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

HOT

America

It was a great birthday for America -- beach, sun, parade, clam cakes and the endless freedom to say just about anything.

Bristol Police Officer Mike Kelly

Bristol Police officer Michael Kelly was captured on video shooting baskets with an autistic boy and the boy's mother couldn't be more thankful for the officer taking the time.

The boy's mother wrote:

"This is Officer Mike Kelly of the Bristol Police Department playing basketball with my son. My son is high functioning autistic and he has a really hard time joining in with other kids. He really doesn’t have the social skills and it kills me to watch because I know how desperately he wants to fit in. He was shooting hoops at the park today and Officer Kelly walked over to him and introduced himself and shot some hoops with him. To have Mike Kelly pay him some attention like this, even for just a few minutes meant the world to him. And to me. I just wanted the members of the Bristol Police to know how much this community values our police department and I want Officer Kelly to know how much that meant to me. As a police Officer myself for over 18 years and as someone who has trained thousands of cops, I can tell you that THIS is what makes a good cop. It’s not about how many arrests you get or how tough you think you are. It’s how you treat people. And Mike Kelly made a huge difference in my son’s day today. Thank you Mike for your kindness. That said, you really need to work on your jump shot"

HOT

Providence Parents 

Providence parents are getting active and are attending community meetings on the state of the schools.

Six of the events have been scheduled around 4th of July, yet hundreds of parents have shown up demanding answers have attended.

HOT

Rhode Island Summers

We have lots of issues to fix, but the one thing we have is an amazingly beautiful state to enjoy the summer. 

Rhode Island's got a leg up on most everyone when it comes to a beautiful day in the summer.

NOT

Jorge Elorza

The Mayor of Providence this past week defined himself as "Not Hot."

The second term mayor seemed more like an arrogant third-world dictator than a guy thinking about running for governor.

Just two days after the release of a comprehensive report by Johns Hopkins University calling Providence may be the worst school system in America -- let that sink in -- Elorza jumped a flight to Hawaii for a conference. Of course, the trip was paid for by a slush fund.

NOT

Federal Hill

Once the center of fine Italian dining is now turning into a neighborhood of crime, drunk driving, and endless violence.

Irresponsible club owners, the lack of police presence and the lack of interest by Mayor Jorge Elorza are contributing factors. 

Soon the historians will be writing about the death of the neighborhood -- literally and figuratively.

NOT

RI State Police

The once proud agency gave itself a significant black eye with the beating case of Lionel Monsanto by Rhode Island State Trooper James Donnelly-Taylor while a fellow Trooper stood and watched.

Not only was the beating an embarrassment to the agency but so was the subsequent cover-up by the Raimondo administration, Attorney General's office and then Colonel Steven O'Donnell.

It is five years later and the facts are only now beginning to come out.

NOT

Providence's Pension Ticking Time Bomb

While the Providence City Council's budget was an improvement for the budget proposed by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, nothing was done to address the long-term $1.36 billion unfunded pension obligation. Another year of kicking the can down the road.