Scott Sloan was having a bad day in May at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Rain, wind, and heavy air made for poor conditions, and the Wheaton College freshman just wasn’t throwing the javelin well. After his first attempt he was 20th out of 22 competitors, […]
Local
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for July 18, 2025
Welcome back to my Friday column. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/iSzcTrG. *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: Seventeen years ago, during the Great Recession, URI economist Leonard Lardaro […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, South Coast Bureau
The Bristol County DA says it incorrectly declared a 10th person dead in Fall River fire
The Bristol County District Attorney’s office said Friday it had mistakenly announced that a 10th person had died in the fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River. The DA’s office said yesterday that 66-year-old Brenda Cropper had died. But now, the DA said that mistake was due to “a miscommunication with […]
Posted inLocal, Media
Facing cuts to federal public broadcasting, The Public’s Radio & RIPBS weigh next steps
As the Trump administration’s plan to cut federal funding to public radio and television appears poised to come to fruition, local public media outlets like The Public’s Radio & Rhode Island PBS are assessing next steps. Congress this week approved a plan to claw back $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, sending it […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
New Bedford City Council restores funding for the Zeiterion Theatre
The New Bedford City Council voted Thursday night to restore $495,000 in city funds to the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.
The money had been cut from the city budget during a marathon council meeting in June.
Posted inHealth, Labor, Local
Staffing shortages, rise in workplace violence fueling strike at Butler Hospital
Andrew Kimball-Mirzaie had been working at Butler Hospital less than two months when he was attacked by a patient. At 30, Kimball-Mirzaie has the athletic build of someone who looks like he could defend himself if he had to. But he had no reason to think he might be in danger one afternoon in February […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Tickets on sale Friday for first ‘Nashville North’ concert series in Westerly
On Nov. 8, the United Theatre in Westerly will host the first in a series of intimate live shows featuring singer-songwriters from Nashville, presented by the Music City’s legendary Bluebird Cafe. The series is part of the “Nashville North” initiative, which seeks to bring powerful songwriter-driven performances to Rhode Island. The first show will include […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local, South Coast Bureau
City council vote may decide the fate of New Bedford’s Zeiterion Theatre
UPDATE: During its July 17, 2025 meeting, the New Bedford City Council voted to restore $495,000 to the Zeiterion Theatre Inc. The Zeiterion Theatre opened in 1923 as the State Theater, a lavish vaudeville and movie house. It hosted the 1956 premier of “Moby Dick” with the movie’s star, Gregory Peck, in attendance. But by […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, Metro Desk
How an innocent mistake left a Cranston lake strangled by invasive plants
It may look beautiful, but the sacred lotus has been taking over Cranston’s Meshanticut Lake. When the plant native to East Asia (scientific name Nelumbo nucifera) sinks its roots into the lake bottom, it spreads a blanket of green lily pads and purple flowers across the water at a rate that can crowd out native […]
Posted inEconomy, Labor, Local
Remembering Providence’s Arthur A. Coia, longtime labor leader
Arthur A. Coia died last week at age 82. The Providence native was a pioneer in the U.S. labor movement and best-known as a former president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America. Afternoon Host Dave Fallon discussed Coia’s legacy with Scott Malloy, an expert on union history, a professor emeritus at URI, and […]
