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ian donnis

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Rhody's local food movement finds its groove

Relishing the fresh flavor of homegrown goods
Five years ago, when Farm Fresh Rhode Island (FFRI) launched its mission of promoting Ocean State-produced food, co-founder Noah Fulmer discovered a curious disconnection in the local food chain.

By: IAN DONNIS | February 23, 2009

Ticket to ride

Reflections on 10 years at the Phoenix
In April 1999, two weeks after I started on the job at the Providence Phoenix , the FBI raided City Hall, formally unveiling the federal investigation that would land Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr., Rhode Island's rascal king, behind bars.

By: IAN DONNIS | February 11, 2009

Advocates renew push for publicly-financed RI elections

Talking Politics
During a news conference Tuesday afternoon in the State House rotunda, proponents of significantly expanding publicly financed elections in Rhode Island — a concept they call "Fair Elections" — cited a litany of reasons for why it would be good for the Ocean State and its citizens.

By: IAN DONNIS | February 04, 2009

The upside of hope in Rhode Island

Nine individuals who are bullish and optimistic amid the state's current tough times
Everywhere one turns these days, there's seemingly more bad news about Rhode Island: the unemployment rate, one of the highest in the nation, tops 10 percent — and the state's running out of unemployment assistance.

By: IAN DONNIS | January 29, 2009

Brogan takes on teens, social networking in Teaser

Literary Life
Former Providence Journal reporter Jan Brogan is out with her fourth mystery, Teaser .

By: IAN DONNIS | January 28, 2009

Obama delivers manna for the masses - and small gatherings

Talking Politics
Although the inauguration day spread at the Scituate home of longtime liberal political activist Kate Coyne-McCoy on Tuesday included an array of frittatas, grilled sausages, roast potatoes, and Champagne, the main sustenance for a like-minded group of about dozen guests was the political manna represented by the swearing-in of Barack Obama.

By: IAN DONNIS | January 22, 2009

With the impact disputed, Carcieri pushes for his Medicaid waiver

Talking Politics
There's a certain audacity to Governor Carcieri's drive to put a global Medicaid waiver in place in Rhode Island.

By: IAN DONNIS | January 14, 2009

Carcieri pushes for Medicaid waiver

Talking Politics
With the impact disputed, Carcieri pushes for his Medicaid waiver.

By: IAN DONNIS | January 15, 2009

As the Pro Jo turns

In tough times, newspapers get ad money where they can
A full-page advertisement that ran on page A7 of Monday's ProJo featured an illustration depicting a workshop of flinty Amish craftsmen busily building what the headline called an "Amish mantle and miracle invention" that helps "home heat bills hit rock bottom."

By: IAN DONNIS | January 08, 2009

Old RI

Comic book brings Rocky Point Park back to life
Pawtucket-based artist Jason Mayoh recently published his third issue of Tales of Rocky Point Park .

By: IAN DONNIS | December 30, 2008

Crowley to succeed Jerzyk at RI's Future

Blog worthy
Earlier this year, Matt Jerzyk revealed he would be selling his almost four-year-old blog, Rhode Island's Future.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 24, 2008

The year the crap hit the fan

RI political mediocrity couldn't compare with the excesses of the fiscal meltdown
For a good metaphor of the year experienced by Rhode Island in 2008, consider the economic-development summit called by Governor Carcieri in November.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 24, 2008

Proponents make the case for National Popular Vote

Talking Politics
During a fundraiser for FairVote Rhode Island at the Hi-Hat on Monday, supporters of the concept known as National Popular Vote several times used the acronym NPV with a wink and a smile, eliciting the question from a colleague, "What's NPV?," and then offering the all-too obvious answer.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 18, 2008

’Tis the season to buy local

Tips for keeping your holiday gift-giving bucks in the ocean state
Frog and Toad, an idiosyncratic gift store on Providence’s East Side, is your quintessential mom and pop shop.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 12, 2008

Winter market in Pawtucket proves a smash hit

Farm Fresh In RI
More than 1000 people turned out last Saturday to sample the offerings of local food producers during the latest debut of Farm Fresh Rhode Island's winter market.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 10, 2008

Former editorial writer says his last column got spiked

As The ProJo Turns
An unidentified editorial writer was among those laid off when the Providence Journal eliminated 30 news jobs in October.

By: IAN DONNIS | December 03, 2008

Downsizing the Mob

State Police superintendent Brendan Doherty discusses the fade of OC in RI
The arrest of 17 people last week as part of "Operation Mobbed Up" — as well as the subsequent discovery in East Providence of human remains thought to be those of Joseph "Joe Onions" Scanlon — put front and center the bygone days of the Rhode Island Mob.

By: IAN DONNIS | November 26, 2008

Buy Nothing Day: A good cause for tough times

Consumerism
During the 11 previous years in which Buy Nothing Day has been staged in Rhode Island, there have been economic downturns and times when the national economy was humming.

By: IAN DONNIS | November 25, 2008

Down and out at Thanksgiving

Social needs are rising across Rhode Island, and things will get worse before they get better
In a time of widespread layoffs, decimated retirement accounts, and uncertainty about the fallout of the ongoing fiscal crisis, downsized requests for help are a sign of the times.

By: IAN DONNIS | November 24, 2008

Heslin's rise: A change of the guard, but to what effect?

As The ProJo Turns
Thomas E. Heslin, the Providence Journal's new executive editor — like his storied predecessor — bridges two distinctly different journalistic eras.

By: IAN DONNIS | November 19, 2008