Rhode Island Report

Back in 2020, the Trump campaign hired Rhode-Islander and Moderate Party founder Ken Block to investigate widespread election fraud. Spoiler alert: He didn’t find any. But Ken did find data to explain why Trump really lost. He joins Ed to talk about his new book, "Disproven." Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been nearly three months since the RI Department of Transportation shut down the westbound side of the Washington Bridge and it doesn’t look like it’s reopening anytime soon. Our own Steph Machado and Jim Hummel, the host of “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS, give us the latest on this debacle. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Imagine studying science or math in a different language. Many English learners in Rhode Island’s public schools face this challenge every day, and their numbers are growing. What is the state doing to help these students succeed? Guest host Dan McGowan talks with RI PBS reporter Michelle San Miguel and Providence School Board President Erlin Rogel about the issue. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To celebrate Black History Month, we’re joined by Valerie Tutson, the executive director and festival director for Rhode Island Black Storytellers, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the awareness, appreciation, and application of Black storytelling. She talks with Ed about her work, avoiding the trap of ‘trauma stories,’ and training a new generation of storytellers. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nearly 20 percent of General Assembly members belong to the Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Caucus. The caucus co-chair, Senator Jonathon Acosta of Central Falls, joins us to talk about some of his priorities, including police accountability, feeding more students, and raising taxes on the wealthiest households. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you want to know something about Rhode Island’s Latino community, ask Marta Martinez. Marta is the executive director of Rhode Island Latino Arts and the founder of the Latino Oral History Project of Rhode Island. She’s spent decades collecting the stories of Spanish-speaking pioneers, leaders, and community members. Now, her oral history collection is the inspiration behind La Broa’ — a new play at Trinity Rep. We talk to Marta about the play and her work capturing the history of Rhode Island’s Latino community. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been about a year since Oscar Perez became the new chief of the Providence Police Department — and the first Latino to hold the position. He joins the Globe's Steph Machado to talk about community policing, crime trends in the city, and what his appointment means to communities of color. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Edesia Nutrition, a North Kingstown nonprofit that feeds malnourished children around the globe, got a big boost last year when the Bezos family made a donation worth nearly $140 million. Edesia founder and CEO Navyn Salem joins us to talk about how the money will help them serve many more kids, at a time when war and climate change are threatening children like never before. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s easy to assume that giving birth in the US is pretty low-risk. But according to a new documentary, women in America die of pregnancy-related causes at a rate that’s up to 10 times higher than countries such as Japan, Spain, and Germany. "The Risk of Giving Birth," a three-part series by Rhode Island PBS, digs into the dangers of pregnancy, especially among women of color. We talk to Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, one of the experts featured in an episode on birth-related issues in the Latino community. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Providence College basketball hit the big time a little more than 50 years ago, when Ernie DiGregorio and Marvin Barnes led the team to its first Final Four tournament. Ernie D tells the story of that journey in a new book, "Star with a Broken Heart." We talk about the book, basketball, and his long friendship with Barnes and PC Coach Dave Gavitt. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is the first day of the 2024 legislative session. So what will lawmakers act on this year — housing, law enforcement accountability, guns, a new courthouse? We get some predictions and analysis from our own Steph Machado and Jim Hummel, host of “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2023, we heard all about tinned fish, “girl dinner,” butter boards, and zero-proof drinks. Inflation drove up prices, and we haven’t heard the end of trying to build a more sustainable food system. So what’s in store for the food and restaurant world in 2024? Guest host Alexa Gagosz gets some predictions from Jason Evans, the founding dean of the College of Food, Innovation and Technology at Johnson & Wales University. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In just two weeks, the Rhode Island General Assembly will be back in session. What can we expect from lawmakers in 2024? Guest host Steph Machado sits down with House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi for a preview. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been six years since the last Benny’s closed in Greenville, and people are still talking about their favorite store. The place that sold everything — from bikes, to towels, to tires — still holds a special place in many hearts. Now there’s a way to share your memories. We talk to Benny’s co-owner Arnold Bromberg and filmmaker Dante Bellini about a forthcoming documentary about the store, which will include voices from the community. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we’re getting out of the studio to have some fun — at a pinball museum in Pawtucket. The Electromagnetic Pinball Museum and Restoration opened less than three years ago, but it already has more than 100 working machines, and you can play them all day for just $10. Ed Fitzpatrick talks to the founders, checks out the space, and rocks out to Rush while he plays the silver ball. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Numb hands from cleaning freezers for hours. Shifts that end at 4 in the morning. These are just a couple of the experiences of the dozens of teenagers who spoke to The Public’s Radio about working at seafood processing plants in New Bedford. Nadine Sebai and Nina Sparling are the reporters behind a two-year investigation into migrant teens working these risky jobs. Their series, “Underage and Unprotected” came out earlier this year. We talk about their reporting and what’s happened since. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s a huge gap between what most of us were taught in school about Native American culture and what’s actually true. "Native America," a new series on PBS — and produced by a Rhode Islander — seeks to explore the complexity that’s not described in our textbooks. We talk to Gary Glassman, the executive producer of the series, and Daniel Golding, the director of the latest episode. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new Netflix series “All the Light We Cannot See,” based on the award-winning novel of the same name, stars a native Rhode-Islander with raw talent. Aria Mia Loberti had no acting experience when she auditioned for the role of Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind girl who sends secret messages to the Allies during World War II. But she did have some significant life experience. Aria is legally blind. She joins us to talk about growing up in Johnston, advocating for the blind community, and her sudden rise to stardom. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhode-Islanders went to the polls Tuesday in a special election in the First Congressional District and for some local issues as well. What do the results tell us, including Democrat Gabe Amo's landslide win over Republican Gerry Leonard. We’re joined by our own Steph Machado and Jim Hummel, the host of A Lively Experiment on Rhode Island PBS. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The United States is facing a children’s mental health crisis, according to the American Psychological Association. The Providence nonprofit Turning the Corner is helping to address this issue by offering services to kids in the custody of the state Department of Children, Youth & Families, many of whom were removed from their homes for safety or behavioral reasons. The Rev. Lauri Smalls, the executive director of Turning the Corner, joins us to talk about her work and the need for more funding. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.