Behind the Story

Hogan, who recently started covering the capital city, attended a board meeting last week that erupted into chaos. Multiple members called for the school board president to step down, while residents aired their frustrations about the dysfunction.

“This is not how school board meetings normally go, including in Providence,” Hogan said.

The internal strife comes as Providence is in its first school year since regaining control of the school district, which had been under state control for nearly seven years. Hogan said the board now oversees a host of important decisions involving budgets, personnel and policy.

But it didn’t appear to Hogan that those issues were a high priority at that meeting.

“For a community looking for answers about what the future will look like, what the school board will do, the majority of this meeting did not serve to answer those questions,” Hogan said.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including (not all mentioned on air):

• Flock camera review, Morley Field reopening among Greenman’s first priorities as Pawtucket mayor next year by LuzJennifer Martinez, The Valley Breeze

• Two RI towns got their BearCats amid order surge fueled in part by ICE by Marc Reynolds, The Providence Journal

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

Tim White, who covers the criminal justice system, has been tracking a developing story in Cranston, where police raided the former home of a notorious drug dealer that they suspected was being used as a stash house.

The stash-house theory didn’t pan out, but police nonetheless arrested one man for illegally selling marijuana and abusing a pit bull. Two other men were also charged with animal cruelty.

The home was formerly occupied by Jasdrual “Josh” Perez, who’s currently serving time in prison for running a multistate illegal narcotics operation based in Providence. The Cranston home is owned by his mother, who’s the sister of Providence Police Col. Oscar Perez.

The mother is now renting out the home, and Oscar Perez said he didn’t know the man arrested for dealing drugs. According to a police affidavit, detectives were examining whether people in Josh Perez’s orbit were trying to pick up where he left off in the drug trade.

“Narcotics detectives will tell you that their investigations are like whack-a-mole,” White said. “Josh Perez was … a kingpin in fentanyl dealing. There were going to be other people that filled that vacuum because unfortunately, the demand is still there and other people want a slice of that pie.”

White also discussed another case receiving attention this week involving former Central Falls Municipal Court Judge Joseph Molina Flynn, 43, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion.

Federal prosecutors said Molina Flynn, who worked as an immigration attorney, was ripping off clients to pay for personal expenses. He has agreed to pay more than $83,000 in restitution and must repay the government between $550,000 and $1.5 million.

“Molina Flynn himself was a real success story,” White said, explaining how he immigrated to the United States as a child, attended college, taught law and served as a municipal judge.

“His whole world collapsed because he was taking advantage of the very people that were like him when he came here at 9 years old,” White added. “It’s just a fascinating story.”

Molina Flynn faces more than 20 years in prison. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17.

Later in the show, Kim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including (not all mentioned on air):

• Expert warns true crime can exploit real people and history by Dan Medeiros, The Herald News
• Providence whistleblower hotline leads to four investigations in first year by Alexander Castro, Rhode Island Current

• Smiley lists carriage house for rent for $5,500 a month by Colin Hogan and Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Providence Journal
• Newport’s $20M harbor plan complicated by ownership mistake by Philip Cozzolino, The Newport Daily News

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

Nancy Lavin has been tracking the issue for months and most recently reported on the city’s contract with a new company to operate its wastewater treatment facility.

Meanwhile, the city is still trying to figure out what to do with its sludge incinerator, which has long been a source of controversy.

The facility serves a regional need but has also been a source of pollution, lawsuits and frustration for local officials and residents. Efforts to build new sludge-treatment facilities elsewhere have also sputtered.

“It seems like overall, no one is going to want to have any kind of sludge treatment in their community,” Lavin said. “And we’re going to need one somewhere.”

City officials have long promised to close the controversial sludge incinerator, but Lavin said it could take some time because of existing agreements the city has with other communities that would have to be wound down.

“If you have lived there for 50 years and every seventh day it stinks — that’s terrible stuff,” Lavin said.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote.” They included:

• With Morales’s win, rent control is on the table again in Providence by Steph Machado, The Boston Globe
• How hearing loss shaped two RI football players’ paths by Eric Rueb, The Providence Journal

• City Council to vote on ordinance restricting Flock use by Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

The “Behind the Story” crew gets together to break down the results, the biggest takeaways and what comes next for the candidates who emerged on top.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman, Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan.

Antonia Noori Farzan, who has worked at the newspaper since 2021, recently reported on a political ad launched by Republican congressional candidate Vic Mellor that used AI to create footage of incumbent U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Democrat, standing in a room with men in suits around a table stacked with cash.

Magaziner’s aides called the ad “sleazy politics,” while Mellor’s campaign ridiculed the Democrat for failing to embrace “perhaps the most powerful technology.”

Farzan said she’s seeing AI emerge across the political spectrum and among candidates seeking office at all levels of government.

“Down-ballot races is where you start to see a lot of people just using it to make like fliers and graphics and stuff like that, people who would not have the budget or the campaign funds to be hiring a graphic designer,” Farzan said. “So it’s almost kind of leveling out the barrier to entry, because you can make something that’s sort of professional looking with the click of a button.”

