Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 17, 2020

HOT

Gil Indeglia

The Supreme Court Justice was widely respected for his legal judgment and demeanor.

In many ways, Indeglia was a simple country lawyer who often took public transportation to Providence to serve on the court.

Few probably knew who they were sitting next to along the ride.

He was humble.

He served Rhode Island well.

Read about his retirement here.

HOT

Kevin Tracy

Bank of America’s Kevin Tracy has been elected chair of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. 

Tracy was a long-ago Fleet guy. 

Today, he is the Market Executive for the Business Banking Group in Rhode Island for Bank of America and was named the Market Integration Executive for RI as part of the local market organization in 2013. 

Tracy joined the Bank in 1985 in the Loan Officer Development Program and held various client manager positions in Business Banking before being named Market Executive for the team in 2006.

Good choice to help lead the organization forward.

NOT

Democratic Presidential Candidates

This week's Democratic Presidential primary debate was comprised of six white candidates.

None have significant executive branch experience -- sorry, being mayor of Burlington, VT (Sanders) or South Bend, IN (Buttigieg) doesn't count for much -- their combined populations are less than 150,000. 

Bernie Sanders is 78 years old. Joe Biden is 77. 

It seems impossible that the Democrats could put themselves in this position, but they have. 

NOT

Less "Local" -- Fewer Jobs

It was another bad few weeks for local jobs in media. Bill Rappleye is out at WJAR-10. The Providence Journal lost another reporter. 

And, this week the largest national radio group slashed 1,000 jobs nationally.  iHeart Media just came out of bankruptcy protection.

In Providence, the early reports are that at WHJY, local on-air celebrities are being cut including WHJY’s longtime jocks Geoff Charles, Pete Silva and more. 

The corporate move by iHeart Media is to continue to replace local talent with programmed feeds. In the market, iHeart owns news station WHJJ, hard rock WHJY, Coast 93.3, and B101.

“Hi everyone. 94HJY-The Home of Rock and Roll has just informed me I am no longer an employee, after 30 years, due to corporate restructuring. Thanks for all your love and support for the last three decades. Here's to peace, love, and good health,” posted Silva following the move. 

NOT

David Cicilline

The Rhode Island Congressman was rumored to be a candidate -- but failed to be appointed -- to serve as one of the House impeachment managers of President Donald Trump.

Cicilline was a skilled defense attorney before he entered politics and a talented orator, but the legacy of his law firm -- his father often served as Raymond Patriarca's attorney and the Congressman's brother served 18-months in federal prison -- may have proven to be too much. 

NOT

Major League Baseball

The game is fixed. It has been losing fans for years. TV ratings are down. Most stadiums are half full for many games.

Now, it is clear that cheating has stained the game yet again. 

Yes, scandals have hit baseball before -- the Black Sox, steroids, to name a few -- and it has survived. 

But for a game on the wane, this does not help. 

NOT

Raimondo's Budget

Let's see, Governor Gina Raimondo knows that both legislative leaders have said NO to legalized marijuana, yet she puts $20 million in the budget.

Deloitte is booked for $30 plus million in revenue. 

Sure. Right. 

That is $50 million in the hole out of the gate. 

NOT

Bishop Thomas Tobin

One thing you can say about Bishop Thomas Tobin is he is consistent.

He has infuriated, insulted and abused not just lesbians and gays, slowed the investigation of sexual abuse, been a party to the collapse of the pension fund for the workers of a Catholic hospital, but has now angered some of the church's most loyal supporters. 

He does not discriminate.

The attorney for parishioners at the now-closed St. Charles Borromeo Church in Woonsocket is calling the move by the Diocese of Providence a “money grab.”

Attorney David Graham told GoLocal that he believes the actions by the Diocese is motivated by money and specifically the vast assets of the Woonsocket church that includes $1.7 million in cash and significant land holdings in Massachusetts.

Graham made the argument in Rhode Island Superior Court that parish assets total $4 million before being transferred to the Diocese upon the forced closure. 

Graham, representing The Committee to Save St. Charles, made the claim in court last week when he was unsuccessful in his attempt for a motion for a temporary restraining order to stop Bishop Thomas Tobin from closing the church last Sunday.

Now, the group of displaced parishioners is taking their case to the Vatican and has hired a top legal firm.

NOT

State Police

The State Police motto of "In the Service of the State" is starting to fray and is looking more like, in a number of new incidents uncovered by GoLocal, "in service to me."

Jay Gibbs is a 25 year veteran of the Rhode Island Island State Police. Gibbs is also the Co-Owner and Vice President of Ocean State Scale and Balance.

Members of the Rhode Island State Police are not allowed to operate outside businesses without the approval Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police. Colonel James Manni told GoLocal on Tuesday that the outside business activities and use of state equipment by Gibbs as a Commander of the State Police is now under investigation by the agency.

Gibbs is featured in a promotional video and marketing material for the company.

A GoLocal request for State Police documents specifically relating to Gibbs shows that he used his State Police email and computer for documents related to his business.

In November of 2019, GoLocal filed for the records under the Access to Public Records Act.  GoLocal was billed $1,750 by the State Police for the documents relating to Gibbs' outside activities and other matters.

The requested documents delivered to GoLocal on Monday by Rhode Island Office of Public Safety Legal Counsel Adam Sholes unveil that Gibbs had nearly 200 pages of documents relating to his private business on Rhode Island State Police computers. The majority of those documents were forwarded by Gibbs to his personal email address in 2018.

The documents emailed included his company's payroll, insurance documents, tax documents, sales documents, and training materials.

The longest document of Gibbs on his State Police computer was his draft “Employee Handbook” for his Ocean State Scale and Balance. The draft document includes guidance for his employees for every aspect including  “standard of conduct” and “code of ethics.”