Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - December 25, 2020

HOT

Growing Latino Legal Community

The Rhode Island Hispanic Bar Association has a lot to celebrate with the appointment of Elizabeth Ortiz, Esq. to the Family Court and also the Latinx community members who passed the Rhode Island bar exam.

“Despite the challenges of 2020, this new year the Rhode Island Bar will admit the largest number of Latino attorneys ever in its history,” stated RIHBA President, Diony Garcia. “With five new Latino attorneys and the appointment of the state’s first Latina Family Court judge, the Latino legal community is thriving. These successes are to be celebrated, and I hope that they serve to motivate and inspire our community towards grater accomplishments in the new year.” 

Hon. Elizabeth Ortiz was born and raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island, and is of Colombian descent. Ortiz graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2010. For nearly a decade, Ortiz has represented clients before Family Court. She serves as a Municipal Court judge in Central Falls and works as an adjunct legal professor at the Community College of Rhode Island. Next, Ortiz will be sworn in as the Rhode Island Family Court’s first Latina judge.

Nathalie M. Vega Crespo, was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She graduated summa cum laude this year from Roger Williams University School of Law. Next, Vega Crespo will work as a judicial law clerk for Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice, Maureen McKenna Goldberg.

Jason Natareno, was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, and is of Guatemalan descent. He graduated this year from Northeastern University School of Law. Next, Natareno will seek to continue an already extensive career in public service. Crystal D. Peralta, was born in Texas, raised in West Warwick, Rhode Island, and is of Dominican descent. She graduated summa cum laude this year from Roger Williams University School of Law. Peralta is currently working as an associate at Adler Pollock & Sheehan.

Luis A. Vargas Rivera, was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated summa cum laude this year from Roger Williams University School of Law. Next, Vargas Rivera will join Brown Rudnick as a commercial litigator. Jonathan Vazquez, was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and is of Puerto Rican descent. He graduated this year from Roger Williams University School of Law. Next, Vazquez will continue with Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick as an associate.

Genesis Sanchez Tavarez passed the NY Bar Exam. Genesis is still tied to RI through family and friends and hopes to one day find her way back to us in the future! Genesis Sanchez Tavarez, was born in the Dominican Republic and migrated to Providence, Rhode Island in 2005. This year, Genesis graduated from Columbia Law School. Next, Genesis will start working as an associate at Proskauer Rose LLP.

HOT

Gonzalo Cuervo

It's official.

Top Democratic staffer Gonzalo Cuervo is running for Mayor of Providence in 2022.

In a photo posted on Facebook Sunday night, immigration lawyer and RI Latino PAC President Joseph Molina Flynn sported a hat with a "G" on it -- which Cuervo confirmed to GoLocalProv is campaign wear.

"I'm going to run," said Cuervo, who is Chief of Staff to Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea. He has been on leave since the beginning of December and is expected to leave Gorbea's office at the beginning on 2021 to dedicate his attention to his mayoral run. 

“Proud to be the first gay Latino in Rhode Island to wear @gonzaloque’s official LGBTQ-friendly merch in support of his candidacy for Mayor of #Providence,” tweeted Molina Flynn.

Previously, Cuervo served as chief of staff for then-Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. Prior, he served in a number of senior roles in the administration of David Cicilline when he served as Mayor.

Cuervo has strong support in the Latino and business communities.

HOT

Local Food Delivery Companies

The national tech plays like GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEats haven't always been very good friends to restaurants or consumers.

Now, a growing number of local companies are vying to tap into that frustration and fill the void. 

Ten days ago, GoLocal featured Anthony Spiratos' No Contact Valet that covers the Newport area.

Providence has its own local start up. DASAP -- a former valet company pivoting to offer a local solution and keep their folks working.

HOT

President Somerson

The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) trustees announced on Tuesday that President Rosanne Somerson will be stepping down after 5 years as the leader of the school. She brought stabiliy to the institution both economically and academically.

She succeeded John Maeda who left RISD in 2015 and today is an EVP & Chief Experience Officer at Publicis Sapient. 

