This has been a couple of tough years for the hospitality industry, but even with exploding gasoline prices it promises to be a robust vacation season in Rhode Island. We’ll talk with Dale Venturini, executive director of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, on Tuesday at 11:30 am to get her projections for the season that’s […]
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 inNews
Keeping our pets safe during the summer
Windows open in your car on a beautiful spring or summer day. Your dog nudges its head out the window, ears flapping, mouth open and obviously enjoying the experience. But is it safe? And how safe is it to leave a dog untethered in the cargo area of a pickup truck, or left inside a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Congressional candidate Segal joins What’sUpNewp videocast today at 4
It’s a crowded field for the Democratic nomination for Rhode Island’s second district U.S. House of Representatives seat. Among the candidates is David Segal, a progressive Democrat who has received endorsements from leading progressive political groups, and leading progressive Democrats like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Update – 4:10 pm: This conversation has been canceled. We’ll […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Candidates take to social media, advocating for labor, school choice, and the LGBTQ+ community
Magaziner supports unionization effort at Starbucks State Treasurer and Congressional District 2 candidate Seth Magaziner is supporting the unionization effort by Starbucks workers in Warwick. His campaign said Magaziner is supporting the workers organizational effort, fighting for better wages and working conditions, and becoming the first unionized Starbucks in Rhode Island. “For too long, the […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Gorbea, Foulkes win endorsements, Kalus says RI gun laws strong enough
Gorbea wins union, EG Democratic Committee endorsements Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, who is among five Democrats running for governor, has been endorsed by the Carpenters Local Union 30 and East Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. On its Facebook Page, the East Greenwich Town Committee announced its endorsement of Gorbea, its first endorsement in the 2022 […]
Posted inNews
Meteorologist Kelly Bates returns to local television, June 11
Kelly Bates, the long-time WJAR-10 meteorologist who parted with the station over a contract dispute last September, is joining WLNE-6 as the weekend meteorologist and science reporter, according to a Facebook post by Bates and news release from WLNE. “We are thrilled to have Kelly join the WLNE family and are looking forward to bringing […]
Posted inNews
How safe are Newport’s schools?
How safe are Newport’s schools? In the aftermath of the tragic massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Independent School District in Texas, parents and students across the nation are asking about the schools in their communities. We’ll ask that question of Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain when she joins us for her monthly […]
Posted inNews
Authors Series: Jan Brogan, author of ‘The Combat Zone’, joins What’sUpNewp live virtual video conversation
Jan Brogan’s latest book, The Combat Zone, has been shortlisted for a 2022 Anthony Award. An award-winning journalist and author of four other novels, one of which is under development for a television series, Jan joins What’sUpNewp at 12:30 p.m. today as we continue our Authors’ Series. Jan is a journalist, who is a contributor […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Texas school shooting a call to action among RI candidates
Magaziner named a “Gun-Sense Candidate” General Treasurer and congressional candidate Seth Magaziner yesterday was named a Gun-Sense Candidate by Mom’s Demand Action for his strong record of taking action to reduce gun violence, according to a press release from Magaziner’s campaign. Following yesterday’s horrific mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas, Magaziner is calling […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Commerce Secretary Pryor running for Treasurer
Pryor enters Democratic primary election Stefan Pryer, Rhode Island’s Commerce Secretary for the past six years, announced that he will run for state General Treasurer, setting up another competitive Democratic primary election this fall. Pryer, who was Connecticut’s Education Secretary before then Gov. Gina Raimondo brought him to Rhode Island to fill the Commerce Secretary’s […]
Posted inCity & Government
Area students receive civic leadership awards
Several area high school students were among 137 Rhode Island students that were honored earlier this month with 2022 Civic Leadership awards, given annually by Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea in recognition of high school students who have made outstanding contributions to their schools and communities over the past year. The Civic Leadership Awards […]
Posted inBusiness
Coastal Medical closes half its laboratories
Coastal Medical, which “merged” with Lifespan in April 2021, has “temporarily closed” more than half of its laboratories. This comes as Lifespan reportedly is also closing its weight loss clinic. According to the Coastal Medical website, it has temporarily closed six of its 11 laboratories, leaving some patients that rely upon the practice’s laboratories few […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: What the candidates say about affordable housing
