Rhode Island Report

Most of Rhode Island’s houses were built before lead paint was banned in 1978. That means chipping paint can expose residents - especially young children - to lead poisoning. The rates of this poisoning went up while children were stuck at home during the pandemic. And Central Falls was among the hardest-hit communities. Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera and Rhode Island PBS Weekly reporter Michell...

Gregg Amore is just a few weeks into his new position, but he’s already pushing for changes to Rhode Island’s elections. We talk about why he's advocating for same-day voter registration statewide, an idea that's drawn pushback from legislative leaders. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1...

This week marks the start of the 2023 legislative session. What can we expect from Rhode Island lawmakers this year? Providence College political science professor Tony Affigne and Jim Hummel, host of “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS, offer a preview and some analysis of the upcoming legislative session. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://ar...

There’s no shortage of artists in Rhode Island. Our state is home to Rhode Island School of Design and Providence calls itself the Creative Capital. But how do we define art? And how are local creators defining art for themselves? We’re joined by Tracy MacDonald, the host of Art inc. on Rhode Island PBS, to learn about the diverse cast of artists who call the state home. Tips and ideas? Email us a...

Rhode Island School of Design President Crystal Williams was officially inaugurated in October and just finished her first fall semester. She joins guest host Alexa Gagosz to talk about her vision for the school and some of RISD’s most pressing challenges. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://a...

It’s been a big year for movies and TV shows in Rhode Island, including "Hocus Pocus Two" and HBO’s "Gilded Age." What does it take to attract film crews to Rhode Island? And are the state’s motion picture production tax credits paying off? We’re joined by Steven Feinberg, the executive director of the RI Film and TV office. He’s also the host of  doubleFEATURE  on Rhode Island PBS. Tips...

What does it mean to be two-spirit? A new documentary examines what that experience is like for one member of the Narragansett tribe. The film, "Being Thunder," tells the story of Sherenté Harris, a local teenager who’s navigating life, school, and dance competitions. We talk to Sherenté, who is now a student at Brown University and RISD, about the film, gender expression in indigenous communities...

Nine months after the start of the war in Ukraine, refugees from the conflict have started to make their way to Rhode Island. We talk to Justin Kenny from Rhode Island PBS Weekly and freelance journalist Alli-Michelle Conti about their upcoming TV segment profiling the Kreshchuks, a family of Ukrainian musicians who relocated to East Providence. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com ....

Soccer is in the news right now — around the world with the start of the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar, and here in Rhode Island, which is getting a new men's professional soccer team in 2024. Brett Johnson is the developer behind the newly named Rhode Island FC. He joins us to talk about the team, its new stadium that's being built in Pawtucket, and why it’s worth $60 million in taxpayer funds. T...

Rhode Island has more than its fair share of elite runners. Take Emily Sisson. In October, the Providence College grad crushed the American women’s record for the fastest marathon. And earlier this year, she broke the record for the fastest half marathon. She joins us to talk about her career and why so many amazing runners come out of Little Rhody. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.c...

Globe columnist Dan McGowan and Jim Hummel, the host of A Lively Experiment on Rhode Island PBS, join Ed Fitzpatrick to analyze Democrat Seth Magaziner's big win over Republican Allan Fung in CD2 and the "red wave" that never came. They also dive into Governor Dan McKee's rout of challenger Ashley Kalus in the governor's race and other trends from the night. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinew...

You’ve probably already seen the campaign ad where Governor Dan McKee plays cards with his mother. Turns out it was pretty true to real life. Every week, McKee and his family sit down for a card game called May I. So Ed stopped by his campaign headquarters to give the game a try and ask McKee about the cards he’s been dealt as governor. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Priv...

Witches are having a moment right now. But what does it actually mean to be a witch or practice witchcraft? Alexa Gagosz talks to Loren May and Tracey Lawrence, practicing witches who co-own the Veiled Crow in Cranston. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info...

A new documentary, "No Time to Fail," offers an unprecedented look at what it took to keep Rhode Island elections running in 2020, at a time of escalating partisan attacks on ballot workers nationwide. Ed Fitzpatrick spoke with the film's directors and two election officials at a recent screening at the GlobeDocs Film Festival. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Polic...

Back in the day, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus was a serious boxer. She even won a Golden Gloves championship in 2001. These days, she trains at a gym in West Warwick. Ed dropped by to learn a few moves from Kalus's coach – and to let her take a swing at some policy questions. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...

This is part two of our special episode with the candidates for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District - Republican Allan Fung and Democrat Seth Magaziner. We brought both candidates into the studio separately to explain where they stand on the major issues. Then we put their responses together so voters can easily compare and contrast. Today, we’ll see where the candidates stand on student loa...

The race to watch this election cycle is the contest between Republican Allan Fung and Democrat Seth Magaziner to replace Jim Langevin in the 2nd Congressional District. So, we brought both candidates into the studio  separately  to explain where they stand on the major issues. Then we put their responses together so voters can easily compare and contrast. Here’s part 1. See Privacy Poli...

Conspiracy theories. Doctored photos. Outright lies. We’re inundated by disinformation online. And it's only going to get worse heading into the midterm elections and the 2024 presidential contest. Claire Wardle, co-director of the Information Futures Lab at the Brown University School of Public Health, explains what it all means -- and what we can do about it. Tips and ideas? Email us at  ri...

Thom Jones, a dialect coach for Hollywood stars, who used to work for Trinity Rep and Brown University, explains the mystery of Rhode Island accents and teaches our producer how to sound like a local. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Adam Myers, Associate Professor of Political Science at Providence College, joins Ed to unpack the results of Rhode Island’s primary. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

*Warning:   Parts of this episode may be disturbing to some listeners*  This month, a national organization for clergy abuse victims will launch its first support group in Rhode Island. It’s known as SNAP, which stands for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. We talk with the new group’s co-leaders- psychologist Dr. Ann Hagan Webb and Claude Leboeuf. Tips and ideas? Email us...

Rhode Island has an open seat in Congress for the first time in over a decade and the primary is just weeks away. Our own Globe RI columnist Dan McGowan breaks down the latest in the CD 2 race. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

COVID is still lingering, monkeypox is spreading, and polio is reemerging in wastewater. Is it time to panic? Or is this just our new normal? To give us some perspective, we talk to Dr. Amy Nunn, the executive director of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island joins us to talk 2024, the new information he's learned about the FBI's investigation into Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and what the landmark Inflation Reduction Act will do about climate change. Tips and ideas? Email us at  rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19....

This week, we sit down with state treasurer candidate Stefan Pryor, who has served as secretary of commerce under governors Gina Raimondo and Dan McKee. Pryor faces James Diossa, a former mayor of Central Falls, in next month's Democratic primary. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac...