HOT

Kim English Land

The Providence College men's basketball team is ranked No. 25 in the most recent Associated Press Poll, released Monday.

This past week, the Friars earned wins over then No. 6/6 Marquette (72-57) on December 19 and Butler (85-75) in overtime on December 23. Both Friars' wins were at home.

PC’s first-year coach, Kim English, has the Friars streaking behind the superior play of guard Devin Carter.

The Friars (11-2, 2-0) have won four straight games and are in first place in the BIG EAST.  Providence has posted a 4-2 mark in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games with wins over Marquette, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Butler. 

HOT

Rhode Islanders Saved Christmas for Kids Needing Gifts - It’s a Wonderful Life

It is a modern Frank Capra tale. Just five days before Christmas, a local non-profit contacts GoLocal saying that hundreds of children — 700 to 800 — still need gifts.

Family Services of Rhode Island’s CEO Margaret Holland McDuff — she plays the role of George Bailey  — reached out in a little bit of panic that her group has been hit by record demand for gifts just days before Christmas.

The gap was more than $50,000 worth of need.

GoLocal played the role of “Uncle Billy” and spread the word around Rhode Island, a community just a tad little bigger than Bedford Falls.

Well, the Christmas miracle took place as hundreds of Rhode Islanders broke out their credit cards, fished through the couch cushions, and more than $50,000 was raised and hundreds more gifts were purchased and dropped off.

Little ones who needed the basics, kids hoping for Legos, and teenagers hoping for a gift card or a pair of sneakers are all getting something for Christmas.

“We reached out to our friends at GoLocalProv and other partners for help. And suddenly, this wave of kindness began. All over the state, families stepped up and said, we can do a little more, we can help another child. And the donations began to pour in. Amazon trucks with wishlist items began to magically appear at our office, we got phone calls from Board members and their friends, from industry partners, from moms and dads across the state wanting to help, and they dropped off carloads of toys and new winter coats,” reported McDuff on Saturday.

"By this morning [Saturday], we have had raised more than $52K for gifts for infants and teens, and all of those in between; and we have delivered to more than 1,000 Rhode Island children all across the state and will continue to help them throughout the holidays…and all year round," she said.

“This morning, I sat down and cried tears of joy and gratitude,” said McDuff.

There was no word about hearing any bells, but for sure Rhode Island stepped up.

Sometimes, it is a wonderful life.

HOT

Burger King Staff 

An attempted armed robbery at a fast food restaurant in Providence on Christmas Eve was foiled when workers refused to hand over money from the register. 

It happened in the Olneyville section of the city. 

Shortly after 5:30 PM on Sunday night, police responded to a report of a robbery at gunpoint at the Burger King located at 60 Hartford Avenue.

The cashier told police that a man came up to the register with a bandana covering his face demanding “all the money” from the register — and displayed a gun. 

The cashier told police he walked away to notify his manager, who then returned with him to the register.

Both the manager and cashier refused to hand over money. 

The suspect then reportedly fled out the front door. 

Police say they were able to review the incident on surveillance camera and detectives are currently investigating. 

PHOTO: Ismail Hadine, Unsplash

HOT

Moulin Rouge Home Run

Moulin Rouge's two-week run at PPAC sold 40,000 tickets. 

That's hot. 

NOT

Does This Math Work?

Earlier this year, CharterCare, Rhode Island's third-largest healthcare group, announced it was being sold.

Prospect Medical Holdings presently owns and operates Roger Williams and Our Lady of Fatima hospitals and a range of other healthcare interests in Rhode Island and many beyond.

Those Rhode Island hospitals are suffering significant financial problems.

The proposed buyer, The Centurion Foundation (Centurion), is a Georgia-based foundation that has just one full-time employee, according to the Foundation’s most recent tax documents.

Centurion’s Partner Is Out

When the deal was announced, Centurion was making the deal in partnership with QHR Health, but GoLocal has learned that QHR is now out of the deal.

Otis Brown of CharterCARE confirmed the players on the Centurion team.

“No implications to our strategic and operational directions. Their initial consulting work was completed and we needed different types of consultants. Some of that work has already been redistributed to other consulting firms," said Brown.

Earlier this month, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Attorney General’s office announced the application was “complete” and the formal review process would begin.

How Would a Company with One Employee Run the Hospital System?

According to tax documents, Centurion has just one full-time employee — Ben Mingle, the president — who receives $430,094 in compensation.

Greg Grove is listed as the CEO, receives a compensation package of $123,412, and serves as a director as well — he is believed to be part-time. 

“Centurion looks forward to the formal review process and sharing its operational plans for success. They have spent considerable time with the local management team to develop confidence in their abilities to execute the business plan," said Brown.

Centurion says about itself, “We specialize in meeting community needs and navigating complex situations which leverage our expertise in real estate, operations, and finance. Our principals have completed over 100 financings across the nation creating hundreds of millions in savings for the communities and clients we serve.”

Financial Troubles

On November 9, RIDOH issued an Immediate Compliance Order requiring Prospect Medical Holdings of California — owner of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital — to ensure the continuity of health services and care at the facilities by acting immediately to stabilize the two facilities financially. 

According to the department, bills for supplies are going unpaid, and a result, nearly 20 surgeries had to be cancelled in October.

This Immediate Compliance Order was issued to Prospect Medical Holdings and related entities after a thorough, extensive review by RIDOH determined that Prospect’s underfunding of the hospitals is impacting operations.

