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Posted inArts & Culture

50 best space movies of all time

by Stacker

Space has always captured the imagination of artists with all of its potential and unknowability. The sheer number of space-themed and set-in-space movies released over the years is a prime example of this. From silly takes like “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” to more serious stories like “First Man” to blockbusters like “Star Wars,” […]

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50 best movies from the 1970s

by Stacker

The 1970s were a magical time for movies, with a whole new crop of stars and directors becoming household names, from Robert Redford and Al Pacino to Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen. After the tumultuous ’60s that included the civil rights movement, the sexual revolution, and the Vietnam War, America was a different place, and […]

Posted inCity & Government

DEM offering Wildland Firefighter Training Program

by Community Submission

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today is announcing it is offering in late spring an intensive, introductory course designed to train new firefighters in the tools, tactics, and strategies used to suppress uncontrolled wildland fires. In 2022, which was marked by a severe drought that the state is only now recovering from, Rhode Island experienced more than 80 wildfires. Parched conditions forced DEM to ban outdoor fires at all state campgrounds, parks, and management areas for a two-week period in August.
DEM will hold the no-cost, four-day, and classroom- and field-based training course – with the curriculum designed by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) – at its George Washington Management Area office in Chepachet in June. It will qualify students to a higher skill designation level recognized by the NWCG and expand the state’s capacity to respond to wildfires, which are expected to become more frequent as climate change continues to create warmer, drier conditions, leading to longer and more active fire seasons.
“DEM’s Forest Fire Program works closely with Rhode Island fire departments to suppress wildfires,” said Principal Forest Ranger and Training Officer Ben Arnold of the DEM Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment. “We rely on municipal fire departments to fight wildfires and fire departments rely on us in the same way. This training will allow us to build the capacity needed to address the increasing wildfire activity we’ve seen in recent years. The program offers an opportunity to both DEM employees and Rhode Island firefighters who seek wildfire suppression training at the national standard.”
Earlier this month, DEM announced a policy of increasing the use of prescribed fires in 2023. Arnold noted that training firefighters is one of the major goals of prescribed fires, so the training course aligns with DEM’s forestry management strategy. “We strongly believe that more planned, prescribed fires mean fewer unplanned, extreme wildfires,” Arnold said.
Space will be limited with priority given to local municipal firefighters and DEM employees. Registration is open until Feb. 28. Acceptance letters will be sent notifying applicants of their admission. Questions may be directed to Ben Arnold (Ben.Arnold@dem.ri.gov) or Patrick MacMeekin (Patrick.Macmeekin@dem.ri.gov) of the Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.

Posted inNews

50 famous firsts from presidential history

by Stacker

George Washington, the country’s first president, won both of his elections unanimously, with every elector casting their vote for him. That’s a far cry from today’s bitterly contested battles. President Washington was followed in office by John Adams, the first resident of the new White House, then still called the President’s House. Presidential firsts made […]

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Nearly 119 million watched Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show—here’s how that really compares to past performances

by Stacker

Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show Sunday dazzled in more ways than one. For starters, the Barbados-born singer became the first performer to take the Super Bowl halftime stage pregnant—a fact she hinted at in an interview before the show. Next up are the viewership numbers. Rihanna’s performance, which included plenty of her most popular bops […]

Posted inCity & Government

Secretary of State Amore announces results of recent voter list maintenance efforts

by Community Submission

Ongoing voter list maintenance supports accurate voter rolls
PROVIDENCE, RI – Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore today announced the results of the Department of State’s recent voter list maintenance efforts. In total, between November 9, 2022 and February 10, 2023, 60,619 inactive voter registrations were removed from the state’s voter list through a voter list maintenance process.
“Enfranchisement and expanding voting access are top priorities of my administration, and in order to best serve the voting public, it’s essential that we have accurate elections data,” said Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore. “That means making a consistent effort to ensure our voter lists are up-to-date, and I applaud the Department of State’s Elections Division and the local cities and towns for their work to strengthen our elections system.”
A voter’s registration becomes inactive when a piece of official elections mail is returned to the sender as “undeliverable.” If an inactive voter does not cast a ballot in one of the next two federal elections, according to the maintenance process outlined in federal and state law, their voter registration can be removed from the voter list.
In 2020, to ensure the safety of voters and election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, all registered voters automatically received mail ballot applications for the Presidential Primary and November General Election. As a result, the Department of State and local boards of canvassers were alerted to more “undeliverable” addresses than in a typical year. If those voters did not vote in either the 2020 or 2022 elections, the voters were notified and their registrations were removed from the voter list.
Voter list maintenance is an integral part of election integrity and security, ensuring that voter rolls remain as accurate as possible. State and local election officials receive voter list maintenance information from several agencies, including the Department of Health and the Division of Motor Vehicles, on a regular basis.
Information on the number of registered Rhode Island voters is available online. To learn more about registering to vote or updating voter registration information online, visit https://vote.sos.ri.gov/.
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Posted inNews

