23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023 — THE FULL LIST

Chris Marsella - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

It would have been easy to stick out his hand and ask for a bunch of taxpayer subsidies due to higher interest rates like other developers do.

Or scrap the project altogether, claiming changing economic times.

But Chris Marsella is pressing ahead with one of the most ambitious projects in Providence in decades.

Marsella is the president of Marsella Development Corporation and now could not be more excited about the future of his effort to build a major food hall in the historic Union Station in downtown Providence. 

"We see this as a destination," said Marsella in an interview with GoLocal.

The food hall, now named “Track 15,” was first proposed in early 2021. Now, the project is scheduled to open in 2024.

The first merchants were recently announced: a seafood and raw bar concept from Dune Brothers; regional Mexican cuisine from Chef Maria Meza and her family at Dolores; burgers and more from There There; and two Italian concepts from Kevin O’Donnell, chef and owner of Giusto and Mother Pizzeria in Newport.

“This is a pivotal point in the development of Track 15,” said Marsella in November. “After facing supply-chain issues and the hurdles that come with renovating a historic building, to be able to unveil the name, look and feel of the space and announce our merchant partners is a monumental occasion. The demolition of the interior of the building has been completed, and we look forward to forging ahead as we realize our team’s vision for this passion project.”

The overall development of the 18,000 square foot and developers say they are making a $22 million investment in the restoration and when completed, it will include a large central bar, a new home for seven Rhode Island-based restaurateurs, indoor and outdoor seating for over 300 patrons, an entertainment venue and a 10,000 square foot plaza which will provide outdoor seating and a home for special events.  

Marsella's vision -- and commitment -- made a difference in 2023. 

PHOTO: LinkedIn

Alison McDaniel - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Alison McDaniel took on the boys' club in 2023.

The actress and event planner in July filed a ten-count federal lawsuit alleging that she was repeatedly sexually harassed and publicly humiliated by Paul Mihailides, the CEO and founder of the company that claims it is the “most amenity-rich, life-enhancing resort oasis in the nation” in Richmond, Rhode Island. 

According to McDaniel's lawsuit, she was hired for a top marketing position at The Preserve, and alleges she was then subject to nearly non-stop graphic sexual harassment.

The Preserve's counterclaims -- which included photos of McDaniel's modeling work -- her lawyer Mark Gagliardi said the inclusion of the racy snaps was not only extraneous, it paints a picture of "victim-blaming' by the defendants. 

“The Preserve’s retaliatory counterclaims filed [this week] are just another sad example of how Paul Mihailides bullies and punishes people who stand up for themselves and call him out for his bad behavior,” said Gagliardi. “Ms. McDaniel claims that Mr. Mihailides has regularly threatened other employees with legal action when they voluntarily ended their employment at the Preserve. Here, the counterclaims are all lies.”

"I am also deeply troubled by The Preserves’ attorneys’ attempts to 'victim shame' my client by including in the counterclaim decade-old photos of Ms. McDaniel in a swimsuit, implying that she did something wrong by posing as a swimsuit model,” said Gagliardi of photos contained in the countersuit. “These photos serve no legal purpose and are sexist, classic victim-blaming.”

McDaniel’s suit has led to two other women coming forward with allegations.

PHOTO: McDaniel Agency promotion

Ernie D. — 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Ernie DiGregorio was an All-American and NBA Rookie of the Year. Now, nearly 50 years later, add "comeback kid."

GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle was the first to report on Ernie D.’s resurgence, not on the court but at the bookstore.

Nagle wrote in mid-November:

Ernie D. was a basketball wizard and a showman.

He was that undersized high school star from North Providence who went from playing in sleepy Rhode Island high school gyms to being the rookie of the year in the NBA.

Along the way, he and another Rhode Island basketball phenom, Marvin Barnes, led Providence College to the Final Four.

But those are the legendary headlines — Ernie D’s new book “Star with a Broken Heart” goes deeper, he says.

The book explores the relationship between him, Barnes, and their legendary Providence College coach, Dave Gavitt. Maybe no one has had as big an impact on college basketball as Gavitt, who helped to create the Big East and establish the mega-TV contracts with cable TV. 

