Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - August 7, 2020

HOT

Triggs - One of the Best

It's not every day that Triggs gets mentioned in the same breath as Bethpage Black and Torrey Pines. 

This week, Josh Sens with Golf.com tapped the Providence golf course in his list of the "14 of the best municipal golf courses you can play in the United States."

"The list is not meant to stand as a definitive ranking but as a compilation of 14 must-play taxpayer-funded tracks," said Sens. "They are courses that stand out for their quality, their history, their affordability or their good old-fashioned muni quirks. Or some combination of all of the above."

Triggs made Sens' cut, along with Bethpage, two-time host of the U.S. Open and last year's PGA Championships, and Torrey Pines -- host of the 2021 U.S. Open. 

Sens writes of Triggs

You can hardly swing a 9-iron around our smallest state without knocking up against a great Donald Ross design. 

Like many munis, Triggs has endured maintenance up and downs throughout the decades, but its bones have always been top-notch, with small, deftly bunkered greens and nuanced doglegs on holes set seamlessly into the contours of the land.

See Golf.com's full list here. 

HOT

Abdur-Rahman Muhammad

The Fox Point native is the man behind the brilliant Netflix series "Who Killed Malcolm X?"

And now, he is an Emmy nominee -- not the local Emmys, but the real deal. See GoLocal LIVE's interview with him below.

HOT

RI’s $50 Million Small Business Grant Program

It is not perfect. It is not enough money and it may need to be tweaked.

But one thing is for sure.

It is needed. 

Click here to apply. 

HOT

Can Compost Be the Next Black Gold?

One Rhode Island woman is transforming her family farm -- and business --  into a red-hot, fast-growing operation. 

Jayne Senecal with Earth Care Farm in Charlestown declared that “compost has never been as sexy as it is right now” with people gardening during COVID — and talked about the growth the family farm has seen in 2020. 

"People are suddenly realizing the value of food and have more time at home to garden, and it might be something they’ve always wanted to do and now can," she said. 

"So we’ve just been here for 40 years. preparing for this moment for everybody to have compost, and we have plenty of it," said Senecal. "We’ve been able to provide it to gardens not just in Rhode Island but across New England -- and even farther into the midwest.  

HOT

Innovating Restaurant Week

“Stay local and eat well” is the theme of the Providence-Warwick Convention & Visitor’s Bureau's newest “restaurant week” initiative, and Executive Director Kristen Adamo said she hopes it will get people “back out to restaurants, hotels, attractions, and retail.”

“Stay Local, Eat Well” is running August 16 through September 12.

"We modified restaurant week for the pandemic era and to address the needs of visitors and restaurants,” said Adamo.

“So we did away with the 3-course prix fixe menu, and changed it to breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and a ‘chef’s choice,’” said Adamo. “We’re promoting dine-in — but take-out’s an option now for the first time.”

SEE ALL PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS — AND DEALS — HERE

HOT

20 Good Things That Have Happened So Far in 2020

Some good things are happening in 2020. READ HERE

HOT

GoLocal 2020 Election Coverage - Profiles of Candidates

As part of GoLocal’s comprehensive coverage of the 2020 Election, we are providing the opportunity for all candidates for the House and Senate to be featured leading up to the election.

There are approximately 150 candidates running for seats in the Rhode Island General Assembly.

At a time of record unemployment, poor performing educational systems, and a struggling business community in Rhode Island, voters need to learn about the key races and the candidates.

“We are focused on providing voters with as much information as possible. There is a greater challenge in 2020 as it is difficult for candidates to meet voters due to coronavirus and social distancing,” said Kate Nagle, News Editor of GoLocal.

NOT

No Masks, More Contamination, Fewer Jobs

Governor Gina Raimondo said Wednesday that the decision by neighboring states to quarantine Rhode Islanders and those that visit for 14 days is not as bad as it seems.

Tourism experts say it is a crushing blow to the already fragile industry.

"Several of our neighboring states put travel restrictions on citizens of Rhode Island," said Raimondo. 

"I think it’s a good thing," said Raimondo. "It should certainly be a wake-up call that we need to do better. The less we’re all traveling the better — this will mean fewer people coming to Rhode Island to use our facilities because it would mean quarantining when they go home. This will hurt our economy a bit."

NOT

Trending in Rhode Island

All the numbers are going the wrong way. More infections. More illness. More restrictions.

Fewer masks.

NOT

Councilor Kat Kerwin

In July, GoLocalProv.com was first to report Providence City Councilwoman Kat Kerwin told police that downtown neighbors should “f—king get over it,” after a complaint was made about loud music at a bar — that was not licensed for entertainment. 

Police had received a complaint of loud music around 10:30 PM on July 22 at Fortnight in Providence. 

Now, the police body cam footage of the incident has been released. 

Police asked if Fortnight had proper permits for entertainment and were informed they did not.

In the report, Kerwin, who was at the bar, went to intervene, and was told by the police the issue “did not concern her.”

“If they live downtown, they can f—king get over it,” said Kerwin according to the report, of people complaining about the loud -- and unlicensed -- music.

Kerwin can be heard telling the officer just after the 1:50 mark.

An officer can also be heard saying on video, “She said she was going to call [Chief] Clements and ask for everyone’s names.”