Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - September 27, 2019

HOT

Nelson Center at Brown

GoLocal's Architectural Critic Will Morgan is loving one of Brown's new buildings. Morgan writes:

At a time when colleges and universities are commissioning starchitects to design big-ticket items such as performing arts centers and business schools, it is refreshing to discover a modest, barebones triumph inside the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at 249 Thayer Street.

Just opened this year, the NCE is Brown University's foray into the world of creating dedicated spaces where students can, in President Christina Paxson's words, "hatch ideas, launch ventures, and hone entrepreneurial skills."

Pairing a liberal arts education with the buzzwords of business entrepreneurship seems oxymoronic. Imagine Thomas Edison or James Dyson taking classes in networking or hanging about in "venture spaces."

Nevertheless, grabbing the pole position on the fast track for the really big bucks has apparently supplanted the life of the mind for many students.

Colleges are jumping to provide laboratory-cum-board rooms suitable for planning a revolution in Silicon Valley, shaking up Wall Street, or perhaps tackling some intractable Third World issue.

So it is worthwhile to look at how Brown is addressing the recent entrepreneurship-as-academic-field phenomenon.

HOT

NAACP GALA

Talk about landing a big-time speaker! 

The NAACP Providence Branch will host the 106th FREEDOM FUND AWARDS GALA on Friday, November 1, 5:30 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel-Downtown - Providence.

Keynote speaker? Former Massachusetts Governor and Bain Capital - Managing Director, Deval L. Patrick.

For tickets go to http://naacpprov.org.

HOT

Providence Gay Football League

The Providence Gay Flag Football League and Boston FLAG (Friends, Lesbians and Gays) Flag Football League announced a big new sponsorship this week -- from reigning Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots.

These premier flag football leagues for the LGBTQ community kicked off their fall seasons earlier this month with additional support from their National Football League hometown team.

PHOTO: Paul Martin

HOT

Big Investments in Education

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has been awarded a $2.5 million Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant will expand services for over 1,000 students and includes a research partnership to guide future improvement to Computer Science for Rhode Island.

“If we want students to graduate ready for the jobs of tomorrow, we need to make their learning experiences more meaningful, rigorous, and hands-on. Through this grant, we will be able to enhance computer science programming and better understand what levers are most impactful in setting students up for success in this high-wage, high-growth industry,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education.

HOT

Vin Mesolella

No one is hotter than this guy

This week he talked about the demands of meeting the federal standards and overseeing one of the biggest public works projects in Rhode Island history -- no small feat.

The agency that supports about a third of the state's population for wastewater received a loan from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s WIFIA (Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act) Program in the amount of $268.7 million for Phase III of the NBC’s Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Abatement Program.

The project is an employment catalyst for the state -- it is expected to create upwards of 800 plus direct jobs during construction.

NBC’s service area encompasses the metropolitan Providence and Blackstone Valley areas, which include Providence, North Providence, Johnston, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, the northern portion of East Providence and small sections of Cranston and Smithfield. 

HOT

Haunted Fun

There's a new haunted house in Rhode Island -- a haunted asylum, to be exact.

Located on Warwick Neck Avenue in Warwick, on the way to Rocky Point, the Halloween spectacle -- free to the public, open 7 nights a week after 7 p.m. -- is the brainchild of Danny Hall. 

"I officially had it set up this year on September 15, with building and construction of it starting in July. Each week I had a new prop to keep it interesting," said Hall. "I always was big into Halloween as a child living with my grandparents. It’s always been my favorite holiday.  I use to drive my grandfather crazy having him drive me to local stores to spend money on decorations.  

"Now that I have a 3-year-old daughter, I feel that feeling I had as a young child coming back," said Hall, who added it's his daughter's favorite holiday. "Reception had been incredible. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is -- if I’m outside moving decorations around, neighbors beep, wave, pull over to say how great it is, or walk their children by to see what’s been added. I figured everyone decorated for Christmas so why not be a little different?  Seeing people smile and wave makes it all worth it."

Hall said that 80% of the props are all handmade from scratch using free wooden pallets, PVC pipe and styrofoam.  

