Panera testing caffeinated drinks after Charged Lemonade controversy

Panera is testing new Frescas and Energy Refreshers in select markets. The new drinks follow the removal of its Charged Lemonade, which was linked to lawsuits. The new caffeinated Energy Refreshers contain significantly less caffeine than the...

In the News… quick recap of the week ending Oct. 17, 2025

We provide this weekly recap on Saturdays of the news for Rhode Island, regionally, nationally, and internationally, and passings of note. RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY Portsmouth OKs 40-unit affordable housing complex Sewage small in Narragansett at...

Sparks Flying in Maine’s Senate Race

Susan Collins remains forever unconcerned. One of the Republicans’ most reliable meme generators isn’t fretting over Janet Mills’s entry into the race for Maine’s Senate seat. She has Graham Platner to thank for this moment of Zen. The oyster...

Young girl dies after head-on crash in Taunton

Local News By Ross Cristantiello October 20, 2025 | 11:46 AM 1 minute to read Share Close Send this article to your social connections. Share Send this article to your social connections. A young child died after being involved in a head-on car...

'Definitely on purpose': Hit-and-run driver slams into seated No Kings protester

A hit-and-run driver remains at large after injuring a woman taking part in a No Kings protest in Ohio. Witnesses say the driver of a white pickup truck deliberately drove into a group of demonstrators shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday in Jackson...

Government shutdown hits day 20. Will Senate vote today end shutdown?

The Senate is set to vote again on Oct. 20 on a bill to end the shutdown after ten failed attempts. Most Democrats are still refusing to support any legislation that doesn’t restore cuts to Medicaid and extend subsidies under the Affordable Care...

Ranked: Cities Where Young Americans Can Still Afford a Home

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Cities Where Young Americans Can Still Afford a Home See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and...

GHP: Region more diverse, more educated, and aging at a slower pace than the nation overall

Editor's note: In its "Economy at a Glance" report for October, the Greater Houston Partnership – the regional chamber of commerce – examines new American Community Survey (ACS) data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, which shows the Houston...

Toddler dead in Taunton crash, mother and 5-year-old hospitalized

TAUNTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A crash in Tauton on Saturday left a nearly 2-year-old girl dead and her mother and a 5-year-old hospitalized, officials announced. Officers responding to a reported crash in the area of 400 Broadway around 7 p.m. found a...

Franklin Fairbank's Legacy: The Story of the Bronze Lions

The lions lie quietly and watch the street through long days and nights. This has been their routine for many years as they guard the entrance to the Fairbanks Museum on Main Street in St. Johnsbury. Even though I am close enough to touch the...

Congressional Conflicts: Stock ban fight reflects clash between affluent and super rich

(The Center Square) — Washington has become synonymous with polarization between Republicans and Democrats. Yet, legislation that would bar elected officials from owning stocks reveals an additional fault line: supporters tend to be affluent...

$6.3M settlement reached with Deloitte in RIBridges cyberattack

A $6.3 million settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against Deloitte Consulting LLP. The lawsuit stems from a cyberattack on Rhode Island's public benefits computer system, RIBridges. Over 735,000 people may have had their private...

Obituary: Adelaide M. (Richmond) Nathanson, 96

If you needed a meal, a warm bed, or just a helping hand, Adelaide was there From the Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home website Adelaide M. (Richmond) Nathanson, a beloved matriarch whose spirit was as vibrant as her many passions, passed away just an...

'Anticipating an uptick': Connecticut fire leaders concerned about 2025 wildfire season

Last year was one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in state history, and the worst in 40 years. HARTFORD, Conn. — In and out, in and out. The office for Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in Hartford is...

A Connecticut way of life disappeared. ‘Overnight, it was done. It was ended.’

Bart Mansi used to haul a thousand pounds of lobster a day. Now he sets out just a couple dozen traps, out of curiosity — or force of habit — and he’s lucky to catch 10 lobsters. “I’ve been doing it all my life. I gotta see for myself,” he said....

Susan Collins has reached one of the most powerful positions in Washington. It could hardly come at a worse time.

But Collins has faced an administration hell-bent on wresting more control from Congress, including by intentionally testing the boundaries of executive authority by choosing not to spend or cancel appropriated funds and programs. Rather than...

Party Pics: Planning Parenthood

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) had a huge turnout for its annual Spring Luncheon—600 enthusiastic supporters at the Hyatt in Old Greenwich along with more than 100 virtual viewers. PPFA past President Cecile Richards, legendary...

‘We need to take back the flag’: Why patriotic symbols were all over the ‘No Kings’ protests

Write to us at startingpoint@globe.com. To subscribe, sign up here. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans have called the “No Kings” protests that swept the country over the weekend “hate America” rallies. They might have felt...

What & Why RI: Knights Templar date back to the 1100s, still remain

The Knights Templar originated in the 1100s as a military order to protect Christian pilgrims. Today, the Knights Templar are a Christian-based fraternal organization within the Freemasons focused on charity. Members must profess a belief in or...

The sad demise of Dr. Joseph Brown Ladd — a true Charleston ghost story?

Around this time of year, people often ask to hear a true Charleston ghost story. While “true” and “ghost story” may seem an oxymoron to many, the tragic tale of Dr. Joseph Brown Ladd is true, though things that may have occurred after his death...