News

By IAN DONNIS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – "Shove-it-gate" rocks the governor's race. That's part of the discussion this week on Political Roundtable. Here's our host, WRNI Political Reporter Ian Donnis.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@wrni.org.

By MEGAN HALL

Providence, RI – Rhode Island based pharmacy giant CVS is laying off hundreds of employees- including one hundred fifty people in Woonsocket.

Three hundred people will lose their jobs across the country- half of them are employees at the Woonsocket customer support center.

CVS says the lay-offs are part of a move to further efficiencies within its business. The pharmacy giant cut its annual profit forecast by about nine cents a share in July.

By MEGAN HALL

Providence, RI – Rhode Island's biggest hospital chain and its largest health insurer have a new business agreement aimed at eventually reducing the cost of health care.

The one year contract between Lifespan hospitals and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island changes the way the insurer pays for hospital visits. Instead of per procedure, Blue Cross will pay a flat fee for treating a particular condition.

By MEGAN HALL

Providence, RI – Rhode Island's biggest hospital chain and its largest health insurer have a new business agreement aimed at eventually reducing the cost of health care.

The one year contract between Lifespan hospitals and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island changes the way the insurer pays for hospital visits. Instead of per procedure, Blue Cross will pay a flat fee for treating a particular condition.

By CATHERINE WELCH

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said homeowners are frustrated by not being able to work out their mortgage problems with bank representatives, and their failure to connect with someone who can make decisions is contributing to the foreclosure crises.

When bankruptcy courts require bankers and homeowners to sit down banks rarely contest the agreements, he said.

Providence, RI – Listen to the WRNI Morning News Podcast for Thursday, October 28, 2010.

By MEGAN HALL

Providence, RI – When new requirements under the nation's health care overhaul took place last month, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and United Health care asked for a rate increase to help pay for the changes. Now, Tufts Health Plan wants members to pay a little more too.

By MEGAN HALL

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – What do you get when you combine taxidermied animals, books of dried seaweed, birds eggs, and rocks? You get some of the contents of Curiouser, an exhibit that combines the work of six artists with the contents of the Providence museum of natural history.

By FLO JONIC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A mock election in which more than 6,000 Rhode Island high school students voted sheds new light on the thinking of the next generation.

The kids developed eight ballot questions. All but one passed.

They voted to legalize civil unions and marijuana, to abolish the electoral college, to make 9/11 a national holiday and to do away with the NECAP test as a requirement for high school graduation.

By CATHERINE WELCH

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The seven candidates running for governor lined up Wednesday night answering questions from extending gambling to the state's prison population.

When asked about how to get Rhode Island's K-through-12 students ready for college and a high-tech economy, independent candidate Lincoln Chafee said you can't cut taxes and boost funding for schools. That's why his sales tax proposal addresses the issue, he says.