Bartholomewtown

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island has a vast and storied history of producing original and long lasting musical artists.   From Providence’s position in the international lineage of noise and hip hop, to the post-punk and blues legacy bands out of Newport and South County, to northwest Rhode Island’s folk and country pool, and the East Bay’s position as a mecca of interesting ideas, The Ocean State ha...

Send us Fan Mail James Langevin is The United States Representative for the 2nd Congressional District, a post he has held since 2001.  Langevin served in several key roles in state government before his election to Congress, where he is a member of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees.  A legacy figure in Rhode Island, and beyond, Congressman Langevin is the first quadriplegi...

Send us Fan Mail Rebecca Webber is a Rhode Island native and graduate of Connecticut College and The London School of Economics.  She returned to Rhode Island committed to public policy and economic development, most recently serving as Chief of Staff to the President and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Rebecca and I met last year and have had several excellent discussions abo...

Send us Fan Mail Jim Taricani is a retired investigative reporter, well known for his work at WJAR NBC 10, where he founded the station’s I-Team.   He served a sentence of six months of home confinement for refusing a court order to divulge a source related to his work on the federal investigation into then Providence, Rhode Island mayor Buddy Cianci. Throughout his career, Taricani created a dist...

Send us Fan Mail The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation oversees many key industries that vary from real estate appraisal to the state’s medical marijuana program. In recent times, DBR has been at the forefront of local conversation, as an evolving stream of emerging industries make their way into Rhode Island’s economy.    Recent legislation that legalized sports betting, including mo...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode: a discussion between key stakeholders at the ground level of the extraordinary fight against homelessness in Rhode Island, The Reverend Jack Jones of Mathewson Street Church and House of Hope’s Megan Smith. Providence, Rhode Island has been consistently noted for widespread the economic disparity of its population, most recently appearing as the 5th most such city...

Send us Fan Mail Brian Newberry is a member of The Rhode Island House of Representatives from the 48th district, encompassing North Smithfield and portions of Burrillville in northern Rhode Island.   As a Republican who has been in office since 2009, Newberry has had a first-hand look at how the mechanics and procedures of The House can stifle potential legislation that may seem to have broad poli...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island has a rich and impressive history, extending back through a network of native tribes, early European exploration and a longstanding position as a hub of independent, secular and empathetic thought in the New World. From key events like the post-King Philip's War era, to the burning of the Gaspee in Pawtuxet harbor, to enactment of The Bill of Rights, the triangle...

Send us Fan Mail In this special roundtable episode, Bill Bartholomew discusses the state of Rhode Island arts with leadership from three key stakeholders: AS220 Executive Director Shauna Duffy, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Executive Director Randy Rosenbaum and The Columbus Theatre's Shawn Schiillberg http://www.ass220.org https://risca.online https://columbustheatre.com Support th...

Send us Fan Mail Joseph Paolino Jr. is a prominent Providence-based developer, who oversees Paolino Properties, operating an impressive slice of the capital city’s real estate.   Paolino served as the 33rd mayor of Providence and as The United State Ambassador to Malta from 1994 - 1996. Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail Travis Escobar was recently appointed to The Providence School Board by Mayor Jorge Elorza, is the founder of award-winning organization Millennial RI and also works for The United Way. Our conversation focused on Travis’ vision for reshaping Providence’s future through educational practices and new ideas. Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail On this episode I speak with a roundtable of Rhode Island environmental experts in light of the most recent report from the Executive Committee on Climate Change, or EC4, which the panel universally agree shows that, when it comes to the state’s collective carbon footprint, implementation and enforcement of many of the key policies already on the books is lagging significantly. Wi...

Send us Fan Mail The City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island sits in the northern portion of the state on the Massachusetts border, ostensibly serving as transition point between the urban Providence-metro area and rural Northwest, Rhode Island.   The city has a storied history, often connected to the Blackstone River, which flows mightily through Pawtucket, once powering Samuel Slater and other’s Industr...

