Nothing lifts the spirits in mid-winter like the arrival of pitchers and catchers for the start of spring training – but in 2022 this boost in the cold of February was denied us when Major League Baseball, as it periodically does, decided to shoot itself in the foot. In fact, Feb. 27 was to have […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Comic – Claytoonz: Keep on truckin’
When it comes to lies and spreading hate and division, goon TV keeps on truckin’. If you’ve been watching Fox and the other channels your crazy uncle loves, you would have thought the brutal authoritarian regime bringing crackdowns upon its oppressed minority wasn’t China, but Canada. Right-wing TV is upset that the Canadian “Freedom” Truckers […]
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 inOpinion
Comic- Claytoonz: Schmuck Amuck
It’s weird how Republicans claim they love the United States Constitution, refer to themselves as “constitutionalists,” yet hate press freedom and do everything in their power to destroy it. The Supreme Court has affirmed the right to a free press time and time again, yet Republicans like Donald Trump have argued to limit press freedom, […]
Posted inCity & Government, Opinion
Opinion: Higher education is possible for all, but different approaches may be needed
For Rhode Islanders in Blackstone Valley communities, a college education can be difficult to access. To make matters worse and due to the pandemic, Rhode Island saw a decline in undergraduate college enrollment by 8.1 percent in 2020, which is double the national average. This deepens to an alarming 14.2 percent decline when segmented for […]
Posted inCity & Government
Opinion: Jumpstarting the Blue Economy
There’s no better place to build and grow Rhode Island’s blue economy than Greater Newport. Growing a sustainable blue economy is an economic development strategy that attracts talent, creates jobs in coastal communities and leverages our strong defense, marine trades, manufacturing and high tech industries. The uniqueness of Narragansett Bay’s ecosystem and physical infrastructure is […]
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Opinion – R.I. League of Charter Schools: Statement on School Mask Mandate, COVID-19 Measures
As in all schools, protecting the health and safety of students, their families, teachers and staff has been our number one goal throughout the pandemic at every Rhode Island charter school. It is in this spirit of safety and health that the charter community adds our voice to the public discussion of masking, and other […]
Posted inOpinion
Comic- Claytoonz: Mar-A-Lago Confetti Shower
When the House committee investigating the January 6 white nationalist terrorist attack on the Capitol won its legal case to gain access to documents from the Trump administration, it was discovered that a lot of those documents had been taped back together. Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky told The Washington Post, “The only way that a […]
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Opinion: Rhode Island Department of Education must stop diminishing arts education in our schools
The Rhode Island Music Education Association (RIMEA) calls on the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Council of Elementary and Secondary Education (The Council) to prioritize arts education in its revision to new state graduation requirements. The Council is scheduled to discuss the secondary school regulations at their meeting on Tuesday, February 8th. “The research is clear. […]
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 inOpinion
Opinion: State must lead in addressing housing barriers
Since July, a group of talented, motivated stakeholders in our state’s housing arena have been lending their expertise to the House of Representatives to help identify the forces behind Rhode Island’s housing crisis and the most effective paths toward solutions. This group—the Special Legislative Commission to Study Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act — has […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Let Rhode Island Vote!
The 2019 election provided many new methods to increase voter options to vote. Voting is how we, the people, make our voices count. It’s time to make the 2019 voting changes permanent so busy people, last minute issues, sickness and more can’t get in the way of Rhode Islanders voting. Mail-in voting, early in-person voting, […]
Posted inOpinion
Comic – Claytoonz: Big Head Rudy
I was scrolling down my Facebook news feed yesterday and saw a Daily Beast article about Rudy Giuliani being on The Masked Singer. I thought it was weird there was an Onion headline at the Daily Beast, so I clicked the link…and it didn’t work. So, I figured there must be some sort of problem […]
Posted inCity & Government
Opinion: What’s taking so long to fill crucial DHS jobs?
In October of last year, we wrote about the complete lack of urgency in filling much-needed budgeted positions within the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). Our state’s most vulnerable children and families were suffering greatly due to the slowness in hiring these crucial frontline workers who were desperately needed, especially during the pandemic. […]
Posted inOpinion
Comic – Claytoonz: Cruzin’ into a flytrap
As I prepare to write this blog, I did a news search on Google for “Ted Cruz,” and there’s a brand new Cruz controversy since he made his stupid racist statement about Biden nominating a black woman to the Supreme Court. Take a day off, Ted. Last year during a winter freeze that froze Texas, […]
Posted inOpinion
Celebrating Clean Ocean Access’ Community Ti(d)es
Source: Clean Ocean Access Join Clean Ocean Access (COA) as we celebrate our 2021 accomplishments, 2022 plans, and the community that helps make it all happen. Our Annual Meeting will take place on March 3 (5:30 p.m.) at Newport Vineyards, and all of our supporters, volunteers, and community friends are welcome to attend. The outlook […]
Posted inOpinion
Buy Nothing Day Coat Exchange launches winter sock and underwear drive for the homeless
Source: Buy Nothing Day Coat Exchange The Buy Nothing Day Coat Exchange, Rhode Island’s largest statewide coat drive, is back in action this winter with the Spare a Pair Sock and Underwear Drive. After returning in November to host their in-person coat exchange event in Providence, organizers are now collecting new socks and underwear, which are some of […]
Posted inOpinion
Comic – Claytoonz: NFL Racism
Former coach of the Miami Dolphins, Brian Flores, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three of its teams, the Dolphins, New York Giants, and the Denver Broncos, accusing them of sham interviews, incentives to lose games, and press to improperly recruit players. Naturally, the NFL and the teams denied all of the accusations. […]
Posted inOpinion
Comic – Claytoonz: Republican Tip Lines
Virginia’s new Republican sweater vest governor (sic), Glenn Youngkin, has set up a “tip line” for parents to snitch on public school teachers who are promoting “divisive practices” or enforcing mask mandates. This tip line follows the governor’s (sic) very first executive order banning any history being taught that makes white people feel bad. The […]
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 […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Just My Opinion: Reaching out during Blizzard of 2022
A lot has been written about blizzards in Rhode Island, from 1978 (the granddaddy of all) to what will now become the blizzard of 2022. What weaves these catastrophic events together, is the toll it takes on our seniors, those physically impaired, and the homeless. Just this week, volunteers scoured our neighborhoods in search of […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Gerry Goldstein: Sen. Marshall’s `B.S.’ degree tells the whole story
I have a quarrel with Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s top health advisor, over his recent description of Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) as “a moron.” The doctor was much too complimentary. But in Fauci’s favor, his opinion of Marshall did provide a window into the rough ride our country faces as we enter an election […]
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Friends of the Waterfront offers testimony, recommendations to Legislative Commission on CRMC reform
The following was submitted by Friends of The Waterfront; The Friends of the Waterfront (FOW), the Newport-based “watchdog of the waterfront,” this week provided testimony and written comments to the House Special Legislative Commission on CRMC reform. FOW Attorney Michael Rubin’s testimony recognized the invaluable support provided by the CRMC staff in protecting and expanding […]
Posted inCity & Government, Columns, News, Opinion
Just My Opinion: Jim Langevin – Courage, decency, honesty
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 […]