Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - June 11, 2021

HOT

Dr. Stephen Salloway

Brown University professor and researcher Salloway has played a critical role in the development of Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration this week.

In 2019, Salloway was Rhode Island's Man of the Year as selected by GoLocal.

HOT

Rep. Casimiro & Sen. Burke Leading Effort to End Child Marriages in RI

Between 2013 and 2019, there were 32 child marriages in Rhode Island, according to state records — 88% were underage girls marrying older men. 

One girl was only 14 years old; two of the marriages met the definition of a sex crime.

Representative Julie Casimiro and Senator John Burke helped lead the effort to pass legislation — which was signed into law this week — to eliminate child marriages in Rhode Island, making us the fifth country in the U.S. to do so.

The bill had the support of RI Kids Count, Office of the Child Advocate, RI NOW,  Family Service of Rhode Island, Adoption Rhode Island, UNICEF, California Coalition to End Child Marriage, Students Against Child Marriage, Child USA, William and Mary School of Law, United Way of Rhode Island and more.

The United Nations has made this a child welfare priority -- its "Sustainable Development Goal 5" calls for achieving gender equality by year 2030 -- and under that, Goal 5.3 is "Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation."
 

HOT

Stefan Pryor

There is a growing chorus that Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor should be the leading Democratic candidate for the Rhode Island State Treasurer's office.

Sitting Treasurer Seth Magaziner is term-limited out and is running for Governor or at least that is what he tells people when he is making fundraising calls.

Pryor surprised everyone by staying through the transition from Gina Raimondo. Now, he might want to parlay his expertise in the state into something more. 

HOT

Maya Wiley

United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Maya Wiley in the race for Mayor of New York City. 

As GoLocal reported earlier this year, Rhode Island’s most accomplished family might very well be the Wileys — Maya Wiley is the daughter of George Wiley, who was a prominent national community organizer for which the Wiley Center in Pawtucket is named. He died in 1973.

George Wiley’s brother Alton Wiley was Rhode Island’s first black judge who died at the age of 91 in February; sister Bev Wiley has been the Commissioner of USA Softball and is the Director of Parks and Rec for the City of Warwick. 

Read: Rhode Island’s Most Accomplished Family Isn’t Who You Think It Is

Now, Maya Wiley is piling up endorsements in the race for Mayor of NYC. 

Read more here.  

HOT

Theatre by the Sea

Not all the way back, but a little bit back, and for fans, that's a great thing. 

After more than a year of being shuttered, Theatre By The Sea owner and producer Bill Hanney has announced a new concert series.

“Although we will not be producing the five musicals we had originally planned for this summer, we are putting together an exciting schedule of events, which will begin on July 9,” said Mr. Hanney.

“We already have commitments from four outstanding artists and are in communication with several others for our Summer Concert Series. Then, as previously announced, the theatre will be bringing back Mamma Mia!”

Learn more.

NOT

Gina Raimondo

From the world of, do as I say and not as I do.

The Biden administration promised a higher standard.

Former Rhode Island Governor and United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo reportedly took advantage of a “little-known” federal law to avoid “huge tax hits,” according to reports. 

“Members of President Biden's Cabinet are able to punt paying taxes as they divest their assets to avoid conflicts of interest when they enter into public service, thanks to a little-known provision of federal law,” reported Fox News on Friday.

“Under Section 2634 of federal elections law sits a unique provision to help soften the financial blow of new administration officials suddenly selling off assets: certificates of divestiture,” they continued.

The analysis lists U.S Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm along with Special Climate Envoy John Kerry, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Raimondo as having filed the certificates.

As Raimondo reportedly realized a tax advantage — she’s been busy advocating for a tax hike. 

The Biden administration is currently pitching its $2 trillion infrastructure proposal and the corporate tax hike that would fund it — and Raimondo has "become the team’s unofficial ‘CEO whisperer,'" Yahoo Finance reported last week. 

“Raimondo, a former Rhode Island governor who previously worked in venture capital, says she’s talked to ‘dozens and dozens of CEOs’ about the proposal to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%,” Yahoo continued. 

“Many, many, many CEOs felt that 21% was too low, lower than they expected,” she told Yahoo Finance's editor-in-chief, Andy Serwer. 

NOT

Richest Legally Dodging Taxes 

As GoLocal reported this week, ProPublica has obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes, even nothing.

NOT

Sabina Matos

Matos was selected to serve as Lt. Governor, in part, because Governor Dan McKee's team thought that the former City Council President could help bring Latinx voters to the team in the 2022 crowded Democratic primary.

On Tuesday, Matos' handpicked successor for her former Providence City Council seat (Ward 15) Doris De Los Santos was soundly defeated in her race.

Matos' husband Patrick Ward helped run the failed campaign. 

This is a wake-up call for the McKee team that they need to greatly strengthen their urban base -- fast.