Question of the Week: With meetings on Friday the 13th related to the fate of Providence schools and the Wyatt Detention Facility, what could possibly go wrong? Thanks for stopping by for my weekly column. As usual, your tips and comments are welcome, and you can follow me through the week on the twitters. Here we go.
1) Chipping away at the excesses of what critics call the “prison industrial complex” can be a challenge in Rhode Island. For evidence, consider how Attorney General Peter Neronha’s proposal to reclassify simple drug possession failed to pass the General Assembly this year, or how, as the Washington Post recently reported, occupational licensing poses an obstacle for many former offenders who are trying to find meaningful work. “We feel that if a person wants to be a barber or a pipefitter or whatever – he’s served his time – we don’t want to have licensing regulations prohibit him or her getting into an occupation that would gainfully employ them and have them pay taxes and keep them out of prison,” Jim Vincent, president of the Providence NAACP, said on Political Roundtable this week. Vincent said he’s unclear why lawmakers haven’t supported a bill introduced by Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence) that is meant to address the situation. House spokesman Larry Berman said some state agency directors believed the bill would affect what they considered an excessive number of regulations – “well over 100, maybe a few hundred.” Berman adds that House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello supports efforts to continue working on the legislation in 2020.
2) New York Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger, a one-time Providence Journal reporter, will return to Providence to speak at his alma mater on September 23. The topic of his address: “Free Press in Peril: The Growing Threats to Journalism Around the World.”
3) As part of an ongoing antitrust review, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline and some of his colleagues have sent letters requesting documents from Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple. In a release from the House Antitrust Subcommittee, Cicilline said, “We made it clear when we launched this bipartisan investigation that we plan to get all the facts we need to diagnose the problems in the digital marketplace. Today’s document requests are an important milestone in this investigation as we work to obtain the information that our Members need to make this determination. We expect stakeholders to use this opportunity to provide information to the Committee to ensure that the Internet is an engine for opportunity for everyone, not just a select few gatekeepers.”
4) Is the Wyatt Detention Facility headed toward private ownership – a move that would put more of a veil around the controversial Central Falls institution?
5) The Providence NAACP’s Jim Vincent remains frustrated about what he calls Cranston’s disinclination to adding people of color to the city’s fire department. He said a key factor is how Cranston requires applicants to already have to have an EMT credential known as an EMT-C: “The difference is that in Providence it’s a post-employment requirement, as opposed to a pre-employment requirement,” Vincent said on Bonus Q&A. “And what that means is that when Providence hires you, you don’t have it to have it then, but you have to have it through the academy or you have to get it before you start, but you have the job. In Cranston, if you don’t have it, you really can’t even get the job. If you want to get a job in Cranston, you’ve got to go and get the EMT-C, with no guaratee that you can get the job. That EMT-C is two or three thousand dollars, I’m not quite sure, but it’s cost-prohibitive to a lot of people of color in this state that make about the 50 percent of the median income of the average white person. They just can’t do it. Providence has found a way to make that requirement still a requirement, but to get diversity. Cranston has not done it, there’s no reason they can’t do it.”
5A) Here’s a response to Vincent from Cranston Mayor Allan Fung: “As the first minority mayor in our city’s history, I find most of Mr. Vincent’s ever-changing statements to be insulting. Instead, he should be apologizing for his misleading statements to the city council and community members regarding Chief MacIntosh, and previously his false accusation of Acting Chief Valletta using a derogatory term despite multiple members of the media and my administration not hearing such. His inflammatory accusations do not help to bring our very diverse city together, or help us recruit a more diverse workforce. While he is a member of Cranston’s diversity commission, Mr. Vincent seemed to disappear when the hard behind the scenes work of recruitment took place. He has also failed to let people know that there are candidates of minority backgrounds on our current Fire Department list.The city of Cranston, and particularly myself, have been working continuously to increase recruitment of candidates of all backgrounds. While on the City Council, I was able to pass the loan program that would allow recruits to become EMT-C certified via a loan from the city so as to not have to front the cost that may have been prohibitive for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our public safety departments also join in community job fairs, and we send out all municipal job notices to twenty-five minority-led groups throughout the state. I rarely pick fights with other leaders, but I will not tolerate these misleading statements about the efforts of my employees or myself to stand.”
6) Worlds colliding: Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia is resisting calls to step down after his second high-profile arrest in two years. And while Correia is drawing references to Buddy Cianci, Trinity Rep’s production of Mike Stanton’s Buddy bio, The Prince of Providence, is hitting the stage.
