Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Last spring, a massive wildfire burned hundreds of acres at the Queens River Preserve in Exeter. It was the largest forest fire in Rhode Island since 1942, and it prompted the creation of a special legislative commission tasked with providing recommendations on proper […]
Luis Hernandez
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local
Criminal justice advocate calls for independent investigation into Cranston prison deaths
Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Dave Fallon: Over the past three months, four inmates have died at the ACI in Cranston. Advocates for criminal justice reform have written a letter to the Rhode Island Department of Corrections calling for an independent investigation into those fatalities, along with a series of […]
Posted inHealth, Local
What will it take to fix the growing labor crisis in Rhode Island nursing homes?
Rhode Island nursing homes are struggling. Staffing shortages, employee burnout, and serious financial challenges have been problems since before the pandemic – but all have gotten significantly worse in recent years, leading to an uptick in things like neglect and preventable deaths. Morning Edition Host Luis Hernandez spoke about the issues with Elizabeth White, Assistant […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
Brown University professor says engineers can use AI and digital sensors to improve bridge safety
The closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge is raising questions about the safety of Rhode Island bridges, many of which are over half-a-century old. Morning Host Luis Hernandez discussed bridge safety, and modern tools engineers can use to ensure bridges are safe, with Vikas Srivastava, an assistant professor of Engineering at Brown […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Grammy-nominated Black Violin brings signature mix of classical and hip hop to Providence
Black Violin is performing at The Vets in Providence Saturday, March 30. Tickets and more information at thevetsri.com. Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Kev Marcus and Will Baptiste have been playing and creating music since high school. They are the duo Black Violin. The group has been performing […]
Posted inBook club, Local
Book Club: Don Winslow’s ‘City on Fire’ is a classic tale of a vicious war between two rival crime families
Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Growing up in Rhode Island, writer Don Winslow was surrounded by stories about the mob – headed up in Providence for decades by the infamous Raymond Patriarca. Winslow’s fascination with those stories and characters would later lead to his Danny Ryan trilogy. “City […]
Posted inHealth, Local
URI study finds links between mass violence and online incel communities
In recent decades, we’ve become increasingly accustomed to hearing about mass shootings, hate crimes, and other acts of mass violence in the U.S. The vast majority of these crimes are committed by men, but a recent study identifies another common factor – a growing online community of “incels” who embrace misogynistic attitudes. It’s called “The […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Book club, Local
Book Club: Author John Barylick’s ‘Killer Show’ tells how the Station nightclub fire resulted in ‘America’s deadliest rock concert’
This interview had been edited for length and clarity. Transcript: Luis Hernandez: It was Feb. 20, 2003, when a fire broke out in the Station nightclub in West Warwick. The hard rock band Great White was performing when pyrotechnics lit part of the ceiling on fire, leading to a blaze that killed 100 people and […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Rhode Island Ukrainian pastor describes ‘fear and uncertainty’ among local Ukrainians as war drags on
Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Father Boris, it’s really a pleasure. Thank you so much for your time. Boris Kroner: Thank you for having me on. Hernandez: Father Boris, what are your thoughts and your emotions right now as we approach this anniversary of the war in Ukraine? […]
Posted inBook club, Local
Book club: Elizabeth Rush, Providence-based author of ‘The Quickening’
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. Transcript: Luis Hernandez: This is the Public’s Radio. I’m Luis Hernandez. Thwaites Glacier was first spotted by polar researchers in 1940. It’s named after American glaciologist Frederick Thwaites. As the climate changes, this glacier could be one of the greatest contributors to sea level rise, […]