This Just In: Valentine's Day tips, transition turbulence

Also, a Providence police sergeant's assault trial gets started. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Wednesday, February 10 [Gov. Gina Raimondo speaks outside the State House on Tuesday night.]( [This Just In: Valentine's Day tips, transition turbulence]( Also, a Providence police sergeant's assault trial gets started. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. Valentine's Day is on the way, and if you're trying to decide what how to celebrate with that special someone this weekend, food editor Gail Ciampa has compiled a list of [27 delicious ideas](. Others might be interested in this: the Providence Public Library is hosting a Zoom workshop for singles looking to learn about online dating; it's at 6 o'clock, and [the details are here]( The fallout continues over Jim Hummel's recent story about the controversial settlement of a legal fight over a Block Island marina expansion. Now, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio [has canceled a planned vote]( on three of Gov. Gina Raimondo's reappointments to the Coastal Resources Management Commission in light of the case. Meanwhile, the former head of the CRMC, Grover Fugate, told The Journal's Alex Kuffner that [he didn't understand why the council would have even considered setting]( with Champlin's Marina after a judge had decisively upheld the rejection of the project. Answering questions from media members [for the first time in weeks]( Raimondo defended her recent spate of appointments and reappointments, which come as Lt. Gov. Dan McKee waits to assume the governorship. Raimondo also expressed no regret for keeping McKee at more than arm's length before announcing her decision to join Joe Biden 's Cabinet, and said Rhode Island's vaccine strategy was working, while calling out CVS and Walgreens over "kinks" in the vaccine rollout at nursing homes. Raimondo's director of administration, Brett Smiley, announced that he will leave his state post once she is confirmed as U.S. commerce secretary. Smiley, who is raising money to run for mayor of Providence, has been embroiled in controversy over his fundraising activities. The trial of Providence police Sgt. Joseph Hanley [began today in District Court](. Prosecutors accused Hanley of using excessive force against a man accused of a "petty misdemeanor," while Hanley's lawyer said the sergeant had acted appropriately in trying to constrain a man who was resisting arrest. The Department of Health [reported 11 coronavirus-related deaths and 459 additional cases of COVID-19](. The state also [updated its list of COVID cases by community](. Although new cases are down almost everywhere in the state, they also remain above the 100 cases per 100,000 people per week level that the state once touted as a key threshold. Pawtucket has become the final school district in the state [to approve a return to in-person learning]( for most students. The state police are investigating [the second inmate death]( at the Adult Correctional Institutions in the last few weeks. In Newport, the City Council will consider [banning food trucks from Bellevue Avenue](. William Vanderbilt was not available for comment. Have a great night. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please [encourage a friend to sign up]( [Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.]( [click here]( 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]( © 2021 75 Fountain St. , Providence, RI 02902