HOT

One of the Best

"Nuestra Salud," the first and only health podcast in Spanish in Rhode Island hosted by Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Spanish Language Podcasts by a panel of experts at Feedspot.

"We are ecstatic to announce this prestigious acknowledgment," said Dr. Rodriguez. "Our commitment to improving health literacy among the Latino population is a key factor for this standout achievement. The fact that we address such a crucial Social Determinant of Health and are recognized for this effort is truly rewarding."

"Nuestra Salud" has been indispensable in addressing the linguistic and cultural barriers often faced by the Latinx community regarding healthcare information. By providing accessible content in Spanish, the podcast plays a significant role in bridging the health literacy gap.

"Inadequate health literacy adds $106-238 billion to healthcare costs in this country, and Latinos have the lowest levels of health literacy," Dr. Rodriguez stressed. "We are proud that our efforts at improving health literacy are being recognized. It is in everyone’s interest to address this Social Determinant of Health."

Looking to the future, "Nuestra Salud" is set to include a wider array of topics and interviews by incorporating AI translation services. This will allow the podcast to feature a broader range of English-speaking guests and offer their wisdom to a Spanish-speaking audience, thus enriching the content and reach of the podcast further.

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Dr. Justin D. Bibee Promoted to Lead Rhode Island's Largest Refugee Resettlement Effort

As the new year began, Dr. Justin D. Bibee's proven track record of supporting refugees and his exceptional leadership skills led to his promotion to Assistant Director of Refugee Resettlement. In this capacity, he now oversees Rhode Island's largest refugee resettlement effort.

Bibee is a homegrown Rhode Islander who graduated from Cranston East.

He holds an Associate's degree from the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), a Bachelor's degree from Rhode Island College (RIC), a Master's degree from the School for International Training (SIT), and a Ph.D. from the Durban University of Technology (DUT).

As the Assistant Director for the Refugee Resettlement Department at the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Dr. Bibee assumes a pivotal role in orchestrating the successful integration of refugees into Rhode Island communities. Leveraging his profound expertise and rich background in refugee assistance, he leads a dedicated team of resettlement case managers, serving as the primary point of contact for refugees arriving in Rhode Island.

Dr. Bibee's journey in refugee assistance traces back to 2013 when he embarked on his academic pursuits, delving into research on conflict and peacebuilding. His commitment to understanding the ramifications of conflict on displaced populations led him to join the United Nations in 2017, where he worked tirelessly in Tanzania's refugee camps, providing essential support to Burundian and Congolese refugees.

In 2021, Dr. Bibee transitioned to the Dorcas International Institute, assuming the role of a resettlement case manager himself. His hands-on approach in addressing the immediate needs of refugees, ranging from securing housing to accessing vital services. Dr. Bibee's impact extends far beyond geographic boundaries, as he actively assists refugees from a variety of regions, including Angola, Afghanistan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Western Sahara.

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Maybe No One in RI Is Better at Their Job Than This Woman

In many jobs, excellence is subjective. In athletics, excellence is objective.

You either win or lose.

And the woman who might objectively be the best in the state at what she does is at Rhode Island College (RIC).

Jenna Cosgrove is the head coach of the women’s basketball team and has a two-year record of 57-5.

92%.

Clearly, a better record than most of the CEOs or government leaders.

For RIC’s Cosgrove, she has taken a Division III women’s basketball team to the height of success.

Last year, the team made it to the NCAA Final Four.

This season — the regular season was perfect, 25-0. The RIC women continued their winning streak to 29-0 before a heartbreaking loss to Washington and Lee in the third round of the NCAA tournament.

“RIC is my first head coaching job — I can’t say I envisioned it. I put my head down and was relentless. RIC is a different play — I have a different impact,” said Cosgrove in an interview with GoLocal. Before she was hired seven years ago at RIC, Cosgrove was an assistant coach at Division-I Fordham.

Jack Warner, the President of RIC, sees the macro-impact of the success of the women’s program and Cosgrove on the College and its reputation.

“Every game of the NCAA tournament was filled with people from all over the country. That is a result of the success of the team and coach Cosgrove,’ said Warner.

And Cosgrove said the support from the college has been remarkable.

“When I walk across campus, students and professors who I don’t even know come up to me and talk about our team's success. It is really great,” said Cosgrove.

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A Different Level of Analysis

Kevin Stacom's take on Devin Carter and the NBA is a different level of journalism.

It is not just that Stacom was an All-American or an NBA player; it is the 30-plus years as an NBA scout that sets him apart.

And now, he is a regular GoLocal contributor. 

Read Stacom's take HERE.

PHOTO: PC

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Susan Allen, Jess Jeffries & Elissa Lincoln Featured in New Show

Michael Rose, art contributor for GoLocal takes a wonderful look at a new show of three talented artists.

