Building Trades Council Endorses Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos for Re-election The Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council (RIBCTC) has endorsed Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos for reelection. The endorsement comes just days after the council endorsed Gov. Dan McKee for reelection. McKee and Matos have been campaigning as a team. Both took office about a […]
Frank Prosnitz
Frank Prosnitz brings to WhatsUpNewp several years in journalism, including 10 as editor of the Providence (RI) Business News and 14 years as a reporter and bureau manager at the Providence (RI) Journal. Prosnitz began his journalism career as a sportswriter at the Asbury Park (NJ) Press, moving to The News Tribune (Woodbridge, NJ), before joining the Providence Journal. Prosnitz hosts the Morning Show on WLBQ radio (Westerly), 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday, and It’s Your Business, also on WBLQ, Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Prosnitz has twice won Best in Business Awards from the national Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), twice was named Media Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Administration, won an investigative reporter’s award from the New England Press Association, and newswriting award from the Rhode Island Press Association.
Posted inArts & Culture
Muralists celebrating the relationship of beer and farming at Exeter’s Tilted Barn Brewery
Bringing nature indoors and celebrating the importance of farming in the development of … BEER!! That’s the goal of two California muralists who will be at Exeter’s Tilted Barn Brewery beginning Monday March 14 through Wednesday March 16. They will be painting a 200 square foot mural that they say will capture the essence of […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Foulkes unveils education plan; Magaziner, McKee win endorsements
This is our regular column that wraps up some of the top political stories of the moment. This year will be among Rhode Island’s most active and fiery elections, from local races to crowded gubernatorial and U.S. House of Representative campaigns. This is our regular column that wraps up some of the top political stories […]
Posted inNews
Announcements promise a vigorous election, with still three months until the deadline to declare candidacies
Campaign 2022 is well underway, with competitive races in high profile offices, and the expectation of millions of dollars being raised and spent by candidates. And we’re still three months from when candidates must declare their intentions. The Democratic gubernatorial primary election will be competitive for major offices, including governor and the second Congressional district […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Diossa picks up endorsements for treasurer; Congressional candidate Neary hires staff
This is our regular column that wraps up some of the top political stories of the moment. This year will be among Rhode Island’s most active and fiery elections, from local races to crowded gubernatorial and U.S. House of Representative campaigns. This is our regular column that wraps up some of the top political stories […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Magaziner picks up endorsements, Rhode Island GOP hires executive director
This year will be among Rhode Island’s most active and fiery elections, from local races to crowded gubernatorial and U.S. House of Representative campaigns. This is our regular column that wraps up up some of the top political stories of the moment. Rhode Island GOP Hires an Executive Director The Rhode Island Republican Party has […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: Images on a wall
Images on the Wall. In the small rustic apartment in a kibbutz, a few miles outside of Jerusalem, a picture of three young women stands out. Sarah It was years ago that I was in Israel, on a journalists’ mission. I remained after the mission to visit with a great aunt. She lived in a […]
Posted inCity & Government
State owed millions by politicians and political organizations for filing finance reports late, or not filing reports at all
More than a hundred politicians and political organizations owe the state Board of Elections nearly $5.4 million after failing to file financial election reports or filing them late. Officials acknowledge, however, that a considerable amount of the fines are uncollectable. The amount grows each quarter, up 9 percent from a year ago when fines totaled […]
Posted inCOVID-19, News
Newport Schools expected to follow state lead and end mandatory masking in schools
Newport schools are expected to follow the state’s lead and end mandatory masking for kids in school, according to School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain. The state’s mandate ends on March 4, and when the Newport School Committee meets next week, Jermain said she anticipates it too will vote to end mandatory masking but give the […]
Posted inNews
Former Rhode Island General Treasurer Anthony Solomon dies after a lengthy illness
Former Rhode Island General Treasurer Anthony Solomon, 89, who served in the position for more than 11 years, died yesterday after a lengthy illness. A lifelong resident of Providence, Anthony operated a pharmacy in Olneyville for many years before running for the state House of Representatives (11th district) in 1966. He served in the […]
Posted inNews, People & Profiles
One on WUN: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
With the state’s school masking mandate ending next week, will Newport’s public schools also lift the mandate? We’ll learn more today at 1:30 p.m. when School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joins WhatsUpNewp for her monthly videocast.We’ll also learn more about the school department’s effort to cover increasing costs for its school building project – additional […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Governor McKee announces run for reelection
