It’s been more than two weeks since student protesters at Brown University struck a deal with school administrators, packed up their tents, and peacefully ended a pro-Palestinian encampment that had lasted nearly a week. But some faculty members at Brown say they are unwilling to move on and forget about a series of ominous letters […]
Local
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Local, The Weekly Catch
Federal investigation of DCYF, local hunters group advocates banning captive hunting, and more
Bradley Hospital is in the news this week. The U.S. Justice Department alleging the state’s child welfare agency is violating the civil rights of children with behavioral and developmental disabilities by keeping them hospitalized long after their treatments have ended. We’ll talk to a reporter who’s been following the story for years. Also, we’ll find out more about proposed legislation to ban hunting captive wild animals in Rhode Island.
And a company in Pawtucket called Gif-o-Graf has a fun way for students to create stop-motion animation
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for May 17, 2024
Time to get down to brass tacks with the budget. 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 THE WEEK: In a sure sign […]
Posted inLocal, Political Roundtable, Politics
Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera on housing progress, what’s next for schools, and why more Latinos are voting Republican
Maria Rivera made history in Central Falls when she won election in 2020 as the first Latina mayor in Rhode Island. Rivera does not yet face any announced opponents for re-election this year and she’s an up and comer in Rhode Island politics. During her time in office, Rivera has led the charge to build more housing, with a goal of completing 300 new units. Central Falls broke ground on a new high school last month and millions of dollars have been raised for a new community center. But the one square mile-sized city, like the rest of the state, still has a way to go in addressing its need for housing, better jobs and higher performing schools. Can Mayor Rivera make more progress in delivering these needs? Does she plan to run statewide in 2026? And what does this Democrat say about how more Latinos are voting Republican? This week on Political Roundtable, we’re going in-depth with the mayor of Central Falls, Maria Rivera.
Posted inHealth, Local, Politics
Nominee to lead RI Health Department wins initial approval
Dr. Jerome Larkin was praised by a series of fellow physicians and other acquaintances Thursday before being endorsed by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee as the next director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. The committee approved Larkin’s nomination on a 5-to-1 vote, with Sen. Eileen Morgan (R-Hopkinton) casting the only one […]
Posted inEducation, Local
Expiring COVID relief funding prompts dozens of job cuts at Providence School District
Dozens of Providence school teachers are losing their jobs. District officials say 56 non-tenured educators will not have their contracts renewed next year because of financial constraints caused by expiring COVID relief funding. Providence Teachers Union president Maribeth Calabro says the district should have done more to find an alternative funding source to support the […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford pols bury the hatchet and try again with State Pier redevelopment
Plans to redevelop a central slice of New Bedford’s waterfront have begun to move forward again after a dispute between local politicians last year cast some doubts over the future of the project. On an industrial waterfront that prides itself for preserving its fishing industry, the New Bedford State Pier has emerged as a unique […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local
Local hunters group advocating for banning captive hunting in Rhode Island
Transcript: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. James Baumgartner: Mike, thanks so much for your time. Mike Woods: Thank you. Happy to be here and talking about this important issue. Baumgartner: First of all, what’s this all about? Do we really need to ban hunting of wild animals in Rhode Island? Is […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk
Judge issues not guilty filing for 41 Brown University student protesters
A Providence judge has issued a not guilty filing for 41 Brown University pro-Palestinian protestors who were arrested for trespassing last semester. Judge Nicholas Parrillo said he was going against the objections of the city of Providence and Brown University in issuing the not guilty filing to the protestors because none of them had a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
Transparency debated in new LEOBOR bill
Does the bill passed last week by the Rhode Island House of Representatives that would change the police bill of rights, known as LEOBOR, mark a setback for transparency in government? It depends who you ask. In a web posting Monday, the New England First Amendment Coalition and affiliated groups say the bill would keep […]