It is what it is – Commentary March 25, 2026 with Jen Brien

Jen Brien

by Jennifer Brien, contributing writer, commentary THE WORLD FEELS DIFFERENT 2019 was the last “NORMAL” year. Then everything changed. Time doesn’t feel real anymore. EVERYONE feels the anxiety. RAGE is the new ANGER. “DISTRACTION” is part of the game. PLOT TWIST: IF YOU “WAKE UP” there’s no going back. BUT MOST PEOPLE? Too deep in…

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Medicine for the Soul: Volunteering – Vincent Marzullo

by Vincent Marzullo, contributing writer Volunteering is often framed as an act of generosity — a gift of time offered to others in need. But what is less often acknowledged is how deeply it gives back to the giver. In a time marked by stress, isolation, and civic division, volunteering may be one of the…

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A Different Kind of Spring Break: Closer, Easier—and Maybe Smarter

by Nancy Thomas, publisher With travel stress, rising costs, and safety on parents’ minds, more families are rethinking what it means to get away. A getaway that feels like a break—without the stress of getting there. Spring break used to be about getting away. Lately, it’s also about getting there—navigating rising airfare, packed flights, and…

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It is what it is – Commentary March 18, 2026 with Jen Brien

Jen Brien

by Jennifer Brien, contributing writer, commentary WE ALL NEED A BREAK I don’t know about you, gang, but I’d rather laugh this week then gripe about everything and anything because there’s no shortage of things to bark about, that’s for sure. Last week SHARON OSBORNE suggested the Hollywood elite shut up with the politics at…

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Why Some Walked Away From Health Insurance — And May Not Be Coming Back

Rhode Island’s shrinking marketplace may reflect a deeper shift in how people access care. Rhode Island policymakers are facing a familiar question after federal pandemic-era health insurance subsidies expired: should the state step in and replace them? Roughly 13,000 fewer people enrolled in HealthSource RI this year after those federal subsidies ended. Now two approaches…

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It is what it is: March 11, 2026 Commentary with Jen Brien

Jen Brien

by Jennifer Brien, commentary – contributing writer PEOPLE What is it about people these days? I look around and honestly think to myself , “I’m literally surrounded by mental patients”. There used to be a time when we would see CRAZY STORIES in the checkout isle at Almacs as we waited to pay for our…

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GriefSPEAK: Use Your Words – Mari Nardolillo Dias

by Mari Nardolillo Dias, contributing writer on grief and grieving “Use your words” is a phrase most often directed at children, designed to encourage them to identify and verbally express their emotions and/or needs instead of crying, acting out or having the well-recognized “melt down.” However, there is a mountain of research (see references) on…

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It is what it is: Commentary, March 4, 2026 – Jen Brien

Child posing in front of a Rhode Island sign on a wooden wall.

by Jennifer Brien, commentary – contributing writer SOME OF US NEVER FORGOT.  ——————————-  SOME EXAMPLES PROVING DEMOCRATS HAVE TDS: In a 2008 HILLARY CLINTON campaign video, CLINTON claims if elected she will “ATTACK IRAN”. FURTHERMORE, she tells IRAN, “If you attack Israel, WE CAN TOTALLY OBLITERATE YOU”. IRANIANS ARE CELEBRATING THE DEATH OF A SHARIA…

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