Rhode Island Report

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.

Governor Dan McKee joins us in the studio to talk about his first seven months as governor and his plan for spending $1.1 billion in federal COVID relief funds. He also fires back at critics of his administration's decision to award a lucrative education contract to ILO, a consulting firm with ties to his long-term ally. 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 Rhode Island Political Cooperative aims to run up to fifty progressives for local and statewide offices, but not all progressives are onboard with its approach. The group has been criticized for challenging liberal incumbents and supporting candidates with questionable social media posts. One of the Coop’s co-founders, Jennifer Rourke, joins us to clarify what the group is all about.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Papitto Opportunity Connection is a new foundation that’s dedicated to supporting nonprofits and businesses in local communities of color. In its first 10 months, the organization has given away more than 7 million dollars. We talk to the founder, Barbara Papitto, and Arnell Milhouse, a member of the foundation’s advisory board.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Five Democrats are competing in next week’s primary to be the new senator for the east side of Providence. What’s the difference between the candidates? What factors will affect who wins? And why should the rest of the state care? Globe columnist Dan McGowan helps us sort it all out. 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.

Jorge Elorza has a big campaign account and plenty of name recognition. So why did he pull out of the governor's race? Ed Fitzpatrick talks to the mayor about his decision, what’s next for him politically, and what he’ll do with his remaining time in office. 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.

Tens of thousands of people have escaped Afghanistan after the take-over by the Taliban. And up to 250 of them might be headed to Rhode Island. Ed Fitzpatrick talks with Omar Bah, the head of an organization that plans to help them, and Negina Sadat, who made the very same journey six years ago. 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.

Brown University professor Baylor Fox-Kemper, a lead author of a new United Nations climate report, sits down with Globe RI's Brian Amaral to talk about rising seas, the potential impact on Rhode Island, and what Rhode-Islanders can do to stem the tide. 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.

Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson was the first Black woman to serve on Rhode Island's district and superior courts. She has served on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston since 2010, and was the first Black judge and second woman on the that court. Judge Thompson discusses what she learned from her family, why the judicial system must reflect society, and how she came to write such distinctive opinions. 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 the wake of Tropical Storm Henri, Ed Fitzpatrick talks to two guests about what was -- and what could have been. Globe RI reporter Carlos Muñoz describes what it felt like on the ground as the storm barreled into the coastline. Marc Pappas, director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, discusses the statewide impact, and how it could have been far worse. 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.

One hundred and twenty-nine people were exonerated of crimes in the United States last year, meaning they were cleared of their guilt and set free after wrongful convictions. Scott Hornoff is one such exoneree. In 2003, he was released from prison after spending more than six years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, he’s the advocate behind a new Rhode Island law that will provide money and support for people who have suffered the same fate. Hornoff sits down with Globe RI’s Amanda Milkovits to discuss his own experience and what the state owes people like him.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ocean Staters pride themselves on the state’s beautiful coastline and summers on the water. But, in actuality, only a fraction of Rhode Island’s beaches are accessible to the public. And when the majority of an area is privatized or locally restricted, it inevitably means some communities are being left out. Ed Fitzpatrick talks with Globe RI reporter Brian Amaral about the history of beach access in Rhode Island, and what needs to change to make coastal privileges more equitable. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last year, less than eight percent of state business contracts were awarded to minority owned enterprises. That’s below the ten percent marker promised by the state, and could mean a hefty loss of income for minority owned businesses already struggling to keep up with white-owned competitors. Ed Fitzpatrck talks with Rep. Karen Alzate about the needs of minority owned businesses, and what’s top of mind for the state’s legislative Black and Latino caucus.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With August marking the 56th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Ed Fitzpatrick sits down with veteran civil rights leader Clifford Montiero. At 83, Montiero has spent more than 60 years fighting for equal voting rights in Rhode Island and across the country. But there's so much more work to be done, he says. 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.

Every year, the Newport Folk and Jazz festivals take over Fort Adams in Newport for two unforgettable celebrations of music and community. Every year, that is, except last year, when COVID forced their cancellation. Jay Sweet, executive producer and director of the Newport festivals, talks about getting through a rough 2020; how the festivals will be different this summer; and what he’s most excited about as he welcomes musicians and fans back to Fort Adams. 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.

Dan McGowan talks with Angélica Infante-Green about how the pandemic changed our understanding of student learning, where Rhode Island should spend federal education dollars, and whether she’d be willing to send her own children to Providence schools. 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 the last month, the Atlantic Shark Institute has tagged more great white sharks off the coast of Rhode Island than they have in any year prior. Globe Rhode Island reporter Amanda Milkovits talks with Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, about his decades-long passion for sharks, the important role these animals play in the health of the ocean, and what shark behavior can tell us about climate change.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Peter Neronha has been Rhode Island's attorney general since January 2019, working on big-news topics like gun violence, hate crimes, and police misconduct. Ed Fitzpatrick talks with the attorney general about growing trends in violent crime, the argument for getting body cameras on all Rhode Island police officers, and what the state needs to do better to address crimes rooted in bigotry and bias.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker of the Rhode Island House Joseph Shekarchi is wrapping up his first term in what many call the most powerful position in state government, leading the Legislature through its first full session in the pandemic. Ed Fitzpatrick talks with the speaker about the biggest issues facing the state, including marijuana legalization, charter schools, and what to do about towns that resist affordable housing.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a member of the state’s COVID-19 Equity Council, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez has made it his mission to ensure every Rhode Islander, regardless of neighborhood, income or identity, has access to accurate pandemic resources, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Rodriguez joins Ed Fitzpatrick to discuss COVID’s disproportionate impact on Rhode Island’s Latino population, what needs to be done to combat vaccine misinformation, and what the pandemic has taught us about the deeply rooted social conditions leading to disparities in public health.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sabina Matos is Rhode Island's 17th lieutenant governor. She's also the first woman of color to hold the second-highest office in the state. She talks about how her background and experience inform her work at the State House, how NIMBYism impedes affordable housing, and how she plans to run as a team with Governor Dan McKee in 2022. 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 governor Gina Raimondo has been a household name in Rhode Island for years. Now, as U.S. commerce secretary, she's packing her bags for Washington to help President Joe Biden deliver on his economic agenda. Ed Fitzpatrick talks to Raimondo about what she’ll miss most about Rhode Island, how she’s trying to win over Republicans in Congress, and what the U.S. should be doing about economic aggression from China. 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.

A new weekly podcast from The Boston Globe on the biggest stories 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.