Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - May 16, 2025

HOT

Joe Shekarchi

The Speaker of the House stood up and tried to block the raises being pushed by Governor Dan McKee for some high-level appointees, including RIDOT Director Peter Alviti.

We guess McKee does not understand that the state is running a deficit, unemployment is rising, and one top economist says the state is in a recession.

Good for Shekarchi to try to stand up for taxpayers.

His effort ultimately failed. See NOT HOT.

HOT

More Italian Than New Jersey?

Bravo’s newest iteration of Real Housewives in Rhode Island has just been announced, and the network has it square in the spotlight. 

While the Ocean State cast has not officially been announced yet, speculation on social media has been rampant. 

But Bravo producer Andy Cohen knows who is in the show - and he has weighed in on the assemblage of Rhode Island women.

“The cast is incredible,” Cohen reportedly told Page Six this week. 

“They are very Italian,” he continued. “Rhode Island is such a small state, and they all kind of know each other and overlap, and it’s an incredible group of women who have really interesting connections. I think it’s going to really surprise people.”

When Page Six noted that “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” also has a primarily Italian American cast with family drama, Cohen, 56, explained why he thinks the two differ.

“Well, they’re in Rhode Island. It’s coastal,” he pointed out, calling the yet-to-be-announced stars even “more Italian” with “deep families.”

And according to Page Six - Cohen compared Rhode Island to Real Housewives of New Jersey - which has seen a number of cast members embroiled in legal dramas - there has been greater scrutiny. 

“As the show has evolved,” he explained carefully, “the diligence has evolved.”

Bravo's Andy Cohen. PHOTO: Public Domain/White House

HOT

An Effort at Transparency

State Representative Patricia Serpa has submitted a bill that if passed would require non-profits who seek state funding to post their top executives salaries on their website.

“As long as the General Assembly is spending taxpayers’ money on grants and funding for nonprofit organizations, the people have a clear right to know how that money is being spent,” said Serpa, a Democrat who represents District 27 (West Warwick, Coventry). “The salaries of state employees are public and easy to find online because we believe the people are best served by this sort of financial transparency. As long as state money is going to these organizations, they should share in that transparency.”

Serpa rightfully calls for this transparency.

But don’t bet on this bill moving quickly through the General Assembly.

These healthcare groups employ an army of high-paid lobbyists who dole out hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations at the State House.

HOT

Still Life Painter Christopher Terry

GoLocal art columnist Michael Rose has a wonderful look at painter Christopher Terry:

It is said that people always return to Rhode Island. For painter Christopher T. Terry, it took some time, but he did eventually find his way back. He graduated from Rhode Island College but his career took him to places like California, Utah, and even Germany. Although he was able to summer here annually, it was not until 2020 that he was able to return permanently. Terry is now making beautiful and thoughtful still life paintings in Jamestown and finding community in the region he loves.

Terry is an artist crafting quiet images that focus primarily on interiors and still life. Often, these take the form of a table laid out with simple and utilitarian objects like a teapot or clock. He relishes in the subtleties of color, in the precision of composition, in creating structured views into imagined spaces.

Asked what he hopes viewers experience when looking at his subdued paintings, Terry is open-minded. He answers, “As a visual artist, I’m comfortable with the viewer experiencing a diverse range of meaning in my work, but I do strive to build a rhythm within my paintings that recalls the quality of memory or dreaming. Most viewers tell me they see my work as meditative. This calm, quiet sense is certainly a goal I work toward, but paradoxically, I also build drama into the work. I’d like to have the viewer experience the work as peaceful, but also taut with expectation, as though something climactic may be about to happen.”

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NOT

Smiley Approves Palestinian Flag Raising Ceremony Over City Hall, Says City Council Staffer June Rose (NOT A TYPO)

So let's try to understand this. Hamas invaded Israel nearly 20 months ago, slaughtering men, women, and children. They raped, burn people alive and in some cases, broadcast the atrocities live on social media.

Then, Israel invades Gaza and pulverizes the entire country. Reportedly, 40,000+ are dead.

While this is nothing new for the Middle East, and an attempt to eliminate Israel is a regular occurrence, Mayor Brett Smiley and the City Council and their Chief of Staff June Rose have been determined to distract the city from the budget crisis, crime problem and failed schools by engaging in a ridiculous dialogue over flag flying. 

The City of Providence flying other countries' flags is absurd. But flying the flags of two countries at war demonstrates a complete lack of judgment.

But, it is effective politics for both to distract, and then folks will forget that their taxes and rents are increasing.

Mayor Smiley and (unelected) City Council Head Rose - excellent strategy.

NOT

Senate President Val Lawson

If there was any thought that the new Senate President would be an independent thinker and would demonstrate some freedom from her close union and insider ties, she quickly dismissed those thoughts this week. 

She refused to work with Speaker Shekarchi to block McKee's raises for top state workers.

While unemployment rises and federal cuts impact the state's economy, Lawson followed orders and went along with boosting salaries for the top state workers.

NOT

Not Good for Middle Class Americans

The CEO of Walmart on Thursday said that higher tariffs in the Trump Administration will “result in higher prices.”

Doug McMillon, the head of the world’s largest retailer, made the comments during an earnings call on Thursday, according to reports. 

“We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible. But given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” said McMillon.

“The higher tariffs will result in higher prices,” he added. 

NOT

Recession?

University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro says the most recent numbers from his monthly report show significant decay in the health of the Rhode Island economy.

“This was the worst monthly showing since the Great Financial Crisis. The CCI went from a neutral value in January to two months of contraction. The March value, however, was only 16, as two of the twelve CCI indicators improved relative to a year ago, and barely at that,” said Lardaro.

Lardaro said, “Last month, I stated that I could no longer rule out the possibility that Rhode Island had entered the earliest stages of a full-blown recession. I have updated that to stating that I would be amazed if Rhode Island is not currently in the early stages of a full-blown recession. Remember, this month's results, as bad as they were, came before the tariff war in April, so we can't reasonably expect much upward momentum from the national economy.”