Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - May 5, 2017
Russell J. Moore, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - May 5, 2017
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - May 5, 2017
HOT
Nicholas Mattiello
The House Speaker came out in opposition to a plan that would regionalize the Providence Water Board, and likely lead to the sale of Providence Water. That’s a solid move by the Speaker, since it would likely have a negative impact on ratepayers throughout the rest of the state.
HOT
Lincoln Chafee
The former governor, for years, has been a staunch opponent of taxpayer subsidies for private companies as a means of stimulating economic development. The former governor made that argument articulately once again on GoLocal LIVE on Monday--pointing out that the subsidies to Wexford Technologies, supported by the Raimondo administration, which will total somewhere in the vicinity of $40 million, don’t seem to make much sense.
HOT
Gayle L. Goldin
The Senate approved legislation this week that would require insurers to issue credentials for doctors in Rhode Island within 45 days of submission. Long waits disincentivize from coming into Rhode Island and contribute to shortages of doctors in certain fields. This is a good piece of common sense legislation by Senator Goldin.
HOT
The Housing Market
The RI Realtors Association announced this week that single family home sales have broken all previous records for the first quarter of this year, despite strong numbers from the previous year. The fact that housing sales are so strong signals improvement for the Rhode Island economy, and that could be a good sign for Governor Gina Raimondo as she moves into reelection mode over the next year.
HOT
Deepwater Wind
As of Monday, the alternative energy wind farm began supplying Block Island’s electrical system with power, allowing the island to move away from diesel generators. This is a significant milestone for the power company and the state of Rhode Island, which can now boast of having the most effective offshore wind farm in the nation.k
HOT
Isaiah Thomas
Size doesn’t matter. The Boston Celtics superstar single handedly led his team to victory on Tuesday evening, scoring a historic 53 points and dominating the fourth quarter and overtime. All this, with a heavy heart after the recent death of his sister as well as a lost tooth in game 1 last Sunday.
HOT
Kentucky Derby
Tomorrow is the first Saturday in May, and we all know what that means--Kentucky Derby Day. Is everyone ready to experience the most exciting two minutes in sports?
NOT
Kevin Jackson
The embattled Providence City Councilman, who has been charged with embezzlement by the Attorney General’s office for his handling of recreation programs in Providence, was recalled by Ward-3 voters on Tuesday evening by a landslide margin. The recall marks an end to his career on the city council that spanned over 2 decades.
NOT
Donald Trump
This week, the President of the United States said that he would be “honored” to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, under the right circumstances. It’s hard to imagine there ever being circumstances that it would be appropriate for the President to meet with a North Korea’s leader, who quite frankly, could easily be described as the world’s greatest terror threat. For the President to say it could ever be an honor is simply abhorrent.
NOT
Women & Infants
The hospital has undertaken another round of staff reductions. The hospital claims that the reductions are being undertaken in an attempt to adapt to a changing market defined by declining birth rates and other demographic trends. However, the cynic in me believes these cuts are being made to make the hospital more attractive to Boston-based Partners Healthcare, which is attempting to acquire Care New England, the owner of Women & Infants.
NOT
North Providence Police Department
The North Providence Police Department has had some serious trouble keeping account of materials being kept in the evidence rooms, after it was reported last weekend that more than 100 items--including a firearm, drug paraphernalia, and jewelry--have apparently gone missing. Some of the lost items may simply have been misclassified, but the department must do better safeguarding and recording keeping of its evidence.
NOT
Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook announced on Wednesday that it was hiring 3,000 people to monitor content on the website after murders and suicides had been shown live on the site. This clearly cannot be what Zuckerberg envisioned when he developed the site back in 2004.
NOT
PawSox Stadium Subsidies
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio told GoLocal this week that there are currently no proposals before the state legislature to provide a subsidy to the owners of the Pawtucket Red Sox to build a stadium or to build a stadium and allow the team to use it. Ruggerio also promised a full, transparent, public vetting of any proposal that comes before the legislature. That means a deal is unlikely to be approved during this year’s legislative session.
