North Kingstown Governance: A Charter Commission that sat idle for more than a year is back in business, and it’s now debating whether North Kingstown should elect a first mayor and redraw into voting districts—an argument playing out among commission member James Sheehan, Town Council member Kim Page, and Town Manager Ralph Mollis. State Budget & Tax Policy: Rhode Island House Finance advanced a budget that phases in a millionaires tax, raising the top rate by 1 point per year over three years, with estimates projecting growing revenue as federal cuts loom. Health Care Infrastructure: Rhode Island’s long-planned Zambarano replacement long-term acute care hospital is shifting into deeper location study, with Cranston’s Pastore Center emerging as a leading option and raising questions about potential city revenue impacts. Housing & Agriculture: A coalition of land trusts, local governments, and Native organizations sued to challenge the Trump administration’s cancellation of more than $127 million in USDA farmland and farmer-support grants. Energy & Industry: The Trump administration’s proposed offshore wind inspection fees could sharply increase costs for existing and under-construction projects, threatening the industry “project by project.” Public Safety & Community: Rhode Island officials also weighed in on local governance and public safety concerns, including ongoing controversy around a Quonset Point sewage sludge facility.