State coastal regulators had some bad news this week for the North Kingstown country club that’s trying to get permission to construct a seawall where it’s already built one illegally. A subcommittee of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council voted Tuesday to deny the waterfront classification change sought by Quidnessett Country Club. The final […]
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 inArts And Culture, Artscape
Bold, complex, and time-intensive ‘painted paper’ at the RISD Museum
Hundreds of years ago, wallpaper looked very different than the simple repeating patterns we often see today. Originally done on wood blocks, early designs were extremely decorative, colorful, and labor-intensive. “The Art of French Wallpaper Design” is the latest exhibit at the RISD Museum, featuring samples of salvaged wallpapers, fragments and drawings of designs from the 18th and 19th centuries. Morning host Luis Hernandez visited the exhibit to talk with Emily Banas, the museum’s Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design. “The Art of French Wallpaper Design” is on now at the RISD Museum through May 11.
Posted inHealth, Local
An Overdose Prevention Center is coming to Providence. Here’s what the research says about their effectiveness
In an effort to reduce fatal drug overdoses, Providence nonprofit Project Weber/RENEW is planning to cut the ribbon on Tuesday to a new facility at which people will be able to use drugs under medical supervision. When it opens to clients, the “Overdose Prevention Center,” or OPC, will be the first in the U.S. to […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Education, The Weekly Catch
Behind URI’s plan to build more student housing, remembering Bill Gale, and more
Residents in Narragansett and South Kingstown have complained that URI isn’t providing enough housing for its growing student body, affecting the town’s strained housing market. This week, the university announced plans to build more student housing. What will that look like, and will it be enough? Also, author and podcaster Nate DiMeo built up his chops as a storyteller living and working in Providence. He comes back to his hometown this week to discuss his new book, “Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past.” And Tony Estrella of the Gamm Theatre looks back on the life of longtime Rhode Island theater critic Bill Gale, who passed away recently. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inEducation, Housing, Local, South County Bureau
URI plans more student housing. Can that help the housing crunch in South County?
As interest in attending the University of Rhode Island continues to grow, the state’s flagship university said Wednesday it plans to build more student housing. URI plans to lease state land on the Kingston campus to a private developer, which would then build and operate student housing on the land, the university said in a […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
Author Nate DiMeo’s ‘Memory Palace’ conjures imaginary space via real stories
Since 2008, Providence-born writer, podcaster and public radio alum Nate DiMeo has been producing short, narrative essays through his podcast, “The Memory Palace,” featuring real-life stories pulled from lesser known corners of American history. His new book, “The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past,” features nearly 50 stories, some from the podcast, some new, and accompanied for the first time by illustrations and archival photos. Now based in Los Angeles, he’s coming back to Providence on Saturday for a reading at RiffRaff bookstore. DiMeo spoke with morning host Luis Hernandez for this week’s episode of Artscape.
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Remembering theater critic Bill Gale
TRANSCRIPT: The Public’s Radio Morning Edition host Luis Hernandez spoke with Tony Estrella, artistic director of The Gamm Theatre in Warwick, about Bill Gale’s work and impact. This transcript was edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Tony, great to have you back. Tony Estrella: Thanks for having me. Hernandez: I never got to meet […]
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 inHealth, Local
How will a second Trump term affect reproductive health in RI?
Donald Trump’s first presidency led to restrictions on funding for reproductive health organizations like Planned Parenthood and to the nomination of Supreme Court justices who two years ago struck down federal abortion rights. Gretchen Raffa, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer of Planned Parenthood Votes Rhode Island, spoke to us about what to expect from Trump’s […]
Posted inLocal
Rhode Island FC one win away from first-year championship
Rhode Island FC is the newest professional sports team in the Ocean State. It’s part of the United Soccer League. The team is so new, it had to play its home games at a university field until its permanent home in Pawtucket is finished, which is slated for next spring. The team, in its inaugural […]
