Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - April 1, 2022

HOT

Newport Restaurant Week

It's back. 

From April 1 to April 10, Newport Restaurant Week is where area restaurants will offer an assortment of crave-worthy discounts and deals for you to choose from. 

Think: BOGO deals, prix-fixe offerings, gift cards promotions and more. 

Click here for all participating restaurants. 

For more info and to view a full list of deals, click here. 

HOT

U.S. Men's Soccer

After an eight-year gap, the U.S. soccer team is going back to the World Cup.

USA...USA...USA

HOT

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli - Hall of Famer

The Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame announced the selection of nine prominent Rhode Islanders for membership in the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

Healthcare and business leader Ed Iannuccilli is on the list of inductees in the Class of 2022. Iannuccilli is a weekly contributor to GoLocal. 

This year's list:

James “Jimmy” Burchfield 

Robert I. Burke

Arnold Buffum Chace, Jr.

Wilfred W. Greene (a.k.a. “Chief Eagle Heart”)

Speaker John B. Harwood, Esquire

Prof. Roberta Mudge Humble

Edward A. Iannuccilli, M.D.

Mark Patinkin

Stanley Weiss

HOT

The John E. Fogarty Foundation

The John E. Fogarty Foundation illuminated the Rhode Island State House over the past few weeks.

The green light symbolizes equality and opportunity for all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through awareness, the foundation aims to keep this conversation front center by sharing stories of inclusion beyond the month of March.

The Fogarty Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, supports inclusive programs, and organizations that provide services to improve and enhance the quality of life for Rhode Islanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Over the past ten years alone, it has awarded more than $1,000,000 to Rhode Island organizations that support people with IDD through its Grantmaking Program.

In 2021, the Fogarty Foundation funded a record number of grants to organizations that support people with IDD including: community programs and services in employment training, adaptive programs at local YMCAs to improve health and wellness, arts, dance and sports camps that were able to pivot and produce virtual programs for their communities and assistive technology to continue programming throughout the pandemic. 

PHOTO: Kevin Trimmer

HOT

50 Years

Mick Westkott is retiring as a swim coach at the University of Rhode Island.

Here is his record:

Coaching Experience:
Head Coach (men), Rhode Island, 1972-2008
Head Coach (women), Rhode Island, 1975-2021
Associate Head Coach (women), Rhode Island, 2021-present

Coaching Record:
Men's: 165-123
Women's: 191-210-1
Overall: 338-323-1
Most Wins: 10th all-time, 2nd active

The 2021-22 academic year marks Mick Westkott's 50th season at the University of Rhode Island and his 44th with the women's team.

HOT

XO 

As GoLocal reported this week, a new bar is “slated” to open where a once-popular Providence restaurant used to be.

According to Ben Lloyd, owner and head chef of The Salted Slate in Wayland Square, his newest endeavor -- “XO Bar” -- is expected to open on North Main Street later this spring. 

As its name suggests, it’s where XO used to be, in the historic John Updike House built in 1799. 

XO, which was the brainchild of veteran restaurateur John Elkhay, closed in 2018; the building has since gone through extensive renovations.

Lloyd is no stranger to XO — he was chef at the popular bar and eatery from 2002 to 2011. 

HOT

Dennis Duffy

Governor Dan McKee Tuesday announced the appointment of Dennis Duffy as Chair of the Council on Postsecondary Education.

Duffy is considered one of the top renewable energy lawyers in America.

“Dennis is a leader who has demonstrated his forward-thinking abilities in the workplace, and will pass on that immeasurable experience in his service to the higher education system in Rhode Island,” said McKee. “I am confident that he can draw on his successful decades-long career to help strengthen our postsecondary education and workforce training model that will benefit all Rhode Islanders.”

Duffy replaces Tim DelGiudice as chair.

He is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Boston-based energy infrastructure development firm Energy Management, Inc., and brings nearly three decades of experience as a corporate and regulatory attorney. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Columbia University Law School and an adjunct professor at Boston College Law School.

