HOT

Giovanni Feroce

The Benrus Founder who was largely responsible for Alex and Ani’s massive success during the beginning portions of this decade is reportedly mulling a run for Governor in 2018 as a Republican candidate. Feroce, a former Republican state senator, would make a fabulous candidate for the GOP as he boasts business management experience, government experience and a great deal of charity work as well. 

HOT

Lisa Gillette

The Chair of the Women’s Leadership Council and Executive Director of Foster Forward is helping to spearhead an initiative at The United Way of Rhode Island to help increase literacy levels of the state’s young students. At a recent forum, the group decided to encourage reading during the summer, when students are out of school, by attempting to match all donations made to the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative, (up to a total of $50,000).

HOT

Hope High Dollars For Scholars

The organization that raises money for extraordinary Hope High School students is in the midst of its annual fundraising drive to raise the funding needed to give our scholarships.

Anyone looking for a worthwhile charity to donate to in this season of giving should click here and give whatever they can. 

HOT

Christina Bevilacqua

Trinity Repertory Company has named Bevilacqua its  Conversationalist-In-Residence. She will be charged with the task of creating “conversational opportunities throughout the season, and to enhance the theater’s signature events like the Great Writers Series and the Lunch and Learn series.” 

HOT

Representative Arthur Corvese

The state representative from North Providence has filed legislation that would make public the names of all providers of medical marijuana licensed in Rhode Island. It’s a good, common sense bill since it would alert folks as to whether marijuana was being legally produced in their neighborhoods. More transparency is always a good thing. 

HOT

Jeffrey Grybowski

Block Island is now home to America’s first offshore wind farm. That makes Rhode Island a leader in renewable energy in the United States. Much of the credit for this project becoming a reality should go to DeepWater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski, but credit should also go to former Governor Donald Carcieri, whose administration embraced the project and gave it the necessary momentum to become reality. 

HOT

Ed Cooley

While the University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team is underachieving, Cooley has the Providence College Friars exceeding expectations up to this point of the season--racking up an 8-2 record in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The Friars are using an impressive, physical, pressure defense to help compliment their offense that lacks the star power that it had last year. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about local basketball over the last several years it’s this: doubt coach Cooley at your own risk. 

NOT

Frank Ciccone

The state senator who represents portions of Providence and North Providence signed a letter on September 23 that was sent to the Rhode Island Department of Education, supporting the expansion of the Achievement First charter school in Providence. This week, Ciccone joined a group of 13 other Providence lawmakers opposing the plan. Apparently, Ciccone just licks his index finger, holds it in the air, and deciphers which way the wind is blowing before he decides on which position he will take on a given issue. 

NOT

Gina Raimondo

The Governor’s staff refuses to answer the basic question of whether the state of Rhode Island is financing a new building for Brown University, a private non-profit with a  massive endowment. Transparency is the key to good government, and Rhode Island taxpayers deserve answers, not the runaround. 

NOT

Donald Trump

So let’s get this straight: the President-elect doesn’t have time to take regular intelligence briefings, but he has time to meet with hip hop superstar Kanye West? I like Kanye’s music just as much as the next hip-hop fan, and I can respect that the two men are friendly, but the President-elect might need to realign his priorities here and start taking the job a bit more seriously. 

NOT

Michael Flynn

The Rhode Island resident who was recently tapped to become President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser apparently divulged classified information to foreign military personnel that should not have been shared according to a report obtained from the Washington Post. Given that Trump criticized Hillary Clinton vociferously during the campaign for a similar mistake, that’s not a good look for a key member of Trump’s cabinet. 

NOT

Jorge Elorza

The Providence Mayor continues his wrongheaded approach to increasing the parking meters throughout the city, and as predicted, it’s wreaking havoc on businesses. The latest casualty of the program is the long-time Thayer Street business Au Bon Pain. The business cites the parking meters as a major factor in their decision to close up shop. 

NOT

Recreational Marijuana Legalization

Data from the Family Prosperity Initiative shows that from 2013-2014, illicit illegal drug usage, meaning drugs other than marijuana, and therefore “harder” drugs, rose by 8-percent in Colorado, which was the same time period it was made legal. (as reported by The Ocean State Current). This should give those who want to rush to legalize marijuana in Rhode Island some serious pause as Massachusetts legalizes the drug today.

NOT

Today’s Temperature

Hopefully, everybody is bundling up and keeping warm despite today’s frigid temperatures. If you have any extra winter coats or clothes, it wouldn’t hurt to donate them to those who are less fortunate.