“This is a human story. It’s unique. We’ve got some people who are very interesting. It’s all about our personal experiences on and off the court, three different people who came from Rhode Island and came together,” said DiGregorio said in an interview with Nagle. 

“It’s also a sad story, they were my family. I was fortunate to have a great coach in Dave Gaviitt. When they [Gavitt and Barnes] died, I lost my basketball family," said DiGregorio. "It’s really a book written to be a movie.” 

For "Ernie D," the storied NBA career was cut short — just five years — due to a knee injury.

He is now 72; for all of us who saw him play, he will forever be 21.

David Sweetser - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

David Sweetser is the developer who has controlled the Superman Building in downtown Providence for about 15 years — for more than 10 of those years, the building has been empty.

He has made a big difference in Rhode Island, but none of it for the better.

Sweetser has made endless promises and claims, but few of them have been true — maybe none of them.

In April of 2022, Rhode Island and Providence officials agreed to subsidize Sweetser’s project with nearly $100 million in public subsidies — federal, state and local.

Then, the goalpost moved again. Interest rates climbed, which was not a surprise to anyone other than Sweetser.

Again, the project was delayed, and he had his hand out again for more public dollars for his private project.

In October, he promised to spend $25 million to begin the internal demolition.

But, by the end of November, a crew of just five were working onsite.

Sweetser ran another year off the clock in his endless urban decay blackmail.

Governor Dan McKee has promised no additional public funds to support the profiteering Sweetser. That might be the only good news.

Sydney Darrow — 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Sydney Darrow is an emerging star in the Rhode Island art world. 

“A multi-talented artist, Sydney Darrow grew up in the East Bay and had an interest in art early on. She credits the art courses she took in middle and high school in Tiverton’s public schools with shaping many of the skills she currently leverages in her practice as a realist painter and draftsperson," wrote GoLocal’s Art Contributor Michael Rose.

"While she completed courses at the Maine College of Art, she has also taught herself a great deal and, in the process, has developed a vibrant illusionistic style. Through her hard work, she has earned a large following, including over 17,000 fans on TikTok,” Rose continued. 

Darrow sometimes appears to be everywhere.

Recently, her work was featured at the WaterFire Arts Center.

Joe Paolino — 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

While there are many questions about commercial real estate and the future of downtowns, former Providence Mayor and developer Joe Paolino kept investing in Providence.

In February, Paolino bought the former RDW advertising agency headquarters on Smith Street in Providence.

In March, Paolino Properties announced it was buying 70 Kennedy Plaza, historically known as the Peoples Savings Bank Building. Built in 1947, the building sits between Kennedy Plaza and Westminster Street.

“I purchased this building because it is important to me that we create a lively and attractive neighborhood in downtown Providence for our residents, businesses and visitors. For far too long, I have watched the downtown area, particularly this building, deteriorate through neglect,” said Paolino, who serves as managing partner of Paolino Properties. “I have always believed in a vibrant downtown and will continue to do so, which is why I have invested in the immediate neighborhood.”

His office said, "70 Kennedy Plaza was previously owned by an out-of-state company, which left it in dire need of repairs due to neglect. In recent years, the building’s ground floor commercial space has been vacant since the departure of CVS. It currently houses several residential tenants on the upper floors."

“Our only immediate plans for the building include maintaining its infrastructure and finding a tenant for the building’s ground floor retail space,” Paolino said.

Beatrice Hotel Continues to Shine

In October, Condé Nast Traveler announced the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards, with The Beatrice in Providence recognized as the "#6 Hotel in The Northeast."

“We are thrilled to be honored by Condé Nast Traveler and to be featured in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards,” said Paolino. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to making Providence a top destination known for its historical charm, vibrant downtown, world-class restaurants, and esteemed colleges and universities. We are excited to continue to be a place for both business and leisure travelers to call home while exploring our dynamic city’s celebrated attractions.”

Smithfield Little League - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

In late August, the Smithfield Little League All-Stars lost to El Segundo 9-3, ending their World Series run. 

It was the first time in 72 years that Smithfield had gone to the Little League World Series. 

It had been a wonderful run that captivated Rhode Island. It was summer's great delight.

Nothing was better than learning about the Little Leaguer's favorite players and the best things to eat.

Smithfield Little League posted the following to Facebook after the game: 

As the great Ted Williams told The New York Times in 1982: I've always said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports.

