Perhaps Jim Langevin will be remembered most for his courage. An 11-term Congressman from Rhode Island’s second district, he announced today, at the age of 57, that he would not run for reelection. Things might have turned out differently, had he not been severely injured in an accidental shooting when he was just 16. The […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Despite historic challenges, Rhode Island has historic opportunities
The challenges of the pandemic have required an all hands-on-deck approach, and I am proud that my colleagues in the General Assembly rose to the occasion last year, again and again. Through the emergencies of 2021, there was an emergence of solidarity and collaboration in the House. Simply put, we got a lot of great […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: End Rhode Island’s abortion bans
Right now, there are tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders who are denied access to abortion through their health coverage. We’re calling on Governor McKee to end these abortion coverage bans in this year’s budget. The ability to make decisions about when or if we have children is under attack across the country. Some states […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Tide shift at CRMC?
It’s encouraging to see the candidates for governor paying attention to the work of the Coastal Resources Management Council Study Commission and voicing concern about the CRMC. The future of the CRMC should be an issue discussed in the 2022 gubernatorial race. In June, the House of Representatives passed legislation creating a CRMC Study Commission, which has […]
Posted inCity & Government, Opinion
Opinion: 2022 Legislative Session an opportunity for transformational change
As the Rhode Island Senate convenes this month, I plan for us to embark upon a transformational session for our state. The federal relief funds distributed to Rhode Island offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvest in our state and its people. Universal Pre-K The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing learning gaps. Our children – […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Time to end National Grid’s harmful renewable energy policies
On Jan. 17, 2020, Governor Raimondo called for Rhode Island to become the first state in the nation to meet 100 percent of its electricity demand from renewables by 2030. It was a laudable goal then — and it remains so now — particularly in light of a recent United Nations report, which predicted a […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Addressing the full-scale workforce crisis within health and human services
The Newport County Community Healthcare Collaborative is an association of 10 community-based organizations that came together 18 months ago to combat vaccine hesitancy and limit the damage of the pandemic. Our work focused on providing those communities and families experiencing the most severe impacts of COVID the access to the testing, treatment, and vaccinations they […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Override short-term rental bill veto
According to AirDNA, which provides data and analytics about the short-term rental industry, demand for short-term rentals — such as those offered by Airbnb, VRBO and the like — is exceeding all expectations in 2021. The first three months of 2021 were all records for new bookings as demand surged in small-town and destination markets […]
Posted inCity & Government, Opinion
Opinion: Erroneous statements were made concerning the city’s role, responsibility concerning Bishop’s 4th Street Diner property
We feel compelled to respond to an opinion piece penned by Councilor Jamie Bova regarding Bishop’s 4th Street Diner [Opinion: Bishop’s 4th Street Diner and the North End Urban Plan]. It is unfortunate and heartbreaking when a long-standing business must make a difficult decision to close or move. We are troubled by many erroneous statements […]
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Opinion: Let’s pay community service providers
It’s time to pay community service providers a wage that is worthy of the work they do in our state. Just as the governor and the state provided financial help to the restaurant industry to keep these small businesses from closing in every community, the private providers of community-based services are small businesses, too. These […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Bishop’s 4th Street Diner and the North End Urban Plan
There has been much concern and sadness over the potential loss of the locally owned and beloved Bishop’s 4th Street Diner. To make matters worse, a chain convenience store would be built in its place. Since this news came to light, many citizens have wondered what role the City could have played in preventing this. […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Southern New England states must honor commitment to cutting transportation pollution
In the decade-plus since the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) was first developed under the Carcieri administration, there has been growing, bipartisan consensus that we must end our dependence on fossil fuels for the health of the people in our communities and our planet. No one disputes that reality. And in that decade of work and […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Pell and new Rogers building milestones
