Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - January 7, 2022

HOT

Woman and Man of the Year

This year's selections were easy.  Both are doers, who put their heads down and with little personal fanfare simply got important things done in 2021. 

Mayor Maria Rivera 

"No elected official has stacked up as many successes as Maria Rivera has in a shorter period of time.

The Mayor of Central Falls has had to face some of the toughest challenges such as the highest per capita COVID outbreak in the country, but yet that did not slow her from accomplishing the longest to-do list in the state.

To fight COVID in the densely populated community, Rivera leveraged healthcare experts and took a hands-on approach to immunization. She literally went door to door encouraging residents to get vaccinated."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE -- AND SEE THE PREVIOUS WINNERS

Chief Hugh Clements

"Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements seemed to hold the city together. Clements was a stabilizing force in Providence at one of its darkest times...Clements rallied an understaffed police department that had suffered from a Mayor and a City Council that had denied new police classes slashing the staffing to modern records low.

He met with neighborhood groups and residents, listening -- and responding.  At a time when there is much criticism of policing, Clements listened and treated critics with respect.

Clements met with members of gangs and ATV leaders."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE  -- AND SEE THE PREVIOUS WINNERS

HOT

Hasbro's New CEO

Hasbro on Wednesday announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective February 25, 2022.

Cocks currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division.

He will succeed Interim CEO, Rich Stoddart, who was appointed following the October passing of Hasbro’s longtime CEO Brian Goldner.

Cocks appointment will spark more questions about Hasbro’s future in Rhode Island.  The company was considering building a new corporate campus in Providence prior to the pandemic -- it also moved some key functions out of state.

HOT

Raymond Two Hawks Watson

Ray Two Hawks Watson, one of Rhode Island’s leading advocates for equity, has joined GoLocal as a weekly MINDSETTER™.

Watson, who has been a community leader and civil rights leader, has an accomplished career in business.

He is the founder of Providence Cultural Equity Initiative and has played a major role in Rhode Island’s civil rights efforts.

“Ray is a leader. He has been willing to step up and challenge outdated thinking. We are excited that he will offer his perspectives on a weekly basis. He will be a must-read for Rhode Islanders,” said Josh Fenton, CEO and co-founder of GoLocal.

He joins a growing list of top thinkers on GoLocal including Robert Whitcomb, Rob Horowitz, Will Morgan and a host of others.

Over the past eight years, Watson has written opinion pieces for GoLocal and has appeared on GoLocal LIVE to offer his perspective and expertise on some of the biggest issues.

Watson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Union College in NY, a Master's Degree in Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island, and is a current Juris Doctorate Candidate at the Roger Williams University School of Law. Watson is also the recipient of the Rhode Island Foundation’s 2016 Innovation Fellowship.

HOT

22 to Watch in RI in 2022

Since 2011, GoLocal has annually featured Rhode Islanders of note to watch in the coming year and beyond. 

This year’s list includes an emerging star in the music industry and a 16-year-old phenom.

In preparing the list, there is an effort to focus on both the superstars and the critical players that will define 2022 and beyond.

The 22 who made the list include a 7-time Grammy winner, a doctor who has not yet started to work in Rhode Island, and one of the top corporate CEOs in America.

There is a military-tested helicopter pilot who is driving healthcare and a forensic pathologist who is an expert on deciphering the most gruesome crimes.

Take a look — these are some of Rhode Island’s most talented and they will change Rhode Island -- and beyond -- in 2022.

HOT

RI's Theater Community

Kudos to Rhode Island's theater community, which has done everything possible to keep people safe, while also being creative and exploring online content, all while trying to promote the state's vibrant arts scene. 

Hats off to PPAC, Wilbury, Gamm, and all the others for their efforts. 

NOT

Prov Water Faces Federal Civil Rights Complaint Over Lead Contamination

A group of health and environmental justice organizations including the Childhood Lead Action Project has filed a civil rights complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency against the Providence Water Supply Board. 

Their claim is that Providence Water's lead pipe replacement practices discriminate against Black, Latinx, and Native American people.

Providence Water performs infrastructure work and partial lead service line replacements in a way that "disproportionately increases the risk of lead exposure from drinking water for Black and Latinx residents, contrary to its responsibilities under the Civil Rights Act of 1964," according to the groups.

"All families deserve lead-free drinking water, regardless of race, class, or any other factor," said Childhood Lead Action Project Executive Director Laura Brion. "Right now, ProvWater will only fully replace lead pipes for property owners with enough money to pay out of pocket or take out a loan. This amounts to obvious race and class discrimination and needs to stop."

In 2019, GoLocalProv reported, "Providence Water is Handing Out Water Filters to Some, But Won’t Answer Many Questions About Program:"

"Why are some Providence Water customers now getting home water filters?  The answer from the agency is confused at best and should raise concerns for parents whose homes have had their waterlines upgraded recently, but did not receive filters.

Read more here.

NOT

House Oversight Makes Noise But Little Impact

The House Oversight Committee did a lot of chest-pounding a few years ago criticizing Medical Transportation Management (MTM), a state contractor. 

Those hearings did little to change things.

In November. one of MTM's drivers was linked to a death. This week, the state acknowledged the following. 

- The driver’s use of a false identity to transport a member;
- The driver driving under the influence of a controlled substance with an open bottle of alcohol in the car; and
- Failure to secure a passenger in a wheelchair transport that resulted in the cause of death. 

Now, the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is fining the company.

After an audit of the company’s policies and documentation, EOHHS announced it is imposing monetary damages, totaling $600,000, for MTM’s failure to comply with contract requirements to ensure member safety. 

“This fatal accident involved a series of very severe violations of law and breaches of the standard of care we expect when MTM’s providers transport members to medical appointments,” said EOHHS Secretary Womazetta Jones. “The Rhode Islanders who rely on this essential transportation service deserve nothing less than safe, high-quality care every time these use this service.”

And Rhode Island continues to use MTM.

NOT

The Athletic

The online sports site promised to be a $1 billion company.

It did manage to attract one million subscribers -- but it was bleeding money and sold to the NY Times for $550M. 

READ MORE