We as a community, league and board are so incredibly proud of The Boys of Summer!

These boys have played with the toughest teams in the United States; faced adversity and came out winning the hearts of all!

We could not be any prouder!!!

Great job, Boys of Summer! 

Rhode Island’s Disappearing Media - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

2023, multiple Rhode Island media companies got gobbled up, merged, or closed down.

Rhode Island’s Public Radio was merged into RIPBS, the local television station.

The radio station struggled; it has been the third-ranked public radio station in the Providence market — behind the two Boston stations, WGBH and WBUR.

Then, the Woonsocket Call and The Pawtucket Times were merged together. Another newspaper is now gone from the Rhode Island media landscape.

More recently, Providence Business News, which had already been cut back during COVID to printing just twice a month, was sold.

It was purchased by an Iowa company that also owns a forklift magazine in its portfolio.

2023 was also the year that WEEI Sports Radio closed its Rhode Island office.

And starting in 2022, Rhode Island saw a massive exodus of talent from the local TV stations.

Leaving the industry over the past 18 months were WPRI meteorologist Michelle Muscatello as well as the station veterans Danielle North and Michaela Johnson. WJAR saw resignations from sports editor Joe Kayata and investigative reporter Katie Davis.

PHOTO: Patrick Fore, Unsplash

Christina Paxson - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Brown University's president, Christina Paxson, seemed to be hiding on College Hill this past year.

Unlike many of her predecessors — such as Howard Swearer, Vartan Gregorian and Ruth Simmons — Paxson did not lead on critical issues but seemed to try and close the gates around Brown and her own reputation.

The school traded a seat of the corporation and the naming rights for the new performing arts center to the Lindemann family for a major gift — a family tied to one of Rhode Island’s worst environmental crimes, the murder of one of their horses, and looted art.

She did not take kindly to questions about the Lindemann family.

Brown was embarrassed by being ranked 67th by the Wall Street Journal Best Colleges in America.

Then, more recently, Paxson has stumbled and bumbled her way through the management of protests of the Hamas-Israel war and anti-semitism.

Brown University officials sent an internal email notice to faculty and staff identifying a recent incident not as an act of “anti-Semitism” — but chose to call the incident “bias-related.”

Previously, Brown had referred to anti-Semitic incidents as acts of “anti-Semitism.”

When asked about the incident, Brown refused to comment.

In November, the National Review reported on Paxson in "Brown University President Omits Reference to Jewish Students After Heckling from Pro-Palestinian Activists."

An exclusive report by GoLocal found that Brown had accepted $11 million from Palestine, with millions of it going to underwrite a controversial member of the faculty. 

According to the federal database, Brown has received no donations from Israel.

For the first time, Paxson banned the press from a Brown event — literally closing the gates. At the event, students booed Paxson off the stage.

PHOTO: Brown University

Kent Stetson — 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

2023 was another big year for Rhode Island handbag designer Kent Stetson, who unveiled his latest line of coveted creations — for Jersey Mike’s.

It was just one of his successes.

For Stetson, as he celebrates his twentieth anniversary making his creative clutches this year, how he came to land the order for 1,500 bags from the owners of the popular food chain is the story of how he has worked now for decades to establish himself as one the top names in fashion. 

“Fierce and severe has had its moment in the industry. I’m more...charming,” said the self-effacing Stetson, a self-described introvert.

“This didn’t happen overnight. It has been a long time coming,” he added. 

With Jersey MIke’s — and other big brands waiting in the wings — Stetson and his team in his Pawtucket production facility are maxed out on orders. 

“This is the first time I haven’t had to hustle,” said Stetson. “I truly believe this is the start of a new chapter.”

Sandwich Success

According to Stetson, his whimsical designs have always been about the wearer — and word of mouth.

It was a customer who first saw his design at the Newport Flower Show, and then ordered a bag, that set him on the path to “sandwich" success. 

“She lives down in Florida, and when I first sent her a bag, she called me and said it was bigger than she had hoped,” said Stetson of this particular customer. “So I said, how about I make you a smaller one then? She was shocked when I said I’d do that for her.”

“Well, she was out with her bag, and [Jersey Mike’s owner] Tatiana Cancro saw it,” said Stetson. “My customer said, ‘Do you know Kent Stetson?’”

