Daily Briefing: 'The level of corruption here was unbelievable'

ALSO: Remembering when monkeys roamed Warwick. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Wed Apr 24 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. Twenty-five years ago marked a low point in the history of Providence. On the morning of April 28, 1999, as an FBI agent stood at the doorway of then-Mayor Buddy Cianci's house, FBI agents swarmed Providence City Hall. Indictments and convictions would follow and Cianci would find himself in a federal prison. [04 PRINT - Plunder Dome - Vincent A. Cianci Jr. press conference] A Providence Journal file photo shows Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. strongly denying any involvement in the Operation Plunder Dome scandal when questioned about the investigation during a press conference on teacher contract negotiations. Bob Thayer/The Providence Journal, file As the anniversary nears, The Journal's Tom Mooney talks with some of the key players and recalls that while Rhode Island has had its fair share of corruption over the years "none generated the same fascination or national headlines as the Plunder Dome prosecutions of the beguiling Cianci – and his central-casting band of city officials caught in taped conversations taking or arranging bribes." [Read the full story here.]( • A couple of weeks back we shared the story of a monkey that roamed the streets of Providence, leaving rescue workers perplexed as they attempted to capture him. It turns out that's not the only time monkeys have survived in Rhode Island's streets. [The Journal's Paul Parker dug into the archives to learn more about a troop of monkeys who made a grand escape, fleeing their cage at the Warwick amusement park in 1937.]( And if monkeys surviving in a Warwick neighborhood isn't enough see how a hurricane, a boarding school and cellars baited with fruit come into play. • Rhode Island has seen big improvements in air quality over the past two decades, but smog from New York and other upwind states is still a persistent problem and the effects are being felt in a place you may not expect. [The Journal's Alex Kuffner has the details from the American Lung Association’s annual assessment of air quality.]( • [Just what exactly is a "brewstillery?"]( Journal food and dining editor Gail Ciampa has the answer this week and it sounds like a great place to enjoy a drink with a view away from Newport's popular downtown. If breakfast is more your speed, [Gail also got you covered with a round-up of May Breakfasts happening around Rhode Island.]( Few places offer a better spread for a great price, not to mention in some places you'll find jonnycakes. • Where is "Ella McCay" filming now? [The Journal's Paul Parker has the answer.]( More from The Providence Journal [Find the latest obituaries here.]( [Subscribers can read the eNewspaper here.]( WORTH A READ 🌎 Earth Week underway as [UN committee debates plastics and microplastics](. Here's why. 👔 New Biden rule would make 4 million [white-collar workers eligible for overtime pay]( 📕 [Massachusetts' only co-op bookstore has 237 owners](. How it works. RHODY RANKS Every day we receive emails ranking Rhode Island. While the work behind the ranks may be dubious, they can be fun. Each day I'll share where Rhody Ranks from one of the latest emails. Rhode Island has been named among the states where people are most likely never to get married, ranking second in a new study. The research by the leading law firm [Schmidt & Clark]( analyzed results from the American Community Survey conducted by the US Census Bureau, examining the martial history of the population in each state (aged 15 years and over, as per the survey) and identified the percentage of those never married, ever married and how many times the latter have been married in their lifetime – once, twice or three or more times. [TODAY'S WEATHER]( 🌧️ Breezy with considerable cloudiness; a couple of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the low 60s. TOP STORIES [Ex-Pawtucket cop Dan Dolan is sued by 3 occupants of car he fired upon]( [Daniel Dolan takes the stand in his own defense during his 2023 trial, which ended in him acquitted of all charges.]( Former Pawtucket Officer Daniel Dolan was acquitted in the shooting in 2023. [READ MORE]( Advertisement [Providence police investigate Thursday's fatal stabbing at Providence Place mall.]( [Providence Place mall owners may default on loan. What we know.]( The $225M loan for the mall was transferred because of its 'imminent maturity default,' meaning they are about to owe a balloon payment on the loan. [READ MORE]( [Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida was the campaign stop the 46th American President and 2024 Presidential candidate Joe Biden Tuesday afternoon, April 23, 2024.]( [What Biden's new federal staffing standards mean for RI nursing homes]( The federal government is imposing new staffing standards on nursing homes, like Rhode Island tried to do in 2021. [READ MORE]( [Rus Dionne cast his vote in the presidential preference primary at the Old County Road Elementary school in Smithfield on April 2, 2024.]( [RI House empowers unaffiliated voters to boost primary participation]( Anyone who votes in a primary is automatically enrolled in that party. All that could change with this bill. What it means for unaffiliated voters: [READ MORE]( [Connor Kelley, La Salle boys lacrosse]( [Tuesday's win over MB shows La Salle's toughest opponent is itself]( Is there any way the La Salle boys lacrosse team doesn't win a state title this spring? After Tuesday, it seems difficult to imagine another scenario. [READ MORE]( Advertisement Vote with Confidence This 7-day newsletter course will help you be an informed voter before Nov. 5. [SIGN UP NOW]( 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]( [Newsletters]( | [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( 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](