Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - December 20, 2019

HOT

Chris Van Allsburg

The #1 movie is Jumanji (The Next Level) -- a movie based on the children's book written by RISD grad and long-time Providence resident Chris Van Allsburg.

He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, both of which he also wrote.

And, both books were later adapted to massively successful movies. 

HOT

Rock Star 

From URI hoop star in the 1980s to go-to guy at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to URI big thinker and big doer, Phil Kydd is stacking up a career of wins.

This year he has helped create the new bike path at URI and led the effort to secure $8 million in federal dollars to create transportation hubs at URI and the other public colleges.

Now, he has been appointed to the Lifespan Board. Kydd is the get-it-done type that ultimately benefits Rhode Island.

HOT

T.F. Green Airport 

T.F. Green Airport has been nominated by the editors of USA TODAY for their 2020 "10 Best Readers' Choice" travel awards.  T.F. Green is a contender in the Best Small Airport category. The contest gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice at:

VOTE HERE - EVERY DAY

“We are certainly pleased to be nominated and hope voters, particularly Rhode Island voters will support T.F. Green for our convenience and as an access point to the new airlines that have joined us these past few years,” said Iftikhar Ahmad, president and CEO of the Rode Island Airport Corporation.

Any person can vote once a day for the run of the contest. Voting concludes Monday, January 13th and the winners will be announced on Friday, January 24th.

HOT

United Way

There are lots of ways for non-profits to help others and this one created some real bang for the buck.

More than $27 million was returned to Rhode Islanders this year through United Way of Rhode Island’s management of statewide Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) campaign.

“The results and reach of VITA, and the direct impact on Rhode Island families and our state’s economy, are truly remarkable. This is a program that benefits everyone, but more importantly, it helps our neighbors meet immediate needs,” said Cortney Nicolato, President and CEO of United Way of Rhode Island.

HOT

Secret Santas 

A small group of business leaders hustled up more than $40,000 to pay for the Christmas lists of more than a hundred children and teens at Foster Forward and Family Service of RI.

You know who you are! You are hot.

Never too late for others to be a hero!

NOT

Providence's Mayor and City Council

The failure by Mayor Jorge Elorza and Council President Sabina Matos to take even reasonable efforts to protect the city's archives and history is simply embarrassing. 

Tuesday’s storm caused a major leak at Providence City Hall damaging key historical documents in the archives of the City Of Providence.

"This is one of the saddest days for the history of Providence right now. I am sick over it,” said City Archivist Caleb Horton.

“Water is the worst thing that can happen to records,” he told GoLocal LIVE.

Horton said, “We move records [when] we have a leakage going through the wall."

NOT

President Donald Trump

Impeachment aside, insulting dead people and insulting their widows is the lowest of the low.

The late Congressman John Dingell's wife Rep. Debbie Dingell tweeted in response to the President's comments at a political rally:

Mr. President, let’s set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I’m preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.
 

NOT

Why People Hate Government

Residents of the City of Cranston are questioning why city officials demanded that basketball hoops be removed from city streets -- and sidewalks -- with just two hours notice.

On December 12, the city sent the following letter to residents with basketball hoops that were deemed to be in violation of city ordinance. 

The letter stated:

Dear Cranston Resident,

The City of Cranston will be enforcing The Code of the City of Cranston, Chapter 12 Entitled “Street and Sidewalk use Regulations.”

At the present time, you are in violation with the basketball hoop. You have 2 hours from the time you are notified by an Official of the City of Cranston to remove said object from the street or sidewalk area. Any person that does remove obstructing objects will be cited and fined by the Cranston Police Department. 

John Coros, Department of Public Works Highway Division 

"I received the letter stuffed in between my doors on Tuesday," said Cranston resident Michaela McGurn-Chambers. "Not really sure why it’s all of a sudden an issue. The basketball net is on the grassy area of the sidewalk, not blocking any traffic and with plenty of pedestrian walk space."

"I have 5 boys and the first thing they do off the bus is grab the ball and head outside," she added. "Rather see that then running to the games or watching YouTube videos. Hopefully, it will be resolved. Not very useful to the boys in the backyard on the grass."

"It’s a shame, really. I can absolutely see it being an issue if it’s in the street and causing a problem for the plows or busses. Hopefully, there can be some resolution," she said. 

NOT

The Invisible Woman

Nothing is a better indicator of why Providence Schools are awful than the fact the highest-ranking person in Rhode Island's education system won't walk in the building.

Barbara Cottam, Governor Gina Raimondo’s close ally, was appointed by the Governor five years ago as the chair of the Rhode Island Board of Education. Despite the length of the tenure and the critical role, Cottam plays in the State’s education system, other than press events it is hard for anyone to identify Cottam visiting a Providence school.

NOT

Men! Men! Men!

It is no secret that Democrats hold every statewide office, all of the congressional seats, and both legislative leadership positions, but, what has received less attention is that women hold just 13 percent of the top elected and appointed Democratic positions in Rhode Island.

There are no women members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation and none of the Rhode Island delegation have a female as staff director in Rhode Island.

There are two women who hold general offices of the five positions —Governor Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea.

And, all but one of the general officers' chiefs-of-staff are male. General Treasurer Seth Magaziner is the only one of the top Democratic officials with a woman serving as chief-of-staff — Kate Brock. The Attorney General currently does not have a chief-of-staff position.

Both Democratic legislative leaders are men as are their chiefs-of-staff.

There is an ever-growing split in the Democratic party in Rhode Island relating to gender. The Women's Caucus has quit the Democratic party.

The women are even more underrepresented when considering that nearly 52 percent of Rhode Island's population are women. The party is facing an ever-growing split between the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Democratic Party-- which continues to widen.

“Historically, men have always held the power. Systems are designed to favor incumbents and to maintain power for those already holding it. Anyone who challenges that system has to, by design, put significantly more effort into overcoming obstacles’” said Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Liz Gledhill.

NOT

Raimondo's Effort to Keep the Car Tax

The excise tax on autos is the most punitive and regressive tax on the working poor.

Now, Raimondo is lobbying to keep it.

And, why?

$.