhode Island social services, health, safety, education and financial literacy. Providence Nightlife Debate: After a college freshman was killed outside a Providence nightclub, city leaders renewed pressure on the rules governing 18+ nightlife access. Tech & Connectivity: OpenCape welcomed Gateway Fiber to Cape Cod, using OpenCape’s fiber backbone to expand 100% fiber service. Cybersecurity & AI: Providence Business News set its Cybersecurity & AI Tech Summit for Oct. 8, focusing on turning risk into business opportunity. Housing Politics: Providence City Councilor Miguel Sanchez says he has support to become council president, with rent stabilization and housing affordability on the agenda.

Legal Services Expansion: Marasco & Nesselbush opened its seventh office—sixth in Rhode Island—in Middletown, aiming to bring catastrophic injury and wrongful-death representation closer to Newport County families. Cybersecurity & AI: Providence Business News’ 2026 Cybersecurity & AI Tech Summit is set for Oct. 8 at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick, focusing on shifting from risk to opportunity for Rhode Island businesses. Local Business Spotlight: Tiverton’s Yellow House independent bookstore is drawing community connections in a historic Seabury House setting. Public Health Policy: A national look at kratom shows states diverging as 7-OH and synthetic products spread, raising pressure for tighter rules. Rhode Island Environment & Industry: CRMC approved Cedar Island Oyster Co.’s “gear change” in Point Judith Pond, allowing hundreds of new floating baskets to boost oyster survival. Ballot-Driven Finance: Rhode Island’s semiannual Green Bond campaign for Question 5 highlights $55 million for resilience projects, with voters also weighing $600 million in total borrowing this year. Healthcare Outreach: HopeHealth launched a Community Engagement Program and named Helena L. Moronta as inaugural director, expanding outreach around hospice, palliative care, and grief support. Transit & Infrastructure (Regional): WMATA and Detroit are upgrading bus shelters and benches through multi-year contracts, underscoring how transit hardware investment shapes rider experience.

Health Care & Nonprofits: HopeHealth launched a Community Engagement Program and named Helena L. Moronta, a former BayCoast Bank vice president, as inaugural director to expand outreach on hospice, palliative care and grief support. Energy & Policy: A Rhode Island federal judge ruled the EPA acted illegally when it canceled Solar for All; the state says it’s reviewing the decision and weighing an appeal, with implications for solar funding and rooftop loan programs. Defense & Innovation: Rhode Island-based REGENT Craft won an expanded $5 million Marine Corps Warfighting Lab partnership to advance Seaglider prototype demonstrations and command-and-control integration after a milestone flight in Narragansett Bay. Local Economy & Housing: Providence Community Electricity is setting winter electricity rates for the Community Electricity program, a move that will affect household energy costs during colder months. Business & Consumer Protection: Google updated guidelines to crack down on fake bylines and AI-generated headshots, targeting deceptive content practices that can distort markets and consumer trust. Environment: Rhode Island’s WAVES effort is recycling fiberglass boat hulls in cement kilns, cutting landfill waste while supporting a NOAA-backed expansion through 2027. Cybersecurity: A study ranks Alaska as a top state for limiting senior cyber scam losses, highlighting the broader risk environment for older Rhode Islanders and the need for stronger protections.

Energy & Politics: Commercial fishermen say record diesel prices and trade friction are squeezing the industry’s viability, a frustration that could hurt Republicans in competitive midterm races. Solar Funding Fight: A Rhode Island case helped set up a court reversal that could restore $181M in Biden-era solar grants for Arizona and the Hopi, after EPA cuts. Permitting & Power Projects: A bipartisan Senate energy bill would limit how long an administration can stall permits for whole categories of energy projects, with legal action and fines if it blocks broadly. Defense Tech (RI): Rhode Island-based REGENT Craft won an expanded $5M Marine Corps Warfighting Lab deal to advance its electric Seaglider prototype and integrate command-and-control after a test flight in Narragansett Bay. Health Costs (RI): New numbers show Rhode Island health insurance premiums rising again—especially for individuals—adding pressure on small employers and households. Local Business: Sandy’s Fine Food Emporium in Westerly changed hands as new owners took over a 75-year-old family market. Consumer/Policy: States are tightening rules on “we buy houses” wholesalers, pushing for clearer disclosures to protect vulnerable sellers.

Real Estate Regulation: Missouri joined a 15-state push to rein in “We Buy Houses” wholesalers, requiring written notice to sellers at least two weeks before closing and warning they may get less than the home’s value. Cyber & Seniors: A study ranks Alaska 4th-safest for average annual losses per cyber crime targeting seniors, with Rhode Island noted for higher reported crime volume. Defense Tech in RI: Regent Craft’s electric Seaglider program got a $5 million Marine Corps Warfighting Lab extension, bringing the partnership to $19.25 million after a Narragansett Bay prototype flight. Energy Permitting Fight: A bipartisan Senate bill would fine or sue an administration that blocks permits for an entire class of energy projects, aiming to shorten timelines. RI Business & Community: Providence’s Clementine Cocktail Bar abruptly closed after four years; meanwhile, Rhode Island’s WAVES boat-recycling effort continues scaling fiberglass hulls to cement kilns, cutting waste. Local Economy Watch: T.F. Green Airport arrested a contract employee after police said he tried to enter a secure area with an unloaded pistol and folding knife.

Google & Media Integrity: Google updated its guidelines to crack down on sites using fake bylines and AI-generated headshots, saying it will no longer “prioritize” those practices—after a prior crackdown on a content-mill network. Energy Permitting & Politics: A bipartisan Senate energy bill would let opponents sue within 150 days if an administration blocks an entire class of projects like solar or wind, aiming to speed permitting and limit “lawfare” delays. Rhode Island Environment & Waste: Rhode Island’s WAVES boat-recycling effort is highlighted for recycling fiberglass hulls in cement kilns, cutting waste while expanding a NOAA-backed model. Local Business & Community: Providence’s Clementine Cocktail Bar abruptly closed after four years; in Westerly, Sandy’s Fine Food Emporium changed hands as new owners took over a long-running family market. RI Economy & Mobility: A regional moving-data study finds most moves are short, and Rhode Islanders moving out head to Massachusetts far more often than the reverse. Transportation & Security: A T.F. Green airport contract employee was arrested after police said he tried to enter a secure area with an unloaded pistol and folding knife. Health & Consumer Costs: Rhode Island’s insurance regulator approved 2027 rate hikes, with Neighborhood Health Plan and Blue Cross increases coming in below earlier proposals.

RI Politics & Taxes: Incumbent Rep. Megan Cotter (D) is pressing for a third term in House District 39, pitching tax relief, school funding, health care access, and land-use rules that protect drinking water. Local Business: Sandy’s Fine Food Emporium in Westerly has new owners, William and Danielle Turrell, continuing the family-market tradition as the store heads toward its 75th anniversary. Energy Policy: Gov. Maura Healey is urging the Trump administration to expedite federal review of a $300M Enbridge gas pipeline capacity expansion tied to Eversource contracts, arguing delays could jeopardize consumer savings. Health Care Finance: Brown Health is offering buyouts to 200 non-clinical supervisors and laying off 10 executives amid rising costs and uncompensated care pressures. Data & Privacy: Atlantic Digestive Specialists faces a data-breach class-action probe, with at least 51 Rhode Island residents reportedly notified. Public Safety: A T.F. Green airport contract employee was arrested after allegedly trying to enter a secure area with an unloaded pistol and folding knife. Business Closings: Clementine Cocktail Bar in Providence shut down after four years, with the reason unclear.