100 best movies of all time

by Stacker

Audiences have been enraptured by cinema since 1895 when Auguste and Louis Lumière used a cinematograph machine to project moving images onto a screen. Naturally, movies have come a long way since the early days of 50-second reels, resulting in a rich variety of styles—many of which are easily streamed right from home. Every cinematic […]

Posted inArts & Culture

50 classics from (almost) everyone’s high school reading list

by Stacker

Research shows that reading fiction encourages empathy. While more high school curriculums should include modern, diverse writers like Amy Tan and Malala Yousafzai, certain classics—like John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and Sandra Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street”—endure. Some even make a comeback. George Orwell’s “1984,” a novel published in 1949 about a dystopian […]

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List: Best county to live in for every state

by Stacker

What makes the best county in each state? Often it involves a good mix of opportunities for fun outdoor activities and cultural attractions. Throw in some historical sites, good schools, job opportunities, and affordable housing, and the county will most likely have happy residents. Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live using […]

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Reading and math proficiency are at historic lows. Here’s a closer look at who’s falling behind

by Stacker

Concerns about the state of U.S. education have been discussed in communities across the country for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic only thrust these conversations—and their urgency–further into the spotlight. A shift to at-home learning combined with other problems such as teacher shortages and a fraught political landscape have affected students’ basic proficiencies—and it is […]

Posted inCity & Government

Governor McKee nominates six Judicial Candidates to the Bench

by Community Submission

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today announced six judicial nominations to fill vacancies on the Superior Court, District Court, and Workers’ Compensation Court.
“It is an honor to appoint these six judges who will play a critical role in serving Rhode Island’s court system,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I know that with their combined decades of experience, they will fairly uphold the laws and values of Rhode Island. I thank the Judicial Nominating Committee for sending us a strong selection of qualified candidates.”
The following names have been submitted to the Rhode Island Senate for confirmation:
Superior Court
Christopher K. Smith has been nominated to the Superior Court. A graduate of Hamilton College, Roger Williams University School of Law and University of Oregon School of Law, he has served as an Associate Judge in the District Court since 2019. Prior to joining the bench, he was the Chief of the District Court Division for the Rhode Island Public Defender’s Office. Presently, he also serves as an adjunct professor at Roger Williams University, sits on the Board of Directors for Crossroads Rhode Island and is a member of the Engeye Scholars Advisory Board. He resides with his wife and two children. Smith will fill the seat left vacant by Judge Susan E. McGuirl.
Joseph J. McBurney has been nominated to the Superior Court, filling the spot left vacant by Judge Netti C. Vogel. A graduate of University of Connecticut School of Law and The Catholic University of America, McBurney presently serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division in the Office of the Attorney General. He also is an instructor at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy, Rhode Island State Police Training Academy and the Providence Police Training Academy. McBurney resides in Pawtucket.
District Court
Magistrate James Patrick O’Neill has been nominated to the Rhode Island District Court and will fill the seat vacated by Judge Elaine Bucci. Magistrate O’Neill brings over 24-years of experience, including five years as a District Court Magistrate and ten years in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 2005 to 2015. A graduate of Colby College and Roger Williams Law School, he now lives in Narragansett with his wife and two daughters.
Debra Saunders has been nominated to the Rhode Island District Court and will fill a newly created seat in the District Court. A graduate of Suffolk Law School and Providence College, Saunders and her husband split their time between Barrington and Newport. Since 2008, Saunders has served as Clerk of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and will bring over 25 years of legal experience to the bench having also worked as Supreme Court Deputy General Counsel, a Special Assistant Attorney General, and in private practice. She is a longstanding member of numerous Supreme Court committees including the Committee on Character and Fitness and the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and is a member of the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Nicholas J. Parrillo has been nominated to the Rhode Island District Court. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College and Roger Williams Law School. After law school, Parrillo served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Paul Suttell of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and then served as a public defender for 5 years before going into private practice as a criminal defense lawyer. In addition, Parrillo serves as an elected committee member to the Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and as a member on the Justinian Law Society of Rhode Island. He lives in East Providence with his wife, son and dog. He will fill the seat vacated by Judge Christine Jabour.
Workers’ Compensation Court
Moira E. Reynolds has been nominated to the to the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court. A graduate of Providence College and Suffolk University School of Law, Reynolds now lives in North Kingstown with her husband and two children. For over two decades, she has been staff counsel to The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. She will fill the seat vacated by Judge George Salem.
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