Joe Tasca

The issues with the Washington Bridge have affected all of us, and will for years to come. This week we launched Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge, a new, community-centered project exploring how we got here, the impact of the bridge on our lives, and what the future holds. And we want to hear from you. Also, the threat of climate change is making it harder and more expensive for Rhode Islanders to insure their homes. How can the state and homeowners prepare? Plus: We hear about Track 15, a food hall opening in March that will transform Providence's historic Union Station, featuring seven restaurants from local chefs. That and more on this week’s show.

A judge has temporarily blocked a major policy change announced last week by the National Institutes of Health. It would have significantly reduced payments to universities, hospitals, and other research institutions. If the change goes through, how will it affect Rhode Islanders, and the many places here that get funding from the NIH? Also, we hear about a project from the Boston Globe, highlighting more than 300 New England locations featured in the Green Book, the famous guide that listed safe places for Black travelers from the 1930s to the 1960s. Plus, a conversation with writer and director Dave Solomon, the latest artist-in-residence at Westerly Library and Wilcox Park. That and more on this week’s show.

Rhode Island lawmakers return to the capital on Tuesday for a new session. A massive budget deficit, continued troubles with the Washington Bridge, healthcare, and housing remain some of the top issues politicians face in the Ocean State. Our reporters roundtable shares what to watch this legislative session. Also, president-elect Trump has promised to roll back anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, and restrict access to transgender health care. We hear what members of the LGBTQ community can do to prepare. And we look ahead to the year in local arts and culture, and share a few of the productions, concerts and exhibits we're most excited about. That and more on this week’s show.

State coastal regulators had some bad news this week for the North Kingstown country club that’s trying to get permission to construct a seawall where it’s already built one illegally. A subcommittee of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council voted Tuesday to deny the waterfront classification change sought by Quidnessett Country Club. The final […]

Women & Infants Hospital says it’s reached a tentative agreement on a new nearly three-year contract with members of the 1199 SEIU NE union.  Frontline caregivers had voted last week to authorize a strike, citing uncompetitive wages and a refusal to bargain in good faith, among other things. Union officials said the hospital’s lack of […]

As CVS employees await word on whether their jobs will be among the nearly 3,000 the Rhode Island-based company plans to eliminate, Woonsocket Mayor Christopher Beauchamp says the city should be able to weather the layoffs, though concerns remain for the future. CVS Health, which is headquartered in Woonsocket, said Monday that it plans to […]

Rhode Island has faced a housing shortage for decades, and despite efforts to address it, the problem is getting worse. Today, thousands of people in Rhode Island are homeless, thousands more homeowners and renters are living in unsecure conditions, and home prices continue to skyrocket. The state needs to build more housing, but one of the biggest factors stifling that process is zoning. It’s the focus of our new series, Zoned Out. Also, we visit New Bedford’s Patio de Comidas, a summer-long celebration of Central American cuisine. It culminates this weekend with the Festival Tipico de Guatemala. Plus: A look back on the week in Rhode Island politics with political reporter Ian Donnis, and our picks for what to do this week.

A scrapyard in South Providence was shut down last month after two recent fires. This week a judge said it could reopen, despite opposition from state officials and locals who say the facility poses health risks to an already over-polluted neighborhood. And Monday is Victory Day here in Rhode Island, commemorating the surrender of Japan in August of 1945 that led to the end of World War II. We hear from a Newport resident and Japanese internment camp survivor who says it's time to reconsider the holiday. Also, we hear about a documentary in the making focused on a neighborhood basketball league that transcended racial and class divides during the 1960s and 70s. That and more on this week’s show.

One of the pressing questions going into next month’s Democratic Convention is who Vice President Kamala Harris will pick for her running mate. Former Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo is on the short list. We talk with political pundits from Brown University and the Boston Globe about that story and more. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the Ocean State is up from last year - by a lot. We’ll talk with the new head of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness about fighting back myths and getting lawmakers to do more. And Cajun and Zydeco music is synonymous with life down in Louisiana. But, the local group Magnolia has brought the rich sounds of the Bayou to southern New England. Plus our picks for what to do this week.

For years, the number of people dying of drug overdoses was on the rise nationwide and in Rhode Island. Then, there was a push to change that, specifically by introducing the life-saving drug Narcan. Last year, the number of people overdosing actually dropped. We’ll look deeper into those figures. Also, we get an update on the week in politics with Ian Donnis, and Mike Szostak shares his favorite summer sports reads. Plus, the New Bedford Whaling Museum has a new exhibit of scrimshaw, not on whalebone, but on plastic trash recovered from the ocean. That and more on this week’s show.