Rhode Island’s 2025 legislative session is in the books. But the focus for many politics-watchers remains firmly on Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi. Rhode Island PBS reporter Jim Hummel sat down with Shekarchi to reflect on the progress and pitfalls of the legislative session. They discussed several topics, including the state budget, funding for […]
Politics
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 inBusiness, Local, Politics
Steinberg set to leave as chair of RI Life Science Hub
Neil Steinberg has resigned as the voluntary chairman of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub, as the fledgling sector seeks to build on initial successes in the state. While Rhode Island has long lagged Massachusetts in developing a life sciences sector, the effort took on more energy after becoming a priority of House Speaker Joe […]
Posted inEducation, Local, Politics
R.I., Mass. among 25 states suing over Trump freeze in education funding
The attorneys general of Rhode Island and Massachusetts are among the plaintiffs charging that a Trump administration freeze on more than $6 billion in education funding is illegal. Without a detailed explanation, the U.S. Education Department on July 1 blocked the release of $6.8 billion in education grants for states. Twenty-three attorneys general and the […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell announces ‘austerity measures’ in response to budget cuts
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell announced a series of “austerity measures” on Friday. The moves are a response, he said, to the City Council recently cutting $10.2 million out of his proposed city budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Among the service reductions announced were a hiring freeze for non-public safety agencies for the first […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Business, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Payday lending reined in, fish processors face fines for underage workers, and more
Earlier this month, Rhode Island lawmakers finally passed a bill aimed at ending the predatory practices of payday lenders. We’ll look at what the new law means and how it took 15 years to get it passed. Our reporting on underage undocumented children working in New Bedford fishing houses has at least one Massachusetts lawmaker looking at ways to end the practice. Our reporter Ben Berke will describe what he’s found and the response from the fishing industry. On Artscape, a conversation about the fusion of Afro Cuban, Puerto Rican, and New Orleans jazz.
Posted inLocal, Politics
Edward D. DiPrete, former governor of Rhode Island, dies at 91
Edward D. DiPrete, Rhode Island’s 70th governor and the first and only Rhode Island governor ever to go to jail, died this week. DiPrete had just celebrated his 91st birthday with family and friends. “He represented the end of an era,” said Philip West, the former executive director of the ethics watchdog Common Cause. West […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Politics
Stefano Famiglietti wins primary for Ruggerio’s empty North Providence state Senate seat
Stefano V. Famiglietti blew out the competition in a Democratic primary to fill the legislative seat that belonged for over 40 years to former state Senate president Dominick Ruggerio, who died in April. Famiglietti won over 70 percent of the votes cast in the district, according to unofficial results from the Rhode Island Board of […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Economy, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Local tourism slumps under Trump, highlights of the 2025 RI legislative session, and more
In the 2025 Rhode Island General Assembly session, lawmakers passed a major gun law and numerous bills tackling housing and healthcare. We’ll look into what legislators achieved and failed to get done, as well as what to expect in 2026. Also, Trump administration policies are scaring off tourists. Hotels have higher than normal vacancies, and restaurants are closing on certain days due to low traffic. What kind of summer season will we have this year? Plus, thousands in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Cape Verdean independence this weekend. We talk with two people from our region who are being featured at a national celebration in Washington, D.C. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inEconomy, Local, Politics
Matunuck Oyster Bar reopens al fresco
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 […]
