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Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Jan. 31, 2025 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: If the past week tells us anything, here are a few starting points: 1) Democratic-leaning states like … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: President Trump ’s use of an executive order to try to eliminate birthright citizenship — a right enshrined in the Constitution not long after the Civil War — … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Dan McKee had a high-profile platform last Tuesday, using his State of the State speech to assert that Rhode Island is “flipping the script” from some of the less … more
Here is a basic New Year’s resolution for state political leaders: “Spend taxpayer money as if it were you own.” Instead, far too many politicians make giddy spending decisions … more
      1. STORY OF THE WEEK: Dec. 11 marks the one-year anniversary of the abrupt emergency closing of the westbound Washington Bridge, a crisis whose full effect will … more
Head outside on a clear winter night in the East Bay and you might just be greeted by the deep, soft hoots of Great Horned Owls advertising their territories and calling to their mates. Listen more … more
December 15 is the anniversary of our Bill of Rights. On that date in 1791, Virginia’s ratification of Articles I through X of our Constitution incorporated them permanently into our … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: About three years after Attorney General Peter Neronha ’s probe into the ILO Group became public, the story hit a dramatic apex. On Tuesday, Neronha released his findings via … more
C BS has been interviewing potential voters in the so-called swing states about for whom they are going to vote for President. Virtually all Trump supporters said they were voting for him … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: Although getting an appointment with a doctor is a fundamental need, doing that has become increasingly difficult due to the shortage of primary care physicians in Rhode Island. … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: Rhode Island officials plan to assemble a proposal in the weeks ahead meant to keep Hasbro in the state. Details remain unclear for now, but Gov. Dan McKee and House Speaker Joe … more
Roger Williams University (RWU) has brought many positive benefits to the East Bay region since expanding its Providence institution of higher learning to Bristol in 1969. However, the university … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: For all the yak about cranky Rhode Islanders and dissatisfaction with the direction of the state, Tuesday’s primary amounted to a big vote of confidence for incumbents. This … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: The marquee race in Rhode Island’s primary election on Tuesday was state Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung’s challenge to Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins. The GOP race took an … more
Perhaps I am a bit nostalgic about the “good ’ole days” when people said what they meant and meant what they said. There was no other ambition but to say and do the right thing. … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: With the end of the Democratic National Convention, the stage is now set for a 74-day sprint to the high-stakes November election. Rhode Island’s delegation, like other … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: “Money, it’s a gas,” goes the song by Pink Floyd. “Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.” The tune encompasses the central quality of money … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: It’s peak summer in Rhode Island, so politics is probably far from the minds of most Ocean Staters. But the filing of second-quarter campaign finance reports underscores how … more
No wonder people are skeptical of government. The ineptitude of the Rhode Island executive branch led by Gov. Dan McKee is staggering. Here are just a few examples: The I-195 bridge The … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: The timeline for creating a new westbound Washington Bridge remains uncertain, as Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and state Transportation Director Peter Alviti indicated during a … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: With 122 days until the Nov. 5 election (as of the writing of this column), Democrats find themselves in a fix. Various news reports this week had President Biden weighing a … more
Stroll down Hope Street, What do you see? more
You might be surprised to know that Henry Winkler, better known as “The Fonz” on TV sitcom “Happy … more
If you watched the June 27 presidential debate you had to ask yourself one question: How dare the Republican and Democratic Parties leave you with a choice of two grievously flawed candidates for the … more
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Kennedy - Nixon debate in 1960 marked the dawning of a new age, when the optics of televised images carried more weight than the substance of what candidates conveyed verbally. … more
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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.