Ethan Hartley, editor of The East Providence Post, recently covered the city budget process where Mayor Bob DaSilva signed the latest tax-and-spending plan Wednesday.

Hartley said no services were cut, but he underscored that the city still raised the overall tax levy to the state-capped limit of 4% for the next fiscal year.

“Municipal budgets today are very tight,” Hartley said. “Just to get the basic services and take care of your contractual increases takes up a lot of what you have room for. And so mostly, they said it’s not a great budget, it’s not perfect, but it’s the best we can do. And they passed it.”

Hartley also talked about the giant troll that was recently erected in town, and discussed the lasting effects of the closed westbound Washington Bridge, which connects East Providence to Providence.

“Rhode Islanders are very adaptable people,” Hartley said. “We kind of assume that things are going to be bad. And so I think at this point, almost two years in, we just know what to expect and that the bridge is going to be miserable and traffic’s going to take an extra half hour to get where you want to go.”

Later in the show, Kim and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.” They include:

• Which Dunkin’ is the most Dunkin’ of all? An investigation. by Beth Teitell, The Boston Globe
• Rhode Island considers ending Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss by Alexandro Castro, Rhode Island Current

• HOSPITAL MAKEOVERS: Health systems look for shot in the arm from multimillion dollar projects by Katie Castellani, Providence Business News
• New tour biz offers tastes of SouthCoast aboard a double-decker bus by Ashley Schuler, The Fall River Herald News
• Everyone’s coverage of the Dartmouth plane crash on I-195

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Ben Berke of Ocean State Media joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” this week to discuss the role out of a police reform law that went into effect earlier this year.

Berke examined the Law Enforcement Officers Due Process Accountability and Transparency Act, or LEODPATA, and whether it's changed how officials handle cases of alleged police misconduct.

His reporting shows the law -- which replaced a previous version known as LEOBOR -- has struggled to deliver on some of the promises its champions touted when it passed last year.

"The experts I talked to said things like, 'this is a meaningful tweak,'" Berke said. "It's not going to really radically alter how police accountability is meted out in Rhode Island, but it might make the system more responsive than it was to really egregious cases."

His reporting also shed light on the fact that nobody was publicly posting new cases of alleged police misconduct, which is requirement under the new law.

"It didn't exist," Berke said, explaining it took him nearly two dozen emails and six weeks of work to track down the information that's supposed to be readily available to the public.

Following his report, the Post Officers Commission on Standards and Training, or POST, created a webpage with the cases currently going through LEODPATA hearings.

There are currently four cases underway, including two in South Kingstown and one in Tiverton and Westerly, respectively.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.” They include (not all mentioned on air):

• An Instagram poster pulled the mask off the Washington Bridge audit. Their identity remains hidden by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
• Top RI Realtor Threatens to Call ICE on Buyer, Then Offers $20,000 to Kill GoLocal Story by Josh Fenton, GoLocalProv

• A drone, golf balls and a gun: How shoreline access tensions erupted in Narragansett by Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal
• Offshore wind’s effects on fish won’t be studied due to federal cuts by Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Philip Eil, who's the author of "Prescription for Pain," recently wrote an opinion piece for Rhode Island Current, highlighting how quickly opioids and opioid-related deaths have become a central focus in the race for Rhode Island governor.

"I was uneasy to watch this really serious, literally life and death issue, get turned into campaign mudslinging where it's about scoring points," Eil said during a taping of the show on Wednesday. "The public gaze drifts away from the real stakes of this issue, which, as I noted in my piece, is ongoing."

Incumbent Gov. Dan McKee last month slammed Democratic rival Helena Foulkes when she announced she would challenge him again in next year's primary election.

The governor's campaign launched an attack ad, accusing Foulkes of helping to fuel the opioid crisis while she was as an executive at CVS Pharmacy.

Foulkes and CVS have fired back at McKee, and Foulkes has defended her record at the retail giant, saying she worked to reduce opioid prescriptions and stem to flow of drugs going to pill mills.

