Submitted Press Release

Mayoral candidate Jon D. Brien, with the assistance of several supporters, successfully executed a Herculean effort to gather the signatures necessary to qualify for the November ballot.  Notwithstanding the difficulties that exist as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brien for Mayor Campaign implemented the necessary safety protocols, while at the same time demonstrating that the campaign is a well organized machine that is ready to move forward in the election process.  “We decided to make lemonade out of lemons.  Nobody is happy about where the coronavirus has put all of us, but that is precisely when it is time to show that as a leader, you can adapt and think outside of the box.”  The group of supporters collected signatures in front of the Brien For Mayor Headquarters at 285 Main St where they gave everyone their own pen, nomination sheet, and sanitized clipboard.  “We weren’t taking any chances”, continued Brien.  “A number of candidates actually sued the State in order to not have to gather signatures, which I think is ridiculous.  The integrity of our elections can never be compromised, so we wanted to show the rest of the State how it’s done.”  In a ruling by Federal Court Judge Mary McElroy, the State was required to allow candidates to gather signatures electronically.  At issue was the hand-to hand exchange of pens and nomination papers, as well as clipboards used for that purpose.  “Public service is about being able to lead, delegate, organize, and adapt immediately to an ever changing environment.  As the next Mayor of Woonsocket, this is the type of leadership that the people of our city can come to expect each and every day.  We did in a short amount of time what nobody thought could be done.  This goes to show that when you have a group of dedicated people who believe in you, anything is possible.”

Former President Trump is back in court today with all 12 jurors now seated in his criminal hush money trial in New York City. The jury that will decide the fate of the first ex-president in American history to stand trial on criminal charges consists of seven men and five women. Now six alternates must be selected, with the possibility of opening statements starting as soon as Monday.       U.S. officials confirm Israeli missiles have struck a number of locations inside Iran as part of a retaliatory strike. Several explosions were reported near an airbase in the Iranian city of Isfahan, home to a number of sites linked to Iran's nuclear program. This all comes after Israel vowed to respond to Iran's missile and drone attack earlier this week.       The average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. remains at about three-dollars-and-67-cents today. Triple-A reports that's four cents higher than last week and about the same as it was a year ago. The most expensive average was in California at five-dollars-and-45 cents while the cheapest was in Mississippi at three-11.       A new consumer report says some fruits and vegetables have an unhealthy amount of pesticides in high doses. It is recommended you eat watermelon, green beans, bell peppers, blueberries, imported celery, imported collard greens, and potatoes in moderation. Regardless though, it is still recommended that you eat fruits and vegetables regularly.       A surprise second half of Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" album is out now. Shortly after 2am Eastern, Swift announced that it was actually a "secret double album," and released 15 more songs that she called "the second installment." Swift says the double album is "an anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time."       The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this weekend. On Saturday, the New York Islanders will begin their series against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh and the Toronto Maple Leafs will travel to Boston for game one against the Bruins. On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Lightning will start their series against the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitols will travel to New York to face the Rangers in game one.