Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? - September 4, 2020

HOT

Boston Celtics

While the Bruins got bounced in the second round and the Red Sox are anemic, this Boston Celtics team is wildly talented and gritty.

Jayson Tatum has looked like a top-five NBA player in the playoffs and Marcus Smart has been a defensive stalwart and his 4th quarter shooting in game #2 against the Raptors was brilliant.

HOT

Hope & Main

Innovate, innovate, oh, and some more innovation.

It may be the recipe for success for the emerging food companies being launched out of the food incubation center Hope & Main. 

Read more about some of the success stories being crafted by local entrepreneurs.

HOT

Capital Good Fund

Andy Posner, founder and CEO of the Capital Good Fund, has announced a new source of funding —  $500,000 — to make below-market, short-term loans to consumers who do not qualify for conventional financing for expenses related to the COVID-19 crisis and other key needs, such as buying or repairing a car and security deposits.

Posner joined GoLocal LIVE to give an overview of the new funding.

"We do small-dollar personal loans for low-income folks for many years only in Rhode Island we're now operational in five states -- so a lot of recent growth but we're designed to be an alternative to high-interest loan products like payday loans, pawnshops, rent to own ... the loans that we make range from $300 to $25,000 and they're most commonly used for vehicle purchase, repair, refinance, security deposits," said Posner.

TO LEARN MORE AND APPLY

The source of the new funding for the Capital Good Fund is a five-year loan from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Impact Investing program that will enable Capital Good Fund to help an additional 250 borrowers.

“This investment will enable us to achieve our strategic goals, including increasing the number of Rhode Island families impacted by our products,” said Posner. 

Capital Good Fund will use the funding from the Impact Investing program to offer personal loans ranging from $300 to $25,000 with an average interest rate of 14 percent, which is a fraction of what some so-called pay-day lenders would charge; in fact, the maximum allowed interest rate on a payday loan in Rhode Island is 261 percent APR.

“Our clients are people who can’t access mainstream loan products for a variety of reasons, ranging from being low-income, having poor credit or simply not trusting the financial system,” said Posner.

HOT

Take It Outside

The state of Rhode Island’s “Take It Outside” initiative, a statewide effort designed to encourage and increase outdoor activities, is expanding efforts to get people living, working, and recreating more outside.

The effort to expand activities in part due to national health experts’ findings that the transmission rate of COVID-19 is nearly 20 times higher indoors than outdoors.

Those who work and play outside are encouraged to share photos on social media with the hashtag #CrushCovidRI. Images and videos will be shared across state’s social channels to help raise awareness of the campaign.

To learn www.takeitoutsideri.com.

“For months, we've had to find innovative ways to resume everyday activities while slowing the spread of COVID-19," said Governor Gina Raimondo. "We know that being outside reduces the risk of transmission of this virus and are asking Rhode Islanders to get creative and Take it Outside whenever possible. I'm grateful for the support of municipal and business leaders in this effort.”

In an interview with GoLocal in July, top New York physician Dr. Alan Roth of Jamaica Hospital -- which was one of the hospitals hardest hit by the first wave of the corronavirus in March and April warns about indoor dining.

“I don't think restaurants could be safe right now...you can't just take your mask off and eat for indoor dining  I can't see someone six feet away from me eating dinner and sneezing and coughing," said Roth. "We know that it will be transmitted through the ventilation systems, and until either the virus is controlled and there's a vaccine...I’m not sure indoor dining will be okay. I'm not sure anywhere you need to take a mask off in close proximity is going to be safe perhaps for years.”

NOT

Moo "Scam" Mask

Yikes.

The British-owned printing company Moo.com announced this week the launch of a new type of paper mask that can be printed on for marketing purposes. 

Moo’s marketing material says the mask is perfect for “grocery shopping, real estate viewings, small businesses with face-to-face services  and waiting rooms or queues.”

“Our custom face masks are intended to be used in public places where social distancing can be tricky. They provide extra reassurance for your customers, clients, and colleagues …“ says Moo on its website,

The only problem with the mask is it doesn’t meet any of the standards for protection for others. 

A top health expert and researcher says the mask is a scam.

Dr. Bruce Spiess, a professor of anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, who was heralded for developing protective masks out of hospital materials early in the coronavirus outbreak before mass production kicked in, ridiculed the mask by Moo for its lack of protection.

“Wow, this looks like a scam and scary stuff. Why not put a Mcdonald's box over your face!” wrote Dr. Spiess in an email to GoLocal.

NOT

Health Insurance Rate Increases

Health insurance premium rates for 2021 have been approved by Rhode Island’s Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) in a blow to consumers and Rhode Island businesses during the pandemic and recession.

Some of the rate increases are nearly 10%, all at a time when health insurance companies have been piling up revenues with consumers using fewer services due to the pandemic.

And a consultant hired by the Rhode Island Attorney General found that in the case of Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI rates should be cut and not increased.

"In total, the adjustments to the rates that are recommended as shown in Exhibit AG-4 reduce Blue Cross’s EHB rate from $432.54 PMPM to $414.44 PMPM reducing the projected rates by 4.2%. The Attorney General's recommended rates result in a weighted average increase of 1.2% compared on an apples-to-apples basis to Blue Cross's requested increase of 5.7%. The lower recommended weighted average rate increase would result in premium savings of approximately $5.0 Million," found the consultant - READ THE REPORT HERE. 

OHIC Boasts "Savings"

OHIC claims that the rate increases saved consumer money because the rate increase was not as large as requested by the insurance companies.

“Overall, this year, OHIC has saved Rhode Islanders $12,870,000 by cutting the insurers’ proposed 2021 rate increases,” said OHIC’s press release.

NOT

Pushing Profits

CVS is now running promotions and incentives targeting consumers to receive their flu shots this year as early as August. The coordinated campaign includes promotional coupons. It is a strategy that is in conflict with the best healthcare practices and could cause some to have exposure to the flu at the height of the deadly season.

“For a limited time while supplies last in participating states, customers will receive a $5 off $20 shopping pass when they get a flu shot at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic, valid August 18 through October 31. Patients who receive a flu shot at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic locations inside select Target stores will receive a $5 Target coupon,” says the CVS promo.

Neither federal nor state health officials recommend flu vaccinations in August. The Rhode Island Department of Health’s annual campaign to promote flu vaccination historically begins in October. One top public health expert charges the CVS’ strategy is picking profits over public health.

Flu During Coronavirus

There is great worry by public health officials that this year’s flu season coupled with the resurgence of the coronavirus could create a perfect storm of infection and has the potential to overwhelm hospital capacities.

Dr. Michael Fine, the former RI Director of Health, says CVS' promotion timing is simply too early and potentially dangerous.

“Well, the question is do we want to have a healthcare system that's for people, that tries to reduce the incidence and prevalence of disease, or do we want to have a healthcare market and industry that creates profit -- getting a lot of flu shots out in August means we can tick the box, that said, we gave flu shots but that won't help us prevent disease very much,” said Fine in an interview with GoLocal LIVE.

“I’ve talked about it for many years -- I don't think the science supports giving flu shots in August,” said Fine.

The consensus on guidance is clear that the recommended time for flu vaccinations is the beginning of October or later. In December of 2019, the flu spiked in Rhode Island.

"Healthcare providers should offer vaccination by the end of October, if possible, and vaccination should continue to be offered as long as influenza viruses are circulating and unexpired vaccine is available. To avoid missed opportunities for vaccination, providers should offer vaccination during routine healthcare visits and hospitalizations," states the Immunization Action Coalition, an industry-funded non-profit.

NOT

Allie's Flip-Flopping Has Nearly Everyone Offended

Take a number for an insult at Allie's. Veterans, police, protestors, lefthanded folks. 

Allie’s owner Matt Drescher on Sunday infuriated almost everyone with his latest political position.

After cutting the shop's discount to police and military in June in a political statement, Allie's said it now is offering free donuts for people to bring to police. 

The younger Drescher took an activist role. He hosted politicians. He spoke began to speak out, but over the months the message has changed and often contradicting previous messages.

It started in early June.

Allie’s announced it had rescinded its discounts to police and military members, saying “It’s time to recognize the voices and stand with our fellow Black and Brown Rhode Islanders who want to be treated equally.”

“Until local police take action to solve problems with racism and injustice, @alliesdonuts will choose with the people of our great state,” wrote Allie’s in their initial statement. “We will no longer offer military or police discounts.”

The decision sparked immediate responses and thrust the bakery into the middle of the debate over Black Lives Matter, defund the police, and the depths of partisan politics.

Veterans Offended, Police Spoke Out and Protestors Supported the New Activism

Rhode Island State Representative and retired Navy officer Camille Vella-Wilkinson said that Allie’s Donuts should be boycotted for denying discounts to police and military, with the business citing racism as the reason.

NOT

Sense of Safety in Providence

- 5 murders in two weeks

- 8 men gang-raping a passed out 16-year-old

- ATV and dirt bikes illegally roaming the streets and causing accidents

Not a good feeling.