Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - June 20, 2025

HOT

Live-Saving Comedy

John Perrotta is the king of comebacks. Maybe no one has hit bottom more times than the Rhode Island comedian.

Perotta has faced alcohol and drug addiction, a severe gambling problem, two bankruptcies, homelessness, and cancer, and remarkably, each time he has come back swinging. 

In many ways, it seems like Perrotta has lived a multitude of lives all wrapped into one. He grew up in Cranston, graduated from the Community College of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University, served in the U.S. Navy for six years, and then worked at the Adult Correctional Institution in Rhode Island for over 30 years.

All the while, he was battling a near-endless number of issues tied to addiction, and he was just trying to keep his life together. Often, it just spiraled. Perrotta said, “I lived in a motel room at one point. I lost my family. I lived in a motel room on Hartford Avenue for $200 a week. Snow used to come in under the door, and I would put a towel down to block it from coming into the room.”

He estimates that combined, he has spent more than a year in rehab facilities.

And during all of this, he started a career in comedy. “I did it for a brief period in 1983, stopped for eight years, and then I came back in 1991. I was at a comedy show. So I got the bug again, [and I said] I got to try this one more time. And Frank O'Donnell was a local comedian at Periwinkle's Comedy Club," said Perrotta.

“He had a comedy class. So I wound up taking that class in October of 1991. And I've been at it ever since, except for COVID. And even during COVID, we did a bunch of Zoom talk shows. We did about 130 of them just to keep our minds going,” said Perrotta, who now works full-time.

During all this chaos, he continued to be a comedian that other comedians loved.

READ MORE

HOT

Winner, Winner, Oyster Dinner

On Monday night, the James Beard Foundation handed out awards, and one Rhode Islander scored a top award.

Sky Haneul Kim of Gift Horse in Providence won the award for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT).

Rhode Island was well represented in the Finalist category announced on April 2, but Monday night in Chicago, the grand prizes were awarded.

“It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award winners— distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation. “These outstanding professionals are the epitome of Good Food for Good®, elevating our industry’s standards and redefining what’s possible in American cuisine.” 

“Tonight, we toast this year’s exceptional Restaurant and Chef Award winners,” said Dawn Padmore, VP of Awards, James Beard Foundation. “We’re also proud to welcome our first winners in the new beverage categories and celebrate their invaluable contributions to our industry. I also extend my thanks to our subcommittee members and judges, whose dedication and thoughtful work makes these Awards possible.” 

Considered to be one of the nation’s most prestigious honors, the James Beard Awards recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive. This year marks 35 years of the Awards, with the ceremonies commemorating the transformative role the Awards have played in recognizing culinary excellence and shaping the evolution of American food culture. 

PHOTO: Cullen 328, CC: 3.0

HOT

PVD Teacher of the Year

Maria Torres from Leviton Dual Language School has been named Providence Public School District's 2025 Teacher of the Year. 

Torres, who attended Providence Public Schools herself, has also taught Alfred Lima, Carl G. Lauro, and Reservoir Avenue Elementary Schools during her 22-year tenure. 

“Mrs. Torres exemplifies unparalleled dedication to our school and its learning environment,” said Leviton Principal Jennifer Walker. “Her roots in the Providence community and her pride as a product of Providence Public Schools further underscore her deep-seated commitment to educational excellence and community empowerment. As a no-excuses educator, she consistently upholds high expectations for herself, her colleagues, and her students alike.”

PHOTO: PPSD

NOT

Not a Good Week

- Assassinations of local elected officials 

- War in the Middle East

- Threat of escalation and use of nuclear weapons

NOT

RI Health Insurance Companies Requesting Rate Increases of 20% to 28%

Last Friday, the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) released the individual, small group, and large group market premium rates requested by Rhode Island’s insurers.

The rate increases are almost all over 20%, and for individual buyers, Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI is asking for a 28% increase.

The potential rate increases are a blow to Rhode Islanders and businesses.

The requests were filed as part of OHIC’s rate review process (for coverage effective on or after January 1, 2026).

