Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - November 25, 2022

HOT

1st

Olivia Pichardo has made the Brown baseball team as a walk-on after trying out this fall, and is the first female in history to be on an active NCAA Division I Baseball varsity roster, claims the school.

Multiple other women have played college baseball at lower levels.

Prior to enrolling at Brown for the Fall 2022 semester, Pichardo was a member of the USA Baseball Women's National Team and played club baseball for the New York Crush and Next Level Baseball.

A native of Queens, N.Y., Pichardo played varsity high school baseball at Garden School as both a seventh and eighth grader.

Read more here. 

HOT

1st in Bravery

During this holiday season, when we complain about traffic delays, the cost of gas, and out-of-stock products, Ukrainians have been fighting against Russian invaders, who have been inflicting rape and murder.

As the Ukrainians have beaten the Russians on the battlefield, Putin's army now fires missiles at power and water supplies leaving many civilians across the country to live in brutal conditions.

In Kyiv this week the temperatures are in the 20s and 30s.

HOT

1st for this 93-Year-Old

Rhode Island businessman Ron Picerne may be best known for building one of the most successful real estate companies in America.

The Brown, Georgetown, and Harvard grad has had a lifetime of successes.

Last Friday, Picerne was playing golf at Turtle Creek County Club and hit a hole-in-one on the 14th hole. The hole is 168 yards from the black pin.

The premier club is in Tequesta, just outside of Jupiter, Florida.

This is his first in his 55 years of playing golf.

Starting In the 1960s, under Picerne’s leadership, the company began to develop a real estate portfolio that included apartment communities, shopping centers and office buildings. The different companies own tens of thousands of units across the country.

He has six children by his late wife Jeanne–David -- Donna, Bob, Ken, John and Jeanne, and 34 grandchildren (14 of whom are adopted from diverse backgrounds) and four great-grandchildren. All six of his children are involved in the Picerne Real Estate companies.

Not bad at age 93.

HOT

1st in Fundraising

Nabsys, a company focused on electronic whole-genome mapping, announced that it has received an additional $13 million from Hitachi High-Tech as part of an expanded equity round now totaling $38 million.

The expanded equity investment was triggered as a result of a technical milestone achieved in relation to its High-Definition Genome Mapping Platform.

The milestone increases throughput by more than 10x. 

The company announced the initial raise of $25 million in the round in April

“This milestone is a significant advancement to throughput for the High-Definition Mapping Platform and enables complete mapping of whole human genomes at a commercially attractive price and turnaround time and superior resolution compared to current technologies,” said Barrett Bready, M.D., Nabsys founder and CEO.

Nabsys will offer this next-generation High-Definition Genome Mapping Platform through an early access program in the first half of 2023.

READ MORE

HOT

Santos' 1st $40,000

College Board announced this week that Central High School student Jose Santos has earned a $40,000 scholarship.

“For so many Rhode Island students, scholarships provide the financial relief they need to turn the dream of attending college into reality. We are thrilled Jose has earned the BigFuture scholarship, which will open doors to opportunity,” said Governor Dan McKee. “We wish Jose the best on the road ahead and thank him for serving as a shining example of a forward-thinking, future-ready Rhode Island scholar.”

“Congratulations to Jose and the entire Central High School and Providence Public Schools community,” said Chair of the Council of Elementary and Secondary Education Patti DiCenso. “This significant achievement is proof that when our students are provided with targeted support and resources, they will thrive. We share our gratitude with College Board for recognizing Jose’s commitment to his future.”

Through February 2023, all class of 2023 students are still eligible to win $500 and $40,000 scholarships they can use at two- or four-year institutions. There are no essay, test score, citizenship status, family income, or minimum GPA requirements. Drawings for $500 and $40,000 are held every month. Students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year have extra chances at scholarships and earn double the entries for every drawing. The sooner students complete the following steps and the more steps they take, the more entries they’ll earn:

1. Build a College List: Students search for colleges and add 6 or more to their list.

2. Practice for the SAT: Students use Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy to get ready for test day.

3. Explore Scholarships: Students explore a list of scholarships personalized for them, based on their background, achievements, and future plans.

4. Strengthen Their College List: Students make sure their list has a mix of reach, match, and safety schools.

5. Complete the FAFSA: Students complete the free government form to apply for financial aid.

6. Apply to Colleges: Students apply to at least 2 colleges they want to attend.

This is the second $40,000 BigFuture scholarship awarded in Rhode Island. College Board has dedicated $25 million to the program that lays out the six simple steps all students can take to get to college.

More than $14 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 15,000 students since the program launched in December 2018.

Class of 2023 students—and soon class of 2024 and class of 2025 students—with College Board accounts in the United States and U.S. territories will be automatically entered into monthly drawings for $500 and $40,000 by completing specific steps on bigfuture.org

HOT

Not 1st -- But in the Top 10

Providence College men's hockey is emerging as one of the best sports stories in Rhode Island.

The team is 8th nationally in the latest ranking. Coach Nate Leaman is a coaching superstar.

Catch some of the best collegiate hockey -- and support your local team -- right here in Providence. 

Tickets here. 

HOT

1st in Supporting the Rhode Island Economy and Creativity

This year, GoLocal launches RI’s 30 Days of Great Local Gifts -- an effort to support local businesses and help grow our own economy.

Plus, and best of all, it's an opportunity to give and get the best that our local businesses have to offer. 

Did we mention yummy things to eat and drink? 

It's all here. Go Local. 

HOT

1st in Protest

Members of the Iranian World Cup team protested the oppression in their country by refusing to sing their national anthem in their opening game.

This week, they suffered a tough defeat to England -- but there is no matching this level of toughness.