A 2025 state law requires Mellor to disclose his use of AI in the ad, which he did. But the law does not extend to third-party groups that voluntarily produce campaign material supporting or criticizing candidates.

Farzan reported on that issue in South County, where an anonymous group launched an attack ad against state Rep. Megan Cotter.

“I would not want to be the person responsible for policing this because how do you even track down how this is spreading and who’s posting it?” Farzan said.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

Anastasia E. Lennon, who covers New Bedford, broke the news that Officer Emily Pacheco was placed on leave after an ex-girlfriend accused her of using the automatic license plate reader technology to track her movements.

Her reporting prompted the city to suspend its Flock program pending further review. Pacheco has denied the allegations.

“If you’re a law-abiding citizen, and you’re not doing anything wrong, you will have privacy concerns and ask, ‘Why?’” Lennon said of the response she has heard from residents. “Why am I being entered into a database and particularly a database that, up until mid- or late 2025, could be accessed in New Bedford by agencies across the country? So it’s a privacy concern people are having.”

The controversy in New Bedford was quickly followed by municipalities across the region reexamining their own Flock policies, with some voting to reject contracts or suspend their programs.

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee also ordered a pause on the implementation of any new Flock cameras by the Rhode Island State Police.

New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody announced Wednesday that his department would continue to audit the city’s Flock system and “thoroughly and expeditiously” investigate all allegations of misuse.

The announcement came after Lennon filed several additional records requests with the department.

“I just know that in my previous conversations with the chief before this came to light, he takes this seriously,” Lennon said during the show, which was taped before Thody’s announcement.

“He said that it could result in termination, and so we have to wait and see,” she added. “I have several questions about this case, but also there’s the suspension of the system and the undisclosed number of officers they say they’re now investigating.”

Later in the show, Kim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

The duo has moderated dozens of debates over the years, including Tuesday’s debate between the Democratic candidates for Rhode Island attorney general.

White and Nesi discussed how they prepare for different types of debates and how that process can vary depending on candidates’ participation and name recognition.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

Gail Ciampa, who covers food and dining, has spent years reporting on the restaurant industry, becoming one of the state’s most prominent voices on culinary news.

But that’s not how her career at the newspaper began.

“The day I arrived I was a fashion editor, of all things, which was one of my least favorite jobs,” she said, explaining that things changed after a conversation with the food editor.

“She said, ‘You’re Italian, you must love food, and you’re going to be one of my restaurant reviewers,'” Ciampa recalled. “I always filled in for her, and when she retired, I applied for the job. It’s been the job of a lifetime.”

Ciampa also discussed her recent reporting on the retirement of a public official who played an outsized role in Rhode Island agriculture. She reflected on the challenges restaurateurs have faced since the COVID-19 pandemic and explained how she decides which stories to pursue.

This week, Ciampa wrote about the surprising feedback she received from a reader in another state after publishing a story on presidential wines. (Spoiler: George Washington’s favorite was Madeira.)

“She saw the story and was thrilled with the idea of serving Madeira,” Ciampa said. “She called me the ‘instigator of her party,’ and she said she had to tell me about it.”

Later in the show, Kim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

Christopher Gavin, a reporter with the Globe’s Rhode Island bureau, has been covering the arrest of 70-year-old Ronald Fischer, who was on the run for more than 20 years. Fischer was found aboard a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey after disappearing just before a jury found him guilty of sexual assault in 2005.

“This is somebody who was convicted by a jury of his peers 20 years ago,” Gavin said. “There’s a family here that wants to see justice done. That’s what I’ll be looking for in that courtroom, because that’s what this comes down to.”

Target 12 Investigator Tim White, who co-hosted the show, reviewed federal documents detailing the steps Fischer allegedly took before fleeing in 2005. Those actions included transferring ownership of two vehicles to his daughters, selling a Jaguar, purchasing American Airlines tickets and researching ways to change his identity.

White said he’s closely watching what defense Fischer may mount now that so much time has passed since he was convicted in absentia.

“You have to think a defense attorney is going to make a very spirited argument that the whole trial has to get tossed out and we do the whole thing again,” White said. “It’s a long shot that they’ll retry the case — a jury has already spoken. It would take a lot to overturn that verdict. But we’re going to see those motions filed.”

Later in the show, Tim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.

What's it like to cover a global tournament through a local lens?

12 News sports anchor Aniekan Okon joined this week's episode of "Behind the Story" to discuss his experience covering the FIFA World Cup, with international matches hosted at Gillette Stadium, which has been dubbed "Boston Stadium" for the tournament.

"These days where there are so many difference and it seems like we're kind of pulling as people in opposite directions, events like the World Cup remind you that we're a lot more similar than we are different," Okon said.

In addition to covering the matches, Okon spent several days reporting from the Fan Zone in Providence, where he delivered countless live shots for both local and national audiences. Okon said described it as an experience of a lifetime.

"It doesn't matter if you know your team is in it," he said. "Just a chance to watch some of the biggest stars in the world on your home soil is a gift."

Okon and his 12 News colleague, Melanie DaSilva, also launched a special digital TV show, "48 Nations," featuring interviews with soccer figures and discussions about all aspects of the tournament.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the "stories we wish we wrote," including:

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman, Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan.