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The increasingly important role of student journalists
When student journalists at Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts heard last spring that middle schoolers in their town were experiencing transphobic and homophobic bullying, they immediately … more
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The follies of a falling bridge, and the high cost of a soccer stadium
STORY OF THE WEEK: Back in the day, the approach of the end of February would signal the time for the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies – the bygone annual satiric sendup of the year in Rhode … more
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The Washington Bridge story just won’t go away – not anytime soon
STORY OF THE WEEK: After a recent news dump, when the McKee administration shared details of a federal request for records related to the Washington Bridge, Gov. Dan McKee tried to regain control of … more
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A view of the Washington Bridge that once carried motorists over the Seekonk River along I-195 West. It has been shut down for seven weeks, its future uncertain.
Accountability is sorely lacking in the I-195 fiasco
The condition of the west bound lanes on I-195 and the subsequent snarl of traffic has unleashed a furious fusillade of accusations and excuses by those in charge. Tens of thousands of daily … more
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Lawmakers promising a closer look at I-195 bridge saga
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Washington Bridge saga took a noteworthy turn when state officials last week declined to rule out the possible demolition of the westbound portion of the bridge. If such a … more
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Schneider's anti-Trump stance shows she's a rare breed in U.S. politics
STORY OF THE WEEK: Claudin Schneider is a rare breed in American politics: a Republican and former Rhode Island congresswoman who is doing everything in her power to stop Donald Trump from returning … more
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The legislators are back, and so are familiar fiscal worries
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Rhode Island General Assembly returned to business last week, with the usual feeling of something akin to students returning to the classroom for the first day of school. House … more
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Disqualifying Trump? It’s a collision course
The Colorado court’s ruling disqualifying Donald J. Trump as a candidate for the presidency on the basis of the 14th Amendment, a clause of which eliminates from holding an office anyone who … more
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Susan Bodington, of the Little Compton Housing Trust, addresses the crowd at the United Congregational Church of Little Compton at a meeting called this past February to discuss the state of affordable housing in Little Compton.
Commentary: Little Compton at tipping point: Loving it to death?
Little Compton will finally be my home. It has taken over 50 years for me to achieve that. (That is probably not unusual for a “year-rounder”). But the town I moved to is changing fast; … more
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Accountability and leadership in the I-195 crisis
STORY OF THE WEEK: The emergency closing of the westbound part of the Washington Bridge put Gov. Dan McKee — and how he performs during a crisis — under a microscope. McKee was … more
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The Israeli-Hamas war is a loss all-around
It’s almost crass to write about the Israeli-Hamas war in the abstract. Whether it is a father searching for his children under rubble that had been his home in Gaza or a parent and child bound … more
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'At least I'm not boring' – A 2026 campaign preview?
STORY OF THE WEEK: “At least I’m not boring” – as Attorney General Peter Neronha quipped this week on X, formerly known as Twitter – could be the theme of a 2026 run for … more
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Gabe Amo is a practiced politico, living the American dream
STORY OF THE WEEK: At the ripe old age of 35, Gabe Amo emerged this week as the bright new star among Rhode Island Democrats. While he will enter Congress as its most junior member, Amo seems poised … more
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Is anyone in R.I. looking at the big picture with hospitals?
STORY OF THE WEEK: Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has championed the cause of government transparency, often saying that the state’s public records law should be a floor and not a … more
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The ‘Do Nothing’ attitude about guns is sickening
If I hear one more feckless politician express sympathy for gun victims after he/she voted against sensible gun regulation, I am going to barf. Take the recent hand-wringing by Maine’s U.S. … more
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Talking unions, organized labor and leadership in America
STORY OF THE WEEK: Organized labor has made a lot of headlines of late, what with strikes by writers in Hollywood and auto workers in Michigan. The common thread is how technology is extending the … more
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Sen. Reed on world conflicts, national politics and the growth of Gina
STORY OF THE WEEK: In 1997, when Jack Reed first joined the U.S. Senate, the Cold War had ended and 9/11 had not yet happened. A quarter-century later, the world is a very different place, with a … more
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Rhode Islanders are still getting to know Gerry Leonard
STORY OF THE WEEK: It’s an old political axiom: don’t help your opponent get a leg up in a campaign. That helps explain why CD1 Democrat Gabe Amo — who would have gone to the … more
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Commentary: Are you age 70 or older and not yet receiving benefits?
Retirement is not one-size-fits-all.   It can mean different things to different people. Perhaps you have not applied for Social Security retirement benefits because you're still … more
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Our impotent Congress is a disgrace
By now you know whether the Republican House got its act together and continued the funding to run the government. To think that these do-nothings continue to receive a whopping salary while our … more
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The Feds take a swipe at discriminatory lending, including here in R.I.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Redlining is widely thought of as the practice that prevailed in a lot of American cities in the mid-20 th century, imposing racial segregation and depriving worthy borrowers of … more
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A troubling look behind the scenes in the seafood business
STORY OF THE WEEK: New Bedford’s half-billion-dollar commercial fishing catch is one of the economic bright spots in southern New England. But the underside of the seafood business includes … more
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Op-Ed: A lifeline for those battling substance use disorder
There is a resource available in hundreds of languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that provides immediate help for those experiencing substance use disorder, thoughts of suicide, mental health crises, and emotional distress – the 988 Lifeline. more
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Severe weather creates an array of problems for municipal leaders
STORY OF THE WEEK: If you were driving around North Providence, parts of Providence or other local communities during torrential downpours early last week, you may have felt like an extra in … more
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Amo is the new rising star in R.I. politics
STORY OF THE WEEK: Democratic primary voters had their say and now Gabe Amo is the new rising star in Rhode Island politics. While former state representative Aaron Regunberg was widely perceived as … 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.

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