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
Roger Williams University runs prison education and reentry programs for Rhode Islanders who are serving time. Now, he has a master's degree in community development and runs programs to help people re-enter society after being in prison. He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick, along with Gena Bianco, the dean of Roger Williams University’s Extension School, to talk about what it means to walk out of prison with a credential. Ti...
It’s the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Lawmakers return to face a series of major issues, including looming cuts in federal funding, the potential closure of two hospitals, and a state budget deficit of more than $100 million. Globe Rhode Island’s Steph Machado and Dan McGowan join host Edward Fitzpatrick to preview the session and what to expect from legislators this year. Tips and ideas? Email us at rin...
Brown University has been on our minds a lot since the deadly shooting on campus. So, we're bringing back this conversation with former president Ruth Simmons. She made history in 2001 as the first Black president of an Ivy League institution. She joined us on the podcast to talk about her memoir, “Up Home.” Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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We're taking a little break for the holidays. While we're gone, enjoy this episode about host Edward Fitzpatrick's memories of chestnut fights at his elementary school. Listen in as he returns to his native Greenville for a showdown with his childhood friend Sue Tremblay. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Providence Mayor Brett Smiley sits down with host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about the past 48 hours since the mass shooting at Brown and where the investigation goes from here. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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It's the holiday season, and cities across the country are having tree lighting ceremonies. But how many of them light a bug? Rhode Island's version of the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center is the lighting of the Big Blue Bug off I-95. So, host Edward Fitzpatrick tagged along as they flipped the switch. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Have you ever completely messed up a marathon? Or maybe you’re thinking about running one and want to avoid the common mistakes? RISD grad Alen Yen says he’s been “bad” at marathons for more than a decade. But he stuck with it and finally figured out how to conquer the 26.2 miles. He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to share what he’s learned in a new book called “50 Ways to F*** Up a Marathon! An amateur’s guide to #mar...
More than 50 years ago, in a Providence apartment, some of the band members of Talking Heads recorded an early demo of what would eventually become their hit, "Psycho Killer." Over the years, that recording eventually made its way to RISD. And on Friday, fans can finally hear it. The track is included in a new collection of demos and live recordings from the band called "Tentative Decisions." Talking Heads Drummer Chr...
If you live in Rhode Island, you’ve heard of Roger Williams. But do we really know what our founder was like? Roger Williams University History Professor Charlotte Carrington-Farmer is out with a new book exploring his story through his own writings and what other people wrote about him. She’s also the force behind a new exhibit about his wife, Mary. She joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to dig into what she’s learne...
Rhode Island is the only state with its own official coral. Astrangia poculata, also known as Northern Star Coral, isn't like those colorful reefs down in the tropics, but it might play an important role in protecting its more vibrant cousins.
To find out more, host Edward Fitzpatrick met with Roger Williams University Professor Koty Sharp, a champion of using Rhode Island’s official state coral for marine research. T...
The military is supposed to be apolitical, but critics say it’s getting pulled into the Trump administration’s political agenda. Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to weigh in on what’s happening. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com
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Halloween is upon us, so we thought it’d be a good time to check in on Rhode Island’s most famous haunted location — the Conjuring House. Globe Rhode Island’s Amanda Milkovits spent the night there with her sister. She joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to tell the story of what happened. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Coal once powered our country. Now, despite claims by the Trump administration, it’s the dirtiest, most expensive form of energy, according to Bob Wyss, a former Providence Journal reporter. Wyss tracks the history of coal in a new book called “Black Gold: The Rise, Reign, and Fall of American Coal.” He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk more about what he found. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
As ICE raids and deportations increase across the country, some Rhode Islanders are pushing back. Maya Lehrer is an organizer with the Rhode Island Deportation Defense Network. She says, "A lot of the time, just us being there and letting our neighbors know ICE is here is enough that they leave." Lehrer joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk more about this work. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
President Trump recently said he’d like to use US cities as “training grounds” for the military. And he’s trying to send the National Guard into places like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago. Is that legal? Roger Williams University School of Law professors Peter Margulies and Jared Goldstein join host Edward Fitzpatrick to help unpack that question. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@gl...
Who can get a COVID vaccine? What’s going on with Tylenol? Can we trust the CDC? There’s a lot of confusion right now in the world of public health.
Roger Williams University Public Health professor Jacqueline Cottle and Dr. Amy Nunn, the chief executive officer of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and Open Door Health, join host Edward Fitzpatrick to help you navigate the latest news. Tips and ideas? Email us at&nbs...
Attorney General Peter Neronha has been busy these days, between filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to halt the Revolution Wind project to criticizing the latest health insurance rates. He also placed 2nd in a recent poll for the ic primary for governor. And he hasn’t even decided to run…. yet. He joins host Ed Fitzpatrick in the studio for an update. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@gl...
What does the Trump administration’s decision to halt construction for the Revolution Wind farm mean for Rhode Islanders? Roger Williams University engineering Professor Maija Benitz joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to offer some perspective on this controversial decision. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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Why are evangelical Christians more likely to own a gun than other Americans? William J. Kole, a Rhode Islander, a journalist, and a former evangelical Christian, investigates this question in a new book called “In Guns We Trust.” He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk about what he found. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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We went on a field trip to the factory responsible for host Edward Fitzpatrick’s favorite drink in elementary school: coffee milk. Autocrat coffee syrup is still made at a facility in Lincoln, R.I. What started with mill workers has become a state staple. We wanted to find out what goes into getting it right - the color, the caramelized sweetness - every time. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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