Political leaders in Rhode Island and Massachusetts offered swift reaction to Sunday’s bombshell announcement by President Biden that he would drop out of his race for a second term as president. “President Biden made a selfless and noble decision” Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said in a prepared statement. “We are forever grateful for his […]
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Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for July 19, 2024
As Gina Raimondo showed us in 2021 before exiting for DC, politicians are committed to doing/saying one thing…until the very second the situation changes. (I’ll be on vaca in the coming week, so my next column will appear Aug. 2.) You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local
‘There won’t be another Mr. Ced.’ Cedric Huntley remembered as a mentor who dedicated his life to preventing violence
A memorial service is being held Friday for Cedric Huntley, who died earlier this month at the age of 65. Huntley was a community leader who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of young people. Most recently, he served as executive director of the Nonviolence Institute in Providence, a nonprofit that focuses on preventing violence. […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
UNH poll finds 29% approval rating for Gov. McKee
A University of New Hampshire poll published Thursday finds that Gov. Dan McKee has a 29% approval rating and that 60% of Rhode Islanders think the state is on the wrong track. The findings, based on online responses earlier this month from 598 Rhode Islanders, signal a warning for McKee ahead of the 2026 race […]
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Local
Providence’s port community punches back against pollution
A band of activists has taken matters into their own hands, forging alliances and even going door-to-door in an effort to move the needle on health outcomes.
Posted inHealth, Local
A community health center in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood is closing
A community health center in one of Providence’s poorest neighborhoods is closing July 31, shutting down a source of primary care for more than 4,500 of some of the state’s most vulnerable patients. The operator of the Olneyville Health Center, the nonprofit Providence Community Health Centers, or PCHC, has cited a shortage of providers and […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape, Local
‘I had five different owners in 18 years’: New book features the story of John Jacobs, who fled slavery and denounced American tyranny
After fleeing slavery in 1839, abolitionist, miner and sailor John Swanson Jacobs embarked on a journey that would take him to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and ultimately Australia. It was there that he published his life story in a local newspaper – a unique document that not only gave an account of his experience under enslavement, but also named his enslavers, criticized America’s founding documents, and called out the American citizens who allowed slavery to persist. A new book shares his manuscript in full, accompanied by a biography of Jacobs. It’s called “The True Story of Slavery: The United States Governed by Six Thousand Despots.” Morning host Luis Hernandez spoke with the book’s editor, Jonathan Schroeder, a literary historian at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Posted inBusiness, Local, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford business improvement district will not move forward
Business leaders hoping to establish a business improvement district in downtown New Bedford have withdrawn their proposal, ending a fierce debate over whether property owners should pay additional fees to spruce up the neighborhood and market it to visitors. In a letter sent to the City Council president on Monday afternoon, a consultant leading the […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Media
GBH, Frontline veteran named CEO for public media in RI
Veteran multimedia journalism leader Pam Johnston is set to take the helm of the recently merged public broadcasters Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio. In an interview on Wednesday, Johnston says she reacted with tears of joy on learning of her selection as president and CEO. “This is truly a dream job, a dream […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local
RI man wanted on firearms charges shot by Vermont State Police
A Rhode Island man wanted on charges related to possessing high-capacity firearm magazines was shot by Vermont State Police in Burke, Vt., Sunday night. Brenden Sackal, 30, of Hopkinton was in critical condition with non-life threatening injuries at a hospital in New Hampshire on Monday afternoon, according to Vermont State Police. Hopkinton Police Chief Mark […]