The Providence-based nonprofit and three other arts organizations won a lawsuit, with the help of the local ACLU, against the Trump administration’s campaign targeting ‘gender ideology.’
Luis Hernandez
Luis helms the morning lineup. He is a 20-year public radio veteran, having joined The Public's Radio in 2022. That journey has taken him from the land of Gators at the University of Florida to WGCU in Fort Myers to KNPR in Las Vegas and then to WLRN in Miami.
Luis sees himself as a journalist and an entertainer, which is what drives him every morning—bringing more local news to the listeners and doing it in an interesting and sometimes fun way.
He also co-hosts Artscape and hosts The Weekly Catch. In his spare time, Luis is working on a couple of novels, a couple of podcasts and is getting back into painting.
Posted inHealth, Local
With food insecurity on the rise in Rhode Island, local food banks struggle to meet the demand
The number of Rhode Islanders who lack access to enough food has reached a five-year high; over a third of state residents are experiencing food insecurity, according to a recent report from the Brown University School of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island. Local food banks across the state say they are […]
Posted inHealth, Housing, Local
As more Rhode Island children fall into poverty, advocates say ‘we need to do something now’
The number of children living in poverty and without health insurance coverage in the Ocean State went up significantly last year, according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Many local child advocates blame federal changes to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Child Tax Credit. Paige Parks, executive director of Rhode […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Metro Desk
Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien says Hasbro’s exit to Boston a loss, but not a surprise, as the city looks ahead
Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said Wednesday that the city is bracing for the impact of Hasbro’s decision to relocate its headquarters from Rhode Island to Boston next year, a move he described as disappointing, but not surprising. In an interview with The Public’s Radio’s Luis Hernandez, Grebien recalled finding out about the move only after […]
Posted inHealth, Local
As calls increase, Rhode Island’s 988 crisis line is ‘ready to answer that phone’
In Rhode Island, the suicide and crisis hotline call center received over 1,500 calls in July. That’s a more than 200% increase from when 988 first launched. What’s behind the massive spike in local calls? And how do counselors help Rhode Islanders who contact the lifeline? Morning host Luis Hernandez talked with Joe Ash, administrative director of the 988 Call Center in Rhode Island.
Posted inEnvironment, Local
What are the biggest challenges facing farmers in Rhode Island?
When people think of states where farming and agriculture is big business, Rhode Island probably isn’t top of mind. But the Ocean State is home to poultry and dairy farms, nurseries and greenhouses, and aquaculture. And while consumer demand for fresh, local foods has increased in recent years, farmers in Rhode Island are still facing […]
Posted inHealth, Local
Who can get a COVID vaccination in Rhode Island?
Rhode Islanders looking to get their updated COVID vaccinations are often left with more questions than answers. And some people may find it harder to get the shot. The Public’s Radio morning host Luis Hernandez spoke with health reporter Lynn Arditi about what we know right now about getting COVID shots in Rhode Island. Interview […]
Posted inEducation, Local
Tina O’Brien, Rhode Island’s History Teacher of the Year, on the importance of creating lifelong learners
While history has always been a staple subject in American classrooms, it’s not always easy for teachers to get students excited about studying the past. But North Providence High School educator Tina O’Brien has developed an approach to teaching history that she says encourages her students to become lifelong learners. Her efforts were recognized last […]
Posted inEducation, Environment, Local
Amid pressure to retract his research, a Brown University professor says it’s important to ‘be brave’
An environmental studies professor at Brown University is at the center of a fight that he says underscores the politics of wind energy. J. Timmons Roberts and the Climate and Development Lab at Brown he leads published work documenting the connections between the fossil fuel industry and groups opposed to offshore wind farms. Now, a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Transit advocates fear RIPTA ‘death spiral’ after service cuts
Riders and transit activists say that the cuts will ultimately undermine bus service in the state and lead to even lower ridership.
