Bartholomewtown

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive into the fascinating process behind the documentary "Paralyzed by Hope," which unpacks Maria Bamford's journey through mental health, grief, and resilience. Neil Berkeley, co-director, shares insights on storytelling choices, the impact of environment on mental health, and the power of comedy to reveal life's hardest truths. Key Topics:...

Send us Fan Mail Small Business and Job Creation in Rhode Island: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth GUESTS: Nina Pande , Skills RI Matt Spoehr, SBA Jim Cohill, Bank Newport This episode explores the critical role of small businesses in Rhode Island's economic landscape. Featuring insights from leaders across banking, workforce development, and government, it emphasizes collaborative efforts t...

Send us Fan Mail Unveiling Climate Storytelling: The Power of Coalition and Communication This episode explores how documentary filmmaking can illuminate environmental crises and foster coalition-building across diverse worlds — from scientists and religious leaders to policymakers and journalists. Abby Ellis, director of The Lake , shares insights on addressing complex ecological issues through c...

Send us Fan Mail Title: Providence Rent Stabilization Debate: Insights from City Council President Rachel Miller This episode delves into the complex political and social dynamics surrounding rent stabilization in Providence, Rhode Island. City Council President Rachel Miller shares her perspective on the ongoing debate, the influence of special interests, and the urgent need to prioritize residen...

Send us Fan Mail Is Rhode Island’s "boring" election cycle finally heating up? Dan McGowan ( The Boston Globe ) joins Bill Bartholomew to break down a week of major shifts in the Ocean State. They discuss why the Providence mayoral race is seeing a policy divide unlike any in recent history, the "new kid on the block" energy of Ken Block’s independent run for Governor, and the...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island Politics Spotlight: Providence Mayoral Race & Governor's Race Analysis In this episode, we explore the key developments shaping Rhode Island’s political landscape — from the contentious Providence mayoral race to the emerging significance of independent candidate Ken Block in the governor’s race. Understand how recent polling, election strategies, and voter s...

Send us Fan Mail Bill Bartholomew welcomes independent Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Ken Block. Key topics:   Ken Block's background in software engineering and political activism   His previous efforts to create a centrist political party and advocacy for good government   The surprising and personal journey leading to his gubernatorial run   The disconnect and lack of traction among...

Send us Fan Mail Every gravestone is a sentence. Every cemetery is a story. And Rhode Island — one of the oldest corners of the country — has more of those stories per square mile than almost anywhere in America. This week, preservationist Deb Suggs joins us to make the case that historic cemeteries aren't just resting places for the dead — they're primary sources, open to anyone willing...

Send us Fan Mail Half Street Group ’s Mike Raia joins the show to break down how independent gubernatorial candidate Ken Block entering the race could disrupt the strategies of Governor Dan McKee and challenger Helena Foulkes. We dig into whether Block plays the role of a “spoiler,” how similar candidates have performed historically in Rhode Island politics, and what this unique election cycle cou...

Send us Fan Mail Bill Bartholomew sits down with Christopher Gavin of the The Boston Globe to unpack the controversy surrounding a Ukrainian solidarity mural in Providence—and how a local story can quickly become part of a much larger national narrative. What began as a piece of public art tied to global events soon sparked questions about public space, messaging, and civic process. But as the rea...

Send us Fan Mail Following a newportFILM presented screening of The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist at The Jane Pickens Theater Bill Bartholomew moderates an expert panel on AI's growth and impact on Rhode Island. David Altounian (Associate Professor, Business & Economics, Salve Regina University),  Timothy H. Henry (Chair, Computer Science and Information Systems, Institute for...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Amy Nunn — CEO of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and Open Door Health — joins Bill Bartholomew for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of public health in Rhode Island. Dr. Nunn shares what she’s watching most closely in healthcare policy and politics across the state, including growing concerns about Rhode Island’s primary care shortage and what it mean...