The Trustees wrote in their statement about Somerson:

Earlier today, President Somerson, Professor, author and founder of our Furniture Design department shared her decision to retire at the end of the academic year on June 30, 2021 and to take a long-deferred sabbatical. In honor of her service to RISD, the Board of Trustees has decided to name her President Emerita at the end of her term.

For over three decades, President Somerson has been an influential leader and educator of the RISD community fostering and driving numerous and substantive advances for RISD. During her distinguished tenure, she has bolstered RISD’s reputation as the premier college of art and design in the U.S. and around the globe with faculty, students and alumni being recognized with prestigious accolades and attention.

HOT

Joy Rides

Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau President Kristen Adamo appeared on GoLocal LIVE, to talk about the tourism group's latest idea to get people out and about and help businesses -- "Joy Rides."

The safe and self-guided themed car tours are meant for Rhode Islanders and visitors alike. 

"We were talking with our friends in Warwick and Blackstone Valley and we really don’t like to operate in silos — we really like to work together — and we realized that we had the north of Rhode Island covered," said Adamo. "People are just dying to get out of their house."

"So we developed a series of thematic tours you can take throughout the northern half of Rhode Island depending on what you’re interested in and there are hotel packages on either end of the drive, so if you want to make a weekend of it, or a two-day stay of it, it’s joyridesri.com," she said.

HOT

Biscotti Queen

Kathleen Bellicchi — the founder of Rhode Island's Bellicchi’s Best Biscotti — has grown from starting out with the help of Hope & Main, to landing a contract with Home Goods, and now working to break in the CBD market.

Bellicchi, who was one of GoLocal’s 20 to Watch in 2020, appeared on LIVE to talk about the growth of the business during the pandemic. 

“I was thrilled to be recognized as one of GoLocal’s 20 to Watch in 2020, so I felt like I had a lot to live up to, and we have really done great things this year,” said Bellicchi.  “First, we finalized our deal with Home Goods — on the day they closed their stores in March, because of the pandemic. So rather than being in their shelves for Easter, we shipped our first order in early September, and the second order is actually going out this week.”

“We’re also selling a classic biscotti, and now New England biscotti — a Johnnycake cranberry,” she said.  “We moved from Hope & Main into a copacker who also makes biscotti.”

Belicchi said, however, she got to where she is with the help of food incubator Hope & Main. “I still pay all my dues and support them.”

HOT

Christmas Gifts

The Rhode Island State Police announced that through their Kids, Cops & Christmas initiative, they have been able to distribute hundreds of toys and more than $10,000 to community organizations throughout Rhode Island. 

Organizations receiving the donations include: 

The African Alliance·
The Center for Southeast Asians  
The Chad Brown Alumni Association  
A Children’s Friend  
Crossroads Rhode Island  
Family Service of Rhode Island  
Hispanic Ministerial Association of Rhode Island  
Mount Hope Neighborhood Association  
Multi-Cultural Center for All  
We Heart Lives  
Wiggins Village  

“We hope that these efforts will help ease the stress for families that are struggling,” said Captain Kenneth Jones of the Community, Diversity and Equity Unit. “This pandemic has changed so many things for kids this year and we appreciate the opportunity to brighten their holidays.” 

COAL

Insiders

Will Rhode Islanders have confidence in the expansion of the licensed marijuana industry?

GoLocal this week completed a breakdown of who has applied for the new and expanded list of medical marijuana licenses -- so-called compassion centers -- and the applicants include some of the top insiders in Rhode Island and even one sitting mayor.

All applications needed to be filed last week with the State of Rhode Island. The applicants' directors are almost exclusively male, white and an overwhelming number of high-level political players -- lobbyists, past and present elected officials and some big campaign donors. For each of the applicants, the cost is $10,000 and if selected, the license fee is $500,000.

Former State Representative Robert Flaherty -- the brother of outgoing Supreme Court Justice Frank Flaherty --  has applied for not one but two licenses. Flaherty is the director of two different companies vying for the elusive prizes.

Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, who was term-limited from running again, is an applicant. He has teamed up with, among others, former State Senator Rhoda Perry. Diossa is still the sitting Mayor in Central Falls. Diossa's wife is sitting State Senator Sandra Cano.

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