HOT

Derek Silva and Paul Doughty

Derek Silva is the incoming President of the Providence Fire Fighters IAFF Local 799, the labor union that represents firefighters in Providence. He is a high energy and well-respected union leader.

He has big boots to fill.

Retiring President Paul Doughty has been a high profile, high character union leader in the city for 14 years. Always responsive and always accessible.

He defines leadership and loyalty.

HOT

Boxer and Inspiration

Gary Balletto joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on GoLocal LIVE this week to talk about his upcoming fundraiser in Providence on Friday, September 28. 

Balletto, who was a former professional boxer before incurring a spinal cord injury, spoke to the upcoming event -- and what he is raising money for. 

"This is our second annual fundraiser -- my main focus is on building an adaptive gym," said Balletto.

The fundraiser will take place at Skyline on September 28 at 8 p.m., with special guests -- and a major medical announcement, said Balletto. 

"So I won't call it a rehab center," said Balletto of his vision for the gym -- which will be at the Cranston YMCA. "It's after the phase of someone who has spinal cord injury, or a stroke, or MS, after that, they go to therapy, and therapy's really only a certain amount of time that insurance pays -- then what do you do? How do you maintain the body the rest of your life, with this new life this new body that you have?"

"Some spinal cord injuries, it's [might] not be possible to get cured, but you. can still get better, be healthy, maintain muscle in your body," said Balletto.

For more information about the upcoming fundraiser, call 641-9994 and their Facebook page. 
  

HOT

Fun Sized

We have come a long way since Warmer and Cooler.

Commerce RI has launched its latest round of "Fun-Sized" tourism ads, and Chief Marketing Officer Lara Salamano joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on GoLocal LIVE to talk about the concepts -- and impact the campaign has had so far. 

The latest ads in the "Fun-Sized" campaign, which launched in February 2018, include featuring WaterFire, the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, the Breakers, and Spring House on Block Island.

"As you know, it takes a village -- ourselves, Commerce, our partners, all of our great attractions, all of our great hotels, restaurants, and of course, Nail. We mapped out what we needed to do, and at the end of the day, we'll have 29-30 in the kitty," said Salamano. "We mapped out the region and what we wanted to highlight, and what we thought made Rhode Island, Rhode Island."

According to Commerce, just the digital campaign -- which can be tracked -- has generated over 8,800 hotel bookings equaling nearly $3 million in hotel revenue, and over 5,800 flights so far.

HOT

Together RI

Neil Steinberg says that the RI Foundation’s initiative "Together RI" was successful in bringing out more than 1,200 Rhode Islanders to 20 regional meetings to discuss the most important issues facing the state.

He said on GoLocal LIVE that the one issue that stood out that needs the greatest attention is improving public schools.

Steinberg said that the Foundation will be making a major announcement on the issue in the next few weeks.

The goals of the effort were two-fold, according to the Foundation:

First, to find out, first-hand, about where individual Rhode Islanders see opportunity in the state, and where they identify challenges.

Secondly, to create a neutral place for dialogue on topics that are critical to a common future, and a place where "divisiveness and polarization was successfully left at the door."

Participants said both in the discussion and via nearly 1,000 surveys collected and coded by the University of RI that public education, the size of the state, natural resources and open spaces, housing, public transportation, and diversity were among the topics that came up most frequently across survey results and the analysis of table discussion notes.

NOT

Providence Schools

The academic performance of Providence schools is well-known to be among the most underachieving in the state of Rhode Island, but a comprehensive review shows that the scores across almost all measures are disturbingly low.

In some cases, as little as five percent of children in Providence are proficient at the subject of math. The academic performance is just one of the endless and expanding number of issues of concern about the state Providence schools.

From poor academics, to violent crime, to collapsing infrastructure, to labor unrest, and federal lawsuits, Providence schools are facing more serious challenges that at any time in the past.

On Friday, Providence City Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune of the Third Ward in Providence took to social media to lament the most recent violence, “Today, William Parson, an innocent 15-year-old bystander murdered was laid to rest, and a 16-year-old is behind bars awaiting trial for the crime. We are failing our youth.”

NOT

Jobs

Rhode Island lost 2,400 jobs during the month of August, according to the RI Department of Labor and training.

Couple those numbers with Len Lardaro's most recent report  -- are these signs of a slowing economy?

Lardaro reports: The third quarter didn’t exactly start off with a bang for Rhode Island. While its 2018 economic performance overall has been both hopeful and at times disappointing, things got a bit more dicey in July.

