A $95.3 billion package passed Tuesday by the U.S. Senate includes what supporters call critical aid for Ukraine and Israel. U.S. Senator Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is among those who voted for the package. Reed spoke about the aid package with The Public’s Radio political reporter Ian Donnis. The following […]
Local
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape, Local
Studio session: Gian Carlo Buscaglia sings songs of romance and social justice
This week on Artscape: a studio session with Gian Carlo Buscaglia. The Pawtucket-based singer and guitarist got his start performing Latin American ballads and songs of social justice in the streets of Harvard Square in the 1980s. “Very bohemian, a lot of jugglers, clowns, different musicians,” Buscaglia said of that time. “Tracy Chapman was around that time playing in the streets of Harvard Square. So it was a very magical time.”
Posted inArticle, Local, Metro Desk
Pro-Palestinian encampments at Brown University grow
As of 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, no arrests at the encampments had been made, although Brown University had promised it would take disciplinary action against students who break school policy while protesting on campus. Students with the group behind the encampments, Brown Divest Coalition, say the number of students participating in the encampment grew from about […]
Posted inHealth, Local
What will it take to fix the growing labor crisis in Rhode Island nursing homes?
Rhode Island nursing homes are struggling. Staffing shortages, employee burnout, and serious financial challenges have been problems since before the pandemic – but all have gotten significantly worse in recent years, leading to an uptick in things like neglect and preventable deaths. Morning Edition Host Luis Hernandez spoke about the issues with Elizabeth White, Assistant […]
Posted inBusiness, Local
Attorney general approves merger of The Public’s Radio and Rhode Island PBS
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Tuesday that he has approved the merger of the state’s two public media organizations, The Public’s Radio and Rhode Island PBS. As part of a 421-page decision, Neronha determined that the combining of the two entities will constitute a public benefit. “Public media contributes uniquely and substantially to […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 19, 2024
School vacation week made for some swift journeys across the Washington Bridge. 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 THE WEEK: As the […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Politics
Highlights from Smiley’s balanced budget
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley unveiled his proposed budget for 2025 on Wednesday evening, proposing a 3% increase from last year’s budget of $598.6 million. Although the budget, which the mayor says is balanced, will look fairly similar to last year’s, the mayor is proposing several notable changes, including funding the Providence Public School District at […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
RIPTA board approves $67K severance for ex-CEO Scott Avedisian
Scott Avedisian’s exit as CEO of RIPTA became official Tuesday when the public transit agency’s board unanimously approved a severance agreement that includes a payment of $67,800. The payment consists of $45,500 for 13 weeks of wages and $22,400 for accrued vacation time. Avedisian, who did not attend the meeting, has been RIPTA’s CEO since […]
Posted inLocal, On Sports
Christina Batastini has seen it all in women’s basketball
Christina Batastini, one of Rhode Island’s best basketball players ever, remembers the days when girls lived their hoop dreams through CYO and town recreation leagues or, if they were lucky, high school, and if really lucky, college. Those days 35 years ago were better than the Dark Ages of the first half of the 20th […]
Posted inHealth, Housing, Local
Why a Central Falls pediatrician decided to invest in affordable housing
Since Dr. Beata Nelken opened Jenks Parks Pediatrics in Central Falls in 2020, she has noticed a pattern. Many of the medical conditions her patients face can be traced back to the same problem: housing. “ I can treat your asthma, but how can I make a dent if you’re going home to a moldy kitchen […]
