In this final episode before Nov. 5, we’ll be talking all about the election. With just four days left, what can we expect in Rhode Island, and what do we know about how the outcome will affect our region? Political reporter Ian Donnis and political scientist Adam Myers will break it down. Also, five students at Johnson & Wales University tell us what they’re feeling and thinking about as they make their voting decisions. Plus, what exactly is on the Rhode Island ballot? We’ll walk through the last statewide ballot question, which asks voters to approve a $10 million bond for arts and culture. That and more on this week’s show.
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 inEnvironment, Politics, The Weekly Catch
South Coast elections preview, Rhode Island’s $53 million green economy bond, and more
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.
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 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 inArts And Culture, Politics, The Weekly Catch
How CVS changes may affect RI, constitutional convention controversy, and more
This week, CVS Health announced it will be laying off nearly 3,000 employees nationwide, and is exploring breaking up parts of its business. We’ll talk about how these changes may affect the state and its Woonsocket-based headquarters. Also, there are five questions for Rhode Island voters on this year’s ballot. This week we’ll look at question one: should the state host a constitutional convention? We’ll break down what that would mean, and why it’s become such a hot topic across the political spectrum. And the local theater season is ramping up. We’ll talk about some of the most exciting plays coming up this fall. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inEducation, Labor, The Weekly Catch
Child labor law violations in Fall River, behind the failed Star Store-UMass Dartmouth deal, and more
A seafood processing plant in Fall River is at the heart of a new lawsuit that claims the plant employed underage migrant workers – and says the teens were exposed to potentially dangerous conditions. The suit comes a year after an investigation by The Public’s Radio into possible child labor violations at seafood processors in New Bedford. Also, a year after UMass Dartmouth abruptly closed its arts campus at the Star Store in New Bedford, an investigation by the Massachusetts Inspector General gives us a clearer picture of what exactly happened and who’s to blame. And we hear a studio session with Providence-based jazz combo, the Leland Baker Trio. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inBusiness, Shoreline Access, The Weekly Catch
What the loss of Hasbro would mean for Rhode Island, Westerly taxpayers call for new town solicitor, and more
What would it mean if Hasbro left Rhode Island? News broke this week that the company is considering moving their headquarters to the Boston area. Political Reporter Ian Donnis talks about what’s at stake. Also, Westerly’s town solicitor is facing scrutiny over work related to the Watch Hill Lighthouse, which was transferred in January to a private nonprofit amidst public outcry. Our South County Bureau reporter Alex Nunes gives us an update. And we talk to the co-creators of “Scandalous Conduct: A Fairy Extravaganza,” a musical documentary inspired by the Newport Navy sex scandal of 1919. That and more coming on this week’s show.
Posted inEducation, Housing, The Weekly Catch
Remembering Alan Shawn Feinstein, Woonsocket homeowners regain protections, and more
For years Woonsocket homeowners didn’t have the same foreclosure prevention tools as the rest of Rhode Island. After an investigation by The Public’s Radio, that is finally changing. Our Nina Sparling will give us the update. Also, Alan Shawn Feinstein had a profound impact on the lives of thousands of young people in the Ocean State. We’ll meet a couple of them in a remembrance of one of Rhode Island’s most prolific philanthropists. And affordable live/work housing for artists in Providence is a rarity these days. So, where do artists live and work today? And when housing is so scarce for everyone, why is it important to have affordable spaces for artists? That and more on this episode of The Weekly Catch.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape
Live/work: How the housing shortage threatens Providence’s identity as the ‘creative capital’
The old mill buildings of the Olneyville and Valley neighborhoods in Providence were once the home to hundreds of artists. Back in the 1990s, space was cheap in the old mills and many artists were happy to live and work in these run-down post-industrial spaces. But starting in the early aughts, artists faced evictions as many of those buildings were torn down or converted to luxury loft apartments or condos. So what’s available now?
Posted inLocal, Politics
Highlights: Sept. 10 Rhode Island state primary
READ MORE: Hopkins cruises to victory over Fenton-Fung in Cranston Live updates Race calls are based on reports from the Associated Press, unless otherwise noted. Results are preliminary and subject to certification by the Board of Elections.
