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Jarren Duran continues to struggle for the surging Sox, but rest assured he will suddenly hit like a beast if dealt to another team, right? Thanks for stopping by. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, Threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Sign up right here *** Exciting news – my weekly One on One interviews are now available as an Apple podcast. Please consider signing up! All eyes are on Gov.

Even before Rhode Island Energy requested a near-record hike in electricity rates last week, the folks at the George Wiley Center, a consumer advocacy group in Pawtucket, had their hands full. All summer long, they’ve seen a steady stream of Rhode Islanders who have fallen so far behind in their bills, the electric company shut off their power. Mariane Pabon is one of them. She’s a Certified Nursing Assistant and a single mother of four. Rhode Island Energy cut her family off two months ago.

Even though we live in a digital age, two-thirds of Rhode Island cities and towns still don’t allow their residents to participate in public meetings remotely. That’s according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, which determined that local municipalities have made “insufficient progress” in providing virtual access to public meetings since a 2023 report on the same topic.

It’s time for the Sox to start another winning streak. Thanks for stopping by. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, Threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Sign up right here *** Exciting news – my weekly One on One interviews are now available as an Apple podcast. Please consider subscribing! 1. STORY OF THE WEEK If you think downtown Providence faces a challenge bouncing back from the pandemic, Chris Marsella would like a word.

With the next New England winter approaching slowly – but steadily – Rhode Islanders face a potential 15% spike in energy costs in the season starting Oct. 1, the utility Rhode Island Energy said Thursday. A few hours later, Gov. Dan McKee signed an executive order, pending approval by the state Public Utilities Commission, that would use $28 million in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative credits to offset the increase for most ratepayers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a man who attended a check-in meeting on Wednesday after living in Providence for nearly 50 years, triggering a flurry of support letters from the city’s mayor, city council and Rhode Island’s governor. Relatives of Chansareth Hong say the 50-year-old father had been attending required meetings with ICE for years before the agency detained him and transported him to the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls on Wednesday.

The first concert is called “250 Years – A Chamber Music Journey from 1776 to Modern America” and, according to the program notes, “trac[es] our nation’s journey from the chamber music world of 1776 to today’s diverse musical landscape.” Executive producer James Baumgartner talked with Natalie Zhu, the festival’s artistic director, about some of the highlights.

Joe Paolino has had a distinguished career. A former Providence mayor and city councilor, he also served as U.S. Ambassador to Malta under President Bill Clinton. Since retiring from politics, Paolino has become one of the most recognized real estate developers in Rhode Island. Paolino is part of a group that recently purchased the Providence Place mall in an effort to revitalize the massive downtown property.

Each summer, Ocean State Media partners with the Rhode Island Foundation to award a $15,000 annual college scholarship to a local high school graduate who’s planning to pursue a career in media. This year’s scholarship recipient is Alex Razo, a Providence native and a graduate of the MET High School. This fall, he’ll be attending the Rhode Island School of Design. Alex recently sat down with Ocean State Media morning host Luis Hernandez to discuss his professional aspirations.

Citizens Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in New England, announced it will be ending its financial relationship with prison companies connected with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This decision comes after months of public outcry and hundreds of millions being divested from Citizens’ due to its relationship with Core Civic and The GEO Group — two companies that invest and operate in prisons used to detain ICE arrestees.