If April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring? 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: Rhode Island House […]
Ian Donnis
One of the state’s top political reporters, Ian Donnis joined The Public’s Radio in 2009. Ian has reported on Rhode Island politics since 1999, arriving in the state just two weeks before the FBI raided City Hall and Buddy Cianci’s East Side home. Ian covers breaking news, develops in-depth features and investigative reports, and welcomes a range of newsmakers to “Political Roundtable” each week. He also writes our Friday political newsletter and maintains a strong social media presence.
For many years, Ian was a panelist on WPRI-TV’s Sunday morning public affairs show, Newsmakers, and he’s a regular guest on A Lively Experiment on Rhode Island PBS. His previous experience includes serving as news editor of The Providence Phoenix and as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. He has a BS in journalism from Boston University.
Outside of work, Ian enjoys baseball, cooking, and exploring Rhode Island.
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Rhode Island House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski on the housing crisis, state revenue, pensions and more
Rhode Island has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to address the state’s housing crisis. Despite that, there are few tangible signs of progress so far, and there’s pushback from some cities and towns and even from some Democratic lawmakers. At the same time, the gusher of federal COVID aid that enabled consecutive state budget surpluses has dried up. Because of that, large deficits once again loom ahead in future fiscal years. And Rhode Island continues to struggle with issues like underperforming schools and the quest for a more vibrant economy. So what will it take to make more progress on key issues like the housing crisis and the state’s fiscal outlook? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with the number two official in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Majority Leader Christopher Blazejewski.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
On a lopsided vote, the Rhode Island House passes a bill to overhaul police discipline
A bill overhauling how Rhode Island police departments handle misconduct cleared an important hurdle Thursday, clearing the House of Representatives on a 58-to-14 vote, although supporters and critics clashed on whether the legislation goes far enough to ensure public accountability. Efforts to change the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, or LEOBOR, were a non-starter […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
Rhode Island GOP lambasts Democrats for handling of Washington Bridge
With the demolition and replacement cost for the westbound Washington Bridge rising to more than $400 million, Rhode Island GOP Chairman Joe Powers staged a news conference Tuesday to sharply criticize how a string of Democratic leaders have handled the situation. The administration of Gov. Dan McKee disclosed the $400 million figure on Monday – […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Raimondo and other officials celebrate new NOAA operations center in Middletown
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and a host of other officials celebrated a groundbreaking Monday for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlantic operations center at Naval Station Newport in Middletown. The project represents a windfall of $146 million in federal spending in Rhode Island that will create local construction jobs through a project labor […]
Posted inLocal, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for May 3, 2024
It’s an outrage that the new documentary about the secret apartment at Providence Place has yet to screen in Rhode Island. 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 […]
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Brown professor Tricia Rose on how views of a colorblind America inhibit efforts to fight racism
As someone who grew up in Harlem and the Bronx, Brown University professor Tricia Rose has had a front row seat on the racial fault lines in American society. Her latest book is Metaracism — How Systemic Racism Devastates Black Lives — And How We Break Free. Rose’s book offers a new view of structural racism, how it works, and what is needed to make change. So are Americans ready to acknowledge the persistence of racism and how it affects our country? And how is the outlook for improving the situation in the heat of a high-stakes political year? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with director of Brown University’s Center for the Study and Race and Ethnicity in America Tricia Rose.
Posted inLocal, Politics
Former rival Foulkes tops McKee in Q1 fundraising
Foulkes, a former top executive for CVS Health, remains publicly non-committal about her plans for 2026. But newly filed finance reports show that she raised $203,700 from individual contributors during the first quarter of 2024, bringing her campaign balance to $298,046. McKee’s campaign brought in $104,025 from individuals in the quarter and $18,300 from political […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Municipal leaders renew concerns about unfunded state mandates
With the General Assembly approaching the final months of the legislative session, mayors and town managers urged the legislature Monday to not impose new unfunded mandates on Rhode Island cities and towns. The local officials said they are contending with tight budgets and that additional spending required by legislation would make things worse. “When we […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 26, 2024
We can only wonder how much better the Sox might be without a spate of injuries. 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 […]