READ MORE

NOT

Red Sox Trade Devers for a Bag of Balls

The Red Sox on Sunday traded 3B/DH Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, in exchange for LHP Kyle Harrison, RHP Jordan Hicks, minor league OF James Tibbs III, and minor league RHP Jose Bello.

Harrison has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

The Red Sox and Devers have been in a season-long battle over what position he would play.

It was the latest move by the Red Sox that sent a young star hitter out of Boston - just like Mookie Betts.

The trade sent shockwaves through Major League Baseball. It was a blockbuster deal that not only ended Devers’ era as the face of the Red Sox but also dramatically reshaped the rosters and futures of both franchises.

NOT

Time to Go?

On Saturday, GoLocal reported that Narragansett Republican Party Chairman Anthony D’Ellena filed a complaint alleging that South Kingstown Town Councilor Jay Wegimont threatened him and assaulted him.

Wegimont is a Democrat on the council and is also a senior official for the Providence Public Schools Department. He serves as PPSD’s Public Information Officer.

This is not Wegimont's first legal issue. 

Court records show that Wegimont was previously cited by police three times. In 2022 and 2023, for driving under the influence and in 2022 for driving with a suspended license.

On Tuesday night, PPSD announced it had taken action.

"The District is aware of the simple assault charges. Jay Wegimont has been placed on administrative leave. Since this is a personnel matter, we will not be providing further comment at this time," said Suzanne Ouellette, Chief of Communications for PPSD.

The alleged incident took place on June 9, following the South Kingstown Town Council meeting.

On Tuesday, South Kingstown Chief of Police Matthew C. Moynihan announced that Wegimont is being charged with simple assault.

“Following an initial investigation into an incident that took place on Monday, June 9, 2025, at South Kingstown Town Hall, Jay Wegimont, of 48 Shadow Farm Way, South Kingstown, has been charged with simple assault. He was arraigned at the South Kingstown Police Department this afternoon and will appear in Washington County District Court on Thursday, July 3, 2025,” said Moynihan.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and we will provide updates as warranted,” Moynihan added.

NOT

Not Good News for Social Security

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:

The Social Security and Medicare Trustees released their annual report this week on the financial status of the programs.

The Trustees find that both Social Security and Medicare are within a decade of insolvency and face large imbalances, necessitating trust fund solutions. In particular, the 2025 Social Security Trustees Report projects:

Social Security is only eight years from insolvency. The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund is projected to go insolvent in 2033, when today’s 59-year-olds reach their full retirement age and today’s youngest retirees turn 70. At that point, retirees will face an automatic 23 percent benefit cut under the law. If the OASI trust fund borrows from the disability fund, the trust funds would be depleted by 2034, leading to a 19 percent benefit cut.

Social Security faces large and growing imbalances. Social Security faces cash deficits totaling $3.6 trillion over the next decade, the equivalent of 2.7 percent of taxable payroll or 0.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Annual cash deficits will grow to 3.6 percent of payroll (1.3 percent of GDP) by 2050 and to 4.9 percent of payroll (1.6 percent of GDP) by 2099.

Social Security faces a large actuarial deficit. Over 75 years, Social Security faces a 3.82 percent of taxable payroll (1.3 percent of GDP) actuarial deficit, the equivalent of $26 trillion on a present value basis. This shortfall is the largest in almost 50 years, and nearly twice as large as it was back in 2010.

Social Security’s finances have further deteriorated. Social Security’s 75-year solvency gap increased relative to last year’s projections, from 3.50 percent of payroll to 3.82 percent of payroll. Half the deterioration is due to the passage of the “Social Security Fairness Act,” which allows some workers to partially double-dip between Social Security benefits and state or local alternatives.

Time is running out to fix Social Security. Policymakers are running out of time to enact necessary fixes to head off trust fund insolvency. The longer they wait, the fewer policy options will be available, and the harder it will be to avoid abrupt changes to taxes or benefits or to phase in changes that give workers and retirees time to prepare.