NEWS DIGEST
Democrats urge Congress to fund CHIP
BOSTON (AP) — Democratic members of Congress from Massachusetts and Rhode Island are calling on Congress to immediately extend funding for a popular federal children's health insurance initiative.
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is planning a press conference Monday at Boston Children's Hospital to call for an immediate funding extension for the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.
Rhode Island's congressional delegation held an event Friday to demand the same thing.
Markey says more than 170,000 children in Massachusetts are covered by CHIP, which expired in September.
Rhode Island's delegation says more than 36,000 children and pregnant women rely on it in Rhode Island. They blame Republicans for not reauthorizing it. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, says Republicans in Congress are prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy over health insurance for children. Offshore wind proposal deadline near
BOSTON (AP) — Offshore wind farm developers are preparing to submit proposals for large-scale operations off Massachusetts.
The state set Wednesday as the deadline for companies seeking to supply at least 400 megawatts of offshore wind power to Massachusetts' utilities. Adecision is expected next year.
Deepwater Wind, Bay State Wind and Vineyard Wind are vying for the lucrative contracts. Each has secured federal development rights to pursue their projects.
The wind farms are envisioned for federal waters about 30 miles from the mainland and about 15 miles from Martha's Vineyard.
The state is requiring power companies Eversource, National Grid and Unitil to purchase 1,600 megawatts of power from offshore wind by 2027, roughly enough to power up to 1 million homes.
The first U.S. offshore wind farm opened a year ago off Block Island, Rhode Island.
RIF slates $600K in innovation grants
PROVIDENCE (AP) — The Rhode Island Foundation is offering $600,000 in grants to people with bold ideas for moving the state forward.
It's the seventh year of the fellowship program, sometimes called Rhode Island's genius grant. Tuesday is the application deadline. The foundation has made some changes. It's offering three fellowships of up to $200,000 over a four-year period instead of two fellowships of up to $300,000 over three years.
The fellowships will now be called Carter Fellowships for Entrepreneurial Innovation, rather than Rhode Island Innovation Fellowships.
They've been funded by philanthropists Letitia and John Carter. John Carter died in October.
Applicants don't need to live in Rhode Island, but must commit to living in Rhode Island during the term of the fellowship if they win.
The recipients will be announced in April.
R.I. grants to support tree growth
PROVIDENCE (AP) — The state is awarding grants to support community programs to grow trees.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management says $30,000 is available in matching grants.
It's working in partnership with the United States Forest Service and the Rhode Island Tree Council.
The grants covers 40 percent of the cost for urban forestry efforts, including tree plantings, community forestry planning, invasive species management and related education and outreach.
DEM is hosting an informational workshop at 2 p.m. Wednesday at its headquarters in Providence.
DEM says it has awarded more than $5 million in grants under the America the Beautiful Tree Rhode Island program over the past 25 years.
The grant application deadline is Jan. 31. Requests of $2,000 to $4,000 will be considered.
Interfaith service to honor homeless
BOSTON (AP) — Boston is remembering its homeless ahead of the longest night of the year.
The 28th annual Interfaith Homeless Memorial Service will be held at noon on Thursday, coinciding with the winter solstice.
Organizers say the gathering will take place at the Church on the Hill next to the Statehouse.
They say the service will "celebrate and memorialize those we have lost in the past year."
The names of Boston's homeless who died on the streets in 2017 will be read aloud, accompanied by music, prayer and a ceremonial candle lighting.
At sunset, luminaries will be lighted at the MBTA's Park Street station, which is frequented by homeless people looking for a place to warm themselves.