An email introduction was made, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

“My customers are truly my best ambassadors,” said Stetson. 

So Stetson sent some designs to Cancro — as well as a personalized Corgi bag — and then he soon found his next stroke of luck.

Francis Parra - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Teatro ECAS, for some, is an overnight success with its new home on Valley Street, but the theatre company is more than 25 years in development.

This is the first time the company has had its own theater.

And, one of the key players in creating the dynamic theatre company is Francis Parra.

She is an educator and “champion of the arts her entire life.”

Born in the Dominican Republic, where she studied advertising and communications at APEC University in Santo Domingo, Parra became a leader in the arts when she came to Rhode Island.

Parra has written, directed, and produced dozens of plays and taught acting for more than two decades. 

She has received numerous honors over the years.

As artistic director of Teatro ECAS, she has been a key driver in the growth of the theatre.

She was named Grand Marshal of PVDFest In 2018 and she was awarded the Tom Roberts Award for Creative Achievement from the RI State Council on the Humanities. 

Beyond everything else she does for the theatre, she teaches at the elementary school level in Pawtucket Public Schools.

PHOTO: LinkedIn

Ed Cooley - 23 Who Made a Difference in 2023 in Rhode Island

In the winter of 2023, the marketing at Providence College featured Ed Cooley and pitched "Friartown" and “Family.”

But while the marketing for the College featured Cooley, he was in the midst of packing up and leaving.

Sportswriters covering the Providence College men’s basketball team began asking questions about rumors that Friars Coach Cooley was headed to Georgetown University in mid-March — a week or so before his departure became public.

But a real estate disclosure form unveiled by GoLocal and signed by Cooley in preparation for the sale of his East Greenwich home unveils that the Cooleys were preparing to sell their home even weeks earlier.

The disclosure form is a document required to be completed by sellers.

Cooley’s departure reminded everyone that college basketball is a business dominated by multi-million contracts for millionaire coaches and, more recently, big-time payments via NIL to top-tier players.

So much for the lifetime contracts.

Skip the taglines; college basketball is "moneytown" first and foremost.

Bob Dilworth - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

He is one of Rhode Island’s preeminent artists and is now in that groove of only getting better.

“Providence artist Bob Dilworth is renowned for making artworks that are ambitiously scaled and intricately crafted. Active in Rhode Island for more than thirty years, Dilworth is rightly one of the state’s most decorated artists and someone whose career is a testament to his nearly compulsive passion for making. Surfaces throughout his home and studio are covered in the materials used to create his richly layered mixed media artworks,” wrote GoLocal’s art contributor Michael Rose.

“Dilworth originally came to Rhode Island in the early 1970s to study at RISD. After departing for graduate school at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he was not sure he would return, but an opportunity to teach at Brown brought him back,” added Rose.

He then became a Professor of Art at the University of Rhode Island, where he taught for many years.

Now Emeritus, Dilworth has the time to dedicate his full energies to his own art. The recipient of numerous awards and residencies, Dilworth’s work is in prominent collections like those of the National Gallery of Art for the Corcoran Collection, the RISD Museum, and the Chicago Public Library.  

He continues to be prolific — this year's exhibits at the Newport Art Museum was just one of the highlights.

Lisa Baldelli-Hunt - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Three times can be a charm -- or not.

In 2013, GoLocal flagged the rise of Lisa Baldelli-Hunt as one of the "13 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2013."

GoLocal wrote a decade ago:

After serving in the General Assembly as a State Rep from 2006 to 2013, Baldelli-Hunt set her sights on the City of Woonsocket's highest seat this year, and in November became the second woman ever elected to the position, beating incumbent Leo Fontaine by roughly 2 to 1 margin.

Running on a reform platform, Baldelli-Hunt said the city had been underfunding its schools, and questioned previous Mayor Fontaine's disclosure of the city's finances. “I’m angry. As a legislator, I feel that I’ve been misled at a time we’re trying to push through legislation to avoid municipal bankruptcy,” Baldelli-Hunt said in June of 2013.

And in 2023, Baldelli-Hunt’s ten-year run as Woonsocket Mayor came to a crashing end.

