Bartholomewtown

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...

Send us Fan Mail Providence State Representative David Morales joins Bartholomewtown to discuss his primary challenge against Mayor Brett Smiley. Morales is positioning his campaign as a grassroots, progressive alternative to the current administration — and recently released a detailed snow removal plan following widespread frustration with the city’s response to the last major winter storm. We t...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island’s political landscape shifted this week when House Speaker Joe Shekarchi announced he will not run for governor — clearing the way for a likely head-to-head Democratic primary between Governor Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes. In the opening segment, Bill reacts to what Shekarchi’s decision means for the governor’s race, the balance of power inside the Democratic Party, a...

Send us Fan Mail Last week, a man died in the cold on the streets of Providence — a tragic reminder of the stakes in Rhode Island’s ongoing unhoused crisis. On this episode, we’re joined by Harrison Tuttle , a Rhode Island–based organizer and housing justice advocate, to talk about what’s driving homelessness in the state, why existing systems continue to fail people in crisis, and what his organi...

Send us Fan Mail Helena Buonanno Foulkes, Democratic candidate for governor of Rhode Island, joins the podcast for an in-person conversation about her renewed run for the state’s top job. Foulkes previously mounted a competitive primary challenge against Governor Dan McKee in 2022, reshaping the Democratic field and signaling voter appetite for change. In this interview, Foulkes reflects on the le...

Send us Fan Mail In the aftermath of the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis and amid heightened resistance to federal immigration enforcement actions, many organizations are facing pressure to respond — publicly, internally, or both. Mike Raia, founder and president of Half Street Group , joins the show to offer guidance on how organizations can navigate moments of crisis and politica...

Send us Fan Mail onight at Providence City Hall, members of the City Council will formally introduce a rent stabilization ordinance aimed at limiting annual rent increases in the city. Supporters argue the proposal is a necessary response to rapidly rising rents, housing insecurity, and displacement in one of the tightest rental markets in the country. Critics warn rent stabilization could discour...

Send us Fan Mail Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the state’s political moment. Shekarchi reacts to Governor Dan McKee’s proposed budget, outlining where the House is aligned, where concerns remain, and what he sees as the legislature’s priorities in the months ahead. The Speaker also speaks candidly about his own political future, addre...

Send us Fan Mail Bill Bartholomew offers additional analysis of Governor McKee’s State of the State address and is joined by veteran reporter Steve Klamkin to put the speech — and reaction from other political figures — into perspective. Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail Bill Bartholomew provides on-location analysis from the Rhode Island State House following Governor McKee's delivery of the 2026 State of the State address.  Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail Boston Globe columnist and author of RhodeMap Dan McGowan joins Bill Bartholomew to discuss the biggest Rhode Island stories of 2025. Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube

Send us Fan Mail Mike Raia, Fonder and President, Half Street Group , joins Bill Bartholomew to discuss the best books, shows to binge and the best and worst Rhode Island stories of 2025. Support the show Follow Bill on Instagram and YouTube