Chick Frasco @Chick Frasco
Media--digital, print, and broadcast--has vacated its home at the fourth estate. The organizations, once tasked with keeping the interests of Washington and Wall Street in check, had now become subservient to the interests they once controlled. The state of Journalism is in flux. Newspapers are dropping like flies. In their place, numerous digital outlets, those capable and willing to churn and burn through news stories with minimal effort are becoming profitable. Why? Because speed matters. Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, joined by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, other government leaders and environmental advocates at the West Warwick Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, today signed an Executive Order, which creates the Rhode Island Executive Climate Change Council (ECCC). The ECCC will advise the Governor, the General Assembly, and the public on best practices to ensure that the state continues to be a national leader in developing and implementing strategies that address challenges created by climate change.
"I am establishing the Council because for too long there has been strong evidence and scientific consensus that man made greenhouse gases will have profound effects on global climate, weather patterns and ocean conditions; effects that the state cannot afford to ignore," Governor Chafee said. "Rhode Island must act boldly to position the state as a national leader in climate adaptation with a comprehensive approach that will benefit our communities and businesses." Bob Giusti
The proposal to raise the federal minimum wage appears to be a key struggle in the battleground that is Washington these days. With mid term elections looming, both sides of the aisle are trying to bring home a victory. But the question becomes a victory for who ? At the basis of the argument is the pros believing it will provide a standard of living improvement for the working poor, while the cons state it will not be affordable to small business and therefore create job loss. Is this just a grand gesture to appease the masses? Or is it an important stimulus for a fledgling (for most) economy? The answer could be a split down the middle. Freddy Choyle Every now and then it happens. It's never quite clear why. It's just one of those unexplainable phenomenons. Lately it seems to be happening more frequently. Rhode Island is a trending topic on Twitter. Now if your area of social media expertise does not lay in this form, let me explain to you the significance of this. In order for a topic to become a trend, two components have to be in play. The first is based on who you follow and the second is based on the frequency or amount of tweets, featuring a subject. This means that for some reason, humans are talking about RI. The smallest, most corrupt state in the union. A state filled with beautiful ocean scenery, superior cuisine and a couple prestigious universities. Literally I summed up all 1,214 square miles little Rhody has to offer in one short sentence. So what in the name of Roger Williams are all these people talking about? PROVIDENCE – Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced today that the Department of Environmental Management is accepting applications for Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) grants, which will assist small or beginning farmers promote and market their agricultural products grown in Rhode Island, as well as local seafood businesses.
This new program is made possible by $100,000 in state funding that Governor Chafee and the General Assembly included in the DEM budget, and includes an additional $110,000 in matching funds from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Rhode Island Foundation. DEM is coordinating with the Rhode Island Food Policy Council to administer the program. This unique and unprecedented public-private partnership will provide grants intended to directly benefit and strengthen R.I.'s local food system. "The program addresses the promotion and marketing of two fast growing sectors of our economy. Both have managed to do well during the economic downturn," Governor Chafee said. "These funds will ensure that the sale of locally grown agricultural products and seafood will continue to thrive, and that these businesses become even more of a key employer in our state." "Farming and fishing are areas of economic growth in Rhode Island, and this new grant program will catalyze and support local businesses," said DEM Director Janet Coit. "This initiative is one of many efforts taken by DEM to support local agriculture and our state's food economy." Nonprofit entities, along with small or beginning farmers are eligible to apply for the grants. The program is designed to increase the economic competitiveness of Rhode Island-grown agricultural products and local seafood. |
WBOB
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