Eil offered some suggestions for how candidates could talk about the issue of opioids, along with the effect controlled substances are having on Rhode Island where more than 2,000 people have died from overdoses since 2020, according the R.I. Department of Health.

"There are real things gubernatorial candidates can do to affect this issue," he said. "Public health advocates would dream of the kind of airtime that these two people, Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes, are going to have in the coming months. I just wanted to encourage them to think about the people who have lost their lives."

Later in the show, Kim and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.” They included:

‘Barrington Pisser’ tells police that the videos he posted were a hoax by EastBayRI

Patients are being 'dumped' and left at RI hospitals for months, even years. Why? by Jonny Williams and Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal

Glass from the past: why are there marbles in the Blackstone? by Sofia Barr, The Valley Breeze

New Bedford man builds a thriving eBay bike shop business: Check out House of Cogs by Kathryn Gallerani, The New Bedford Standard-Times

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

12 News politics editor Ted Nesi joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” this week to discuss the future of politics and pensions in Providence.

Nesi said he's been getting a lot of feedback over the past week in response to comments about the Providence pension system made by state Rep. David Morales, who recently announced he's running for Providence.

Appearing on "Newsmakers" last week, Morales said he'd tackle the city's woefully underfunded pension plan in part by renegotiating pension benefits paid to out-of-state retirees.

Cutting pension benefits has long spurred contentious debate in Providence, and previous efforts have often resulted in lengthy legal battles. Nesi said Morales' comments quickly evoked a lot of calls and emails from retirees who were upset by Morales' proposed idea.

"Retirees see this very simply: They worked, they were promised a benefit -- it's the city's job to figure out how to pay them the benefit," Nesi said.

More broadly, Nesi discussed Morales' political career and his approach to taking on incumbent Brett Smiley, who's seen as more moderate candidate and has said he intends to run for reelection. The two Democrats would face off in a primary election next September.

"There's genuine disagreement between different flavors of Democrats right now," Nesi said.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.” They include:

• Lax Enforcement, Lack of Awareness Result in Poor Recycling Ticket Returns in Providence by Colleen Cronin, ecoRI News. (Bonus: Cronin joined "Behind the Story" in July to talk about Providence recycling. You can watch the full episode here.)
• How AI is changing police work by John Howell, Warwick Beacon. (Another bonus: Howell joined "Behind the Story" in June. Full episode here.)

• McKee and Foulkes have our attention on R.I.’s opioid crisis. Here’s how they can earn our respect by Philip Eil, Rhode Island Current
• Westerly unveils new schools strategic plan by Ryan Blessing, The Westerly Sun

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Eric Rueb of The Providence Journal joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” to discuss his experience covering sports in Rhode Island.

For years, Rueb has been reporting on youth and professional sports, and he expressed excitement over this year’s high school football season, which is officially underway.

“I’m going to watch Central Falls and East Greenwich on Thursday, and those are the games I love to see,” Rueb said. “Someone’s going to do something I’ve never seen before and that’s the reason why high school football should exist, and why people should love it.”

Rueb also talked about some of the issue surrounding sports, such as the importance of developing programs, whether private schools have competitive advantages over traditional public schools and the dangers of parents getting angry at referees during games.

“Being a jerk is never part of the game,” Rueb said. “It’s the kids that I feel bad for because [parents] don’t realize how they’re affecting their kids’ lives going forward.”

Rueb also offered a preview of his new new sports show “Blitz Breakdown,” which just launched this week on the 12+ TV app.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.”

• Pawtucket school officials delete plagiarized welcome message by Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze

• City Council to sue and filibuster Mayor Mitchell by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light
• TF Green Airport CEO gets new contract, raise. Here’s how much he will be making by Patrick Anderson, The Providence Journal

A special shoutout to 12 News politics editor Ted Nesi, who’s started a new series of digital-explainer reels covering complicated issues for Rhode Island PBS. Watch his first one here, examining the new “Taylor Swift” tax that will affect second-home owners beginning next July.

