Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - August 29, 2025
Analysis
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - August 29, 2025
We have expanded the list, and we are going to a GoLocal team approach while encouraging readers to suggest nominees for who is "HOT" and who is "NOT."
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Over the past 14-plus years, more than 7,000 have been tagged as HOT or NOT.
Email GoLocal by midday on Thursday about anyone you think should be tapped as "HOT" or "NOT." Email us HERE
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - August 29, 2025
HOT
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Are Engaged
A little Rhode Island pride.
Pop superstar - and part-time Rhode Islander Taylor Swift - and her NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce are engaged.
"Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married," Swift posted to Instagram on Tuesday.
It marks the latest for Swift, who recently announced her newest album.
Swift counts Watch Hill as one of her properties.
All eyes will now be on where the couple weds.
PHOTO UK Cosmo, CC: 3.0
HOT
Optimism in Patriots Nation
After some dismal years in Foxboro, the once great franchise appears to be on the rebound.
HOT
Rhythm and Roots
The multi-day festival kicks off this weekend in Charlestown.
The event is the effort of the little guys:
"Independent festival producers are nearing extinction in the music business, with a handful of companies controlling the biggest outdoor festivals. Big budgets, big expansion plans and a sophisticated network to book talent and sponsors are tough competition for family-owned Lagniappe Productions."
HOT
Zuluaga Named to Head Northern RI Chamber
The Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce has named Monika P. Zuluaga, IOM, as its next President and CEO, effective September 2, 2025.
Zuluaga, a Pawtucket resident, brings more than 17 years of leadership experience spanning chambers of commerce, Fortune 500 institutions, and private-sector business development. Most recently serving as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Membership at the Northern Rhode Island Chamber, she has been recognized for building strong member relationships, driving innovative programming, and championing pro-growth legislation across 13 municipalities.
The Chamber’s comprehensive search for a new president drew strong interest from a wide range of candidates across industries. After a rigorous screening process led by the Board of Directors Executive Committee, Zuluaga was selected for her proven leadership, strategic vision, and dedication to the Chamber’s mission.
“I am honored to step into this role and build upon the Chamber’s legacy of service,” said Zuluaga. “Northern Rhode Island is full of hardworking businesses and innovative leaders, and my focus will be to ensure they have the tools, connections, and advocacy they need to thrive.”
“Monika’s appointment reflects both her proven leadership and the Board’s confidence in her ability to guide the Chamber forward,” said Jen Morrison, Chair of the NRI Chamber Board of Directors and Senior Vice President & General Counsel at Amica. “Her vision for growth, coupled with her strong relationships across the region, make her the right leader at the right time.”
NOT
Oh, Cranston
Cranston City Council President Jessica Marino and City Council attorney Stephen Angell have resigned their respective positions following the disclosure of their romantic affair.
The two made their announcement at a Special Meeting of the City Council.
Marino had pointed words for her colleagues while announcing her resignation. Both Marino and Angell, in their comments, claimed similar activities have taken place among others in City Hall, and Angell claimed that it goes on in the “Hopkins Circus” — a reference to Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins. Hopkins has been under criticism for his mismanagement of the Budlong pool and concerns about increasing crime.
Marino claimed that the Hopkins administration “has done no better.”
In 2023, the City of Cranston was embroiled in a series of controversies involving elected officials, including multiple arrests. Former City Council members Matthew Reilly and Michael Sepe, as well as State Senator Josh Miller, were arrested within a span of under two months.
NOT
Burke's Demotion
ESPN is reportedly demoting analyst Doris Burke and replacing her with Tim Legler on its NBA Finals broadcast team, according to reports.
Burke, a Providence College (PC) Hall of Fame basketball player, had been named to the top broadcast team alongside Mike Breen for ESPN after Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson stepped down in 2023.
Now 60, Bruke made sports broadcasting history as the first female analyst to call an NBA Finals game.
Breen, Legler, and Richard Jefferson will now reportedly make up the finals team. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
In 2024, GoLocal’s Robert McMahon argued why Burke should be considered a PC “great” - and acknowledged that her tenure at ESPN has been turbulent.
NOT
This RI Non-Profit Is Sitting on More Than $119 Million, But Slashing Staff
The CEO of the local public broadcasting company has announced staff buyouts, and if not enough staffers exit, then layoffs will hit.
At the same time, the company is sitting on a record $119 million in assets, according to the most recent audit of the station.
Rhode Island PBS' bank account exploded when it participated in an FCC auction, and it received $94.4 million for moving its broadcast signal to a lower frequency. The year before the windfall, the company’s net assets were just $1.4 million.
Why the slashing?
Despite the overflowing bank account, financial troubles are mounting.
There are a lot of reasons — big losses, loss of federal funds, little community support, and findings of violations of federal labor laws.
RIPBS lost approximately $6.3 million operationally in 2024. It is a remarkable amount considering the company’s total operational budget was just over $11 million.
And now, RIPBS will lose its federal funds.
CEO Pam Johnston blames federal cuts, wrote in a post to the website, “Since Congress voted to eliminate federal funding for public media, I know many of us have been feeling the weight of uncertainty and concern. We are now facing the reality of what the loss means: $1.1 million a year – or 10% of our annual operating budget – beginning this fall. This is a significant and painful cut, and it’s not unique to us here in Rhode Island - it’s reshaping public media organizations across the country.”
But, the federal cuts are less than 1% of RIPBS' assets.
Johnston Has a History as a “Cutter and Chief”
Johnston came to RIPBS in 2024 after four years at GBH in Boston. The end of her tenure in Boston was bumpy as that media company implemented significant layoffs.
"GBH laid off 31 employees on Wednesday and said it would stop production on three television programs immediately, a move that staffers say caught them by surprise," reported Boston.com. "The cuts at GBH are occurring a month after Boston’s other public radio station, WBUR, saw two dozen employees opt for buyouts and two staffers get laid off as the public media organization also works to mitigate revenue declines."
NOT
Newport Wedding Melee — Nearly Two Years Later, Has Justice Been Served?
In 2023, GoLocal published a number of videos relating to a melee between a wedding party and Newport Police. Six were charged for the incident. Five of the cases have been disposed of, and one case is still pending. No one has received any prison time.
The videos showed one Newport police officer repeatedly punched in the face by one of the men in the wedding party.
The officer — Sergeant Stephen Carrig — was injured, required surgery, and missed months of work.
The man charged, Rober Nash, is now 32 years old. He was charged with two felonies — “assault of a police officer” and felony assault — on November 6, 2023, nearly two months after the incident on September 20, 2023.
Nash is being represented by former State Representative Chris Millea.
After Nash posted bail ($5,000 surety) at his January 11, 2024, arraignment, there have been 18 “pre-trial conferences” on the calendar.
Of note, Nash’s defense made a motion to refer him to the “Superior Court Diversion Program” - a program that “is designed to offer an alternative to traditional conviction, sentencing, and incarceration for persons charged with a non-violent felony offense by providing eligible defendants with a framework of supervision and services in lieu of incarceration and/or probation."
Nash was ruled ineligible because the alleged crimes were a “disqualifying offense.”
On May 27, 2025, court records show there was a “trial date certain” — the date of which was “vacated by judge” — Stephen Nugent.
Since then, there have been three status conferences on the calendar. The next court hearing on Nash’s charges is scheduled for September 11, nearly two years to the day since the incident.
