HOT

Kristine Frech

The Teach For America Rhode Island Executive Director clearly has her heart, head, and focus in the right place, namely improving educational outcomes for our state's children.

Frech, who was recognized by the United Way of Rhode Island as an  "Emerging Leader" and featured on GoLocal, is correct when she says children should have the same access to quality education, regardless of their parent's income level. Children are lucky to have advocates like Frech as the school year begins.

HOT

Jorge Elorza

The Providence Mayor announced that the city will be borrowing $200 million to upgrade and rebuild the city’s crumbling schools.

Paying back these bonds won’t be an easy task, but this is a no-brainer, common sense decision by the mayor. Our schools are in poor shape and need to be rebuilt. 
 

HOT

Steve Rosa

The Rhode Island native is doing big things with his ad agency, (add)ventures. The company recently announced that it was named the agency of record for Taiwan-based AOC -- in Latin America. The company, under Rosa’s leadership, continues to expand internationally. It’s always nice to see local guys doing well.

HOT

Budweiser

The beer giant has stopped making beer in the wake of Hurricane Harvey to instead send trucks full of safe drinking water to the natural disaster’s victims. Kudos to the big business or doing the right thing during such a terrible time for so many people who unfortunate enough to be in this storm’s path. 

HOT

Jared Donaldson

The young Rhode Island native won his first round US Open match in Flushing Meadows, New York City in four sets over Nikoloz Basilashvili. Donaldson, unfortunately, lost a heartbreaking 5 set match to the Lucas Pouille, the world’s 16th ranked player. Despite the tough loss, it’s not a bad showing by any means and it seems like we can expect big things from Donaldson at the 2018 majors.

HOT

Back to School

All of the local colleges have had their students return and that’s a good thing for our local tourist economy since students tend to frequent restaurants and shops. Naturally, there’s always some tension between the townies who like to party and the townies who prefer peace and quiet, but all things considered, our students bring us a net positive.

(Now if we could only get them to stay here after they graduate instead of returning home or elsewhere.)
 

NOT

Bishop Thomas Tobin

The leader of the Providence Catholic Diocese really owes the pensioners of the St. Joseph’s Health Services pension fund an explanation as to why pension contributions to the fund either were not made at all, or were a fraction of what they should have been when the diocese was responsible for stewarding the retirement security of those folks. It’s hard to see how avoiding these questions is a very moral, or holy thing to do. 
 

NOT

Sheldon Whitehouse

The US Senator finally broke his silence regarding his association with Bailey's Beach Club, and I guess that's progress.

But Whitehouse's comments were very lukewarm, saying he would like to see things change at the ultra exclusive all-white club. We will take him at his word, but he clearly could do more to enact those changes, it seems. 
 

NOT

WBRU

The iconic Brown University radio station has sold out to a Christian rock music station and went off the air last night--for good. It is almost unthinkable that listeners won’t be able to listen to cool new alternative rock, or songs that once were cool new alternative rock but have since become classics. It’s sad to see a cool station close up, and the move will simply send more listeners to the internet. 

NOT

Texas Flooding

The pictures are heartbreaking and the destruction wrought by Hurricane Harvey is simply devastating. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this natural disaster. Let’s all do whatever we can, whether it be donations of goods, money, or simply prayers and well wishes, to help those who are suffering. 
 

PHOTO: Hurricane Harvey, Texas National Guard/flickr

NOT

Summer Movies:

Summer box office revenue is down nearly 16-percent according to Hollywood Reporter. That’s not surprising considering the fact that the movie industry is consistently cranking out sequel after sequel with very few, if any, movies with any substance these days.

The industry needs to get its act together if it wants to survive in an increasingly personalized digital world where big screens exist in houses and apartments, not just theatres. 

NOT

National Legacy Media

The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey should have kept the media busy and focused on what’s truly important, the plight and suffering of those left in the storm’s path. Instead, countless media outlets wasted column inches on First Lady Melania Trump’s wardrobe decisions. Does anybody really believe, former First Lady Michelle Obama would have been subject to similar scrutiny?