Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 29, 2021
Analysis
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 29, 2021
This week's list features the poet in the pension fund news, self-proclaimed experts, and Duke's dominance.
Now, we are expanding the list, the political perspectives, and we are going to a GoLocal team approach while encouraging readers to suggest nominees for who is "HOT" and who is "NOT."
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Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 29, 2021
HOT
Amanda Gorman Cookie Created by Award-Winning Rhode Island Baker
Amanda Gorman captured the attention — and hearts — of the nation with her powerful poem on Inauguration Day.
Now, she has inspired a Rhode Islander to create culinary art in her honor, in the form of a cookie.
Baker Katrin Schnippering — who in 2014 won the national King Arthur Flour Cookie Decorating contest — is no stranger to celebrity, with her whimsical, creative cookie sets featuring the likes of Lionel Richie, Harry Styles, and David Bowie.
She also has a soft spot for politics, featuring Stacey Abrams cookies, some of which say, “You are a peach.”
With her creation this week of the youth poet laureate baked good, Schnippering is donating a portion of the Gorman cookie sales to Sojourner House.
"She inspired me to do better," she said.
HOT
DESIGNxRI
Providence and the organization DESIGNxRI announced the launch of Providence Design Catalyst. The 2021 program will provide qualifying Providence-based design businesses with $185,000 in grant funding capital in amounts between $10,000 C $15,000 in addition to business mentorship and professional development training to catalyze business growth.
Providence Design Catalyst is a competitive grant program that provides seed capital, business mentorship, professional development training, and peer-to-peer networking to help design businesses reach their growth goals. Combining the global expertise of teachers, dedicated support from business mentors, and financial investment based on milestones and achievements, the Providence Design Catalyst program creates vital momentum for sustained business growth. The program is run by DESIGNxRI, an economic development nonprofit for the RI design sector, based in Providence.
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza joined with DESIGNxRI Executive Director Lisa Carnevale, CIC Providence General Manager Rebecca Webber to announce the initiative.
HOT
Brown Top #5 in U.S.
Brown University realized one of its best college rankings when the Wall Street Journal named it the 5th best school in the U.S.
Harvard University scored the top slot in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings for 2021.
The Ivy League dominated with Harvard at No. 1, Yale at No. 3 and Brown at No. 5. Princeton University and Cornell University also made the top 10 nationally, at No. 7 and No. 9, respectively.
Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University all are in the top 15.
MIT at No. 2 and Stanford at No. 4 filled out the top five.
HOT
RI's Pension Fund
The Rhode Island Pension Fund reached an all-time high at the end of 2020, closing out December at $9.495 billion in assets and gaining more than $302 million in the month alone, General Treasurer Seth Magaziner's office announced this week.
"My number one priority is to support economic opportunity and protect the state's finances, including the Pension Fund," said Magaziner. "Even in a time of extreme market volatility, my Back to Basics investment strategy has protected the Pension Fund for those families whose livelihoods depend upon it and has spurred growth, resulting in the fund closing out the year at an all-time high."
According to the Treasurer's office, Rhode Island's funding ratio has increased slightly since 2018, when Rhode Island was one of only 9 states in the country with a funding ratio of less than 60%.
In 2018, RI's pension system was funded at 54.2% -- it is now at 60.5%.
HOT
David Duke
PC's David Duke scored a season-high 31 points in the overtime win this week over Marquette.
Duke also added six rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a total of four made three-pointers.
The Providence native is making a big statement this season.
HOT
Proposped Development in Pawtuxet
GoLocal architecture critic Will Morgan has a great take on the new development proposed for Pawtuxet:
The new apartment and commercial block planned by Anthony Albanese, Jr., along the river in the heart of Pawtuxet Village is good news. That the old Hunter's Garage and a one-time blacksmith shop will be replaced with a lively commercial venture is also an indicator of how increasingly popular that community has become. While not as far from Providence as Bristol or Newport, the village at the confluence of the Pawtuxet River and Narragansett Bay has become a destination, even a hot spot.
With its placid harbor, river falls, and collection of early houses, the neighborhood–part in Cranston and part in Warwick–is one of the gems with which the state abounds and which makes us feel lucky to call Rhode Island home. Although lacking the cachet of better-known seaside towns, Pawtuxet Village is as historic as it is picturesque.
HOT
CCRI Theater Group
The Community College of Rhode Island has announced that eight members of the student-run theater group, the CCRI Players, are competing for a chance to earn scholarships in this week's 2021 Region 1 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).
“It’s a really wonderful experience,” said CCRI Theater Director Ted Clement. “It’s not just the scholarships and accolades, but the workshops and the opportunities to work alongside Broadway actors, directors, and prize-winning playwrights are invaluable. The students really have a profound experience.”
This year's festival will be held remotely this year for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NOT
State Senators' Mistreatment of Parents Advocating for Their Children's Education
Parents wanting to testify against a Senate leadership initiative to place a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools in Rhode Island had to wait for two hours Wednesday night while Chair of Senate Education Committee Sandra Cano took the testimony of labor leaders and other elected officials.
The moratorium legislation is sponsored by the Senate's number three ranked leader Maryellen Goodwin who represents the Smith Hill area (District 1).
The union-backed bill places a moratorium on charter schools and is retroactive and thus, trying to undo the recently approved expansion.
Dozens of parents were forced to wait to testify and Spanish-speaking parents were not called on to testify for three hours.
While parents waited, teachers' union leaders like National Education Association’s Larry Purtill and others union leaders spoke up first to support the moratorium.
Opposed to the moratorium is a sweeping collection of parents from across the state and many parents voiced their frustration of being one of thousands now on waiting lists for their children to attend a charter.
NOT
Vlad Tenez, CEO Robinhood
Robinhood shut down small investors on Thursday.
Just when the small guys were winning, the startup investment company that was supposed to "democratize" investing stepped in.
This is far from over, but that was far from cool.
NOT
Know It All
State Senator Ryan Pearson is the self proclaimed education expert in the Senate. He expounds on everything education.
OOPS.
Just one problem. He hasn't actually visited any school in Providence. The state's national largest school system is a national embarrassment, and Pearson has yet to visit a one.
