Rhode Island Report

The race to watch this election cycle is the contest between Republican Allan Fung and Democrat Seth Magaziner to replace Jim Langevin in the 2nd Congressional District. So, we brought both candidates into the studio separately to explain where they stand on the major issues. Then we put their responses together so voters can easily compare and contrast. Here’s part 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Conspiracy theories. Doctored photos. Outright lies. We’re inundated by disinformation online. And it's only going to get worse heading into the midterm elections and the 2024 presidential contest. Claire Wardle, co-director of the Information Futures Lab at the Brown University School of Public Health, explains what it all means -- and what we can do about it. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom Jones, a dialect coach for Hollywood stars, who used to work for Trinity Rep and Brown University, explains the mystery of Rhode Island accents and teaches our producer how to sound like a local. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam Myers, Associate Professor of Political Science at Providence College, joins Ed to unpack the results of Rhode Island’s primary. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Warning: Parts of this episode may be disturbing to some listeners* This month, a national organization for clergy abuse victims will launch its first support group in Rhode Island. It’s known as SNAP, which stands for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. We talk with the new group’s co-leaders- psychologist Dr. Ann Hagan Webb and Claude Leboeuf. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhode Island has an open seat in Congress for the first time in over a decade and the primary is just weeks away. Our own Globe RI columnist Dan McGowan breaks down the latest in the CD 2 race. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

COVID is still lingering, monkeypox is spreading, and polio is reemerging in wastewater. Is it time to panic? Or is this just our new normal? To give us some perspective, we talk to Dr. Amy Nunn, the executive director of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island joins us to talk 2024, the new information he's learned about the FBI's investigation into Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and what the landmark Inflation Reduction Act will do about climate change. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we sit down with state treasurer candidate Stefan Pryor, who has served as secretary of commerce under governors Gina Raimondo and Dan McKee. Pryor faces James Diossa, a former mayor of Central Falls, in next month's Democratic primary. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Democratic primary for Rhode Island Treasurer is only a month away, and the race is heating up. So, we’re talking to both candidates about why they deserve the job. This week, the former mayor of Central Falls, James Diossa. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brien Lang, the co-founder of the Rhode Island Ukulele Armada and the director of new works at the Wilbury Theatre Group, talks about the Providence Fringe Festival, which is organized by the theater group. The Armada's performance at the festival had to be postponed due to COVID, but Lang's special in-studio performance gives Rhode Island Report listeners a taste of what the Armada has to offer. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you feel like there’s been an unending string of gun violence in the US this year, you’re right. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least four mass shootings every week so far in 2022. Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency room doctor and the academic dean at Brown University’s School of Public Health, says gun violence should be treated like the public health crisis that it is.We talk about her prescription for change and her latest COVID guidance. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For 10 years, Chef James Mark has been offering delicious and innovative food in Providence. He’s the force behind North restaurant as well as Big King, a spot in the West End named after his grandmother. But after weathering the pandemic, as well as countless late nights, Chef James is calling it quits. At least for now. We talk to him about his decade in Rhode Island’s restaurant industry, why he’s taking a break, and what comes next. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhode Island report is taking this week off for vacation. While we’re away, you can check out some of our past episodes- like Ed’s interview with State Senator Tiara Mack, or Alexa Gagosz’s conversation with the couple behind Providence Date Night. Enjoy your week, and we’ll be back soon! Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s shaping up to be a hot political season here in Rhode Island – with races for governor, the second congressional district, and plenty of other local contests. So, Suffolk University and the Boston Globe teamed up to see what Rhode Islanders think about the major issues and the major candidates. Our columnist Dan McGowan joins us to talk to us about the results. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhode Island’s restaurant and tourism industries have suffered some serious blows during the past two years of the pandemic. But with the weather getting warmer and mask mandates lifted, are we ready for a comeback? To get the latest on what this summer has in store, and how Rhode Island businesses have adapted to the pandemic, we talk to Dale Venturini with the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, and Kristen Adamo from the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all have our favorite places to eat, but what are the most under-appreciated spots in Rhode Island? Where can you find a good dive bar? And how have restaurants pivoted in response to COVID? Globe Rhode Island is tackling these questions and more with our new dining guide, out this month. We talk with our own Alexa Gagosz about why she created this resource and how it’s different from other guides out there. