Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - May 7, 2021

HOT

Vice President Harris

Yes, the visit to Rhode Island was expensive, it created traffic jams and it wasn't very strategic to help pass Biden's infrastructure bill or fix the country's immigration problems.

But, it was nice that Harris -- the United States' Vice President -- came to RI.

Too often RI is overlooked by the White House -- rarely do Presidents or Vice Presidents come to the state except to attend fundraisers or campaign for re-election.

Now, it would have been really nice if the whole group stayed over for a night or two -- and spent some money to help RI businesses not just overtime for government agencies. 

HOT

RI's Venture Capital Fund

CVS Health announced this week an investment of $100 million into CVS Health Ventures, a dedicated corporate venture capital fund that "will invest in and partner with high-potential, early-stage companies focused on making health care more accessible, affordable, and simpler."

Rhode Island has been void of a venture capital fund until now. CVS confirms the venture fund will be located in Woonsocket.

"Consumers deserve a better health experience, one that puts them at the center of cutting-edge, digitally enabled solutions," said Karen S. Lynch, President and CEO, CVS Health. "Forming CVS Health Ventures will build on our successful track record of scaling innovation and driving change in health care."

Presently, the company invests in early-stage companies like Unite Us, and HealthEdge to name a few.

The fund will initially launch with $100 million allocated for investments and will focus on companies with the potential for technology-enabled innovation and disruption in digital health care that are anchored in CVS Health's core strategy. CVS Health Ventures will build relationships with early-stage companies via investment as well as by offering expertise and insights from CVS Health's unique perspective.

CVS Health has already made more than 20 direct investments through the CVS and Aetna businesses. These investments have delivered consistently strong returns and partnerships. Current investments include Unite Us, a technology platform that connects health care and social services providers, and LumiraDx, an innovative point-of-care diagnostic platform.

"Our goal is to enable entrepreneurs to access our unmatched consumer touchpoints including nearly 10,000 community locations, more than 100 million customers across Caremark and Aetna, and more to scale quickly and effectively. We will increase access for start-ups to build strategic relationships with CVS Health and benefit from our know-how, capabilities and broader external network," state's the fund's website.

HOT

Plant City

Plant City is expanding -- again. 

After opening Plant City in Providence in 2019 -- and then most recently Plant City X in Middletown -- owner Kim Anderson on Thursday announced its newest location. 

"Today we pick up the keys for our second PLANT CITY X," she said.  

The new location is a former Burger King located at 70 Centerville Road in Warwick -- "Near Aponaug Village and 2.5 miles from Main Street in East Greenwich," says Anderson. 

Read more today on GoLocal. 

NOT

Oh, Mayor.

Maybe nothing else was a greater symbol of the Renaissance of Providence at the turn of the millennium than the construction of Waterplace Park.

It was heralded locally and nationally.

In 1999, the New York Times wrote, “Today this half-mile swath bears a new name, Waterplace Park, and with its new outlook hints of a Venice in New England."

Waterplace allowed for events like WaterFire — Barnaby Evans’ award-winning visual sculpture that has brought millions of tourists to Providence.

Today, Waterplace has broken benches and lights and the park is covered with graffiti.

The Mayor blames the pandemic while focusing on other issues.

The city has had a strong reliance on tourism.

Providence needs to get cleaned up.  

NOT

Jobs Not Recovering

The numbers are not good.

Rhode Island was ranked second-worst for states — including DC — whose unemployment claims recovered most last week.

And since the start of the pandemic? Rhode Island is ranked 5th worst.

The new analysis is from WalletHub, which found RI’s unemployment claims were up 1130% last week over 2019 — and 293% since the start of 2020.

Only Vermont had a worse week. The best? New York 

Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, business owners -- and restaurants in particular -- have said they can't get anyone to work.

Fish Co. co-owner Garry Williams said it's not the state's coronavirus mandates around capacity that were hurting him -- it has been his inability to hire. 

Popular Italian restaurant Siena offered a $250 gift certificate to anyone who could refer a potential employee that was ultimately hired. 

NOT

Eviction Danger

A decision on Wednesday by a federal court judge threw out the national eviction moratorium claiming it was legally unsupportable.

Nationally, one in seven renters is behind in their payments and is now vulnerable to eviction.

One of RI’s top housing experts says it is critical for RI’s legislature to immediately pass moratorium legislation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing public health grounds, had extended the moratorium through June for tenants who have fallen behind on their rent during the pandemic. 

The moratorium originated from an executive order signed by then-President Donald Trump in September.

Judge Dabney Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that while it was the role of the branches of government to address the pandemic, current federal law on public health didn’t give the CDC broad authority to impose the moratorium.

Friedrich's decision is being appealed by the Biden administration.

NOT

New York Times

Someone misses The Donald.

The Times has seen its digital news subscriptions slow since former President Donald Trump left office.

The company announced recently it signed up 167,000 new subscribers for its core news offering, the slowest growth since the second quarter of 2019.

As for lower-cost digital products such as its cooking and gaming apps, the Times added in total 301,000 total digital subscriptions in the quarter, compared with 627,000 in 2020’s fourth quarter.

NOT

Really, Mayor? 

After serving as Mayor of Providence for nearly 8 years, Jorge Elorza is now calling for the repeal of the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.

He has never said a word about it before. 

Elorza's political posturing -- and trying to go as left as possible for the Democratic gubernatorial primary --  is both predictable and pathetic.

How about this. For every pothole you fill and graffiti tag you remove, you can issue one position paper, Mayor. 

Govern. Don't grandstand.