The Good, The Bad & The Ugly…

“Health for One Hundred Years!” to Frank Coletta

The Good

Frank Coletta. Today is his last day. What a standard in journalism, told with compassion, a smile, and hope, even in the most tragic of stories. Have you seen his good-bye spots on Ch. 10? They are an inspiration. And they make us smile. As we start up here with our fledgling RINewsToday.com, we heartily say “Salud!” to Frank. “Health for one hundred years!”

Warwick. WalletHub picks Warwick for #26 out of 180 best places to raise a family in the US, with Overland Park, Kansas being #1. WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 47 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation. The only New England cities in the top 30 were Warwick, South Burlington, and Burlington.

Judge Caprio. He’ll be tossing out the first ball today at the Boston Red Sox game. Getting so much notoriety, particularly from his television show, Caught in Providence, and bringing smiles about Rhode Island – should serve as a role model to us all and an inspiration to continue to make a positive difference throughout our lives. Always a cup half full for the Judge.

The Bad

Providence. WalletHub listed Providence as131 out of 180 best places to raise a family. Not good for new businesses looking to lure or keep talented people here. Not good for families saddled with expensive private school – not only should it not be necessary, but an option, but it takes out many people from the immediacy of dealing with the public school issue.

Club Seven. While it sounded appropriate that the club’s license was permanently taken away, the club has filed an appeal. How often we see these clubs just pop up like whack-a-moles all over Federal Hill. Who owns these clubs? Are they Rhode Islanders? Do they respect the area they want to do business in – and the wishes of their neighboring businesses and people? Isn’t there a more respectable way to make a living?

The Ugly.

Providence Schools. 32 days to the first day of school, listed as August 28th. The listening tour has been held. The request for a Rhode Island takeover has been approved. The official process for that to happen will take until November 1^st. Yesterday, the Speaker of the House said there was no money coming from the state. Where will the millions come from? And that’s just for physical improvements. Are the kids of Providence on their way to losing an entire year of school while zigs and zags happen, and the Rhode Island shuffle comes down around this well-intentioned commissioner. Can she break through it all? There is a recommendation to start school with at least one police officer in every Providence school. And creating safe zones. What coordination will need to take place for that to happen? Is there hope that it will by – tick-tock – 32 days from now?