This election, South Coast residents will pick candidates for the state legislature, decide on five statewide ballot questions, and vote on a contested Congressional race. Our South Coast Bureau Reporter Ben Berke reviews what you need to know. And we continue our breakdown of Rhode Island’s ballot referenda, this time with question four, a $53 million green economy bond that will go towards green infrastructure, climate resiliency, land conservation, and more. Also, a conversation with Hamilton de Holanda, world-renowned composer and player of the Brazilian bandolim. That and more on this week’s show.
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 inEnvironment, Local
Breaking down the ballot: A $53 million green economy bond
TRANSCRIPT: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: On Nov. 5, Rhode Island voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on five statewide ballot questions. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, we’ll be covering each of those questions in-depth. This time, we focus on question four, which asks […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, South Coast Bureau
Breaking down the South Coast’s competitive elections in 2024
Our South Coast Bureau Reporter Ben Berke broke down the elections on the South Coast with Morning Edition host Luis Hernandez. Transcript: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: So Ben, two years ago, there was a very high profile race for Bristol County Sheriff. Is there a similar race that’s […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
The unique Brazilian jazz of world-renowned bandolim innovator Hamilton de Holanda
Hamilton de Holanda is the world’s foremost player of the Brazilian bandolim, a 10-stringed instrument that he developed by adding an extra two strings to the traditional mandolin. He’s defined his own style of Brazilian jazz, blending a contemporary jazz sound with the regional folk style choro, which centers around the bandolim. De Holanda was a featured performer this past weekend at the University of Rhode Island’s annual Guitar and Mandolin Festival.
Posted inEducation, Environment, Local
A North Providence teacher’s efforts to compost and reduce food waste at school
TRANSCRIPT: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: Three years ago, Katharine Bowers helped establish a composting and food waste reduction program at Birchwood Middle School in North Providence, where she teaches. The program enables students to understand things like food decomposition, energy production and recycling. It’s been so successful that […]
Posted inEnvironment, Housing, The Weekly Catch
Protecting Rhode Island’s coastal refuges, a $120 million housing bond, and more
Rhode Island voters will face five statewide referenda questions on November’s ballot. In the weeks leading up to the election we’ll dig into each of them. This week: should voters approve a $120 million dollar bond to increase the availability of housing, and promote home ownership? Also, the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service paid a visit to Rhode Island in honor of National Wildlife Refuge week. She shares her thoughts on why protecting the area’s refuges is just as important as protecting the shore. Plus, Providence Journal columnist John Kostrzewa discusses a few favorite hikes from his book Walking Rhode Island. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inHousing, Local, Politics
Breaking down the ballot: What you need to know about the $120 million housing bond referendum
TRANSCRIPT: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: On Nov. 5, Rhode Island voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on five statewide ballot questions. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, we’ll be covering each of those questions in-depth. Today, we focus on question three, which asks voters […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
‘Walking Rhode Island’: 40 of the best hikes in the Ocean State
When long-time journalist John Kostrzewa left the Providence Journal in 2017 after decades on the job, he planned to retire. But he found himself feeling like there was more to do. John is an avid hiker, and a few years after leaving the Journal he came back to write a column called Walking Rhode Island. Then he published a book by the same name featuring forty of what he calls “the most scenic, natural, and historic trails in the state.” Morning host Luis Hernandez talked with Kostrzewa about the book, and a few of his favorite hikes for the fall.
Posted inEducation, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Public funding for RIC Cybersecurity Institute, ‘An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare,’ and more
On Oct. 8, 2023, local playwright Sandy Laub started writing. The result was a one-woman play called “Picking Up Stones: An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare.” She sat down with our South County Bureau Reporter Alex Nunes to talk about the play and reflect on the past year. Also, in November, Rhode Island voters will be faced with five statewide ballot questions. Between now and Election Day we’ll break them down for you. This week, it’s question two: a bond measure to fund improvements at URI and Rhode Island College, including building out a new home for RIC’s Cybersecurity institute. Plus, Artscape producer James Baumgartner gives us a tour of Community MusicWorks’ new location. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inBusiness, Local
Massachusetts has been courting Hasbro for months. Can Rhode Island leaders keep them here?
In September, we learned that Hasbro is considering moving its global headquarters to Boston. This week, the Boston Business Journal broke the news that Massachusetts officials have been courting the company for months.
