Assembly approves naming bike path in Woonsocket for local housing developer Albert P. Valliere

 

STATE HOUSE – Woonsocket’s section of the Blackstone River Bike Path will soon be known as the Albert P. Valliere Bike Path under legislation sponsored by Sen. Melissa A. Murray and Rep. Stephen M. Casey and approved by the General Assembly today.

Valliere, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 74, was a North Smithfield resident who was born in Woonsocket and was the CEO of Nation Wide Construction. He was a dedicated leader and contributor to the Woonsocket community and served on the Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative, lending his professional expertise to help leaders respond to the city’s affordable housing efforts. In 2017, he was honored by Grow Smart Rhode Island as an

for his dedication to revitalizing the area and creating affordable housing in Rhode Island.

 “Albert Valliere dedicated much of his life to making Woonsocket a better community for all of us, and particularly understood how important it is that every family has a home that is safe and welcoming. He was a shining example of a business leader who genuinely cared about the community where he worked. It’s very appropriate that our bike path, which is a beautiful recreational resource that makes Woonsocket a better place, will bear his name,” said Senator Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield).

Valliere was also an avid triathlete who once biked 200 miles in a day and was always the first out of the water in his age group.

Said Representative Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket), “Naming the bike path for Albert Valliere is such a fitting tribute to a man who loved to ride and loved Woonsocket. We are fortunate for all he did for our city.”

The legislation (2024-S 2483, 2024-H 8319) now goes to the governor. The Woonsocket City Council voted in February to support the bill.

 

 

President Trump says the tariffs imposed on other countries are having the desired effect, and he's now open to negotiations. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his initial tariff plan is over, and he's watching it settle in. He said every country has called, asking to cut a trade deal with the U.S. to avoid the tariffs.        Stocks are closing sharply lower one day after President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs. The S&P 500 had its worse day since 2020 as the White House announced a baseline tariff rate of ten-percent against most countries yesterday that will go into effect on Saturday. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 16-79 to 40-545. The S&P 500 lost 274 points to 53-96. The Nasdaq lost 10-50 points to 16-550.        A multi-day severe weather event is unfolding for more than 55-million people. It comes after at least seven people were killed in the South Central U.S. after storms that included several tornadoes hit the region yesterday. Tonight, there is still a tornado threat for the same areas, but forecasters warn there could also be potentially catastrophic flooding in the Mid-South and Midwest.        The Federal Aviation Administration is offering more support to air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport. The Critical Incident Stress Management team will be meeting with airport personnel sometime early this month. The FAA is also reviewing the arrival rate at the airport and will conduct regular wellness checks.        The Senate has confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The television personality was confirmed on a party-line vote of 53-45. Oz now assumes a role that provides health insurance to roughly 160 million Americans.        Steven Spielberg and George Lucas top the latest Forbes list of celebrity billionaires. The latest Forbes ranking of the world's wealthiest people includes 18 celebrities, with film director Steven Spielberg topping the list at five-point-three-billion dollars. Star Wars creator George Lucas is in second place with a net worth of five-point-one-billion dollars.