In 2022, she was removed from office and then won reelection. GoLocal tapped her again for her making headlines. 

In November of 2023, she surprised many by resigning as Mayor -- after the revelation of a potential financial misstep arose.

Baldelli-Hunt said she was resigning due to health issues.

Her career was tumultuous and nearly always in the news.

Lee Ann Scotto Adams - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

One of the delights of 2023 was Michael Rose, GoLocal’s art contributor, whose features brought greater attention to the talents and expressiveness of Rhode Island’s immense creative talent; he highlighted the marvelous works of Lee Ann Scotto Adams.

"Rhode Island scenery is a frequent subject for local artists, but Cranston-based painter Adams looks for inspiration in novel places. In sensuous and brushy artworks, Adams celebrates vernacular architecture, backyards, alleys, and the lesser-seen bits of her neighborhood and the broader world. A talented artist and arts administrator, she is a vital presence on the cultural scene," Rose wrote about Adams.

“I’m always drawn to architecture and how it intersects with the environment. The geometry of a structure against the landscape really appeals to me. The drama of an unsettled sky undulating behind a rooftop; the intensely bright patch of light slipping through the alley between a house and garage; the splintered reflections of light in a curtained window; these things are so seductive,” she said.

“If you dig just a little at the surface of these physical/visual things, it’s easy to make a connection between a dwelling and the psychological state of its occupant. For this reason, I love capturing quotidian human remnants in the landscape; like a satellite dish or a tipped chair. These mundane objects belie the complex human experience of the dwellers. I like the juxtaposition,” she added.

In her studio at her home, Adams makes paintings that describe place and environment. Often, her gaze is directed at unsuspecting views of local neighborhoods. A suburban home or an urban street might come into focus. Both are treated with equal care and result in images that range from poignant to melancholic to evocatively mysterious.

Arnold “Buff” Chace - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Providence developer Arnold “Buff” Chace has been in the eye of the storm — actually, two legal storms — in 2023.

Lawsuit #1

Chace is being sued by a group of family members led by his cousin Malcolm Chace, who alleged that Buff Chace misused tens of millions of dollars in a family trust for personal benefit.

That lawsuit could go to trial in early 2024 but it has one more hurdle to clear.

In early November, Superior Court Judge Brian Stern heard arguments by Buff Chace's attorney requesting summary judgment on the lawsuit, which can be granted when the facts can be decided upon without needing to go to trial, where the opposing party would lose due to a lack of evidence, according to legal definitions.

That lawsuit was first filed in early 2022.

Presently, Malcolm Chace heads the investment firm Canton Hathaway in Providence. His business partners include Jim Procaccianti, President and CEO of Procaccianti Companies — “a firm that claims more than $10 billion of diversified real estate investments in more than 130 cities across 31 states coast to coast.”

The litigation between the Chace family members may emerge as one of the most extensive trials in Rhode Island's history and rival some of the most notable cases in the state's history.

One major difference between this battle and some of the other notable cases is this is a civil case, and the most notable cases in the state's history have been criminal cases -- murders, political corruption, and more.

The courtroom will be packed with lawyers representing the cadre of factions in the Chace litigation.

Lawsuit #2

In another suit, the Providence City Council is attempting to unwind an agreement between the City of Providence and Buff Chace -- which cleared a critical hurdle in November.

Superior Court Judge Joseph McBurney granted the Council's motion to intervene on November 27.

The city’s internal auditor estimates that the city could recover as much as $42 million.

Attorneys representing the Providence City Council had filed a motion in August to intervene in Providence Superior Court in the case entitled Harrisburg Associates, LLC, et al. v. The City of Providence et al.

The motion is intended to be the first step in a challenge by the City Council to a 2021 Consent Order entered in that case.

Jenna Cosgrove - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

She is the most successful Rhode Island State employee, literally. Oh, and she is the best coach in the state at any level.

Jenna Cosgrove is in her seventh season as the head women's basketball coach at Rhode Island College. She owns a 111-41 (.730) career record.

Since the season began, her team is 12-0.

In the past two seasons combined, Cosgrove is a combined 40-4 to date.