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Alexa Gagosz of The Boston Globe joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” this week to discuss the Hasbro decision to relocate its headquarters from Pawtucket to Boston.

Gagosz covers a variety of topics including business and she's been tracking the yearlong uncertainty over whether the toymaker would make an out-of-state move. Hasbro for the past century has been headquartered in Rhode Island.

The company announced this week it would indeed move to the Boston's Seaport, and a spokesperson said Hasbro will no longer have a corporate footprint in Rhode Island by the end of 2026.

Gagosz talked about her recent reporting on what losing Hasbro means for Pawtucket, along with the broader Rhode Island business community, along with what it means for the 700 people whose jobs are moving north.

In addition to discussing Hasbro, Gagosz talked about her newsletter dubbed "The Food Club," which takes readers behind the scenes of the regional food and restaurant industry.

Later in the show, Kim and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.”

• Rhode Island Beaches Hosted Tiny Gelatinous Visitors This Summer: Salps by Isabella Jibilian, Rhode Island PBS/The Public's Radio
• Trick or treat? ‘The Conjuring’ house listed for auction on Halloween by Sarah Guernelli, 12 News

• Police investigating pornographic ‘Zoom bombing’ of New Bedford Board of Health meeting by Frank Mulligan, The New Bedford Standard-Times
• Coastal Agency Canceled Meeting to Vote on Lowering Quorum Requirements Due to Lack of Quorum by Rob Smith, ecoRI News
• Advocates: Save the Stephen Olney House by Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Ian Donnis of The Public's Radio and Rhode Island PBS joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan this week on “Behind the Story” to discuss politics, public media and health care in Rhode Island.

Donnis is a longtime political reporter, who also hosts the show "Political Roundtable." He covers local, state and national politics, and this week he discussed Rhode Island's upcoming gubernatorial election in 2026.

Donnis also talked about the shifting landscape of public media in Rhode Island and across the country, along with the future of health care against the backdrop of a pending sale of Roger Williams and Our Lady of Fatima hospitals.

Later in the show, Dan and Eli talked about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.”

• Westerly Planning Board’s rejection of housing plan upheld in Superior Court by Katie Castellani, Providence Business News
• Podcast: A newscast about a sea creature has become part of Ocean State lore by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe RI

• RI woman convicted in infamous 'stolen valor' case back in custody. What we know by Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal
• Christopher Silvia 'heartbroken' after ending campaign for Fall River mayor by Emily Scherny, The Fall River Herald News
• Who gets Christopher Silvia's mayoral race donations? What campaign finance law says by Dan Medeiros, The Fall River Herald News

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Anastasia E. Lennon of The New Bedford Light this week joins Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian on “Behind the Story” to discuss the offshore wind industry, including the Trump administration order to stop work on the Revolution Wind project.

Lennon talked about what moves have been happening across the country leading up to stop-work order handed down last Friday to Revolution Wind, which project officials said was 80% completed.

She also discussed what's known so far about the security concerns cited as the reason for stop-work order, along with what other offshore wind projects are in the works and what this decision might mean for them.

Later in the show, Eli and Kim talk about the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.” They include (not all mentioned on air):

• Cow pie star comes up empty in Little Compton by Christian Silvia, EastBayRI
• 'Impossible': Why potential bridge builders question RI's new Washington Bridge plans by Patrick Anderson, The Providence Journal

• While RIPTA Held Service Cut Hearings, McKee’s Office Scheduled Bus Hub Discussions with Paolino by Colleen Cronin, ecoRI News
• Lombardi sets new limit on yard waste after confrontation by Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze
• The RI Ethics Commission could double the gift limit for lawmakers. Should they? by Kathy Gregg, The Providence Journal
• Regionalization Ball in Middletown’s Court by Philip Cozzolino, Newport This Week

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.