Rhode Island Report
A weekly podcast from The Boston Globe on what’s bubbling in Rhode Island news. In-depth interviews with newsmakers, perspective and analysis from Globe Rhode Island reporters, and intimate conversations with community members across the state.
Episodes
Survivors of child sexual abuse in Rhode Island can now sue institutions that enabled or covered it up, even if previous time limits have expired. That’s thanks to a law just signed by Governor Dan McKee.Jim Scanlan has been advocating for this bill at the State House for years. He was sexually abused in the late 1970s by a Boston College High School priest. His real-life story was the basis for a character known as “Ke...
Five years ago this month, for the very first episode of this podcast, we interviewed then-US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, former governor of Rhode Island. Now she's back on the Rhode Island Report, to talk about her life after the Biden administration, artificial intelligence and its potential impact on jobs, and whether she’s running for president. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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In their first head-to-head debate in the Democratic primary for mayor of Providence, incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley and state Representative David Morales took questions from Globe Rhode Island’s Steph Machado on rent control, local control of Providence schools, public safety, the city's unfunded pension liability, snowstorms, and more. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Host Edward Fitzpatrick gets out of the studio to join Dr. Judson Brewer, of the Brown Mindfulness Center, as he leads students and researchers on a run up one of the steepest hills in Providence. They get together to do this every Wednesday, and they say it’s not just about getting exercise. Brewer, known for his TED Talks and books like "Unwinding Anxiety," leads the runners through a series of mindfulness techniques as the...
Globe Rhode Island’s founder of The Food Club, Alexa Gagosz, recently hosted the first Food Club Live, a series of one-on-one "fun and honest" conversations with some of the biggest names in Providence’s food scene. From the trends shaping where and what we eat, to what it takes to build something worth reserving a table for, the early May event brought out restaurateurs, chefs, industry insiders and patrons. Because ev...
A flawed bridge, frayed nerves, fraught politics – this has been a daily reality for Rhode Islanders since the abrupt closure of the Washington Bridge westbound in 2023. But it’s not the first time the state has grappled with how to replace a critical highway bridge. Rhode Island Report partnered with GBH's Big Dig podcast for a live conversation about Providence’s complicated relationship with its urban highways....
Last week’s US Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana’s election map has gutted the landmark federal Voting Rights Act. That’s according to Shahidah Ali, the Political Action Committee Chair for the Rhode Island Coalition of Black Women, and John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island. They join host Edward Fitzpatrick to react to the high court ruling and talk about a proposed Rhode Island Voting ...
You might have heard of the Green Book, a guidebook that was widely circulated from the 1930s through the 1960s to help Black travelers find welcoming places across the country to stay, eat, and fill up their cars. But did you know that many of those locations were in New England? Emily Sweeney, a Boston Globe reporter, has documented and mapped more than 350 spots in this part of the country. She joined host Ed Fitzpatrick in 2025...
The biggest race in Rhode Island this election season is the Democratic primary for governor. Incumbent Daniel McKee is facing a rematch with former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, whom he narrowly defeated in the 2022 primary.
So, we brought both candidates into the studio separately to explain where they stand on major issues, including the high cost of energy and housing, the proposed millionaires tax, the Washington Bridge crisis,...
In the Ocean State, surrounded by water, we’re vulnerable to climate change and in particular, sea level rise. We’re seeing the effects everywhere – from the collapse of part of the Newport Cliff Walk to the erosion of local beaches. Salve Regina University biology and biomedical sciences professor Christine Ramsay joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about ways to protect the places we love as the climate change...
It’s been just over a month since President Trump declared war on Iran. The Constitution gives Congress the power to initiate war, but the president started the surprise airstrikes without their approval. Is that constitutional? Host Edward Fitzpatrick talks to Salve Regina University History Professor William Leeman about the history ofpresidential war powers. We want to hear from you! Fill out our listener survey, and we&rs...
Launched nearly three decades ago in a prime location between the State House and downtown as an economic catalyst for Rhode Island's capital city, the Providence Place mall now has more than 20 empty storefronts and restaurant spaces. It's been in receivership since 2024, and is up for sale. What happens next? Globe reporters Steph Machado and Alexa Gagosz have been following this story, and join guest host Megan Hall for an upda...
The Melania Trump movie is putting first ladies back in the spotlight. How has their role evolved over the years? Salve Regina University Political Science Professor Mary Anderson joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to offer some perspective. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Rhode Island recently nearly lost two safety-net hospitals; there’s a shortage of primary care providers, reimbursement rates are lower than in neighboring states, and nursing homes are understaffed. Anna Matos-Mournighan, the graduate program director for healthcare administration at Salve Regina University and board president of a senior center in Newport, R.I., joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to make sense of it all. Ti...
Earlier this week, in front of a live audience, Globe Rhode Island’s Dan McGowan and Alexa Gagosz moderated a panel discussion about what it really takes to start, fund, and grow a small business in Rhode Island. This is a lightly edited recording of that discussion. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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How do Rhode Islanders feel about Governor Dan McKee and his Democratic opponent, Helena Foulkes? What about a tax on millionaires? The Rhode Island AFL-CIO recently commissioned a poll to find out. Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to discuss the results: "There is a path to victory for the governor in the numbers from the AFL-CIO poll, it's a narrow path." Tips and ideas? Email u...
Earlier this year, US District Court Judge William Smith retired after 23 years on the bench. He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about President Trump's criticism of judges, threats against the judiciary, and some of his key decisions over the years. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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US foreign policy is taking a dramatically different turn under the Trump administration. How is this affecting America's relationships with the rest of the world? "We've heard privately from European diplomats - and some in public - that they will not trust the United States again, period." Salve Regina University Vice President Jim Ludes joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about Greenland, Canada, Venezuela, and the new world o...
President Donald Trump recently floated an idea to nationalize the US elections. That violates the Constitution, according to Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore. He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to outline what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to running elections. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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The Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, starts on Feb. 6. Like every Olympics, they will showcase the best athletes from around the globe, and reveal something about world politics. Erin Redihan, a lecturer in the history department at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., teaches a course on this subject every two years. She joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about the history of the Olympics, and what to expect at the...
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