Among the most daunting issues facing Rhode Island is affordable housing. Housing costs – home ownership and rental – continue to rise, and available single family and rental units are sometimes scarce and expensive. Lack of affordable housing, according to all experts, negatively impacts our society from homeless to the economy. We wanted to know […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Poll: Tight race for Democrat gubernatorial nomination; Magaziner has big lead in race for Congress 2 nomination; candidates, GOP react
Poll Results A WPRI TV/Roger Williams University Poll, completed a few days ago, showed a tight race for the Democratic nomination for governor, while in the Second Congressional District, General Treasurer Seth Magaziner holds a wide lead. In both races, there are a large number of potential voters who said they are undecided. The poll […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: EMILY’s list endorses Gorbea; Foulkes TV ad campaign begins
Nellie Gorbea wins EMILY’s List endorsement; Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea has won the endorsement of EMILY’s List, among 11 gubernatorial candidates to receive the organization’s endorsement. “EMILY’s List is backing Nellie Gorbea in the race for governor of Rhode Island because she’s a proven leader and a tireless advocate for reproductive rights,” the organization […]
Posted inBusiness
Outdoor dining is back on Broadway
Did you enjoy dining outside last summer? Well, you can count on it again, at least for this year. Newport’s City Council is developing an ordinance that will establish guidelines for restaurants that want to offer outdoor dining. But it doesn’t come without some pushback. According to Mayor Jeanne Marie Napolitano, some restaurants on Thames […]
Posted inNews
Neary drops from second Congressional race
Michael Neary, a Democratic candidate for the second Congressional district has reportedly dropped out of the race, only weeks since his arrest in Ohio on menacing and drug possession charges. Neary, who never filed a campaign finance report with the Federal Election Commission for the first quarter of 2022, said he was dropping out of […]
Posted inCity & Government
Election 2022: Kalus accuses “insiders” of bribing businesses to come to RI; Gorbea endorsed by Steelworks’ union
GOP gubernatorial candidate says RI bribing “businesses to come here” Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus, in an email to potential contributors, has accused “insiders” of bribing businesses to come to Rhode Island. “Rhode Island isn’t meeting its potential,” she said in the letter. “We’re lagging behind when we should be leading. “That’s because the insiders […]
Posted inCity & Government
School regionalization faces critical votes on Monday
Newport and Middletown are moving closer to a school regionalization vote, but considerable work must be done for the proposal to go to voters in both communities in November. The Newport City Council was expected to vote on a document that would have approved sending a request to the state legislature for permission to include […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: GOP has a Treasurer candidate; Magaziner wins another union endorsement
No. Kingstown Finance Director running for Treasurer North Kingstown Finance Director James Lathrop of Wakefield, is expected to announce his candidacy for Rhode Island General Treasurer late this month, according to an email distributed by the Rhode Island Republican Party. Lathrop, a CPA, also filed his papers with the state Board of Elections establishing his […]
Posted inBusiness
Employee compensation grew 5.6 percent over the last year
Employee compensation for private industry workers in the Boston Metropolitan Area, which includes Rhode Island, grew by 5.6 percent in the last year, nearly 1 percent above the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual wages and salaries, the largest component of the compensation category, rose 6.1 percent for the region, […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Election 2022: Longtime legislator retires, Congressional endorsements
South County legislator Dennis Algiere to retire State Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere, R-Dist. 38, (Westerly, Charlestown and South Kingstown) is not seeking re-election, according to the Republican Party. Algiere, who has served in the Senate for 30 years, will not seek re-election in November, according to a statement issued by the state GOP. The […]
Posted inNews
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joins What’sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation on Thursday
With school unification on the table, a city budget nearing approval, and reports nationally that students are still struggling to make up for lost learning as a result of the pandemic – well, we have a few things to talk about with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain when she joins WhatsUpNewp tomorrow (Thursday) at […]
Posted inCity & Government
Mayor Napolitano: Newport/Middletown moving forward with school unification
“We’re going to make it work.” Those are the words of Newport Mayor Jeanne Marie Napolitano in anticipation of both the Newport and Middletown Councils agreeing to a plan to “unify” the school systems, and then seek voter approval in November. The Newport City Council and School Committee are meeting tomorrow (Thursday) in executive session […]
Posted inNews
Westerly/Wakefield homeless shelters combine
Westerly’s WARM Center, which has been serving the homeless population in Rhode Island’s Washington County for nearly 35 years, has bought Welcome House in Wakefield, a similar organization that had been struggling financially over the last few years. The WARM Center, which has 19 emergency shelter beds for the homeless, adds Welcome House’s 17 units, […]