Send us Fan Mail Reverend Donnie Anderson is a Rhode Island spiritual, social and intellectual leader, who in recent years has outwardly transitioned from man to woman. During our compelling conversation, Reverend Anderson spoke of her own experiences on her journey towards self-actualization.   We also discussed some of the specific challenges that marginalized people confront, including systemic...

Send us Fan Mail Providence’s Roger Williams Park Zoo has consistently been recognized as a leading zoological institution, as well as regional tourism magnet.   But with increased scrutiny being placed on animal captivity, I sat down with Roger Williams’ Executive Director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman, for a wide-ranging conversation about the his operation’s conservation, rehabilitation and educational w...

Send us Fan Mail Democrat Jorge Elorza was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term as mayor of Providence this past November. Our conversation focused on the mayor’s backstory and experiences, and how they inform his decision making process and policy priorities.   Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail A roundtable discussion about Rhode Island’s future with Rhode Island Representative Mike Chippendale (R) and Providence-based activist / performer / political commentator Nika Lomazzo. This panel features two vocal leaders within Rhode Island’s political ecosystem that oftentimes present differing positions.  But as we discovered through our nearly hour-long discussion, when it c...

Send us Fan Mail Kasim Yarn is Rhode Island’s first Director of Veteran Affairs, a position that was raised to cabinet level in 2016.  In his role as Director, Kasim oversees several key initiatives, such as Rhode Island Veterans Resource Center, Rhode Island Veterans Home, Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, serving as a connector between the state and Rhode Island’s 61,000+ veterans. His br...

Send us Fan Mail James Diossa was re-elected as Mayor of Central Falls, RI in 2016, after rising to Mayoral status in 2012 at the age of 27. In 2018, Mayor Diossa was also named President of The Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, a testament to the work he has done as leader of a municipality in the midst of recovery from a near economic collapse. Diossa’s tenure as Mayor of Central Falls ov...

Send us Fan Mail Democratic United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is junior Senator from Rhode Island, and has served in the post since 2007. From his early years working under former Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun to contemporarily serving on prominent positions including on the Budget, Finance and Judiciary committees of the United States Senate, Senator Whitehouse discussed his tenure i...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Wendy Schiller is Chairwoman of Brown University’s political science department, where she instructs students in poli-sci and international and public affairs.   Dr. Schiller is also a frequent contributor to local and national media outlets, providing distinct commentary on issues of politics, policy and government. With the 2018 election cycle in the rearview, I wanted to ge...

Send us Fan Mail Hilary Levey Friedman teaches courses in Brown University’s Department of Education, and is also an author and the President of The RI chapter of The National Organization for Women. I was curious as to Professor Friedman’s opinion on what are the most pressing issues facing women in Rhode Island. Our conversation addressed a multitude of issues that RI NOW are focused on, from re...

Send us Fan Mail Kim Kalunian is an anchor and reporter for WPRI channel 12 television in Providence, RI, where she has emerged as a signature talent on the station’s roster. Ahead of pursuing a full-time broadcasting career, which launched with radio work, and a stint at Providence news-talk station WPRO, Kim was a full-time stage actress, performing nationally and locally, including at Trinity R...

Send us Fan Mail Republican Blake Filippi is the recently elected Rhode Island House Minority Leader, leading a caucus that has less than 15% of House membership in an overwhelming Democratically controlled lower chamber.   Following an election cycle that saw Rhode Island Republicans fail to mount any serious challenges for statewide offices, and with the national Republican brand soured by the a...

Send us Fan Mail Parker Gavigan is an investigative reporter for NBC 10 WJAR, where he is a member of the I-Team, channel 10’s longstanding investigative unit which rose to prominence through the work of Jim Taricani, Diana Keolsh and others. We discussed Parker’s responsibility in maintaining the I-Team and channel 10 as the Providence-New Bedford market’s number-one rated news station, adapting...