HOT

URI Women's Basketball Coach Tammi Reiss

The Rhody Rams coach is the real deal -- her team is 17-3.

Reiss, a former WNBA player, was an All-American at Virginia, where she was a four-year starter for the Cavaliers, graduating in 1992.

The big question is how far can this Rams team go? So far, so good.

HOT

Nashville Bound

On Tuesday, Allegiant announced new nonstop service between Rhode Island International Airport (PVD) and Nashville, Tennessee via Nashville International Airport (BNA). 

The new route begins April 21, 2022, with one-way fares as low as $49. 

Flights from PVD to BNA will operate twice per week, on Thursdays and Sundays, and will utilize the 186-seat Airbus-320. 

Nashville is perhaps best known as the capital of country music, with local attractions including the Country Music Hall of Fame and the city's famous Music Row district. The city also serves as an excellent jumping-off point to explore the rest of Tennessee’s many historical sights and tourist attractions.

Allegiant now offers three routes from Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, including year-round service to Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) in Florida, and summer seasonal service to Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). The addition of this new route brings Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport’s current nonstop route count to 26, marking a 53% increase in the number of nonstop routes from PVD since 2016.

Nashville PHOTO: CC 2.0 Flickr dconvertini

HOT

Older Americans are Increasingly Online

A column by Rob Horowitz this week on GoLocal outlines how older Americans are more and more going online.

Over the past ten years or so, there has been a large-scale expansion in the percentage of older Americans who are online, are users of social media, and employ other digital technologies, reports Pew Research Group. While Americans 65 and over still lag well behind younger adults in digital use, the gap has significantly narrowed and is likely to continue to close.

Today, 3-out-of-4 Americans 65 and older say they use the internet. This cuts the differential in internet use between the oldest cohort of American adults and the youngest group segmented out by Pew, those between 18 and 29, in more than half. Similarly, nearly half of Americans 65 and over now use social media-a four-fold increase in social media use by older Americans over the past decade.

Other sites and apps are also gaining traction with older Americans. The most used site among all age groups, YouTube, for example, now attracts 49% of those 65 and older, an increase of 11% over the past two years alone.

READ MORE HERE

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RI Offers $12.5 Million in Rebound Grants for Small Businesses

On Monday, Governor Dan McKee announced a $12.5 million grant program to assist small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

The grant program will provide direct financial support of $2,500 or $5,000 to qualifying small businesses that meet eligibility and need criteria.

“Small businesses continue to face challenges as they work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said McKee. “Tourism and hospitality businesses – as well as retail and personal service businesses that rely upon foot traffic – continue to face hardships. These grants from my Administration’s Rhode Island Rebounds program will provide immediate relief to these businesses and I thank the General Assembly for approving and funding this program.”

READ MORE HERE

HOT

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is pretty funny. Actually, really funny. 

While Tom Brady is all about the drama these days, Manning is refreshingly self-deprecating. 

Former NFL quarterback — and Hall of Famer Manning — appeared on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update" last weekend. 

In the sketch, Manning offered why he "thought" former New England Patriot Tom Brady “should” retire

On Saturday, ESPN had just first reported that the now reigning Super Bowl MVP Tampa Bay quarterback would be stepping away from the game, before rumors swirled that the speculation might not be true -- until, they were, in fact were.

But before Brady made it official...Manning weighed in. 

“Yeah, I’m not sure it’s true,” said Manning on SNL. “But if it were me, I probably would retire — if it meant more time to watch ‘Emily in Paris.’”

NOT

Smiley's Money Problems

Brett Smiley seems to have a money problem.

The Providence mayoral hopeful filed his campaign finance report on Monday and announced he raised approximately $164,000 for the fourth quarter of 2021.

He now has $535,614.97 cash on hand.  His problem isn't that he has too little, but that he hustles cash from just about anyone. Will these folks have access to him as mayor?

And, some of his donors are names that have made a great deal of news in the past few years -- not necessarily good news. 

Dion - Ties to Organized Crime

FBI investigation led to the conviction of Richard "Ricky" Dion

Another donor to the campaign is Richard  “Ricky” Dion — who is a former Providence Police officer, has deep ties to organized crime, and in 1999 was convicted by federal prosecutors for cocaine dealing, extortion, and racketeering. 

38 Studios Dealmaker

One top donor is Michael Corso — who was the player who facilitated much of the 38 Studios deal, in part by trading on his access to then-Speaker of the House Gordon Fox.

According to documents from the 38 Studios lawsuit, Corso helped to design the State House financing, and entered into an agreement with 38 Studios that would have paid him a 5% commission – or $3.75 million – for helping to secure a $75-million taxpayer-backed loan from the state of Rhode Island.

The deal also included a 2% ownership stake in the gaming company.

38 Studios became one of the biggest business and political failures in the history of the state of Rhode Island.

Corso donated $1,000 to Smiley’s campaign.

NOT

January - One of COVID's Deadliest Months in RI

In January alone, more than 260 Rhode Islanders died from the virus.

Like all COVID deaths, these were grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, colleagues, and friends. 

NOT

12-Year-Old Cafeteria Drama

Tom Brady started his career with the Patriots. He went on to play twenty years in New England. 

On Tuesday, in his retirement message, Brady thanked his agent, the Bucs, the Bucs fans, the City of Tampa, the Glazer family, Bruce Arians, the Bucs staff and employees, his trainer, Don Nee, Steven Dubin, his family.

He played two seasons in Tampa Bay. 

In his retirement message, he made no mention of the Patriots. 

Not one mention of his former teammates. 

Not one mention of former coach Bill Belichick.

Not one mentioned of Patriots' owner Bob Kraft. 

Not one mention of New England Patriots fans. 

After playing college football at Michigan, Brady had been selected 199th overall by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

He became the starting Patriots quarterback during his second season, which saw New England win their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVI. 

As the team's primary starter for 18 seasons, Brady led the Patriots to 17 division titles — including 11 consecutive from 2009 to 2019, 13 AFC Championship Games — including eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl titles, all NFL records for a player and franchise.

Sure, he "thanked" the Patriots when he moved on to Tampa Bay.

But when you retire from the game -- please remember to thank the franchise and teammates that actually positioned you for an undoubted entrance into the Hall of Fame. 

And that wasn't Tampa Bay.