Rhode Island economy – bliss or abyss. A deal for a new Pawtucket Red Sox stadium by the numbers. How do you turn around a $60 million deficit a few months ago into a $38 million surplus a couple of weeks before the end of the fiscal year? Is Rhode Island’s economy as good as the incumbent politicians want us to think, or as bad as their opponents are anxious to portray?

University of Rhode Island economist Len Lardaro joins Frank Prosnitz and Ryan Belmore today on this edition of The Open Forum to provide us with some answers and perspective.

Listen to The Open Forum with WUN’s Frank Prosnitz every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on AM 1540 WADK Newport.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...