Cannabis Licensing Reset: Rhode Island regulators are set to restart the state’s cannabis retail licensing process after lawmakers changed the residency requirement; 75 prospective retailers will receive $7,500 refunds as the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission updates timelines. Pharmacy Expansion: A new RI law effective July 1 lets pharmacists run basic screenings like A1c and cholesterol tests and enter broader treatment arrangements, cutting back on what the profession calls an overly complex approval process. Energy Costs Pressure: Gov. Dan McKee signed emergency orders and bills aimed at easing winter electricity price spikes, even as Rhode Island Energy seeks higher winter rates and the political fight over affordability heats up. Workforce Housing at Quonset: Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown will add 140 workforce housing units under a new lease with Moran Properties, marking the first residential component at the former naval base site. Food Safety Watch: Local grocery stores say they’re double-checking lettuce supplies amid a widening cyclosporiasis investigation tied to shredded iceberg lettuce, urging customers to wash produce. AI Options for RI: Anthropic’s lower-priced Claude Opus 5 is expanding AI choices for Rhode Island users, though local businesses still cite training, cost, and trust hurdles. Local Business Deal: Narrow River Kayaks in Narragansett was acquired by The Kayak Centre of Rhode Island, keeping operations locally owned and preserving the longtime paddling brand. Media M&A Legal Test: Nexstar, owner of Providence’s WPRI-TV, faces allegations it violated a federal antitrust order tied to its $6.2B expansion plans, potentially freezing the deal further.