After more than two years without a permanent director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Gov. Dan McKee has nominated Dr. Jerome M. Larkin to fill the post. Larkin, 61, is the medical director of inpatient infectious diseases consultation services at Rhode Island Hospital and an associate professor of clinical medicine at Brown University’s […]
DAN MCKEE
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
Rhode Island GOP lambasts Democrats for handling of Washington Bridge
With the demolition and replacement cost for the westbound Washington Bridge rising to more than $400 million, Rhode Island GOP Chairman Joe Powers staged a news conference Tuesday to sharply criticize how a string of Democratic leaders have handled the situation. The administration of Gov. Dan McKee disclosed the $400 million figure on Monday – […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Raimondo and other officials celebrate new NOAA operations center in Middletown
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and a host of other officials celebrated a groundbreaking Monday for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlantic operations center at Naval Station Newport in Middletown. The project represents a windfall of $146 million in federal spending in Rhode Island that will create local construction jobs through a project labor […]
Posted inLocal, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for May 3, 2024
It’s an outrage that the new documentary about the secret apartment at Providence Place has yet to screen in Rhode Island. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Former rival Foulkes tops McKee in Q1 fundraising
Foulkes, a former top executive for CVS Health, remains publicly non-committal about her plans for 2026. But newly filed finance reports show that she raised $203,700 from individual contributors during the first quarter of 2024, bringing her campaign balance to $298,046. McKee’s campaign brought in $104,025 from individuals in the quarter and $18,300 from political […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 26, 2024
We can only wonder how much better the Sox might be without a spate of injuries. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 5, 2024
The state launches a legal probe of what went wrong with the bridge and suddenly the ground shakes. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** […]
Posted inHealth, Local
McKee names new Rhode Island interim health director
Governor Daniel J. McKee announced on Thursday the appointment of an infectious disease specialist who recently joined the Rhode Island Department of Health as its interim director until a permanent hire is finalized. Dr. Staci Fischer worked 15 years at Rhode Island Hospital and oversaw training for medical residents and fellows for Lifespan in her […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Rhode Island Ethics Commission fines former state official for Philadelphia trip
The Rhode Island Ethics Commission on Tuesday fined former state properties head David Patten $5,000 for behavior during a trip to Philadelphia last year that sparked a cascade of negative out-of-state attention. The commission also found probable cause for three of four violations against James Thorsen, formerly the director of the state Department of Administration, […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for March 15, 2024
It’s just a matter of time until Opening Day. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. I’m taking a pre-spring break, so this column will next appear on March 29. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just […]