It is exciting to see new artists joining the ranks of those represented by established galleries in Rhode Island. At Dryden Gallery in North Providence, current exhibitions highlight many artists, including a number who are new exhibitors in the state and in the venue. Works on view range from expressive abstract paintings to subtle paper collages and more, bringing fresh artistic perspectives to the local scene.

At Dryden, a three-person show titled Garden Party is featured in the front half of the exhibition space, while the other area within the gallery is dedicated to a rotating display of artists represented. Garden Party features paintings, collages, and fiber-based works by Susan Allen, Jess Jeffries, and Elissa Lincoln.

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NOT

Thanks, Pete!

This week, the Trinity Brotherhood Club on Sutton Avenue said it will not be holding its annual feast due to the fallout from the RIDOT Washinton Bridge failure, announcing the following:

"Due to Trinity Brotherhood Club being in an area where all surrounding streets are closed off for residents only because of the Washington Bridge issue and not getting any help from the city, we had to make the difficult decision and cancel the annual feast the year. We will sell doughboys on Saturday, and while have a procession from City Hall to Saint Francis Xavier Church, where anyone in the community is welcome to join us after 11:45 mass for our traditional Holy Ghost Sopsas (soup) on Sunday. We. Hope for the best next year and hope to have an amazing 2025 feast."

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RI Environmental Regulatory Agencies Keep Forgetting to Regulate

An ongoing, multi-year investigation by GoLocal into the failed environmental enforcement of the Rhode Island Recycled Metals (RIRM) facility in Providence has uncovered how another state agency has failed to take action against the company.

Aerial photos generated by the Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS) over the past two decades show how the operators of RIRM stripped away the coastline. The operator’s actions were done without any state approval from the Rhode Island Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC). In less than 20 years, the area of operation by RIRM on Allens Avenue has been transformed from open land to an urban wasteland spewed with industrial trash.

CRMC says its "primary responsibility is for the preservation, protection, development and where possible the restoration of the coastal areas of the state via the implementation of its integrated and comprehensive coastal management plans and the issuance of permits for work with the coastal zone of the state.”

To make a coastal change requires a plan to be submitted and an approved permit issued by CRMC, but RIRM had no CRMC approvals. After repeated emails to CRMC staff, the agency admitted it has never taken any regulatory action against the facility. 

CRMC’s executive director, Jeffrey Willis, refused to answer why the agency has not taken enforcement action against the operators.

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Blocking Traffic and Chanting Antisemitic Songs - We Can Do Better

Protesting is the American way.

Spewing hate, sadly, appears to be becoming the new un-American way.

It is happening in Providence, with the Smiley administration allowing protesters, without a permit, to block traffic and have police resources used to direct vehicles around them.

The American Jewish Committee says of their chant “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free”: 

Calling for the elimination of the Jewish state, praising Hamas or other entities who call for Israel’s destruction, or suggesting that the Jews alone do not have the right to self-determination, is antisemitic.

Is Smiley next going to claim that "you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides."

NOT

Cranston Politics Making Headlines Once Again for All the Wrong Reasons

Former Democratic Cranston Councilwoman Aniece Germain says that she was blackmailed by Democratic Council President Jessica Marino to resign, after Germain had said that "politics" and addressing issues with her nonprofit Hope and Change for Haiti were the reasons she stepped down. 

On Wednesday, Cranston Republican Party Chair John Colasante called for an "independent investigation by state or federal law enforcement officials into the extreme threatening and intimidating tactics used by Council President Marino" to get Germain to resign. 

“The news reporting and statements made by the former councilwoman about her treatment by so-called friends and colleagues are alarming”, said Colasante, who ran for the Cranston City Council against Germain and lost in 2022. “She got railroaded into resigning with threats of public exposure over some clerical issues relating to a non-profit she ran for the benefit of the people in Haiti.” 

When reached on Wednesday, Germain said she was unaware of the statement released by Colasante. 

"I never talked to Colasante. I’m not commenting on whatever he has to say. I’m not sure if he just read what I said in the press and he’s trying to capitalize on it," said Germain. "I said my truth — what I experienced, I don’t think any councilperson should be experiencing." 

"The truth is I was forced to resign. I could [have] gone on, but the council president said if I don’t resign, she will hold public hearings and that’s 'going to humiliate you and your children,'" said Germain. "I said OK, what did I do wrong? And then she was yelling at me. It was very disrespectful. I cried. It was very hurtful."

"Forced to Resign"

Germain maintains that the issue with Hope and Change for Haiti was a filing error, and that it had been addressed. 

"I didn’t do anything wrong. We filed everything and we didn’t know it didn’t go through until we received a letter. and since then we have suspended our [activities]. We took a pause. We lost the ability to send [donors] a tax-exempt letter and we’re working on it," said Germain. "We never asked anyone for money since we realized we cannot give that letter. We filed, and we don’t know what happened and why it didn’t go through. And you tell me if I don’t resign you’re going to host public hearings?"

"[Marino] said if I don’t resign, I have no choice but to hold public hearings," said Germain.