Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - April 17, 2026

HOT

Winners

A senior at Classical High School, Astrid Jhonnieli Santos Adames, was named the Rhode Island 2026 champion of the state’s Poetry Out Loud Recitation Competition on March 7 at the Greenwich Odeum.  She won her recitation with the following poems: Aunt Sue’s Stories, Langston Hughes; Saturday’s Child, Countee Cullen; and Our Own Twelve Anti-Suffragist Reasons, Alice Duer Miller.

Adames moves on to the regional competition starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, at Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. The competition will be streamed at Poetry Out Loud | National Endowment for the Arts. The winners of the regional competitions will proceed to the national finals on Wednesday.

During the R.I. State Championship, Portsmouth Abbey School’s Peter Devaney placed second; La Salle Academy’s Arianna Roy was third place; and honorable mentions went to Teeghan Riley, Central Falls High School, and Esra Erginbas, Moses Brown School.

The state finalists included:

Gretchen Dechant, Providence Country Day School.

Isabella Ramirez, East Providence High School.

Hunter Riley D’Elia, Johnston High School.

Holly Shilale, Chariho Regional High School.

Jose Antonio Montano Bejarano, Central High School.

Hilary Dotson Flickr CC: 2.0

HOT

Jackie Robinson’s Wife -- Rachel Robinson Keeping the Flame Alive

Jackie Robinson Day was celebrated on Wednesday.

April 15 was Opening Day in 1947, Robinson's first season in the major leagues.

He changed baseball and America.

His wife, his biggest supporter, is now 103 years old.

PHOTO: Eric Draper, White House, Public Domain

HOT

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics dramatically reduced their projected 2025–26 payroll and luxury tax, slashing over $300 million in total costs—dropping from a projected $540 million to $239 million.

Despite the cutting, they may be deeper this season.

HOT

Gregg Amore Leading the Efforts to Celebrate America's 250

While the country is often divided, RI Secretary of State Gregg Amore is constantly developing programming to bring us together to celebrate.

“Rhode Island has a unique and meaningful story to tell as we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial,” said Amore. “I hope Rhode Islanders and visitors alike will join us for events across our state as we prepare to mark this special anniversary.” 

 A few of the efforts are coming up in the next couple of weeks:

RI250 Honor Flight – Saturday, May 2, 2026

On May 2, 2026, in coordination with the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub, the RI250 Commission will sponsor an Honor Flight to honor Rhode Island Veterans for their service and sacrifice. Honor Flights bring World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit Arlington National Cemetery and the memorials dedicated to their service, free of charge.

The public and media are invited to greet Honor Flight participants at the send-off celebration at 5:30 a.m. and the flight’s return at 9 p.m. in the lower-level baggage claim area of T.F. Green International Airport.

Rhode Island Independence Day – State House Saturday Hours – Saturday, May 2, 2026

Also on May 2, 2026, the Rhode Island State House will once again be open for special weekend hours for visitors to view the Act of Renunciation, one of Rhode Island’s founding documents, which officially ended the colony's allegiance to Great Britain. The passage of the Act of Renunciation took place on May 4, 1776 – today considered “Rhode Island Independence Day.” Abbreviated State House tours will be offered between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

A pop-up exhibit featuring information about Rhode Island's role in the American Revolution will be on display. Visitors will also be able to view Revolution and Rhode Island: Liberty, Struggle, Legacy, a new exhibit installed in the Lowel Level of the Rhode Island State House in commemoration of the Semiquincentennial. The exhibit offers a deeper look at Rhode Island's revolutionary history and the individuals and communities whose experiences shaped the era.

NOT

Brown's Tear Down Strategy

A GoLocal Editorial questions Brown's ability to partner with Providence.

Brown has an addiction to demolition. It is time for a moratorium prohibiting Brown or other institutions from tearing down homes.

In the past 15 years, Brown has demolished dozens of homes on College Hill and in the Fox Point neighborhood.

City officials have done nothing to slow the pace of destruction. In fact, sitting Providence Mayor Brett Smiley seems to be almost encouraging it. He certainly refuses to speak out against it.

When Brown wants to find space to build, it does so more often than not by the wrecking ball. It could remove outdated existing Brown structures, but instead, it moves to tear down often historic multifamily homes.

In some cases, Brown has demolished houses for the purpose of building new student housing, but too often and now at an epidemic level, Brown is demolishing for other reasons — branded buildings, and then selling the naming rights.

READ MORE

NOT

Crime-Ridden Week in Providence

It was a tough crime week in Providence. 

A rape at Central High School

Two people stabbed the same morning

A creep at Providence Place Mall

A student assaulting an officer at CCRI

A shooting on Federal Hill

NOT

RI-based Jobs fell by 1,000 from January; the February Unemployment Rate increased to 4.6%

Jobs at Rhode Island businesses fell by 1,000 in February as the state’s unemployment rate increased to 4.6%. 

Over the year, jobs were down 1,800 from February 2025, and the unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point.
 

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.4% in February, up one-tenth of a percentage point from January. The U.S. rate was 4.2% in February 2025.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 567,100, down 2,500 over the month and down 6,200 over the year.

Numbers going in the wrong direction.
 
 

NOT

Not a Good Week for President Trump

This was just embarrassing.

So embarrassing, after posting this image to Truth Social, the President had to delete it and then tried to pick a fight with Pope Leo.

The win went to Pope Leo.