BOSTON – Gov. Deval L. Patrick this month filed legislation that will “professionalize, modernize and regionalize” the operations Massachusetts’ housing authorities. more

Lots of Hope, an environmental initiative to transform vacant city-owned lots in Providence into urban farms, was awarded a combined $100,000 by The Rhode Island Foundation and Florida-based Local Sustainability Matching Fund. more

The hundreds of lobbyists who represented clients before the General Assembly last year face a looming deadline for filing two important reports with the Secretary of State’s Office. more

The Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council for the Bouchard Barge 120 oil spill has released a final restoration plan and environmental assessment for state and federally threatened piping plovers impacted by the 2003 spill in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. more

Auditor General Dennis E. Hoyle has released the results of the audit on the state’s pension and post-employment benefit systems. more

BOSTON – Gov. Deval L. Patrick this month filed legislation that would close loopholes to Mass. Municipal Unemployment Insurance. more

PROVIDENCE – Rep. Brian C. Newberry, R-North Smithfield, this month introduced two bills on government computing, including one to create a study commission to determine the state’s potential savings in adopting and converting to virtualized, cloud-based computing. The other would authorize the Department of Administration to incorporate virtual cloud-based technologies so that agencies can obtain maximum effectiveness in the management of public resources. more

Now that the General Assembly seems to have taken to heart the message that Rhode Island must reform its business environment, it would seem to be a good idea to make sure that it tackles the important issues. more

Nearly a year-and-a-half since Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee created the R.I. Health Benefits Exchange by executive order, the Ocean State has yet to see any tangible evidence of what will become the centerpiece in the state of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. more

R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit has been named the John H. Chafee Boater of the Year by the R.I. Marine Trades Association. more