Rhode Island Report

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 2026 games. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Globe Rhode Island’s Dan McGowan and Steph Machado moderated a panel discussion in front of a Rhode Map Live audience earlier this month about a report that aims to reform Rhode Island’s school funding formula. The panel featured David Cicilline, the head of the Rhode Island Foundation; Georgetown University Professor and education economist Nora Gordon; and John Papay, the director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. This is a lightly edited recording of that conversation. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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US District Court Chief Judge John McConnell was thrust into the national spotlight last year after ruling on some of the most high-profile challenges to Trump administration policies. He joins host Edward Fitzpatrick to talk to us about that experience, and the public threats against him and others in the judiciary: "It did shake my faith at the time, but my faith is still there." Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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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. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 #marathonfails.” Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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