Government
Public services and government action
ACLU commends local officials for urging United States Supreme Court not to roll back LGBTQ rights
The ACLU of Rhode Island today commended six current and former elected state officials who have signed onto court briefs this month to urge the United States Supreme Court not to roll back civil rights protections for LGBTQ people when...
ACLU mounts two-pronged attack to make records of police misconduct public
Calling it “one of the most damaging decisions affecting the public’s right to know that has been issued, and a significant obstacle to holding police departments accountable,” the ACLU of Rhode Island has launched a two-pronged attack o...
The Rhode Island companies profiting from Trump's border policies
According to a research piece by Alex Kotch for Sludge, at least five companies in Rhode Island are profiting from contracts made with United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP is "the largest federal law enforcement agency...
Brown University: Teacher treatment of students factors into racial gap in school suspensions
An analysis led by Brown sociologist Jayanti Owens found that different treatment of black and white students accounted for half of the racial gap in school suspensions and expulsions among 5- to 9-year-old children. Elementary schools t...
Activism for less war and militarism needs to continue in Rhode Island
Join those who are looking for a more peaceful and just world as we gather on the sidewalks on the edge of the office plaza where United States Representative James Langevin maintains his office is at 300 Centerville Road in Warwick, Rho...
John Henry vs the robots
I wrote the piece below for RI Future in March 2015. It's still relevant today, I think, given the comments of Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello during the last days of this year's legislative session. "I make personal note of the...
Not for profit? - Wyatt Detention Center issues a statement defending the facility's standards and detainees access to Health, Legal and Religious Services
The Wyatt Detention Center issued a press release today defending the facility's standards and the access to health, legal and religious services for detainees, including those zero-tolerance Southern border detainees sent to the prison...
West Warwick Town Council passes resolution supporting the Second Amendment
The West Warwick Town Council passes a resolution in support of the Second Amendment, but stops short of declaring themselves a Sanctuary Town Under the leadership of Council President David Gosselin Jr (Ward 2 Democrat), the West Warwic...
Activist sentenced to ten days for blocking entrance to Bristol County House of Corrections
Activist Amory Zhou-Kourvo began a ten-day sentence yesterday for blocking the entrance to the Bristol County House of Correction on August 20, 2018. Zhou-Kourvo and Holly Stein were arrested after their arms were removed from a concrete...
Progressive Democrats launch ambitious plan to generate 200 percent of the energy Rhode Island needs
The Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America are ready to take their first step in creating a plan to revitalize Rhode Island and fight climate change by transforming the Ocean State into a producer of solar, tidal, and onshore wind...