In her first six seasons guiding the Anchorwomen, Cosgrove has three Little East Conference Championships, four LEC Tournament Appearances, has been named the LEC's Coach of the Year three times and been named the Region II Coach of the Year. Additionally, the Anchorwomen have three 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, one NCAA Final Four, two Little East Rookies of the Year and one Player and Defensive Player of the Year. 

In 2023, she led the Anchorwomen to the program's best-ever season as Rhode Island College went 28-4, won the program's third consecutive Little East Regular Season and Tournament titles and reached NCAA Div. III Championship's Final Four for the first time in program history. 

There are no scholarships and no NIL monies. Just winning.

During the team’s run in the NCAA Tournament last season, Cosgrove's team knocked off No. 3 Scranton, No. 12 Chicago, and No. 10 Babson to advance to the National Semifinal. She was named a finalist to receive the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) National Coach of the Year award.

Congressional Candidate Meltdowns - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

The two frontrunners for the Democratic nomination for the first congressional district seat hit major bumps during the 2023 campaign cycle.

When GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle tried to ask Rhode Island Lt. Governor Sabina Matos questions about the ongoing investigations into her campaign's signatures, New York Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) repeatedly interrupted Nagle's questions.

Espaillat was in Rhode Island to campaign with Matos.

There is currently an ongoing Rhode Island State Police and Rhode Island Attorney General investigation and at the time, the Rhode Island Board of Elections voted to consider issuing subpoenas to Matos' ballot signature collectors following the primary. The Attorney General's investigation has gone on for four months.

Nagle first asked Matos if she had spoken with her campaign's signature collectors. 

“The campaign signature collectors — have you had conversations with each and every one of them? Obviously, there is now the potential for subpoenas following the primary," said Nagle. "You say you have enough signatures; you’ve had several hundred signatures tossed out. What if in the event there is something that is found that signatures aren’t in fact valid?”

But each time Nagle tried to ask Matos questions, Congressman Espaillat interrupted her.

The exchange became more heated when the Congressman said, “I don’t know who you are [referring to Nagle]— we’re not going to allow you to victimize the victim.”

Nagle interjected, saying she asked Matos the question -- not Espaillat. 

“You’re in our state, sir,” said Nagle to his dismissive comment by the Congressman as he continued to speak over Nagle.

“She’s a decent woman. We trust her. We’re here to support her. The Board of Elections said that there’s nothing there. We’re not going to engage in a conversation where she’s victimized again,” he continued. 

Nagle continued to press Matos for an answer.

“As a woman, do you appreciate being interrupted by a man when you have a job to do?” Nagle asked Matos.

“You’re doing your job as a reporter and you get interrupted often as a reporter,” said Matos.

“I’m not having any conversations with signature collectors. Right now, we have to wait for the process to continue,” said Matos. 

Regunberg’s Father-in-Law Was Big Supporter - His Firm Is Mired in Investor Lawsuit & Petroleum Investments

Aaron Regunberg’s campaign for Congress got a big boost during the campaign with the support of the political action committee (PAC) Progress Rhode Island.

The PAC was funded almost entirely by Regunberg’s father-in-law Jim Cielinski. He is a top player at a global investment firm Janus Henderson — a firm that is now facing a major class action lawsuit and was hit in the past year by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cielinski provided $125,000 to the Progress Rhode Island PAC, according to the Federal Election Commission.

While Regunberg claims he is the champion of the poor and fights for the middle class, he benefited from his father-in-law's mega-wealth.

“Government should be working to improve the lives of the middle class, working families, and poorer people, not the folks who already have more wealth than they know what to do with. Aaron believes that progressive taxation is a critical mechanism for reducing the staggering economic and political inequality that has plagued our society and democracy,” according to Regunberg’s campaign website.

"He [Regunberg] supports The For the 99.8% Act to lower the estate tax exemption, a millionaires surtax on income over $2 million, a wealth tax applied to the fortunes of the ultra-wealthy, and the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act," claims the campaign.

And, the Reguberg campaign was benefiting from PAC funded by his father-in-law.

Cielinski is Global Head of Fixed Income at Janus Henderson Investors — he is ranked second on the firm’s executive committee — only under the CEO. He is often the face of Janus Henderson — a firm with nearly $300 billion under management.

Cielinski can be viewed on the global financial shows providing expertise about emerging markets and expounding why his firm is investing in Russia or the benefits of the Trump presidency on the economy.

