For years, the number of people dying of drug overdoses was on the rise nationwide and in Rhode Island. Then, there was a push to change that, specifically by introducing the life-saving drug Narcan. Last year, the number of people overdosing actually dropped. We’ll look deeper into those figures. Also, we get an update on the week in politics with Ian Donnis, and Mike Szostak shares his favorite summer sports reads. Plus, the New Bedford Whaling Museum has a new exhibit of scrimshaw, not on whalebone, but on plastic trash recovered from the ocean. That and more on this week’s show.

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There’s a growing anticipation as to when the state of Rhode Island will hand over control of Providence schools back to the district. Mayor Brett Smiley says that the city and the district need at least another year. We’ll ask him what he believes needs to happen before that transfer of power. Also, we hear about one of the state’s most hotly-contested battles over shoreline access – all centered around a tiny patch of coastline in Westerly. Plus, a look back on the week in Rhode Island politics, and a studio session with Providence hot jazz band Paper Moon. That and more on this week’s show.

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Two years after Pawtucket city officials closed Morley Park with plans to convert it to a parking lot, the National Park Service is being asked to weigh in on its future. An environmental lawyer says it’s just one more example of why Rhode Island needs an environmental justice law. Also, what exactly is ranked-choice voting, and how does it work? We'll walk you through it. And on this week's Artscape, we hear some “witch pop” in a studio session with Providence singer-songwriter Olivia Dolphin. That and more on this week’s show.

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It's been a big week for healthcare in Rhode Island. The state's largest hospital system is changing its name, and two cash-strapped hospitals will soon have a new owner. Also, a new documentary explores the impact of the medical malpractice system on doctors, patients, and our society at large. We talk with a Rhode Island emergency room doctor featured in the film, and one of the documentary’s co-directors. And we hear from the writer and director behind “God Talks to an Agnostic," a radio play exploring the complicated role of the Black church in the life of a person struggling with their spirituality. Plus: Tips on accessing affordable and reliable internet after the end of the COVID-era Affordable Connectivity program, more highlights from the week in Rhode Island politics, and our picks for what to do this week.

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The death of George Floyd in 2020 shined a light on the issue of police misconduct and use of force. Here in Rhode Island, there’s been an effort to reshape how we deal with this problem by changing LEOBOR – the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. This week, Gov. McKee signed into law a bill that marks the first reforms to LEOBOR since its creation in 1976. But some believe it doesn’t go far enough. Also, attempts to reform the state's Coastal Resources Management Council failed again this legislative session. And we meet artist Bob Dilworth, whose brilliantly textured and colorful paintings earned him a Pell Award this week from Trinity Rep. That and more on this week’s show.

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The debate over this year’s budget is underway in the Rhode Island House. With federal COVID-19 relief money running out, lawmakers have some tough decisions to make. Our own Ian Donnis and the Boston Globe’s Dan McGowan join us to discuss the likely winners and losers in this year's budget. Also, Easton’s Beach – the only public beach in Newport – is disappearing. After extensive damage from three severe storms this winter, local leaders and residents are debating how to preserve the beach, or whether to save it at all. And a new exhibit at the Newport Historical Society centers the stories of the city’s Black residents from the 17th-19th centuries. That and more on this episode of The Weekly Catch.

The post What’s in, what’s out of Rhode Island House budget, Newport debates fate of Easton’s Beach, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

New England beaches and coastlines are changing. With climate change bringing higher sea levels and more intense storms, some beaches are being pushed back by many feet – and others disappearing completely. Our new series, Washout: Our vanishing beaches, launched this week and takes a deeper look into the issue. We hear about some of the ways Rhode Island’s local and state leaders are responding, and meet a photographer who’s been documenting the region’s changing coastline for 50 years. Plus, later in the program, a studio session from Providence musician J. Mamana, who explores grief and hope on his new album, “For Every Set of Eyes.” That and more on this week’s show.

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Last week, police shut down two homeless encampments in Providence. We hear about a U.S. Supreme Court case that could change how cities across the country work with homeless communities. Also, a few professors who visited the pro-Palestine encampment at Brown University received letters threatening faculty discipline. Some are calling for institutional reform to protect academic freedom. And we hear from Marty Sinnott, CEO of a child advocacy nonprofit, who for years has been sounding the alarm on Rhode Island's overloaded child welfare system. Plus, we take you on a journey through some of the rare books, art and history at the Providence Athenaeum. That and more on this week’s show.

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Bradley Hospital is in the news this week. The U.S. Justice Department alleging the state’s child welfare agency is violating the civil rights of children with behavioral and developmental disabilities by keeping them hospitalized long after their treatments have ended. We’ll talk to a reporter who’s been following the story for years. Also, we’ll find out more about proposed legislation to ban hunting captive wild animals in Rhode Island.

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Rhode Island has one of the nation’s highest rates of overdose deaths involving cocaine, a problem the state is trying to address with a new smartphone app. But is it reaching those most in need? Also, the town of Narragansett has one of the lowest percentages of affordable housing in the state. We hear about some steps taken earlier this week by the town council intended to address the housing shortfall. And RISD is celebrating its second Black Biennial. We’ll hear from the co-curator who is seeking to break down the walls between the institution and the surrounding community. Plus: the week in politics, and a few things to do this week.

The post An app for addiction treatment, Narragansett’s affordable housing problem, and more appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.