Sipping an ice cold beer at the bar, Andrew Ferrandino was philosophical about the new Matunuck Oyster Bar. “It’s great,” he said. “Actually, the view is even better than the old one!” The bar now occupies one corner of a pavilion tent set up in what used to be the valet parking lot. But it […]
Local
Posted inEconomy, Environment, Local
Jamestown has a drinking water problem. Could it have been avoided?
This story is part of our series One Storm Away: How climate change is threatening drinking water on the Ocean State’s islands When Christina DiMeglio decided to move back home to Rhode Island in 2016, she thought she’d found the perfect house on Conanicut Island. It has a wide backyard with sweeping views of the East […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Chorus of Westerly founder George Kent remembered as ‘Rhode Island’s music man’
George Kent, founder and longtime music director of the Chorus of Westerly, died June 17 at age 88. Kent also served as organist and choirmaster at Christ Church in Westerly for nearly 60 years, and was a former assistant conductor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Artscape producer James Baumgartner spoke about Kent’s legacy with […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for June 27, 2025
Enjoy summer while we can — it will be gone in a flash. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. A quick program note: I’m taking some time off, so this column will next appear on July 18. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
R.I. bill banning the sale of ‘assault weapons’ becomes law
Rhode Islanders buying or selling rapid-fire, military-style rifles could land in prison for 10 years or face a $10,000 fine, under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Dan McKee. “This is progress today and it will make Rhode Island safe for our families and our neighbors,” McKee said at a statehouse signing ceremony crowded […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Politics
McKee distances himself from R.I.’s new budget
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has a message to voters who might not be happy about all the new taxes and fees in the state budget for the new fiscal year starting next week: Don’t blame him. “Talk to your General Assembly members,” he suggested, at a roundtable with reporters on Smith Hill on Wednesday. […]
Posted inLocal, South Coast Bureau, Transportation
Extreme heat forces closure of New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge
The extreme heat wave this week has forced the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge to close for a second day in a row, halting marine traffic into the nation’s highest-earning fishing port and forcing cars and trucks to avoid a main artery into the South Coast city. Starting on Tuesday as temperatures creeped above 100 degrees, the […]
Posted inLocal, Media
Pending Senate vote could eliminate federal funding for local public media
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure to rescind already-approved funds for public media across the country. For the Public’s Radio & Rhode Island PBS, that would mean losing about 10% of our budget. The Senate hasn’t yet approved the rescissions package, but if they do, it would threaten our ability […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
R.I. Gov. Dan McKee on the state budget, the life sciences economy and the new legislation on his desk
State officials In Rhode Island hope the life-sciences will propel new economic growth in the state. But there are challenges along the way. The Public’s Radio political reporter Ian Donnis met with Governor Dan McKee to discuss that and other economic and political questions. They talked at the new State Health Lab which is under construction in Providence.
Posted inEducation, Health, Local
Union workers at Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s vote to authorize strike
The union representing roughly 2,500 nurses and other health care workers at Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital on Tuesday voted to authorize a strike, though the union stopped short of filing the mandatory 10-day strike notice. The United Nurses and Allied Professionals Local 5098 has been negotiating with the hospitals’ operator, Brown University […]
