Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - March 11
Russ Moore, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - March 11
Every Friday, GoLocalProv's Russ Moore breaks down who is rising and who is falling in RI politics, business, and sports. Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island media, both for newspapers and on political campaigns. Send him email at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @russmoore713.
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - March 11
HOT
Nicholas Mattiello:
The Rhode Island Speaker of the House has signaled a willingness to pass a bill that would re-empower the state Ethics Commission to police the General Assembly. That's welcome news since there's no reason that the state legislature isn't subject to the same code of ethics that every other public official in the state must adhere to.
HOT
Joseph Polisena:
Citizens Bank announced Wednesday that it will build a new corporate campus in Johnston. Citizens will move roughly 3,200 employees from the current Cranston location to the new site. The move represents a win for the Johnston Mayor, since it would be devastating if those jobs were moved out of state.
HOT
Father Brian Shanley:
Let's give the Providence College President some credit--he has agreed to most of the demands from the student activists who are trying to promote some much-needed diversity on the campus. Here's hoping the two sides continue what's becoming a more productive dialogue.
HOT
Vinny Pazienza:
The five time world boxing champ, all-around Rhode Island icon and tough guy, is poised to return to national prominence once again. According to LA times writer Glenn Whip, "Bleed For This" the new movie about Pazienza's inspiration comeback after a near fatal car accident is on the 2017 Oscar's Watch List. Pazienza’s movie getting an Oscar nomination is something that would make the awards cool again!
HOT
Kris Dunn and Hassan Martin:
Kris Dunn became the first Big East basketball player since Patrick Ewing to win the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year and the Conference Player of the Year. That’s great company. Down in Kingston, Martin took him some hardware of his own. Although he's currently sidelined with a knee injury, the star URI Rams basketball won the Atlantic 10 conference's "defensive player of the year" honors. Martin becomes the first URI player to win the award since it's inception in 1997.
HOT
Bernie Sanders:
Defying the polling and the odds, Sanders scored a tremendous upset victory in Michigan on Tuesday, cementing his standing in the race. His momentum and his campaign cash guarantee that he’ll be continuing on for at least another month. Will Rhode Island “feel the Bern” when it holds its primary? Or will Little Rhody remain “Clinton Country”?
NOT
Donald Grebien:
The Mayor of Pawtucket hired one of his tenants to work in the city's Parks department shortly after becoming mayor in 2011. The matter is currently being investigated by the Pawtucket Police Department. But the matter is something the Rhode Island Ethics Commission is going to have to review. Even if it doesn't violate any statutes, it certainly doesn't seem right to have someone as a tenant that you hired to work for the city you lead.
NOT
Derogatory and Hateful Tweets: The state of Rhode Island is one of the most derogatory states in the country according to a survey of over 12 million "tweets" or messages posted on Twitter, according to adobo.com.
The site reportedly reviewed Tweets from June 2014 to December 2015, “looking for slurs and other prejudiced language against Black people, Hispanic/Latino people, women, gays and lesbians, transgender people, people with disabilities, and people of size, whom the study refers to as overweight.” Come on Rhode Island, we're better than that!
NOT
Mount Saint Charles:
GoLocalProv broke the news last week that the Woonsocket Catholic high school had implemented a ban on transgender students from the school. The school claimed that the school didn't have adequate facilities to support them. The school deserves some credit, however, for coming to its senses and reversing the ban earlier this week. When you’re wrong, changing your position is the smart thing to do.
NOT
38 Studios:
The zombie story that is 38 studios just keeps finding its way back into the news. This week, the Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Wells Fargo, and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation with fraud for their role in making the ill-fated bond deal a reality. As more news develops, it’s clear that the Rhode Island 38 Studios Hangover is well-deserved. It's up to the state government to earn the trust of the people.
NOT
Elorza and Fire Department Relations:
The fractured relationship between the Mayor and the Providence Fire Department intensified earlier this week when the administration fired a Providence Captain with 25-years of experience for failing to enforce disciplinary measures. It's hard to see which side is right on this issue, but it signals further turmoil. And that's not good for anyone.
NOT
Burglaries:
Providence County had the 38th most burglaries (per 100,000 people) in the nation according to a study by FindTheHome.com. The study looked at FBI crime data and found that Rhode Island has a relatively high burglary rate. That’s not surprising given the fact that there have been quite a few break ins, even on the East Side of Providence, over the last few years.
