Every month, the “Weird Island” podcast delivers weird and wonderful stories from Rhode Island, like the origin of the Turk’s Head building, the creation of a gym for women in the 1880s, or the story of the fearless lighthouse keeper of Lime Rock. It’s all the creation of Sara Corben, who started the podcast in 2021. Artscape producer James Baumgartner spoke with her for this week’s show.
James Baumgartner
James produces and engineers Political Roundtable, The Weekly Catch and other special programming on The Public’s Radio. He also produces Artscape, the weekly arts & culture segment heard every Thursday. His favorite part of the job is talking with artists, musicians and other creators about their process and what inspires them.
James learned the basics of audio editing while studying music at Missouri State University. He went on to get a Master of Fine Arts in Electronic Art at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he created electronic music, video art and internet-based media art. While at RPI, James went on the air for the first time, hosting an electronic music show on Rensselaer's station, WRPI, but his love of radio came from staying up late so he could hear punk rock on KKFI, the community radio station in Kansas City, Missouri.
Posted inArts And Culture, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Legislative session preview, LGBTQ rights under Trump, and more
Rhode Island lawmakers return to the capital on Tuesday for a new session. A massive budget deficit, continued troubles with the Washington Bridge, healthcare, and housing remain some of the top issues politicians face in the Ocean State. Our reporters roundtable shares what to watch this legislative session. Also, president-elect Trump has promised to roll back anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, and restrict access to transgender health care. We hear what members of the LGBTQ community can do to prepare. And we look ahead to the year in local arts and culture, and share a few of the productions, concerts and exhibits we’re most excited about. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
What are we looking forward to in arts and culture for 2025?
This week, we’re looking ahead to the next few months in local arts and culture. Here to share what they’re most excited about for the winter and spring of 2025 are Artscape producer James Baumgartner, and Tracy MacDonald, arts and culture executive producer at Rhode Island PBS.
Posted inEnvironment, Technology, The Weekly Catch
Unfunded and unenforced environmental laws, cyber attack fallout, and more
A week after the state announced a massive security breach at Rhode Island’s online portal for health and public benefit programs, a lot of questions remain about who’s responsible and what happens next. We’ll hear from Jim Langevin, the head of the cybersecurity program at Rhode Island College. And a new investigation from ecoRI News found that Rhode Island has many environmental laws on the books that aren’t being funded or enforced. We’ll talk to the reporters behind the story. Plus, a studio session with the Vox Hunters, a trio defined by their affinity for unaccompanied vocal music and the traditional songs of Rhode Island. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
Studio Session: The ‘unhindered joy,’ community spirit and Ocean State pride of The Vox Hunters
The Vox Hunters are a duo-turned-trio defined by their affinity for unaccompanied vocal music, a unique mix of folk influences, and the traditional songs and tunes of Rhode Island.
If you’re a player or a fan of folk music in Rhode Island, there’s a good chance you’ve been to a Vox Hunters show, or attended one of the many community jams and sings they’ve led over the years.
“I would say that our music would fall under the category of social music,” said Ben Gagliardi, one of the two founding members of The Vox Hunters. “It’s music that brings people together. It’s participatory, no one’s really fully in charge. It has something for everyone to experience.”
That focus on the participatory element comes from their own entry into the folk world – each were taken under the wing of older tradition-bearers in the region, and welcomed into folk music spaces when they were young. They play traditional music, but in a way that’s welcoming and inclusive to audiences old and young.
Posted inThe Weekly Catch
A new strategy for overdose prevention, a bid to allow an illegal seawall, and more
Rhode Island is now home to the first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center in the country. Advocates hope the new facility will lead to fewer overdose-related deaths, and more people getting connected with drug treatment. And the Quidnessett Country Club is trying to get retroactive approval for an illegal sea wall that they *already* built. But they hit a hurdle this week with a subcommittee of the state Coastal Resources Management Council. Also, we hear about the centuries-old process of woodblock-printed wallpaper, from the curator of the RISD Museum’s exhibit, “The Art of French Wallpaper.” That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inArts And Culture, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Reproductive rights under Trump, how Democrats lost Fall River, and more
What could Trump’s second presidency mean for reproductive health in Rhode Island? A reproductive rights advocate tells us what they expect, what they’re hearing from people in our communities, and how they’re preparing for the difficult fights ahead. Also, Fall River has been a Democratic stronghold politically for a century. So how did Trump and the Republicans flip it in this past election? Plus, we’ll hear a studio session with two Lithuanian American siblings who have been singing traditional Lithuanian folk music for as long as they can remember. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
Studio Session: Traditional Lithuanian folk songs with Dovas and Vija Lietuvninkas
Lithuanian-American siblings Vija and Dovas Lietuvninkas have been singing traditional Lithuanian folk music since they can remember. “One of my earliest memories in general is of my grandfather singing Lithuanian folk songs to us as we were going to sleep, as lullabies as we’re sleeping over at their houses,” Dovas said. “So, literally from the […]
Posted inEducation, Immigration, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Providence schools budget feud, preparing for Trump’s mass deportation plan, and more
Providence school officials have persistently warned that if the city continues to underfund education, they will have to make some painful cuts. We hear from two PPSD leaders about what’s at stake if they don’t get the additional $10 million they’re asking for. Also, president-elect Trump has vowed to enact what he calls the “largest deportation operation in American history.” The head of a New Bedford advocacy organization tells us what they’re hearing from local immigrants, what people should know, and how to prepare. Plus, we hear about the community that’s formed around a popular weaving class at a Providence library. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
What’s next for the Institute for Cybersecurity at Rhode Island College and RIC President Jack Warner
Rhode Island voters recently approved $73 million in borrowing to enhance the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College. The 60% vote in favor of Question 2 underscores public confidence in the idea that education can help improve the local economy. Voters also approved $87 million for a life sciences center at URI. At Rhode Island College, the man leading the charge is Jack Warner. He is being inaugurated today as RIC’s permanent president after more than two years as interim leader. Warner takes on the role at a time when many Americans wrestle with college-related debt. And with the Trump administration vowing to eliminate the federal Department of Education, Republicans and some other critics believe colleges in America have moved too far to the left. How will these issues affect Rhode Island? Can Rhode Island College really play a bigger role in the state’s economy? And what is Jack Warner’s strategic vision for RIC? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with president of Rhode Island College Jack Warner.
