Joe Tasca

Nearly four months after the Trump administration paused federal research funding to Brown University, the Ivy League school said Wednesday that it reached an agreement with the government to restore that funding. Brown also agreed to settle three open investigations into the university regarding federal nondiscrimination laws, including allegations that Brown didn’t do enough to […]

Rhode Island businessman and philanthropist Alan Hassenfeld has died at age 76.  Hassenfeld spent 15 years as chief executive officer of Hasbro, the Pawtucket-based toymaker that was founded by his grandfather and grand-uncle. He later served as company chairman. Author and journalist G. Wayne Miller, who has written extensively about Hasbro over the years, says […]

In the 2025 Rhode Island General Assembly session, lawmakers passed a major gun law and numerous bills tackling housing and healthcare. We’ll look into what legislators achieved and failed to get done, as well as what to expect in 2026. Also, Trump administration policies are scaring off tourists. Hotels have higher than normal vacancies, and restaurants are closing on certain days due to low traffic. What kind of summer season will we have this year? Plus, thousands in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Cape Verdean independence this weekend. We talk with two people from our region who are being featured at a national celebration in Washington, D.C. That and more on this week’s show.

Transit advocates in Rhode Island are concerned about looming service cuts to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. After Gov. Dan McKee’s proposed budget left RIPTA with a roughly $32.6 million deficit for fiscal year 2026, state House lawmakers on Tuesday passed a budget that provided RIPTA with an extra $15 million, in part by […]

The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved a bill that would ban student use of cell phones during school hours.  The state Senate passed an identical bill in May, leaving Gov. Dan McKee’s signature as the final hurdle for the policy. Under the legislation, Rhode Island school districts would have to craft […]

In Rhode Island, both the House and the Senate approved hikes to the state’s minimum wage on Thursday. Under the legislation, the current $15-an-hour minimum wage would go up to $16 next year and $17 in 2027.  Providence State Rep. David Morales says while he supports the wage hike, $17-an-hour works out to just under […]

Butler Hospital announced plans this week to replace the roughly 800 unionized workers that have been striking for the past few weeks. We'll hear about how we got here, and why it might not be so easy to fill those roles. Also, it’s hurricane season. Although New England rarely takes a direct hit, emergency officials want residents to remember the basics needed to get through a storm. We’ll share some of those tips. And we give you a preview of the summer festival season – starting with this weekend’s Providence Porchfest. Plus, Ian Donnis takes a look back on the week in Rhode Island politics.

Butler Hospital announced plans this week to replace the roughly 800 unionized workers that have been striking for the past few weeks. We'll hear about how we got here, and why it might not be so easy to fill those roles. Also, it’s hurricane season. Although New England rarely takes a direct hit, emergency officials want residents to remember the basics needed to get through a storm. We’ll share some of those tips. And we give you a preview of the summer festival season – starting with this weekend’s Providence Porchfest. Plus, Ian Donnis takes a look back on the week in Rhode Island politics.

Rhode Island College recently announced it will cut 20 degree programs this fall, mostly in the humanities. We’ll hear from a professor and student at RIC who say the cuts are short-sighted, and were done with little input from faculty or students. And did the Rhode Island Department of Transportation miss the warning signs about the Washington Bridge? Our reporters talked with engineers who say that critical components deserved special attention years before the closure. Also, Newport Art Museum’s latest show features a 28-foot-long painting of a plaid whale. Plus: A look back on the week in Rhode Island politics, and a few tips on what to do this week.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has announced a settlement with a Massachusetts-based contractor that disposed of contaminated material in Providence during the construction of the Route 6/10 interchange.  Neronha says Barletta Heavy Division has agreed to pay $11 million to the state after admitting it illegally dumped tons of contaminated fill in the Olneyville […]

A New Bedford man - who spent weeks in an ICE detention center - is out. He could pursue legal action for wrongful detainment. We’ll get an update on the story. Also,- community health workers provide a unique service that advocates say is vital to keeping healthcare costs down. Rhode Island lawmakers are considering a bill that forces private insurers to cover many of the services provided by these workers. And Leo’s bar was an institution in Providence. For Artscape we look back on how the bar, and its owner John Rector were so important to so many people. That and more on this week’s show..

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Noronha is co-leading a group of 20 attorneys general challenging the Trump administration’s threat to withhold government funding from states that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Back in February, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation announced that in order for states like Rhode […]

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to hire back fired government workers. They’re getting paid, but they’re not doing any work for now. Our South Coast Bureau reporter Ben Berke tells us how federal employees are reacting. Also, is enough being done to hold government officials accountable for the Washington Bridge debacle? We dive deeper into that question with Michelle San Miguel from Rhode Island PBS Weekly. And in this week’s Artscape: we meet North Providence knifemaker, artist and fishmonger Joyce Kutty. That and more on this week’s show.

Rhode Islanders are collectively voicing their concerns about the high cost of housing. A new survey by the housing advocacy group Neighbors Welcome! RI shows that 57% of respondents think the ongoing housing crisis is the biggest issue facing the state.  “We’ve got a pretty big hole to dig ourselves out of,” said Claudia Wack, […]

Is a foot doctor qualified to be a coastal regulator? Rhode Island’s governor says yes.

The United Way of Rhode Island is announcing plans to help local non-profits struggling amid continued uncertainty about federal funding.  President and CEO Cortney Nicolato says at least $500,000 in grant money will be made available through a special round of funding later this month. “We’re anticipating grants will be between $25,000 and $50,000, and […]

‘Nashville North’: New partnership brings Music City singer-songwriters to Westerly

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.

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 […]