Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - Oct. 23
Russell J. Moore, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - Oct. 23
Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - Oct. 23
HOT
Seth Magaziner
The General Treasurer had a good week in the news after the New York City Retirement System Chief Executive Officer implemented a new policy that will require any firm that manages that fund's pension money to provide complete fee disclosures beforehand. But New York is following the state of Rhode Island's lead, as Magaziner implemented a similar policy for the Rhode Island pension fund earlier this summer. Magaziner's investment strategy and his reliance on hedge funds remains highly questionable, but he has been strong on transparency thus far into his tenure.
HOT
Luis Aponte
The Providence City Council President finds himself in a key position regarding the fate of the Pawtucket Red sox. The council President said earlier this week that he intends to hold talks with the team's new owners about a potential move to Victory Place in Providence. Aponte pointed out that there needs to be leadership on this issue from somewhere, and it seems like it may be falling directly into his lap. Here's hoping the talented politician from South Providence can make some progress on what's thus far been a debacle.
HOT
Delta Dental
The dental insurer made donations totaling over $1 million to support oral health for the disadvantaged population in Rhode Island earlier this week. The insurer funded worthy organizations including the Samuel Sinclair Dental Center at Rhode Island Hospital ($350,000), Blackstone Valley Community Health Care ($350,000), Providence Community Health Centers ($350,000), Scituate Health Alliance ($15,000) and the Thundermist Dental Tent at Operation Stand Down ($12,000).
HOT
Kobi Dennis
The Providence Community organizer deserves a shoutout for stepping forward and calling for Rhode Islanders to boycott the scheduled October 28 "Chief Keef" concert. Dennis pointed out that Rhode Island doesn't need to support a rabble rouser who promotes violence and gangster activity.
HOT
Winter
Experts weighing in on the prospect of this winter in a GoLocal article on Wednesday seemed to think that Rhode Island won't be in for as severe as a winter as last year. While predicting the weather on a seasonal basis is highly unpredictable, the thought of a less severe winter is certainly welcome news.
HOT
Brown Football
The football team put on an amazing offensive display against Ivy League rival Princeton, who was previously undefeated and favored over Brown, in last Saturday's 38-31 victory. The Bears hope to continue their momentum as they take their 3-game winning streak into winless Cornell this Saturday.
NOT
Nicholas Mattiello
Either the House Speaker doesn't get it, or he just doesn't want to. Mattiello told a group of Rhode Island businessmen at the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council Annual Dinner (RIPEC) that the state doesn't need to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the 38 Studios fiasco, and instead needs to move on. Mattiello is to stubborn to realize that the state cannot move on, and the specter of 38 Studios will continue hanging over the state government, and that includes his desired initiatives and projects, like an albatross.
NOT
Donald Grebien
Look, it's understandable that the Mayor of Pawtucket wants to do all in his power to make sure he keeps the Pawtucket Red Sox in is city. But at this point, Grebien is starting to look desperate, pathetic, and unwilling to move on, since the Pawtucket Red Sox owners have made it more than obvious that they hate McCoy stadium. Here's the thing: there are more baseball teams in the world than the Pawtucket Red Sox, and plenty of them would be more than willing to play an affordable brand of ball here in Pawtucket. It's time to go find them!
NOT
Energy Efficiency
The City of Providence ranks 32 out of the top 50 cities in America for energy efficiency according to the American Council of Energy-Efficiency Economy. The analysis was based on a combination of factors ranging from public lighting for performance maintenance strategies. Meanwhile, the city of Boston ranked first in the nation. It might be a good idea for the city to begin developing a new, long-range energy efficiency plan.
NOT
Gina Raimondo
The Governor's Toll Plan continues to be filled with questions and holes. News surfaced this week that the Governor's administration asked the federal government for permission to be able to toll the underside of bridges. The development is just another piece of evidence that the administration rushed the proposal during the last legislative session and suggests that the state needs to rethink it's whole plan. And yes, it's time to start living within our means and finding ways to fix our infrastructure with the state's $8 billion budget.
NOT
James Woods
Perhaps Rhode Island's most famous and talented actor of all time, the thespian isn't doing himself any favors when he starts hurling personal insults at politicians. Woods called Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders an "utter moron" on twitter earlier this week. There's nothing wrong with entering the political discourse, but when you resort to personal attacks, you're not doing your argument any favors.
NOT
Rick Pitino
The former Boston University, Providence College, and Boston Celtics coach has seen better days. Pitino has come under fire since new revelations that Louisville Men's basketball recruits were give free access to prostitution in an attempt to lure the players to the school. Pitino, for his part, maintains he had no knowledge of the shenanigans, but that is no excuse. If Pitino didn't know, he should have. Many other coaches have been fired for much less.