"We have a 'Radiation Zombie Pit,' a cemetery being watched by 'the nun' and a ghost that flys back and forth to scare away visitors," said Hall. "Each week I try to add something new. This week I’ll be added Pennywise, the 'IT Clown."

"It was designed and built by me - I'm a lifelong Warwick Resident and 16-year Correctional Officer for the State of Rhode Island.  You can find “The Hall Asylum” on Facebook to stay up to date on what’s going on!

HOT

Big Brain on a Big Stage

Women and Infants doctor William Sikov is set to appear on Jeopardy. 

“I am thrilled and honored to have qualified to be a contestant on Jeopardy! and to have had the opportunity to meet Alex Trebek. I look forward to representing my family, Women & Infants Hospital, and the state of Rhode Island on the show and hope you will tune in,” said Sikov.   

Sikov will appear on the show Wednesday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m.

About Sikov

Sikov is a medical oncologist who specializes in breast cancer and associate director of clinical research in the Program in Women’s Oncology.

He joined Women & Infants Hospital’s Breast Health Center in July of 2003 and became a full-time faculty member in August of 2014, when he was also appointed an associate director of clinical research in the Program in Women’s Oncology.

Sikov received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine in 1978 and is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology.

He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at the University Health Center in Pittsburgh in 1985 and a fellowship in hematology-oncology at the New England Medical Center in Boston in 1989.

Sikov’s academic interests include clinical and translational research. He is a nationally recognized expert on neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer and the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

He has served as study chair for many regional and national breast cancer studies and was elected a Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 2013 and a fellow of the National Consortium of Breast Centers in 2017.

He also serves as a clinical associate professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

HOT

Hamilton Is Coming Back

It seems like nearly every week PPAC is scoring a spot on the HOT list.

This week it was announced that Hamilton is returning in two years. Queue up now!

HOT

Truckers - and Law Enforcement - Teaming Up for Special Olympics

When people think about law enforcement members and truckers together, they usually have an image of a big rig pulled over on the side of the highway with an officer writing a ticket.

Last Sunday, that stereotypical image changed when members from the law enforcement community and truckers teamed-up to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Rhode Island with the Truck Convoy fundraising event.

This event took place in 15 states across the United States and in 6 Canadian Provinces this year. Since its beginning in 2001, the truck convoy has united more than 25,000 truckers who have traveled thousands upon thousands of miles.

 

NOT

Fung's No-Bid Contract

Only after GoLocal unveiled that the administration of Cranston Mayor Allan Fung was directing a solar contract to Southern Sky, that over the course of the contract would be worth more than an estimated $79 million, did the administration back off. 

Now, after a little sunlight, Fung's team agreed to bid out the contract.

NOT

Providence City Hall

Lawsuits between City Council members and city employees.

Threatened lawsuits by former department directors (two).

Bike lanes installed for six-figures and then ripped out. And then re-configured.

Oh, the schools -- the City of Providence will no longer run them anymore.

NOT

RI High School Sports Have Some Issues

- Parents assaulting coaches.

- Athletes racial rantings.

- And, now, "Unfortunately, at a volleyball game last night, the opposite effect was had when our Central Falls student-athletes were subjected to both passive and overt racism from the fans in Burrillville. While both districts are working together regarding the specifics of what occurred at the game on 9/24/19, the reason I am writing to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League is because last night was not an isolated incident. Our Central Falls students and families have shared that racist acts, to different levels, occur game after game, year after year, even decade after decade. One community member shared this morning that the same words of “Go back to your country” which were screamed toward our student-athletes last night, were screamed at him when he played soccer for Central Falls High School in the 1980s. We speak up not just for the community of Central Falls but also for student-athletes across the state who face this same discrimination," said Stephanie Downey Toledo, Superintendent, Central Falls School District.

NOT

Newport City Council

Let's get this straight, for 30 years the majority of Newport residents have wanted to get rid of the Newport slot parlor known as Newport Grand. The past couple of years the monstrosity has been vacant.

A developer buys the property, goes to the city and asks the city what they would like to see built, and then returns with a $100 million project. 

The City Council turns around and passes a moratorium that may kill the project.

Got it.