McKee Visits Residents To Promote Vaccine + Marijuana Bill Passes

Rise and shine, Woonsocket!

Welcome to the Woonsocket Patch Daily — the quickest way to get caught up on the biggest news and events happening in town.

In today's Daily, we share the latest news about Gov. Dan McKee visiting Woonsocket residents to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, the Rhode Island Senate passing a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use in the state, and unclaimed checks being sent to Rhode Island residents this week. We also include information about the Community College of Rhode Island requiring students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and the distribution of federal stimulus funds in Rhode Island.

First, today's weather:

Sunny. Temps: High of 79° and low of 55°.

Here are the top five stories in Woonsocket today:

1. Gov. Dan McKee and other state and local leaders went door-to-door in Woonsocket Wednesday morning to encourage residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The visits come as a response to the city having the lowest percentage of vaccinated residents in Rhode Island, with only 46.5 percent partially vaccinated and 41 percent fully vaccinated. (Patch)

2.The Rhode Island Senate passed a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use in the state. If signed into law, the bill would allow residents age 21 and older to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana in their possession. (Patch)

3. Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner will send checks to approximately 15,000 residents this week. The YourMoney program, which automatically sends unclaimed checks to residents entitled to them, is set to mail $2.5 million in unclaimed money. (Patch)

4. The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) will require all on-campus students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester. The requirement applies to both full-time and part-time students. (ABC6 News)

5. Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner's office will begin distributing a total of $560 million in federal stimulus funds to the state's 39 cities and towns by the end of the month. The money is from the American Rescue Plan Act, which is helping the country economically recover from the pandemic. (Patch)

Happenings and Events in Woonsocket

• The Museum of Work & Culture is open for visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can be reserved online here.

You're all caught up on what's happening today in Woonsocket. We'll see you in your inbox tomorrow. Have a great day!

-Annie

About me: I grew up in Central Massachusetts and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harvard University. I have lived, worked, and studied in Boston for the last five years and cover stories in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I am passionate about music and the arts, creative writing and literature, and topics of social and political justice.