Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - June 19, 2026

HOT

Providence’s Loma Wins James Beard Award for Best New Bar

It was selected as the best new bar in America. The bar is located on 112 Spruce Street on Federal Hill.

THE CATEGORY

Best New Bar: A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage, opened between October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, that already demonstrates excellence in beverages, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in the preparation of drinks, sourcing, service, hospitality, atmosphere, and operations. Those establishments that have opened after September 30, 2025, can be considered for the 2027 Awards.;

• Bar Chenin, Detroit, MI

• Bar, Please!, Boise, ID

• Clemente Bar, New York, NY

• Later Bye, Oklahoma City, OK

• Loma, Providence, RI. WINNER

PHOTO: Cullen 328 CC: 3.0

HOT

Newport's Next Big Thing - Puddingstone

Newport has a history of creating big events. From America's Cup to the Jazz and Folk Festivals, there is a legacy of bringing the world to Newport.

The newest creative juggernaut is Puddingstone, the creative brainchild of Clemens Teufel. Puddingstone's summer concert programming begins on Sunday, June 21, and continues throughout the week.

We sat down with Teufel to discuss the vision for the event and what to expect this summer.

READ THE Q & A HERE

HOT

Former PC Hockey Star Mark Jankowski 2026 Stanley Cup Winner With Carolina Hurricanes

Mark Jankowski, a four-year starter on the Providence College hockey team from the 2012-13 to 2016-17 seasons, earned his name on the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes’ 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night.

Jankowski, a left winger on Carolina’s 4th line this year, scored 1 goal and 4 assists in Carolina’s playoff run this season.  For the season, Jankowski scored 11 goals and 10 assists.

Carolina is Jankowski’s fifth NHL club.  He was originally a first-round draft pick of Calgary.  He has also played with Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Nashville.  Jankowski is one of thirteen former PC hockey players who played in the NHL this season.

One of 35 to Win the NCAA and Stanley Cup

Hundreds of NHL players also competed in NCAA hockey, but only 35 have won both an NCAA championship and the Stanley Cup. Mark Jankowski now joins that select group.  Jankowski is the only former PC player to be a member of this group of players.

HOT

When Providence City Hall Doesn’t Respond, One Home Asks the Neighborhood for Help

The home at 408 Lloyd Avenue in Providence has taken the most unusual step to get the sidewalk fixed.

As Providence City Hall has not been responsive to fixing the sidewalk in front of the home, folks have posted a sign asking neighbors, walkers and anyone who walks by to join in the effort to get the dangerous concrete sidewalk fixed.

The sign is just the latest step that city residents have taken to get sidewalks fixed, but be careful what you wish for.

The Smiley Administration has been slapping asphalt on concrete sidewalks rather than repairing the concrete.

These sidewalks on Irving Avenue are just the latest “victims” of the Department of Public Works asphalt patching. 

NOT

Dan McKee Throws the Kids Overboard

McKee had spent much of his career expanding opportunities for children through the growth of high-quality public charter schools.

He built his reputation on it.

On Thursday, he signed a bill to cut the number of charter schools and place a three-year moratorium blocking any new schools from coming online. A desperate attempt to garner the support of the teachers' unions.

He flushed his reputation with a stroke of a pen.

NOT

"Justice delayed is justice denied"

In response to questions about the four years of delay in the trial of accused drug dealer Dino Guilmette, Rhode Island's Attorney General put the blame on the courts.

Neronha Call Situation "Very Frustrating"

“Cases are moving very slowly through the Superior Court,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha.

"We have a court date on the 25th where we expect [SIC] a plea of some kind - if not, then the case will be sent to the trial court/calendar," said Neronha.

"The travel of this case is pretty typical - and that is not ideal.  I have met with the new presiding justice [Joseph Montalbano], and he expressed concern looking at the data/numbers themselves and is committed to improving information things quickly," said Neronha.

"Very frustrating to prosecutors and victims," he said.

"The truth is that when a defendant is not held without bail pre-trial - which cannot happen unless they are charged with a capital offense or they are a probation or bail violator - the cases become harder to move especially if it is a case where a prison sentence is likely to be imposed, because getting a defendant from the street to prison is very difficult, for obvious reasons," said Neronha.

"So, unless the court is really pushing these cases along, and not accepting requests for more time from defense counsel and prosecutors, cases can lag, and sometimes for years," added Neronha.

Neronha said, "Civil cases are even worse than criminal cases."

The next scheduled court case is June 25th.

NOT

Failed Mission

'BLUNDER'

"Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not ​curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future," Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana wrote in a post on X.com.

"Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped. This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades," Cassidy wrote.

PHOTO: Cassidy campaign

NOT

RI Gets an F

A new report from Realtor.com reveals just how poorly Rhode Island addresses housing issues. 

Rhode Island was graded an F.

The bottom of the 2026 list looks painfully familiar, populated by coastal states paralyzed by a toxic mix of high demand, strict zoning laws, scarce land, and sluggish permitting.

New York came dead last, earning an F grade and a dismal score of just 8.5 out of 100, thanks to its staggeringly poor affordability and anemic construction activity.

Fellow flunkers include Massachusetts (No. 50), Rhode Island (No. 49), Hawaii (No. 48), and California (No. 47).  

Rhode Island's failing grade comes after spending hundreds of millions of dollars to support building affordable housing and having passed dozens of reform bills to make it easier to build. But, little has changed.