GoLocal asked Regunberg if there was an inherent inconsistency between his progressive political positions and his campaign benefitting from his father-in-law’s wealth and company’s practices.

Making Big Returns of Petroleum Investments

For Cielinski's firm Janus Henderson, the investments in the fossil fuel industry are in two major players, according to FossilFuelFunds: 

1. EOG Resources Inc.    $200.75 million    

2. Atlas Energy Solutions Inc Class A   $30.33 million

EOG at the time, reported quarterly earnings with revenues of $5.57 billion for the quarter ended June 2023, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.89%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $7.41 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. EOG has seen significant growth this year. It has climbed 29% over the 52-week low.

Atlas Energy Solutions describes itself on its investor website, "Atlas is a leader in the proppant and proppant logistics industry and is currently solely focused on serving customers in the Permian Basin of West Texas & New Mexico, the most active oil and natural gas producing regions in North America...Our core mission is to maximize value for our stockholders by generating strong cash flow and allocating our capital resources efficiently, including providing a regular and durable return of capital to our investors through industry cycles." Atlas' stock is up 40% over its 52-week low.

Regunberg did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

“The Portal” - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

One of the top sports stories in Rhode Island (and far beyond) was the impact of the transfer portal on college basketball — by far and away the most popular sport in this state.

With the departure of Coach Ed Cooley from Providence College, the Friars saw a number of players depart, and new Coach Kim English brought three transfers with him from George Mason University, including two starters, Josh Oduro and Ticket Gaines.

But the University of Rhode Island saw massive turnover — a revolving door.

Eight URI players left Kingston — almost all transferring.

And, the Rams added 11 new players for the 2023-24 season.

URI was awful last year and, to date, is only marginally better this season. The Rams are now 6-7 on the season.

Multiple Transfers

As GoLocal’s sports columnist Jim Malachowski reported two weeks ago, there will be complete and untethered free agency in college sports if the NCAA loses the lawsuit over the existing transfer rules, which is currently being adjudicated.

Many believe the judge will rule against the NCAA and in favor of college athletes. In a strongly worded decision, a federal judge in West Virginia issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) declaring the NCAA’s multi-transfer restrictions run afoul of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Seeing the writing on the wall, the NCAA agreed to accept a preliminary injunction for this school year. The injunction bars the NCAA from forcing athletes who have transferred two or more times to sit out a year.

This ruling effectively means any college athlete can play immediately this school year, even if they have transferred one, two, or even three times. It is free agency for all college athletes for this academic year.

Will Morgan - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Will Morgan, GoLocal’s architecture critic, has become a leading voice for neighborhoods, sane development, and quality design in Rhode Island.

No one speaks out louder or more clearly than Morgan when the government and developers go off the rails, ignoring the voice of the community.

Morgan, who has written more than a dozen books on architecture and has taught at top-tier colleges and universities, has filled a cavernous void combining critique, advocacy, and historical perspective.

Morgan has been one of the defenders of the Fox Point neighborhood, now nearly constantly under attack by developers looking for quick scores and the politicos who feast on their donations.

It has been Morgan, along with others, who have pressed the 195 Commission to consider design and height. Providence is a city that is a destination because of its remarkable architecture and history, but the 195 Commission seems to place a higher degree of importance on Trader Joe’s and new liquor stores.

Morgan’s understanding of how communities work and how something so simple as a cafe can spark an economic revival could be found in his piece, "The Revival of Downtown East Providence, One Cafe at a Time:"

Providence’s most desirable area, the East Side, is threatened by Brown’s voracious growth, while the formerly quirky small shopkeeper ambiance of Thayer Street is gone, reduced to a characterless and barely recognizable strip. The very success of the East Side is making it unaffordable for all but the wealthy.

Thus, the logical place for the next East Side is on the “other side of tracks" in East Providence. Central Falls, Pawtucket, or Providence’s West End simply do not have the Townies’ salubrious setting.

One agent of change is Levi Medina, an East Providence native who opened Café Zara at  130 Taunton Avenue three years ago. A foodie who studied marketing at Johnson and Wales, Medina operated a food truck–Portu-galo–in Providence until he decided to act on his belief in his hometown. Alas,  politicians too often believe that the only way to revive a city is through large-scale development, such as a soccer stadium or a skyscraper.

