The Weekly Catch

What would it mean if Hasbro left Rhode Island? News broke this week that the company is considering moving their headquarters to the Boston area. Political Reporter Ian Donnis talks about what’s at stake. Also, Westerly's town solicitor is facing scrutiny over work related to the Watch Hill Lighthouse, which was transferred in January to a private nonprofit amidst public outcry. Our South County Bureau reporter Alex Nunes gives us an update. And we talk to the co-creators of “Scandalous Conduct: A Fairy Extravaganza,” a musical documentary inspired by the Newport Navy sex scandal of 1919. That and more coming on this week’s show.

The post What the loss of Hasbro would mean for Rhode Island, Westerly taxpayers call for new town solicitor, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

For years Woonsocket homeowners didn’t have the same foreclosure prevention tools as the rest of Rhode Island. After an investigation by The Public’s Radio, that is finally changing. Our Nina Sparling will give us the update. Also, Alan Shawn Feinstein had a profound impact on the lives of thousands of young people in the Ocean State. We’ll meet a couple of them in a remembrance of one of Rhode Island’s most prolific philanthropists. And affordable live/work housing for artists in Providence is a rarity these days. So, where do artists live and work today? And when housing is so scarce for everyone, why is it important to have affordable spaces for artists? That and more on this episode of The Weekly Catch.

The post Remembering Alan Shawn Feinstein, Woonsocket homeowners regain protections, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Rhode Island lawmakers are taking aim at the state’s housing shortage by passing laws and increasing funding to expand inventory. But local zoning laws that vary between cities and towns are often a barrier to building. We take a look at the political tug-of-war between state and local officials over the housing crisis from our series Zoned Out. Also, Rhode Island’s state primary election is this Tuesday. Political reporter Ian Donnis highlights a few key races to watch. Plus, we look back at the thriving arts scene in Providence in the 1990s, and how the old mill buildings of the city’s industrial past made that possible. That and more on this week’s show.

The post Races to watch in Tuesday’s state primary, how local zoning rules stifle housing production, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Buried deep in residential property records across Rhode Island lies an ugly truth: old restrictions in deeds that prohibited people of color from buying a given home. We hear from our own Nina Sparling about how racist restrictions in housing deeds helped shape where Rhode Islanders live today. Also, Providence public schools will remain under state control for another three years. Political reporter Ian Donnis gives us his take on the news, and a few highlights from the week in Rhode Island politics. And we have a studio session from The Whelks, an acoustic trio defined by their three-part harmonies, and a shared love of early country, swing, and Rhode Island. Plus: Our picks for what to do this week.

The post The invisible legacy of racially restrictive housing covenants, Providence schools outlook, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Rhode Island has faced a housing shortage for decades, and despite efforts to address it, the problem is getting worse. Today, thousands of people in Rhode Island are homeless, thousands more homeowners and renters are living in unsecure conditions, and home prices continue to skyrocket. The state needs to build more housing, but one of the biggest factors stifling that process is zoning. It’s the focus of our new series, Zoned Out. Also, we visit New Bedford’s Patio de Comidas, a summer-long celebration of Central American cuisine. It culminates this weekend with the Festival Tipico de Guatemala. Plus: A look back on the week in Rhode Island politics with political reporter Ian Donnis, and our picks for what to do this week.

The post How zoning stifles housing production in Rhode Island, a celebration of Guatemalan culture, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Two years ago the city of Providence approved a $10 million reparations fund in order to narrow the city’s racial wealth gap. This week, some of that money was awarded to 15 different nonprofit groups. We’ll discuss how that money is being used. Also, we’ll introduce you to our new community engagement reporter, Paul C. Kelly Campos, and talk about how you can help inform our elections coverage this year. And it was 50 years ago when Newport played host to one of the largest outdoor art installations in the world. Back then, the art world didn’t really notice. Today, it’s seen as a pivotal moment for outdoor art. Plus: we bid a fond farewell to CEO and General Manager Torey Malatia. That and more on this week’s show.

The post Providence awards $1.5 million in reparations funds, Tim Walz in Rhode Island, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

A scrapyard in South Providence was shut down last month after two recent fires. This week a judge said it could reopen, despite opposition from state officials and locals who say the facility poses health risks to an already over-polluted neighborhood. And Monday is Victory Day here in Rhode Island, commemorating the surrender of Japan in August of 1945 that led to the end of World War II. We hear from a Newport resident and Japanese internment camp survivor who says it's time to reconsider the holiday. Also, we hear about a documentary in the making focused on a neighborhood basketball league that transcended racial and class divides during the 1960s and 70s. That and more on this week’s show.

The post South Providence residents push for scrap yard accountability, renewed calls to reconsider Victory Day, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

A North Kingstown country club is clashing with state coastal regulators, environmentalists and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after building an illegal sea wall along Narragansett Bay. Now the country club is trying to retroactively change the law. Also, WaterFire is an iconic Providence experience, but the nonprofit that runs it is in dire straits. We talk with the founder and CEO about what needs to happen to keep WaterFire afloat. And we hear from the composer behind a piece making its world premiere tonight at the Kingston Chamber Music Festival. Jerod Tate combines classical traditions with music from his Chickasaw heritage. Plus: political reporter Ian Donnis on the week in Rhode Island politics, and our picks for what to do this week.

The post A fight over an illegal sea wall at a North Kingstown country club, the uncertain fate of WaterFire, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

One of the pressing questions going into next month’s Democratic Convention is who Vice President Kamala Harris will pick for her running mate. Former Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo is on the short list. We talk with political pundits from Brown University and the Boston Globe about that story and more. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the Ocean State is up from last year - by a lot. We’ll talk with the new head of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness about fighting back myths and getting lawmakers to do more. And Cajun and Zydeco music is synonymous with life down in Louisiana. But, the local group Magnolia has brought the rich sounds of the Bayou to southern New England. Plus our picks for what to do this week.

The post What’s the cause of the recent increase in homelessness in Rhode Island, and what can be done about it? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Last week a judge sided with coastal property owners, saying Rhode Island’s new shoreline access law amounts to an unconstitutional taking of private property. We’ll talk with a law expert about where this fight could go next. Also, a few months after the merger of The Public’s Radio and Rhode Island PBS, the board has announced a new CEO. We’ll get to know Pam Johnston, the former head of news at GBH in Boston. And a new book features the long-lost story of John Jacobs. Originally published in 1855, he gave a unique account of his life under enslavement in the U.S. and a scathing criticism of the systems that allowed slavery to persist. That and more on this week’s show.

The post What’s next in the fight over shoreline access, as coastal property owners take aim at Rhode Island’s new law? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.