Last week the “last beam” was placed on the Pell addition with all students signing the beam! This milestone is a year ahead of schedule, from the timeline voters approved just last November– GREAT NEWS! Our team of Behan Brothers, Studio JAED, Downes and the School Building Committee (SBC) has fast-tracked the project so all […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Rhode Island’s ‘lost girls’ – completely unacceptable
On November 6, Tom Mooney authored an insightful look at the vulnerable young girls in state care (Providence Journal Watchdog Report: Rhode Island’s Lost Girls). Quite frankly, it is an awful commentary on how the state of Rhode Island is failing this vulnerable population. When do we say enough is enough? Two RI Family Court judges […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Aquidneck Land Trust is not at odds with development per se
To the Editor; The primary mission of the Aquidneck Land Trust (“ALT”) is land conservation on Aquidneck Island, which serves to protect open spaces for the purposes of recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and climate resiliency. Although it may seem counterintuitive, our mission is not at odds with development per se. We recognize the need […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: The U.S. must step up and lead
For the past week, countries across the globe have come together in Glasgow for COP26 to discuss how the world will address our climate crisis. Before the conference began, I joined with state legislators from across the country calling on the federal government to rise to the challenge and strengthen our national climate commitments under […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Why Rhode Island needs municipal broadband infrastructure
I could not have predicted the incredible sense of urgency for fiber broadband that has swept Rhode Island and the nation in just five short months! Millions of dollars in federal funds are available to states, but to access the money the feds are mandating states invest in deploying fiber broadband to unserved and underserved […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: The dilemma – healthcare professionals and vaccinations
Spending time at the gym on Sunday morning, the television in front of the rowing machine I was on was tuned to Fox news. The interview was of a nurse, fired because she wouldn’t get vaccinated. She was staunch in her belief that whether she’s vaccinated or not, it is not the business of her […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Newport voters and ratepayers should be able to decide on this 20-year energy commitment program
My response to the Opinion piece on the WhatsUp Newport site today: The writer of this opinion piece seems naïve to me. Here is my opinion with questions that the ratepayers should be asking in regard to the Council vote on the Community Choice Aggregate Program that is on the docket for this Wednesday. During […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Newport City Council should vote in favor of cheaper and cleaner energy
On the heels of the global environmental conference, COP26, Newport’s City Council is discussing an opportunity that could help ratepayers save money and integrate more renewable energy into the grid. This is a wonderful first step for our City to address climate change – which we know directly affects our economy and quality of life. […]
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Opinion: Lucy’s Hearth needs the community’s support now more than ever
As the board chair of the area’s only homeless shelter for children and their families, I want to let you know that Lucy’s Hearth in Middletown needs the community’s support now more than ever. Before COVID sent the world into a tailspin, the severe shortage of affordable housing was deeply impacting the ability of many […]
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Opinion – Rep. Carson: High stakes of appropriate coastal management
In my district in Newport, it is easy to see the importance and value of the Narragansett Bay and all our precious coastal resources. The Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) was created by the General Assembly in 1971 as a means to protect, restore and responsibly develop coastal lands because lawmakers recognized that these areas […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Why is DCYF taking so long to protect our kids?
In July, the General Assembly recognized that the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) was suffering from a staffing crisis. We knew this crisis was severely negatively impacting our state’s most vulnerable children and we did something about it. The General Assembly authorized an additional $9.4 million in the DCYF budget for the sole […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Portsmouth voters must reject Question 2
Portsmouth voters must reject the referendum to transfer five acres of property overlooking Narragansett Bay to a private developer. If the referendum is approved the future of the Senior Center will in the hands of bankers and developers. Their promise of senior only facilities and senior housing are just that, promises. There is no written […]
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Opinion: Free daffodil Bulbs herald brighter days ahead
This Saturday, October 16, from 9-noon at Easton’s Beach, Newport in Bloom will be giving away 30,000 FREE daffodil bulbs to all Aquidneck Islanders until supplies last. Bulbs come thirty to a bag, a $20 value. Bulbs will also be given away at the Pell school Growers Market on October 23 and 10/30. As our […]