Send us Fan Mail Nikolas Gvosdev, a national security fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and professor at the U.S. Naval War College, and speaking on his own behalf, joins Bill Bartholomew to examine how The Iran War could impact Rhode Island—both in the immediate term and over the long haul. The conversation explores the economic ripple effects of global conflict, including energy pr...

Send us Fan Mail Preserving the Past: Culture, Power and the Stories That Shape a Nation As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, join JWU’s Cultural Life Series for a timely conversation on who preserves history — and why it matters. Drawing on Rhode Island’s revolutionary past and framed by the broader American experience, this discussion examines how culture, power and perspective...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Title: Reason & Freedom: Rhode Island’s Next Chapter Description: A conversation with Rhode Island Atheists' Brian Cardoza and John Mertus about the state’s first-ever Day of Reason, the meaning of secular advocacy in a place defined by religious freedom, and the group’s growing role in civic and political life. Topics Covered: Rhode Island’s first Day of Reason T...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island’s proposed Rhode Island Green Bond includes funding for climate resilience, parks, and water infrastructure — but no money for land conservation . Two leading environmental organizations say that omission could halt decades of progress protecting farmland, forests, and community open space. In a recent op-ed, Jeffrey Hall of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Kat...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha joins Bartholomewtown to discuss his office’s newly released report detailing decades of child sexual abuse allegations within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence . The investigation identified more than 130 alleged abusers and hundreds of victims , with cases spanning generations. Neronha explains how investigators assembled the re...

Send us Fan Mail Food insecurity affects thousands of Rhode Islanders—but the issue is often misunderstood. This week on the show, Amanda Missimer , a nutrition professor at the University of Rhode Island , joins the conversation to discuss the scope of food insecurity in Rhode Island and the systems behind how food is produced, distributed, and accessed across the state. We explore: Who is most a...

Send us Fan Mail Topic: Former Newport Mayor and Current Councilor Xay Khamsyvoravong Enters the Lieutenant Governor Race — Why It Matters 1. Who Is Xay Khamsyvoravong? Former Mayor of Newport Current Newport City Councilor Part of a younger generation of Democratic leadership Known for coalition-building and pragmatic governance 2. Why the Lt. Governor’s Race Matters More Than It Seems The Lt. Go...

Send us Fan Mail 📍 Overview: In the aftermath of the historic Blizzard of ’26 , which dumped record-shattering snow across Rhode Island and left communities paralyzed, snow removal has become a hot-button issue — not just a matter of logistics but of politics, prioritization, and power. 🧊 What We’ll Cover: • What actually happened: Rhode Island received up to ~38 inches of snow during the storm,...

Send us Fan Mail In the wake of the Blizzard of 2026, we sit down with legendary Rhode Island weatherman R. J. Heim to break down what just happened — and where this storm ranks in the Ocean State’s long and dramatic weather history. We assess: Final snow totals across Providence County, Kent County, Washington County, and Newport County Wind gusts, coastal impacts, and power outages Why this syst...

Send us Fan Mail Inside Communications presented by Half Street Group In the midst of the Blizzard of 2026, we step back from the snowfall totals and power outage maps to examine a different kind of storm: public communication. Mike Raia — founder and president of Half Street Group and former spokesperson for Governor Gina Raimondo — joins us to break down how governments manage messaging during f...

Send us Fan Mail Broadcast from Providence City Hall , this episode features an extended one-on-one interview with Brett Smiley on the defining issues facing Providence right now. ❄️ Snow Removal & Accountability The mayor responds to criticism over the recent snow removal challenges, including questions about leadership, communication breakdowns, and the role of the David Morales operational...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Incident Overview — A mass shooting occurred Monday at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena during a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Authorities say it left three people dead — including the suspected gunman — and three others critically injured. Police have described the event as a targeted incident connected to a family dispute.  Community Impact — We e...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Topic: Trump, Voter Rolls, and Federal Pressure on States Guest: Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore The Trump campaign and conservative legal groups are escalating efforts to gain access to state voter rolls and election data, framing the push as “election integrity” while critics warn it could open the door to voter suppression, intimidation, and misuse of person...