Ruggerio, Shekarchi Issue Statement on Gubernatorial Transition

 

STATE HOUSE – President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi today issued the following statement regarding the confirmation of Gov. Gina M. Raimondo as U.S. Commerce Secretary and the swearing-in of incoming Gov. Daniel J. McKee today:

 

“Congratulations to Governor Raimondo as she embarks upon a new role in service to our nation as Commerce Secretary after today’s overwhelming vote. As Governor, Gina Raimondo led our state to record employment levels before the pandemic hit, and she provided steady, compassionate leadership over this past, most difficult year. On behalf of the General Assembly, we wish her and her family all the very best as she takes on this very important role.

 

“We also want to extend our congratulations to Governor Dan McKee. He has been a consistent and strong voice on behalf of Rhode Island’s hard-hit small business community. He brings a valuable perspective as a former municipal leader, which will be important as we work collaboratively to rebuild our state. We know everyone in the legislature looks forward to working in collaboration with Governor McKee to address the many challenges facing our state.”

 

Former President Trump is back in court today with all 12 jurors now seated in his criminal hush money trial in New York City. The jury that will decide the fate of the first ex-president in American history to stand trial on criminal charges consists of seven men and five women. Now six alternates must be selected, with the possibility of opening statements starting as soon as Monday.       U.S. officials confirm Israeli missiles have struck a number of locations inside Iran as part of a retaliatory strike. Several explosions were reported near an airbase in the Iranian city of Isfahan, home to a number of sites linked to Iran's nuclear program. This all comes after Israel vowed to respond to Iran's missile and drone attack earlier this week.       The average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. remains at about three-dollars-and-67-cents today. Triple-A reports that's four cents higher than last week and about the same as it was a year ago. The most expensive average was in California at five-dollars-and-45 cents while the cheapest was in Mississippi at three-11.       A new consumer report says some fruits and vegetables have an unhealthy amount of pesticides in high doses. It is recommended you eat watermelon, green beans, bell peppers, blueberries, imported celery, imported collard greens, and potatoes in moderation. Regardless though, it is still recommended that you eat fruits and vegetables regularly.       A surprise second half of Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" album is out now. Shortly after 2am Eastern, Swift announced that it was actually a "secret double album," and released 15 more songs that she called "the second installment." Swift says the double album is "an anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time."       The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this weekend. On Saturday, the New York Islanders will begin their series against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh and the Toronto Maple Leafs will travel to Boston for game one against the Bruins. On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Lightning will start their series against the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitols will travel to New York to face the Rangers in game one.