7) Michelle Smith of the AP had a good read this week looking at Providene Mayor Jorge Elorza and his frequent companion, son Omar. Excerpt: “Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has not been shy about bringing his baby to work, and in doing so has ignited a debate about the role of children in the workplace and cast a spotlight on the struggles of balancing a career and child care. To some, Elorza’s workday appearances with 1-year-old Omar set an example for how to juggle jobs and parenting at a time when many people are working long hours away from their children and paying skyrocketing costs for day care. His detractors say Elorza is using the child as a prop and benefiting from a double standard that would make it impossible for a working mother to do what the mayor is doing.” Omar’s mom, Stephanie Gonzalez, weighed in with her own thread. And Elorza also spoke with NPR. Asked whether it gets under his skin when people criticize him for bringing Omar places, the mayor said, “I actually haven’t heard a single criticism of me. So for example, people have criticized that there’s a double standard. And I think that’s true. I think there is a double standard. And I think the conclusion there is not we should criticize the mayor. It’s women shouldn’t be criticized when they do it as well.”
8) A few developments related to the nightclub issue in Providence: City Councilor David Salvatore is talking up the idea of creating an ‘Office of Nightlife and Culture’ and possibly a Night Mayor; 2) Councilor Kat Kerwin and Millennial RI founder Travis Escobar launched “ ‘PVD After Dark,’ a nightlife economy campaign supporting policy proposals suggested by the Providence Board of Licenses’ Chair, Dylan Conley to create a Nightlife District;” And 3) Conley floated the idea of a 24-hour nightclub district around Allens Avenue.
9) With Rhode Island’s state takeover of Providence poised to move ahead, I’ll have an interesting story related to that topic next week.
9) Aaron Regunberg, who lost a squeaker in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor last year to Dan McKee, offered a message on Facebook this week tied to the one-year anniversary of that contest. Excerpt: “Nothing in the last year has changed my conviction that we need bold change to make Rhode Island a state that works for everyone, not just the rich and well-connected few. And I still believe the lieutenant governor could have a powerful role in building a movement to win universal healthcare, a Green New Deal, and an end to State House corruption. The next election cycle is coming fast. I’m looking forward to continuing the work, in 2020, in 2022 and beyond. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
10) Speaking of upcoming elections, Maggie Kain, a founding board member of Our Revolution RI, announced this week that she plans to run against state Sen. Sue Sosnowksi (D-South Kingstown). In a statement, Kain said in part, “My candidacy is spurred by the need for fundamental change in our state government. The time is now to encourage the bold progress and change needed to ensure Rhode Island is prepared for the future. We can create a culture of innovation guaranteed to benefit citizens directly. We can create a stronger state when we prioritize the lives of everyday working people, removing the burden that is put on so many to enrich the few. These are the values I see in this district, and I am excited to reflect these values in my campaign.”
11) Does President Trump represent the ultimate merging of TV and politics? Via The New York Times’ James Poniewozik, who has a new book on that concept: “When he was a candidate, and especially when he was president, his tweets programmed TV and were amplified by it. On CNBC, a “BREAKING NEWS: TRUMP TWEET” graphic would spin out onscreen as soon as the words left his thumbs. He would watch Fox News, or Lou Dobbs, or CNN or “Morning Joe” or “Saturday Night Live” (“I don’t watch”), and get mad, and tweet. Then the tweets would become TV, and he would watch it, and tweet again. If you want to understand what President Trump will do in any situation, then, it’s more helpful to ask: What would TV do? What does TV want? It wants conflict. It wants excitement. If there is something that can blow up, it should blow up. It wants a fight. It wants more. It is always eating and never full.”
12) WPRI’s Eli Sherman maps out the $12 million in tax breaks provided by the city of Providence.
13) AG Peter Neronha on why he didn’t sign on to a proposed opioid settlement: “Far too many lives have been lost or devastated in Rhode Island as a result of the opioid crisis. We have not agreed to the proposed settlement framework with Purdue Pharma. Before we could responsibly reach any agreement, we would need much more information about the financial holdings of Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers to be confident that this resolution adequately compensates Rhode Island and, equally as important, holds the company and its owners accountable for the enormous destruction they have caused. We are committed to continuing to aggressively pursue our claims against Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers. Today we filed a complaint against additional members of the Sackler family for the role that they played in the distribution of these highly addictive opioids in Rhode Island.”
14) There are questionable costs and then there are questionable costs. How about the $6 billion used to operate the prison at Guantanamo Bay since its inception?
15) Narragansett Beer, which has plans to open a brewery at India Point next year, is throwing a series of parties in each of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns (with a stated goal of buying a beer for every person in the state). The first is at 5 pm Thursday, October 3 at the Hot Club in Providence. Via ‘Gansett: “How are we going to do this? Glad you asked. There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island. Going alphabetically, we’ll be hosting a party at a neighborhood bar or restaurant every week. When you arrive, you’ll receive one of our iconic wooden nickels that you’ll be able to trade for a beer at the bar. Hope to see you there!”