Yet the small is beautiful mantra is more sensible, less costly, and more likely to effect authentic economic change. Try to imagine Wickenden Street without the Coffee Exchange, or Hope Street without Seven Stars. The East Providence branch of Seven Stars helped spark the successful development of the Rumford Baking Powder mill.

Quite simply, no other writer or thinker understands the rhythm of neighborhoods as Morgan does.

Vicky D’Errico - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

She is one of Rhode Island’s champions, racking up a year of fighting, training, sweating, and bruises.

North Providence native Vicky D’Errico took the lightweight title at “Rough ’N Rowdy" in May in West Virginia. 

The Providence College School of Business graduate faced off against “Fighting Barbie” in the ring at Mountain Health Arena, and walked away the victor. 

“I love you, West Virginia,” D'Errico wrote on Instagram (see video). “And still RNC Women’s Light Weight Champion  — finally got the pink belt.”

In May, The Herald-Dispatch had previewed the bout with the following: 

Vicious Vicky D is Vicky D’Errico from North Providence, Rhode Island. She arrived for the first time at the RNR 10 in Providence along with Leanna Cruz. D’Errico met Heather McDonald, a Toughwoman champion from Maryland in that bout.

D’Errico continued her college career after that show. She didn’t return until RNR 20 in Morgantown and met Cherry Bomb for the Women’s Middleweight crown. D’Errico got the win by decision in a rugged bout and set up the title defense here against The Boxing Barbie (Malaysia Mackey from Charlotte, North Carolina). Mackey is 1-0 in RNR and 4-0 overall in tournaments.

Billy Thalheimer and Mike Klinker - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

Billy Thalheimer and Mike Klinker —the two MIT grads — have one of the hottest startup companies ever in Rhode Island. You may have to go back to Samuel Slater launching his manufacturing play to find as big a potential.

Regent, the Rhode Island-based startup, is piling up big news. In April, the company unveiled its first full-scale mock-up of its seaglider prototype.

Regent seagliders are a new category of maritime vehicle that combines the high speed of an airplane with the low operating cost of a boat. These all-electric, zero-emission vessels operate exclusively over water and leverage existing dock infrastructure to carry people and goods up to 180 miles with existing battery technology, at 180 miles per hour between coastal destinations.  

CEO Thalheimer said, “Our studies, based on publicly validated data, show that our seagliders serve an $11 billion market that we project to swell to as much as $25 billion as battery technology advances. The $8 billion in orders our company has already received from a variety of companies around the world reflect the need for fast, reliable, and sustainable maritime transportation.”

This year, the Regent named Dennis Muilenburg, former CEO of The Boeing Company, and David Neeleman, co-founder of Breeze Airways, JetBlue, and Azul Airlines, to its Board of Advisors. 

The company has received orders for more than 400 seagliders worth $8 billion from airline and ferry operators around the world, as well as strategic investments from companies including Lockheed Martin, Japan Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. REGENT has raised more than $50 million to date from investors, including Thiel Capital, Y Combinator, Founders Fund, and Mark Cuban. 

Gage Prentiss - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

One of the highlights of 2023 was the unveiling of the remarkable Edward Bannister sculpture created by Gage Prentiss.

The sculpture was a brilliant tribute to the artists who helped to shape Rhode Island. Bannister was born nearly 200 years ago.

Bannister created a sensation when one of his paintings won first prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. He was also a respected and knowledgeable art critic.

Bannister was a founding member of the Providence Art Club and the Rhode Island School of Design.

And it was Prentiss who brought Bannister to life in 2023. The City of Providence declared September 10 "Edward Mitchell Bannister Day."

Prentiss is a sculptor and painter living and working in Rhode Island. He graduated with a BFA in Sculpture from Boston University in 1999, and “has been exploring the feelings of place, presence and wonder through his art ever since," wrote the Providence Art Club.

“When he began as an artist, he was driven to make tangible objects from things experienced in dreams, to make the presence in his headstand in the room. Gage worked figuratively using the rich language of human gesture, nuance, balance and context to say a lot with very little. These figures usually broke down or transformed in different ways to capture a revolving sense of beauty and repulsiveness in the protean dualities of dream logic.”