Gov. Dan McKee formally announced his candidacy for governor yesterday, promising to build on leadership that has been “right-sizing a listing ship.” “The state was taking on water, that’s what that means — and it was,” McKee said. “Our economy was struggling. We were at the peak of the pandemic. We had the lowest vaccination […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Governor McKee to announce run for reelection
In what is no surprise, Gov Dan McKee today is scheduled to formally announce that he’s running for reelection at 9:15 a.m. at Igus, Inc. in East Providence. McKee is expected to talk about his vision for the next four years to grow jobs, lower costs for hardworking families, support small businesses, and put money […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: What’s next for Lifespan and CNE, now that merger is presumably ‘dead’
Brilliant business strategy, bad healthcare solution? That’s the headline in an analysis of hospital mergers by the national group, Drugwatcher. And it’s certainly the question of the day after the announcement by Attorney General Peter Nerohna that he has denied the application to merge the state’s largest healthcare network, Lifespan, with its second largest, Care […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Magaziner, Diossa pick up endorsements; Foulkes promises bold leadership on gun safety
This year will be among Rhode Island’s most active and fiery elections, from local races to crowded gubernatorial and U.S. House of Representative campaigns. Here’s our wrap-up of some of the top political stories of the moment. Magaziner’s union endorsements General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Democratic candidate for Rhode Island’s Second District House of Representatives seat, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Westerly Council approves May special election to consider important charter changes
As expected, the Westerly Town Council last night (Monday) approved sending a series of charter revisions to voters in a May special election, changes that would double the length of council terms, and allow an unnamed councilor to seek the Ethics Commission’s permission to sidestep the state’s revolving door legislation. If voters approve the charter […]
Posted inCity & Government
Westerly Councilors look to extend terms; seek exception to ethics regulation
To seemingly reverse the will of the people and give themselves an opportunity to extend their terms in office, the Westerly Town Council Monday night will vote on a resolution that calls for a special May election to revise the council’s length of terms. Additionally, the resolution asks voters to allow a “former” councilperson to […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Top Rhode Island political stories of the moment
This year will be among Rhode Island’s most active and fiery elections, from local races to crowded gubernatorial and U.S. House of Representative campaigns. Today, we begin a column that will appear regularly, wrapping up some of the top political stories of the day. Former Cranston mayor, gubernatorial candidate Alan Fung enters Congressional race […]
Posted inNews
Keri Anne O’Donnell Memorial Fund: ‘You have to keep going until the music stops’
Since its founding some 12 years ago, the Keri Anne O’Donnell Memorial Fund has provided tens of thousands of dollars for performing arts scholarships, inspiring more than 200 recipients who embrace the passion for the arts that had meant so much to Keri Anne. “We’re lucky enough to watch them grow and get better in […]
Posted inOpinion
Just my Opinion: Remembering the Blizzard of ‘78
This story was originally published on February 5, 2018, it has been republished because of its historical significance. The predictions were far less than the outcome. As the storm was forming 44 years ago on February 5, 1978, it was supposed to be heavy, ending on the evening of Feb. 6. It didn’t. It went […]
Posted inCity & Government
Neary becomes fifth Democrat to enter race for Rhode Island 2nd District House Seat
Michael Neary, who describes himself as a former national political strategist, is the fifth candidate to enter the race for the second district House of Representatives seat in Rhode Island, a position being vacated at the end of this term by Rep. James Langevin, who recently announced his retirement. Neary worked for Republican John Kasich, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Abney top fundraiser among area legislators
Aquidneck Island legislators added significantly to their campaign finance accounts, with State Rep. Marvin Abney, D-Dist. 73, representing Middletown and Newport, leading the way, increasing his campaign coffers to more than $184,000. Abney, who chairs the powerful state House of Representatives Finance Committee, was mentioned last fall as a possible treasurer candidate, but so far […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Black History Month: Letters from the State Archives
During Black History Month, we are sharing some of the content on the Secretary of State’s website that chronicles some of the history of the “African American Experience in Rhode Island.” We’re printing these with the permission and encouragement of Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea. Besides the section on African Americans, the Secretarhy of State […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Foulkes raises nearly $1 million in first few weeks of her gubernatorial campaign
Former CVS executive Helena Buonanno Foulkes, who entered the Democratic primary election sweepstakes in October has raised nearly $1 million in the first several weeks of her campaign, far outraising all other contenders. Foulkes, who has said she expects the campaign to cost millions, reported a fund balance of $830,896 at the deadline last night […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: Snowstorm further challenges state’s blood supply, already at critical levels
Blood collection agencies across the country, Rhode Island included, are suffering from what the Red Cross calls “the worst blood shortage in a decade.” This weekend’s snowstorm has only made matters worse. Weather events are a nightmare for blood collection agencies, with blood centers closed for storms, blood drives non-existent, and donors slow to re-schedule […]