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a two-year break during the pandemic, PVDFest is back, starting this Friday. The free, outdoor festival features music, dancing, food, shopping, and art installations throughout downtown. We talk with Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and Lizzie Araujo, the director of the Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, about what to expect. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been a little more than six months since Rhode Island got a new US attorney. After some political drama, Zachary Cunha was appointed to the position in December. He joins us for his first extensive conversation with the media to talk about the path that got him here, his priorities in office, and the tools he has to combat issues ranging from mass shootings to the opioid crisis. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. The new law also automatically expunges all past marijuana possession convictions. State Representative Leonela Felix, a Pawtucket Democrat, was a leading advocate for the automatic expungement provision. We talk with her about that work and what legal marijuana will look like in Rhode Island. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Providence resident Molly Huddle is a two-time Olympian and holds the American record for the fastest 10K. She’s also the co-author of How She Did It, a book profiling 50 accomplished long-distance runners. We talk about that book, her running career, and more. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As part of our ongoing series interviewing candidates for RI governor, we talk to former secretary of state Matt Brown about where he stands on the major issues, what he has to say about his opponents, and whether the Rhode Island Political Cooperative can actually win the whole State House. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung is running to replace US Representative Jim Langevin. He’s styling himself as a moderate Republican who supports bi-partisanship, but is that possible in today’s political climate? We get his take on the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, whether he supports Trump, and where he stands on issues like climate change and the Jan. 6th attack on the US Capitol.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Four Democrats are competing to replace Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza when his term ends this year. Who are the candidates, what are the differences between them, and who’s likely to win? Our own Globe columnist Dan McGowan helps us sort it all out and analyzes the latest debate. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We often talk about the relationship between Providence and the State House, but what about the rest of the state? To get some perspective, we talk with Charles Lombardi. He’s been the mayor of North Providence for 15 years and the President of the League of Cities and Towns since 2020. We talk about police accountability, marijuana stores, and the probe of a controversial state education contract. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Boston Marathon is coming up on Monday, and everybody’s going to be talking about Heartbreak Hill. But did you know that a Rhode Islander is the reason it has that name? Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, a member of the Narragansett Indian tribe, broke defending champion "Johnny" Kelley’s heart when he beat him in the 1936 race.Tarzan won the Boston Marathon again in 1939 and was also an Olympic athlete. In this episode, we talk with his granddaughter, Anna Brown-Jackson, about his legacy and why he deserves a statue of his own. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As part of our ongoing series interviewing candidates for RI governor, we talk to Ashley Kalus, a healthcare executive and newcomer to Rhode Island who is the only Republican candidate so far. We talk about where she stands on the major issues, what she knows about Rhode Island, and how she became a New England Golden Gloves champion. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

State Representative David Morales isn’t just the youngest member of the Rhode Island General Assembly. He’s also the newly minted commissioner of the Renegade Wrestling Alliance, a Providence-based pro wrestling outfit. In this episode, we talk battles in the ring and at the State House, including his efforts to extend health insurance to all children, regardless of their immigration status. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As part of our ongoing series interviewing candidates for RI governor, we talk to Dr. Luis Daniel Muñoz. He talks about where he stands on the major issues, why he calls his opponents ‘performative,’ and how he faces a huge fundraising disadvantage. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Angie and Jeff DiMeo are the couple behind Providence Date Night, an Instagram account about local food and drinks. We talk about how the city's food scene has evolved since COVID, where to go for your first night back out on the town, and why they've ditched alcohol for mocktails. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is hitting home for Amin Faqiry. Less than a year ago, he was forced to leave a country that was also under attack - Afghanistan. Amin was a front-line interpreter there for the US military and State Department for nearly 12 years. We talk to Amin about his experience, the plight of the Ukrainian people, what the US should do with seized Afghan funds, and his work to help refugees in R.I. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As part of our ongoing series interviewing candidates for RI governor, we talk to Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea. She explains her stance on repealing Rhode Island’s voter ID law, why she thinks she’s more qualified than her former boss, Matt Brown, and what she thinks of Governor McKee’s response to the pandemic. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congressman David Cicilline recently had a first-hand look at the rising tensions in Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv in January. We talk about what he learned there and some issues closer to home, like the midterm elections and who will replace his colleague, Congressman Jim Langevin.