There’s no truth to the rumor that $1 tickets will be sold for the chance to swing a sledgehammer as part of the demolition of the Washington Bridge. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. (A quick program note: my column is skipping next week […]
Ian Donnis
One of the state’s top political reporters, Ian Donnis joined The Public’s Radio in 2009. Ian has reported on Rhode Island politics since 1999, arriving in the state just two weeks before the FBI raided City Hall and Buddy Cianci’s East Side home. Ian covers breaking news, develops in-depth features and investigative reports, and welcomes a range of newsmakers to “Political Roundtable” each week. He also writes our Friday political newsletter and maintains a strong social media presence.
For many years, Ian was a panelist on WPRI-TV’s Sunday morning public affairs show, Newsmakers, and he’s a regular guest on A Lively Experiment on Rhode Island PBS. His previous experience includes serving as news editor of The Providence Phoenix and as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. He has a BS in journalism from Boston University.
Outside of work, Ian enjoys baseball, cooking, and exploring Rhode Island.
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
State Rep. Patricia Morgan on her GOP challenge to U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
Morgan, a Republican, says she would fight for her constituents and she’s trying to capitalize on issues like inflation and immigration. But Whitehouse has vanquished a series of rivals since first winning his Senate seat by beating Lincoln Chafee, a Republican at the time, in 2006. When former state Supreme Court Justice Robert Flanders ran […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Oct. 4, 2024
Yeah, I actually like raking leaves, but don’t expect me to come do this at your yard. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY […]
Posted inLocal, Political Roundtable, Politics
Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin on violence in the Middle East, RI’s economic challenges and the local mediascape
When Hamas attacked Israel last October 7th, it raised concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East. This week, Iran fired more than 180 missiles into Israel, in response to Israel’s assassination of the head of Hezbollah. The question now is how Israel will respond … and whether the Middle East can step back from the brink of an intensifying war.
Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin is no stranger to the region. He traveled to the Middle East after the first intifada in the late 80s and returned this year. His conversations with Israelis and Palestinians became part of Patinkin’s latest book, “The Holy Land at War: A Journey Through the West Bank, Israel and Gaza.” Patinkin has been a columnist at the ProJo since 1979. Forty-five years later, he’s still at it, writing with a mix of humor and outrage about different aspects of life in Rhode Island. So how does Pantikin view the outlook for stepping back from the precipice of wider violence in the Middle East? Does he think Rhode Island politicians are up to the task of building a stronger economy? And how does the longtime columnist feel about the evolving media landscape in the state? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with columnist for The Providence Journal Mark Pantikin.
Posted inLocal, Politics
Approval for McKee and Matos falls in new Pell Center poll
With 2026 drawing closer, the approval ratings for Gov. Dan McKee and Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos declined in a new poll by the Pell Center at Salve Regina University. The poll shows approval falling two percentage points for each of the two state officials since an earlier Pell survey in June, with McKee showing a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 27, 2024
There is so much pent-up demand for retelling the tale of the secret apartment at Providence Place that it could be a growth industry for Rhode Island (who needs Hasbro?). You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my […]
Posted inHealth, Political Roundtable, Politics
State Sen. Pamela Lauria on Rhode Island’s primary care shortage, Washington Bridge and what’s next in the Senate
Rhode Island faces a growing shortage of primary care doctors. Medical specialists make more money than primary care doctors, and the economic conditions for physicians are better in Massachusetts and Connecticut. This is why a legislative panel is studying whether it would help to create a state medical school at the University of Rhode Island. There are a host of other healthcare-related challenges in the state, including the difficult fiscal outlook for some hospitals and Rhode Island’s heavy reliance on public payers like Medicare and Medicaid. State Senator Pamela Lauria, a Barrington Democrat, has a front-row seat on these issues since she’s a nurse practitioner for Coastal Medical, a primary care practice serving more than 100,000 patients. Lauria is also co-chair of the legislative commission studying the potential of a possible state med school at URI. So what is the freshman senator’s prescription for improving healthcare in Rhode Island? As an East Bay resident, how does Lauria assess Governor McKee’s performance on the Washington Bridge issue? And as a Democrat and longtime gun safety activist, what is her explanation for why Donald Trump remains a competitive presidential candidate? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with state Senator Pamela Lauria.
Posted inHousing, Local, Politics
In D.C., Speaker Shekarchi says Rhode Island can be an incubator for housing policy
During a hearing of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi discussed the housing crisis enveloping many states – and asked for more federal help to address it. With such an impactful and widespread problem, Shekarchi said, “I respectfully request that Congress provide states with greater funding mechanisms and grant opportunities […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 20, 2024
On national pepperoni pizza day, you could do worse than the Roni Island at Pizza Marvin. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF […]
Posted inHousing, Political Roundtable
Jennifer Hawkins of ONE Neighborhood Builders on Rhode Island’s housing crisis, Hasbro’s possible move and what’s next
Rhode Island’s housing crisis is a tough nut to crack. Even though hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocated to promote new housing, progress has been slow and the cost of housing keeps going up. This is a key issue for the future of the state, since Rhode Island needs more housing if the state’s economy is going to grow. There are other worrisome signs on the economic front. The iconic toy-maker Hasbro is considering moving its headquarters and hundreds of jobs elsewhere. And the state’s fiscal outlook suggests a return to the perennial deficits that in the past have typically greeted lawmakers at the start of every General Assembly session. So what can be done to accelerate progress on housing? Why does Rhode Island still lack engines of new job growth? And what does a respected housing advocate make of all this as she prepares to leave her longtime job? This week on Political Roundtable, an exit interview with president/CEO of nonprofit developer ONE Neighborhood Builders Jennifer Hawkins.