Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - April 5, 2019

HOT

PC Hockey

The Friars are headed to the Frozen Four and have a chance at winning their second national championship in five years.

Coach Nate Leaman is a finalist for Coach of the Year — and if you saw the Friars dominate Cornell last weekend in Providence, then you would have a hard time arguing against him for top recognition.

HOT

Scholarship Money

The Rhode Island Foundation has announced that students can apply for over $2 million in scholarships.

This is due to the dozens of individual, family, corporate and organizational donors who have established funds the Foundation.

“This support can turn dreams into reality for our donors and the recipients. The impact of their generosity will ripple through our state for decades as these students make their marks in their fields and on their communities,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.

HOT

Green Getting Greener

Hannah Morini of North Kingstown’s Green Development joined GoLocal LIVE’s Business Monday to discuss how the fast-growing renewable energy company is working to create new innovative renewable energy projects across Rhode Island.

Morini is at the forefront of working to develop both wind and solar projects throughout the state. Her company's goal is to see renewables surpass fossil fuels as the primary energy sources in Rhode Island.

Morini joined GoLocal's CEO Josh Fenton on GoLocal LIVE's Business Monday to discuss the future of the green economy in Rhode Island.

“We hope that if we're able to continue on the trajectory of building bigger projects with strong economies of scale then we'll continue to realize that goal of grid parity. You're very close to it and meeting our energy goals of continuing to grow the clean economy and battle climate change, which is incredibly important for my generation,” said Morini.

HOT

Talented and Innovative

The Wilbury Theatre Group has announced its 2019/2020 season of programming. The group is always innovating.

The season includes a six-play main series of New England and Rhode Island premieres, as well as a modern classic, and more.

"Every year we look to take into account stories from the national and international stage to those that resonate most with the community we serve. With a hearts-and-bones passion, biting humor, a brave experimentalism, and our signature idealism, the 2019/20 season does this and more. Between our Main Series programming and the incredibly innovative slate of new works we have lined up, 2019/20 promises to be our most eclectic and boundary-pushing season ever. We cannot wait to bring these stories to life in collaboration with our audiences,”  said Wilbury Founder and Artistic Director Josh Short.

NOT

Jorge Elorza

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has abandoned his plan to sell or lease the Providence Water Supply -- the Scituate Reservoir. Elorza's plan was to use the revenue to decrease the unfunded liability of the Providence pension fund.

Elorza was flanked by elected officials and community leaders on Thursday at City Hall where he announced that he was having sponsors of the bill to sell or lease the Providence Water Supply pull the legislation.

Elorza, who was joined by Providence City Council President Sabina Matos and members of her leadership team, acknowledged the plan was never politically viable, after the bill was introduced again in January 2019 -- and that the city has no concrete plans at this time to address the billion dollars in unfunded pension liability, the billion dollar OPEB liability, or the more than a half-billion dollars needed in school repairs.

NOT

Fr. Kenneth Letoile, O.P

The little known Dominican leader is ending PC's President's tenure despite his strong support and successful track record.

Providence College President Brian Shanley has had arguably one of the most successful runs as a college president as anyone in America.

Today, Providence College (PC) enjoys top rankings by U.S.News & World Reports.

GoLocal learned that Shanley’s departure is being forced by top Dominican officials that oversee PC and that those officials are concerned about the "liberalization of Providence College."

On Sunday, PC officials confirmed that, “Fr. Shanley’s religious superior is Fr. Kenneth Letoile, O.P.  Fr. Letoile is the Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, (based in NYC) which oversees Providence College.”

“We had hoped that Fr. Shanley would be made available by the Provincial to serve a fourth, five-year term.  But the decision as to whether or not he is made available to do so is solely within the purview of the Provincial,” said Steve Maurano, Associate Vice President Public Affairs & Community Relations at PC.

NOT

RI's Infrastructure

Rhode Island still has the worst bridges in the country, despite hundreds of millions in investment.

According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), 23.1% (180 out of 780 bridges in Rhode Island) are classified as structurally deficient, the highest percentage in the country.

Read the Report Here

According to ARTBA, Rhode Island has identified needed repairs on 721 bridges at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion.

Structurally Deficient Bridges

States with the most structurally deficient bridges as a percent of their total bridge inventory: 

1. Rhode Island (23 percent)
2. West Virginia (19.8 percent)
3. Iowa (19.3 percent)
4. South Dakota (16.7 percent)
5. Pennsylvania (16.5 percent)
6. Maine (13.1 percent)
7. Louisiana (13 percent)
8. Puerto Rico (11.7 percent)
9. Oklahoma (10.9 percent)
10. North Dakota (10.7 percent).

NOT

Payments to Dead People

RI's Auditor General Unveiled that the state paid out $11 million to dead people. The massive investment -- nearly $700 million into the UHIP technology infrastructure -- may not be performing as planned.