A new commuter train will soon connect New Bedford to Boston. Some residents are worried this could lead to the gentrification of their community. We’ll find out why. Also, we continue our series Renters at Risk and look at why millions of federal dollars are not being used in Rhode Island to protect people from lead in paint. And Providence leaders promise to make roads safer for people on bikes and for pedestrians. We’ll focus on one street that has been extremely dangerous for both – North Main Street. Plus, we’ll have a studio session with local singer/songwriter Allysen Callery.
Mareva Lindo
Mareva joined The Public’s Radio in 2022 and oversees daily news production, writes our Daily Catch newsletter and edits two weekly productions, Artscape and The Weekly Catch.
In 2023, Mareva received two awards from the Public Media Journalists Association for her work with The Public's Radio, including a first-place Multi-Media Presentation award for the 2022 Elections page, and a second-place Short Documentary award for editing and co-production of “The Secret of Chiqui Versace."
A Chicago-made journalist and musician, Mareva strives to document and tell stories driven by community, curiosity, and listening. She is the creator of The Archives podcast at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where in 2017 she conducted an oral history of the school in partnership with StoryCorps. In the past Mareva has reported on public meetings as a City Bureau Documenter, led workshops on podcasting and audio storytelling, and crafted ethnography-based theater as a company member of the Albany Park Theater Project.
She holds a B.A. from Smith College in American Studies with a focus in popular culture. When not at The Public's Radio, she's been known to sing sea shanties and play the fiddle.
Posted inArts And Culture, The Weekly Catch, Transportation
RIPTA CEO on driver raises and possible service cuts, Tidewater Landing’s mounting price tag, and more
This week, RIPTA’s board voted to raise wages for drivers, a move the agency hopes will stave off possible service cuts. We talk with RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian. Also, the Tidewater Landing soccer stadium deal will cost Rhode Islanders tens of millions more than originally planned. Boston Globe reporter Brian Amaral explains how much more taxpayers are on the hook for and why. Plus, on Artscape this week: actor Kali Reis, co-star of the latest season of HBO’s “True Detective.” It’s the third acting role for Reis, a former boxing world champion who was born in Providence and grew up in East Providence. That and more coming up on this episode of The Weekly Catch.
Posted inLocal, Politics
What you need to know to vote in the Massachusetts presidential primary
On March 5, Super Tuesday, voters in Massachusetts and 14 other states will decide on the presidential candidates for the November general election, as well as a handful of other offices that will appear on the ballot. Here’s what you need to know to vote in the Massachusetts presidential primary election. Important dates: How do […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Housing, The Weekly Catch
Renters at risk of lead poisoning, links between housing and public health, and more
For most rental housing, Rhode Island law requires landlords to regularly inspect units and obtain “lead certificates” showing they’re safe from immediate lead hazards like peeling or pulverized paint. But this week, an investigation by The Public’s Radio revealed that landlords rarely face consequences for failing to obtain the certificates. We talk with the reporter behind the investigation, Nina Sparling. And Providence has a new Office of Housing and Human Services. We talk with director Emily Freedman about how the office will guide the city’s strategy around affordable housing and public health. Plus: Political Reporter Ian Donnis on the week in politics; Ukrainian pastor Boris Kroner reflects on the war in Ukraine, two years in; T.F. Green features local artists; and a few tips on what to do this week.
Posted inEpisode, The Weekly Catch
Latest on Brown students’ hunger strike, search for new RI health director, and more
Students at Brown University are a week into a hunger strike. They’re trying to pressure the school’s board to divest from companies they say profit from human rights abuses in Palestine. And Rhode Island has been without a permanent health director for more than two years. The interim director is retiring next month. We’ll find out why it’s so hard to find a new one. Also, Rhode Island’s housing crisis is even worse in rural communities, but one town seems to have found a way forward. Plus, a restaurant in Warren closes its doors. Known for its unique take on Southern-inspired food, it was also home to a community of folk musicians. That and more on this episode of The Weekly Catch.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape, Local
Hunky Dory closes after more than 2 years of serving Southern-inspired food – and cultivating a folk music community
Less than three years after opening, and just months after being featured in The New York Times, Hunky Dory in Warren has closed. The restaurant was known for its unique approach to local, seasonal, Southern-inspired food – but it was also home to a community of folk musicians. Every month on the first and third Wednesdays, […]
Posted inStories, The Weekly Catch
Police misconduct in Fall River, a plan for coastal resiliency in Rhode Island, and more
A Fall River police officer was found guilty this week of covering up a beating at the police station. It’s the second time in less than a year that a city police officer was found guilty of covering up excessive force with false reports. Also, Providence Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez is optimistic about the future of the district, despite lagging test scores and high absenteeism. And Rhode Islanders living near the water are increasingly vulnerable to flooding. A group of lawmakers say we need a statewide plan for coastal resiliency. Plus, our review of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at The Gamm Theatre. And a look back on the week in Rhode Island politics.
Posted inStories, The Weekly Catch
Abuse and neglect allegations at St. Mary’s, repatriating Indigenous human remains, and more
St. Mary’s Home, a place for children seeking drug rehabilitation and psychiatric help in Rhode Island, is under tough scrutiny. A recent report from the Rhode Island Office of the Child Advocate showed that the home was understaffed, and abuse was running rampant. Can the long-time facility be saved? And Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum plans […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape, Local
NEH grants $444K to Tomaquag Museum for new home on URI campus in Kingston
The Tomaquag Museum is Rhode Island’s only museum that’s totally devoted to telling the story of Indigenous peoples from a first-person perspective. Thanks to a substantial grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, it’ll soon have a new home at the University of Rhode Island campus in Kingston. In a conversation with Morning Edition […]
Posted inStories, The Weekly Catch
McKee’s ‘return to reality’ budget, preventing bridge suicides in Rhode Island, and more
After years of advocacy, two state lawmakers are hopeful that 2024 will be the year we see funding for suicide barriers along some Rhode Island bridges – a strategy that’s been effective elsewhere in the U.S. And school shooter drills have become a regular part of life for Rhode Island students. But how are they […]