A RIDOH investigation revealed that, as of October 24, more than 250 of the hospitals’ approximately 830 vendors were operating with the hospitals on a “cash on demand” basis. This means they only deliver supplies if they are paid at the time of delivery. This is generally reserved for payors with a history of non-payment. The average time it takes the hospitals to pay bills (“days payable outstanding,” or DPO), was in excess of the 90-day limit set when the acquisition of the facilities was approved in 2021. 

Unpaid vendors have included suppliers of hip joints, catheters, endoscopes, and eye lenses. The procedures that were canceled included endoscopies, eye surgeries, and a spinal surgery. There is no indication that issues with vendors ever prevented emergency procedures from being performed.  

Merger Application "Complete"

RIDOH and the Attorney General's office, the two State regulators empowered to oversee hospital conversions in Rhode Island, notified the parties involved in the proposed hospital conversions of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital that their application has been deemed complete to initiate formal review.

The Attorney General and RIDOH will now have 180 days to review the application under the Hospital Conversions Act (HCA), before issuing their respective decisions. Consistent with the standard process set forth by statute, the Attorney General’s Office will make the application public in mid-January after completing a full review to protect the confidential information of the transacting parties, in accordance with the provisions of the HCA. The review process will also include public comment meetings and hearings.

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Dusk's Sunset

It appears that another locally owned and operated music venue is headed for closure - certainly at its existing location.

Dusk addressed what will be its “final time” on Harris Avenue, where it has been for over 13 years, in a post on social media this week. 

“Happy Holidays from us to you!! 

We still have a lot of great events scheduled and we hope that we'll see you at some of them!

We are all trying to figure out what to do and what Dusk could look like in 2024 if the stars align. 

Please keep supporting us, our staff, and the incredible talent we have on our stage until the very end.

As we know more about our final time at 301 Harris Ave., we will be posting about any changes, any last minute opportunities to play and any other pertinent information. 

We will forever appreciate the love and support you have all shown us in the last 13.5 years.

Rock N Roll will never die.”

In recent years, bands that have played at Dusk include Glorious Wounds, Slimo, The Boss Martians, and Evil Empire; DJs TY Jesso and John O’Leary will be playing at what the venue says is its “last” New Year’s Eve party this weekend. 

GoLocal reached out to Dusk owner Rick Sunderland for additional details. 

“The property is going on the market and the trust that owns [it] wants us out by February 1,” said Sunderland. “Definitely not the way I want to end this magical ride.”

On Tuesday, Dusk promoted its New Year’s Eve Party on social media with the following:

“It's the last New Year's Eve on Harris Ave. Let's fill up the joint, eat, drink, and make merry!”

PHOTO: Nick Moore, Unsplash

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If Lifespan Docs or Brass Were Assaulted, Nat’l Guard Would Be Deployed - No Action for Nurses

In the past few months at Lifespan Hospitals, nurses and frontline staff have been beaten and sprayed with chemicals.

The violence is only increasing, with three incidents in the last week alone.

In a September attack, one of the nurses was beaten so badly they were sent to the ICU in critical condition.

Lifespan’s administration says nothing.

Leaders in Rhode Island nursing organizations are calling for change — critical systematic change — in order to protect nurses and staff.

“We’re losing nurses and we can’t afford this,” said Donna Policastro, Executive Director of the Rhode Island State Nurses Association (RISNA). “People are leaving the profession for fear of violence .”

“The only way to stop is to change our mental health system — where patients go when they have these issues — and changes in protocols,” said Policastro. “We need workplace safety in place for workers, and appropriate consequences.”

“United Nurses and Allied Professionals union has worked for years pushing legislation and hospital policies that keep nurses safe, including the 2021 Workplace Violence Act, which was a big step in the right direction. But there is still a lot more work to be done, as witnessed by the recent assaults on nurses in our hospitals,” said UNAP President Lynn Blais, R.N. “In many instances, we treat patients suffering from mental illness in our hospitals because there aren't enough beds in our psychiatric facilities. In the absence of more beds, a stronger security presence is needed in areas where these patients are treated.”

It is hard to believe that if the victims of these attacks were million-dollar administrators or physicians, there would not have been immediate action.

It is a two-tier system.

If one of Lifespan’s million-dollar administrators were beaten, the Pinkerton Guards or the National Guard would be deployed.

PHOTO: Ani Kolleshi, Unsplash

It Was Fun While It Lasted, Now It's Over

Nikki Haley looked like she had momentum and could, if anyone could, unseat Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination.

But she got tripped up on one of those seemingly easy questions. and unveiled either ignorance or despicable racism.

She joins a list of other presidential candidates who stumbled badly. See Ted Kennedy not being able to answer Roger Mudd's question, "Why do you want to be president?"

But, Haley's flub is worse, it unveiled the scars of the past (or the present).

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URI's Disappointing Rebuild

The University of Rhode Island went out and spent big bucks to try and resuscitate its men's basketball program.

They tapped Archie Miller and paid top dollar. But now in season two, the program is near rock bottom. URI has lost five games in a row.

GoLocal reported in March of 2022:

New University of Rhode Island (URI) Men's Basketball Coach Ryan “Archie” Miller is set to receive payments in excess of $2 million a year in the third, fourth and fifth year of his new state contract.

This is a record contract and in the later years of the agreement, Miller will earn more than three times the amount recently-fired coach David Cox could earn with incentives, including winning the National Championship.

Miller, who was fired from Indiana University just a year ago, was heavily criticized during his tenure.