Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 25, 2019

HOT

Gina Raimondo

The Governor has been hands on for the response to the Newport gas emergency, and has had an organized, coordinated effort by government agencies.

However, an investigation should have been sparked immediately in conjunction with the Attorney General, State Police and federal regulatory agencies.

The narrative with National Grid has been Chip 'n' Dale-like so far. "After you. No please, I insist. No, really, after you. I insist..."

The government needs to be able to walk (respond to the emergency) and chew gum (initiate an investigation) at the same time.

HOT

Kent Hospital

The Breast Health Center at Kent Hospital has been granted a three-year, full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).

The Center opened in January 2010, and has received full NAPBC accreditation three times since its inception.

The program is a collaboration with Women & Infants Hospital.

Receiving Accreditation

Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. 

HOT

New England Patriots

Another AFC Championship. A shot at winning their 6th Super Bowl title. Yup. The Patriots are pretty hot. 

NOT

National Grid

No one likes the cable company or the utilities, but this disaster is unveiling a number of disturbing issues relating to National Grid.

The number, the scope, and severity of violations for environmental, labor, ethics and financial violations are significant and have lead to more than $40 million in fines.

READ MORE HERE

NOT

Federal Government Shutdown

This is just embarrassing to the nation and to federal workers. The pass the hat for free meals and free tickets is well-intentioned, but sad. America's workforce simply should not be asked to unilaterally sacrifice.

NOT

Peter Neronha

If one thing Rhode Island does not need if any limitation on the access to public records.

The ACLU of Rhode Island filed an appeal to the RI Supreme Court on Tuesday asking them to address open records issues regarding the Google settlement fund case.

The filing sets up a battle between the ACLU and open government groups with newly elected Attorney General Neronha.  

The appeal was filed on behalf of former House Minority Leader Patrica Morgan, whose access to documents regarding the Attorney General’s spending of over $50 million in funds from the settlement has been prevented.

“The Attorney General’s position represents one of the most significant challenges to the public’s right to know under the state’s Access to Public Records Act since its enactment. To the best of our knowledge, until this case, no government agency had ever interpreted this APRA exemption in the extraordinary way the Attorney General has done. Government business is routinely conducted via memoranda. The AG’s position that every memorandum generated by state and municipal agencies can be kept secret unless the agency, out of pure largesse, agrees to release it is a direct assault on transparency in, and the very concept of, open government. We are hopeful this appeal will lead to an overturning of this appalling position,” said ACLU of RI Executive Director Steven Brown.

NOT

CCRI Retribution

The head of the Community College of Rhode Island Faculty Association — who has been an outspoken critic of the implementation of Governor Gina Raimondo’s “Rhode Island Promise” free college tuition program — has been removed from his position as Department Chair, according to an email sent to colleagues.

Late Tuesday night, CCRIFA President Steve Murray -- who had called for CCRI President Meghan Hughes' resignation in December after the faculty voted no-confidence -- sent the following email, after he said he had been informed of Hughes’ decision.

NOT

Newport’s Compliance with ADA

Newport is usually hot, but Barry Hinckley’s column in GoLocal this week unveiled the city's lack of concern about the disabled. As Hinckley wrote:

28 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, tourist town Newport, Rhode Island still doesn’t have sidewalks on many major and minor streets, let alone compliant ones.

The primary industry in Newport is tourism and like any other 300-year-old city by the sea, it wasn’t designed for automobiles. Small roads and limited parking are realities in Newport.  By necessity, Newport is a walking town and logic would dictate that the town would invest in infrastructure to support the city’s 3.5 million annual walking and wheeling visitors, not only for convenience, but also for public safety.

Furthermore, Newport is Kennedy Country, JFK was married here, Ted partied here and Patrick served congress from here. ADA was one of Ted Kennedy’s crowning legislative achievements.  So why would Newport be so far out of ADA compliance and blatantly ignore its own public safety commitments?

The root cause seems to be budgetary priorities. Newport has only spent $13.71 million on roads over the past nine years and $5.9 million on sidewalks. This averages out to roughly 2% of the annual budget, where the national average cities and towns spend on roads and sidewalks is 4% of the annual budget, not including State and Federal investments. In other words, Newport spends about half of the national average on road and sidewalk repair, in a pedestrian town.  ADA requires cities and towns to step up their investment on road and sidewalk improvements, but it appears Newport not only ignored the reality of ADA and public safety, it sailed hard in the other direction. READ THE REST HERE