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Moses Brown Junior Sophia Gorriaran just broke the under-18 world record for the fastest 800 meters by a woman. She and her dad, Steve, join us to talk about running, the Olympics, and how she managed to set the record just a couple of days after spraining her ankle. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here's a scandalous bit of Rhode Island history. More than 100 years ago, the US Navy launched an entrapment operation to root out gay sailors and civilians in Newport. The Navy actually commissioned about a dozen undercover sailors to have sex with members of the gay community. The Globe's Alexa Gagosz talks with Jason Tranchida, the co-organizer of a multimedia installation that puts a spotlight on this bizarre and troubling episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you were intrigued by our episode about the 1919 Newport Sex Scandal, this bonus episode is for you. A few years ago, The Globe’s Mark Arsenault told another side of this story at Globe Live, a storytelling event put on by the Globe at a theater in downtown Boston. This is a recording of Mark’s piece. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the first of our series interviewing the RI candidates for governor, we talk to former CVS executive Helena Foulkes. She makes her case for replacing Governor McKee, responds to critics, and talks about those incredibly long CVS receipts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We start this episode with the topic everybody is talking about – who will replace Representative Jim Langevin now that he’s decided to retire from Congress? Dan McGowan and Ed sit down to untangle who’s running, who’s thinking about it, and what it all means.Then, Ed talks with House Minority Whip Katherine Kazarian about a bill that would make it easier to vote by mail or early in person.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera was sworn into office last January, COVID-19 vaccinations were becoming available, and infection rates were starting to slowly go down. But a year later, Central Falls is a COVID hot spot once again. We talk to Mayor Rivera about the pandemic's impact on residents, the need for more affordable housing, and plans for a new high school. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's episode, state Senator Tiara Mack challenges the Senate president's objections to taxing the rich and says if Rhode Island legalizes recreational marijuana, it should also expunge marijuana convictions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a new year, which means a new legislative session. We’ve heard from Senate leadership about their priorities for Rhode Island in 2022, but what are some of the state’s advocates hoping to accomplish this year?For another perspective, we talk to Marcela Betancur, the director of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University. We discuss some of the laws she’s hoping to get passed in 2022, and how the state should better manage COVID in places like Central Falls. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Earlier this year, the Globe Rhode Island team came together for an event with Venture Cafe at CIC Providence. It was a chance for Globe RI journalists to introduce themselves, meet some readers, and talk about the work they do every day. This is an edited version of that conversation. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio details his top priorities for the new legislative session, including expanding access to pre-K, funding school construction projects, and replacing the lead water pipes still in use across Rhode Island. Plus, an East Greenwich native shares the story of an infamous chestnut battle from his youth. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This isn't "Squid Game," but back in the day chestnut fights were brutal battles in at least one Rhode Island schoolyard. On this week's episode, Ed Fitzpatrick returns to his native Greenville for a showdown with his childhood friend Sue Tremblay. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In late October, North Kingstown High School was rocked by the news that its longtime basketball coach, Aaron Thomas, had been conducting naked “body fat tests” on students for about 25 years.Students, parents, and now the attorney general’s office want to know what happened and how this practice continued for so long. Globe RI journalist Amanda Milkovits has been covering this story since the beginning. She joins us to explain exactly what we know about the controversy. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When CCRI President Meghan Hughes becomes the chair of the Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, will it help students or conflict with their best interests? She talks with Dan McGowan about this new role, what COVID did to enrollment numbers, and her priorities for the college moving forward. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lorén Spears, the executive director of the Tomaquag Museum, gives us some perspective on Thanksgiving. We also talk about an intriguing new exhibit on Indigenous boarding schools, how to better serve Native students, and what should be done with Providence’s Columbus statue. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Providence College Professor Eric Hirsch is sounding the alarm on Rhode Island’s homelessness crisis. He says the governor and the General Assembly have failed to address the record number of people on the streets, while they sit on $1 billion in COVID relief funds. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At a time when information on COVID-19 and kids was nowhere to be found, Brown Economics Professor Emily Oster filled the void. She gave parents advice, advocated for a return to in-person learning, and even developed a database on how COVID has affected schools across the country.Emily joins us to talk about her work, and the latest COVID development: vaccines for children ages 5 to 11.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We go behind the scenes of a haunted house in the town of Johnston, where Michael DeCesare has been scaring the heck out of Rhode Islanders for almost 20 years. Michael is the creator of Deadly Fantasies, Silent Nightmares. It’s a spooky experience he operates out of his own home for free, once a year on Halloween. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.