“As a graduate of our public college system, I look forward to this opportunity to move our postsecondary programs forward,” said Duffy.

“Dennis Duffy is a dedicated public servant who has spent the better part of a decade advancing public higher education in the State of Rhode Island,” said Shannon Gilkey, Ed.D., Commissioner of Postsecondary Education. “He is a proud product of Rhode Island’s public K-12 and postsecondary education and is deeply committed to advancing the state’s higher ed agenda. My staff and I look forward to working with him in continuing our quest for improved postsecondary attainment and a postsecondary ecosystem that supports all adult learners.”

HOT

EDITORIAL: Thank You PC Friars — You Were Just What We Needed

The Providence College men’s basketball run for a national championship is over. It seemed as though almost everyone in Rhode Island was hoping that this team was going to take the state on a ride right to the Final Four and a National Championship.

A painful first half and a talented bunch of Jayhawks ended that dream Friday night. 

But, oh what a ride it was.

The Friars team featured no “superstar.” No NBA lottery pick. It was a team that featured five seniors and grad students and a junior off the bench.

This collection of Friars was coached up all season by Providence’s own Ed Cooley. The Central High School grad is a true Rhode Island success story.

The team finished 27-6 — a record number of wins. It was a season of comebacks, late-minute heroics, and gritty wins.

But, most importantly, these Friars, young men named Nate, Al, Jared, and the rest of the team gave an entire state a wonderful reprieve from a pandemic and economic uncertainty.

This coach and this team served as an inspiration.

At a time when college sports can feel too “big time,” dominated by money, and one-and-done players, this team was authentic. Add in that Nate Watson and A.J. Reeves seemed to grow up before our eyes and have enjoyably been with us for years.

Rhode Island owes these student-athletes a big thank you for a wonderful run to the Sweet Sixteen — a ride that entertained us, healed us, and united us.

Thank you.

NOT

More Brand Damage

The Rhode Island State Police was once beyond reproach. Now, it has become the embodiment of cronyism, improper behavior, and scheming,

The latest -- former Rhode Island State Police Lieutenant John Gadrow, who was under suspension for allegedly having sex with a woman in his state police vehicle, was recently involved in an episode with another man that started as road rage and led to a fight in a church parking lot.

In January, Gadrow retired from the State Police. He avoided firing or any significant disciplinary action and retired with a full state pension.

New Incident - Driving Rage and Fight

According to a police report of the South Kingstown Police Department, shortly before 8 PM on Saturday, March 19, 2022, South Kingstown police officers were dispatched to the parking lot of the New Life Assembly Church on Post Road for a report of a possible physical altercation between two males.

According to the report, “The original calling party was a passerby, however, one of the male parties involved then contacted 911 stating that he was in the altercation and that the male he was fighting with pushed him and tried to choke him out.”

When officers arrived, they said they separated the two males and spoke with each individually. Gadrow told police he had been leaving his house on Tuckertown Road entering traffic behind the other male’s vehicle with his high beams on, and when he realized it, he corrected them to normal lighting while still behind the other vehicle.

Gadrow said the other vehicle pulled off to the side of the road, then pulled back on the road behind Gadrow’s vehicle and followed him into the parking lot of New Life Assembly, where Gadrow said he went “in order to meet a friend to exchange some paperwork.” 

READ MORE HERE

NOT

Juvenile Crime in Providence

In the past ten days, Providence has suffered through a wave of violence — stabbings, a string of BB gun shootings, and arson. 

The violence has hit neighborhoods across the city and includes two of Providence’s most important tourism destinations — Providence Place Mall and Waterplace Park.

The common thread is that the alleged perpetrators are juveniles. 

"It's concerning," said Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements of the recent juvenile crimes. "It's something we’ve seen and discussed in conversations with colleagues regionally and nationally. But yes, we’ve seen an uptick in a more granular way in the last year and a half to two years."

Read more here.