HOT

Newport, RI

The National Sailing Hall of Fame announced this week its intention to move from Annapolis, Maryland to Newport, Rhode Island.

“Barring last-minute discovery of structural or environmental damage, the National Sailing Hall of Fame is relocating to a historic armory in Newport, Rhode Island,” reported the Capitol Gazette.

This would give Newport two major Hall of Fames — the National Sailing Hall of Fame will join the International Tennis Hall of Fame as major sports attractions.

HOT

Green Development

RI's home-grown Green Development will begin construction next week on the largest onshore wind farm in Rhode Island.

The wind farm, located in Johnston, will consist of seven turbines at three megawatts each, and will be fully operational by the end of the year.

“With the arrival of the tower components, the stage is set to begin erecting the first 3-MW turbines to be installed in Rhode Island. Upon completion of this project, Green Development will have more wind power deployed and under operation than any other developer in Rhode Island. We remain dedicated to creating green jobs and green energy, which will benefit all Rhode Islanders,” said Mark DePasquale, founder and chairman of Green Development, LLC. 

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena added, “we look forward to seeing this project come online as it will support the town while benefitting the environment."

HOT

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are going to the World Series for the first time since 2013. This is one of the most exciting teams in Red Sox history. The young, super-talented outfielders have made every game exciting.

The Sox beat back the Houston Astros -- the 2017 World Series Champs without their star pitcher - Chris Sale. 

NOT

Council President David Salvatore

In the past week, leading women across Providence have criticized Providence City Council President for being “abusive,” a “bully,” and failing to support issues important to women.

In total five top women have taken Salvatore to task.

It started over the weekend when Lisa Ranglin, President of the Black Business Association, blistered Salvatore for a lack of support for issues that matter to women and minorities. By Tuesday night the number of high profile women raising questions about Salvatore had risen to five.

On Monday night an ugly incident took place after a City Council Committee meeting when Salvatore “screamed” and “intimidated” two female members of the City Council for not agreeing to vote the same way he wanted. Both Councilwomen recapped the incident exclusively to GoLocal on Tuesday afternoon.

"After the vote, I get a text from Salvatore -- he said I should be supporting women's issues, and that I'm shameful," said Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan. "I said you don't have the facts -- he was spouting off facts that were incorrect for as far as I know."

“It’s shameful that Council President Salvatore would bully two female colleagues over their votes on minority and women-owned businesses in such a demeaning and hurtful manner. As Council President, it is inappropriate and uncalled for to scream at another member of the Council, and he should immediately apologize to Councilwomen Ryan and Castillo,” said Providence Mayoral candidate Dee Dee Witman.

NOT

Sears

Once the original "Everything Store" is now in bankruptcy.

The iconic brand owns Kmart and now both run the risk of being another dead retail brand. So far in 2018 during a period of low unemployment, 57 major chains have declared bankruptcy in the U.S.

The move did not impact Sears Hometown stores, however, who are not part of Sears Holding Corporation -- the North Kingstown Sears Hometown store remains open.

NOT

Hasbro

Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc. is making changes to its company, including layoffs that will impact the workforce.

“As part of Hasbro’s ongoing transformation we continue to make meaningful organizational changes.  While some of these changes are difficult, we must ensure we have the right teams in place with the right capabilities to lead the company into the future," said Senior Vice President Julie Duffy in a statement to GoLocalProv.

"We continue to add new capabilities based on our understanding of the consumer and how our retailers are going to market, while evolving the way we organize our business across our Brand Blueprint," said Duffy. "The organizational changes we’re making will impact a single digit percentage of our global workforce."

Hasbro did not say exactly how many people would lose jobs.

Investigation Ongoing

The announcement of Hasbro making changes comes a day after Pomerantz Law Firm said that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Hasbro, Inc. as to whether Hasbro and certain of its officers and/or directors "have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices."

"The claims have no merit and we intend to vigorously defend against them," said Duffy and that the staff cuts are unrelated. 

According to reports, in October of 2017 Hasbro said they saw a 5% decline in the Company’s U.S. and Canada segment’s operating profit to $217.3 million, compared to $228 million in 2016.

After the disclosures, Hasbro’s stock dropped $8.44 per share and closed at $89.75 per share on October 23, 2017.

NOT

Gina Raimondo

Hard to understand this one, but at least she is consistent.  Governor Gina Raimondo will accept political donations and refuse to return them from absolutely anyone.

Raimondo has received $12,500 from Purdue Pharma scion Jonathan Sackler and his wife -- and unlike Lt. Governor Dan Mckee, who has pledged his contributions received to substance abuse treatment programs in the state -- Raimondo has no plans to do so. 

See Video Interview Here.

Raimondo's continued refusal comes after the GoLocalProv/Harvard's John Della Volpe poll which found that 71 percent of Rhode Islanders believe Raimondo should return the money, and 15 percent she should keep the money.

The numbers calling for the return of the money come just weeks after two leading activists — who gained national attention when their protest involving an 800 pound heroin spoon outside OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma ended in an arrest this past summer — called out Raimondo for keeping the contributions from Sackler and his wife Mary Corson for their role in the national opioid epidemic. 

Artist Domenic Esposito and Stamford Gallery owner Fernando Luis Alvarez joined GoLocalProv News Editor Kate Nagle on GoLocal LIVE to talk about their efforts to bring attention to the role that Purdue has played — as well as elected officials in taking contributions from top drug makers  — in the hundreds of thousands of deaths in America tied to the drugs.

NOT

Political Division

A Newport woman is saying she has been targeted online and in video by the group "Resist Marxism" after attending a rally in Providence over the summer where she says she was accused of an assault -- which she says she did not commit.  

The allegation, which was posted by "Marx Watch" and shared by "Resist Marxism," said that Melody Lee O'Brien assaulted a woman at the August 4 rally -- and was used in a promotional video for Resist Marxism's rally at the Rhode Island State House on October 6.  Resist Marxism stated:

On August 4, 2018, a woman who is believed to be Melody Lee O’Brien was among the crowd of an angry mob that counter-protested a rally made up of peaceful protestors where she was alleged to have beaten a disabled woman, causing injury after the crowd she was standing with attacked the peaceful rally. 

"It's insane -- I think they think I'm Antifa," said O'Brien when reached by phone. "I had gone to the August 4 rally. I had a riot cop in front of me the majority of the time. There were words exchanged when we tried to shut them down.  Somehow the tent came down and mayhem erupted."