Unvaccinated Firefighters + Top Doctor Resigns Amongst Scandal

Good morning, neighbors! Miranda Fraraccio here with the Wednesday edition of the Providence Daily.

First, today's weather:

Warmer with periods of sun. High: 70 Low: 53.

Here are the top stories in Providence today:

1. The job status of unvaccinated firefighters in Rhode Island remains uncertain, even after a judge ruled in favor of the McKee administration and upheld the Oct. 1 vaccine deadline for health-care workers. The requirement that all licensed health-care workers in Rhode Island be vaccinated against COVID-19 — a rule that includes emergency medical technicians (EMTs) — went into effect Friday. Most of Rhode Island’s fire departments provide both fire and emergency medical services, with the majority of calls pertaining to medical emergencies. (WPRI.com)
2. Another top doctor at Eleanor Slater Hospital is resigning and expressing concern that the state-run facility is unnecessarily warehousing some patients for financial gain, claiming his attempt to blow the whistle resulted in retaliation and intolerable working conditions. Chief of Medical Services Dr. Andrew Stone, who has been raising concerns over patient care and billing practices for months, submitted his letter of resignation on Monday. In the letter Stone said that while he remains committed to the population served at Eleanor Slater, he could no longer work at a hospital that “appears to be moving backwards.” (WPRI.com)
3. One injured after 3-car crash on the 100 block of Vanderwater Street in Providence. (WLNE-TV (ABC6))
4. One of the two men shot while sitting in a car in Providence over the weekend has died, police announced Monday. (Nashua Telegraph)
5. Providence's Green and Complete Streets Ordinance is the second of its kind in New England that mandates road repairs for accessibility. (Providence Media)

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Today in Providence:

• Virtual City Service Meeting - Providence City Hall (10:00 AM)
• Wednesday Morning Book Club: Fiebre Tropical (10:30 AM)
• Painting Demo with Jossy Lownes (12:00 PM)
• STEM Wednesdays! - Providence Community Library (2:00 PM)
• Get Your Job Search Noticed! - Greater Providence Chamber (4:00 PM)
• Exploring Outdoors @ Auburn - Auburn Branch Library (4:00 PM)
• Story Coders (Grades 5-8) - Providence Community Library (4:30 PM)

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• New Retirement Savings Time Bomb Seminar (October 7)
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You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. She works as a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and as an assistant producer for a live-lit storytelling show in Chicago. She holds a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies from The University of Rhode Island. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.