The July Current Conditions Index fell all the way from 83 in June (when ten of twelve indicators improved) to 58, barely above neutral, as only seven indicators showed improvement relative to last July. Not only was the July value the lowest this year, July marked the fifth time this year the CCI has failed to exceed its year-earlier value. What I find perplexing is that the July 2017 CCI wasn’t exactly stellar - at 75 it should not have been that difficult to improve upon.

This marks the first time since March in which the state has lost jobs.

Governor Gina Raimondo defended the job loses. "When I took office the state's unemployment rate was one of the worst in the nation at well over 6 percent. People were struggling. The consistent improvement we've seen is proof that our approach is working, and we need to keep going," said Governor Gina Raimondo. "It's more important than ever that we protect our investments in job training and our innovative economic development programs to ensure we don't lose any of the traction we've gained."

RI Loses Jobs

The number of Rhode Island based-jobs fell to 501,900 in August, a decrease of 2,400 jobs from the revised July employment level of 504,300. 

The number of employed RI residents was 539,600, an increase of 1,000 from the July number of 538,600.

Since August of 2017, the number of employed RI residents was up 8,900 from August of 2017.

The RI labor force totaled 562,200 in August of 2018, up 200 from July of 2018 and up 6,900 from August 2017

NOT

Diocese of Providence

It is the biggest pension fund collapse -- more than 2,700 plan members face major cutbacks to their pensions after working and serving at the Diocese of Providence's Catholic hospital for decades.

Now, the Diocese has filed a motion in federal court seeking dismissal of the fraud lawsuit that was entered in June by the receiver for the failed St. Joseph Health Services pension fund.

In the Diocese's stack of documents, lawyers for the Church deny any responsibility for the failure pension fund — the largest fund collapse in Rhode Island history.

The Diocese filing is in response to the 136-page complaint that was previously filed on June 20 by the receiver — a 21 count complaint filed against 14 Defendants. Similarly, the receiver filed a state court complaint in June which is 101-pages and includes 16 count complaint against many of the same defendants.

“The Diocesan Defendants express sincere sympathy for the retirees of St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island. That sympathy, however, cannot cloud the conclusion that this lawsuit is a baseless attempt to undo difficult decisions made in 2014 to save the CharterCARE system from collapse for the sake of an entire state and the communities it sustained and served."

NOT

North Smithfield

The leaders of the nice quiet northern Rhode Island town thought the adage "all PR is good PR" is a truism.

Well, they may have found out that inserting your community in the middle of one of the most divisive public debates in America may not be the best for the town or even to the debate.

On Monday night's Town Council meeting agenda under "New Business," a resolution was put forth by Council President John Beauregard.

"Discussion by Council, Vote, or Other Action on Resolution Requesting the School Committee and All Municipal Departments to Refrain from Purchasing Nike Products."

In early September, Nike launched an ad campaign with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, with the tagline, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."

"The resolution is a request -- it is not a demand the town not purchase Nike, or the school department not purchase Nike," said Beauregard Monday morning. "I'm requesting that they do it -- if they chose to go forward and do it, there won't be any repercussions. It's simply a request." 

After national press attention and some public outrage, Beauregard was reversing course and now says he will move to reconsider the matter and drop the Nike ban.

NOT

Patriots

The New England Patriots look and feel nothing like the 2001 underdog team that beat St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. Today, the team looks like a dysfunctional soap opera off the field and just a bad team on the field.

Tom Brady and Bill Bellicheck’s ever more public rivalry looks much like one of those ego-driven battles from franchises like the Yankees of the late 70’s or the Oakland Raiders of any era. Individual first. Team second.

Brady, the once lovable 6th round, who overcame all doubters is emerging as an infomercial huckster for his “TB12 Method” a questionable fitness program. Many of the premises of the program have been debunked by health experts (Brady once claimed that if you are more hydrated it will minimize your exposure to skin cancer — WRONG).

The nearly two-decade run is unprecedented and now it needs to get reinvented.

NOT

Nick Mattiello

It has been a rough couple of weeks. An ever-growing number of State Representatives are breaking away from the Speaker of the House publicly. 

He faces a tough re-election against Republican Steve Frias to hold his seat in District 15.

But, don't count him out yet. Mattiello controls the House and deserves credit for continuing to be one of the most accessible officials in RI.

SEE HIS INTERVIEW THIS WEEK ON GOLOCAL LIVE.