The Public's Radio

3 days ago | thepublicsradio.org | Ian Donnis

The tempers are rising with the temperature at the Statehouse. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. ***1. STORY OF THE WEEK: When does the calculus of doing nothing outweigh the value of doing something at the Statehouse? That question will hang over Smith Hill until the resolution of the proposed “assault weapon” ban becomes clear in the Senate later this month. The bill sponsored by Rep.

3 days ago | thepublicsradio.org | Ian Donnis

This action, known as a “rescission request” has to be approved by a majority in the U.S. House and Senate in the next 45 days in order for it to become law. If it passes both chambers, it would have an effect on the budget of The Public’s Radio and Rhode Island PBS. Our political reporter, Ian Donnis spoke with our CEO Pam Johnston about what this could mean.

3 days ago | thepublicsradio.org | Ian Donnis

The legislation to ban new sales of guns defined as assault weapons is seen as having the support to make it through a vote by the full state Senate. But therein lies the rub. To get to the Senate floor, the bill first has to win approval from the closely divided Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate President Val Lawson could use her power to move the legislation to a different committee with more support.

3 days ago | thepublicsradio.org | Ian Donnis

Ian Donnis: Let’s let the cat out of the bag. What is the new name for public media in Rhode Island as of this fall? Johnston: We are going to be called Ocean State Media, and we’re so excited to be at this moment to have a new unified brand that speaks to who we are and who we’re becoming. There’s been a lot of talk about our merger and public media in the world, and I’m so very excited to be at this part of our journey. Donnis: Tell me why this particular name was chosen.

4 days ago | thepublicsradio.org | Ian Donnis

President Trump’s U.S. Justice Department notified Rhode Island on Wednesday that it is opening an investigation of whether the state engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race or other protected aspects of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The notification came in a letter to state Attorney General Peter Neronha from Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of DOJ.