St. Mary’s Home, a place for children seeking drug rehabilitation and psychiatric help in Rhode Island, is under tough scrutiny. A recent report from the Rhode Island Office of the Child Advocate showed that the home was understaffed, and abuse was running rampant. Can the long-time facility be saved? And Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum plans […]
Stories
Posted inStories, The Weekly Catch
McKee’s ‘return to reality’ budget, preventing bridge suicides in Rhode Island, and more
After years of advocacy, two state lawmakers are hopeful that 2024 will be the year we see funding for suicide barriers along some Rhode Island bridges – a strategy that’s been effective elsewhere in the U.S. And school shooter drills have become a regular part of life for Rhode Island students. But how are they […]
Posted inHousing, Local, Political Roundtable, Politics, Stories
RIPEC’s Michael DiBiase on RI’s tougher budget climate – and the fallout for schools, housing, healthcare and transportation
The gravy train is over. That sums up how Rhode Island’s fiscal landscape is in transition. In recent years, a gusher of federal COVID aid fueled consecutive budget surpluses. Now, however, the state is returning to a time of bigger disparities between needs and available money. Governor Dan McKee yesterday unveiled his budget proposal for the fiscal year starting July first. The General Assembly will now spend months reviewing the governor’s plans and incorporating its own changes. Among those closely following the process are the business-backed fiscal watchdog group, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, and RIPEC President and CEO Michael DiBiase.
Posted inCriminal Justice, South Coast Bureau, Stories
Anonymous letters shake up old cases in a New Bedford courthouse
An attorney has filed motions for a new trial in two cases on behalf of the state’s public defender agency, which he said is conducting a larger review of hundreds of cases overseen by a judge accused in anonymous letters of having an inappropriate relationship with a criminal prosecutor.
Posted inStories
Behind the Watch Hill lighthouse transfer, regulating short-term rentals, and more
Despite months of pushback from local fishermen and shoreline access advocates, the Watch Hill Lighthouse in Westerly is now in the hands of a private nonprofit, with no guarantee of public access. And Rhode Island is home to a lot of short-term rentals, via sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Opponents say they can be disruptive, and contribute to the long-term housing shortage. We hear from the chair of a new State House commission that’s looking at the impact of short-term rentals on local communities. Plus, a look ahead to the year in politics, starting with the latest from Rhode Island’s General Assembly. That and more coming up on The Weekly Catch.
Posted inHealth, Labor, Local, Stories
Women & Infants Hospital front-line workers say staffing shortages are straining patient care
Unionized nurses and other frontline caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital are calling on management to address staffing shortages that are expected to be especially acute during the holidays. “Right now there’s such a nursing shortage that it’s very hard to even staff this hospital appropriately,’’ Dana Carcieri, a nurse who worked 26 years in […]
Posted inHealth, Local, Stories
‘Tis the season for viruses, but Rhode Island doctor says common sense can keep people healthy
The holidays are upon us and so are some unwelcome guests: COVID-19, the flu and the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV are all circulating this season in what Dr. Philip Chan, a medical director for the Rhode Island Department of Health, calls a “tripledemic.” He talked with Health Reporter Lynn Arditi about the viruses and […]
Posted inArticle, Business, Local, Metro Desk, Stories, Transportation
First day of free ferry service between Bristol and Providence sees low ridership, but enthusiastic passengers
Dec. 21 was the opening day of a free ferry between Bristol and Providence. The state started the temporary service to help ease traffic following the closure of the I-195 Bridge connecting the east bay and Providence. It was a brisk but still dawn in Providence as the first passengers filtered off the first boat […]
Posted inLocal, South County Bureau, Stories
Weekapaug Fire District takes new legal action against Westerly and Rhode Island
The Weekapaug Fire District filed a lawsuit in Rhode Island Superior Court on Dec. 6, arguing the state’s review of the Sand Trail at the Quonochontaug Barrier Beach for potential designation as a public right-of-way to the ocean should be closed by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Weekapaug’s suit says the review that […]
Posted inLocal, Stories
Without a work permit, a young migrant in New Bedford worries about her debt
Alondra was a bit nervous. Wearing a dress she borrowed from a friend, she was called up to speak in front of more than 300 people at a banquet celebrating the 15th anniversary of a labor advocacy group in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The 16-year-old from Guatemala made a plea to the audience, which included officials […]
