Rhode Island Report

US Senator Jack Reed and US Representative Gabe Amo joined hosts Edward Fitzpatrick and Jim Hummel live at RI PBS studios this week to address questions about the impact that decisions in Washington are having here in the Ocean State.The event marks the 200th episode of the Rhode Island Report podcast, and celebrates the ongoing partnership between Globe Rhode Island and Rhode Island PBS. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

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Local harpist Emma Newton, who performs under the name Space Cowboy Newt, has an opportunity for other Rhode Island musicians: If you have a protest song, they’ll help you record it for free. Newton, a music producer and audio engineer as well as a musician, talks about the project with guest host Christopher Gavin, and performs some of their own music. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.

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It’s been nearly 18 years since security officers discovered a one-room apartment within the walls of the Providence Place Mall. It was built by a group of local artists, led by Michael Townsend and Adriana Valdez Young. Now there’s a full-length documentary about their “Secret Mall Apartment.” Its first theatrical screening is March 21, at - where else - the Providence Place Mall. Michael and Adriana join host Ed Fitzpatrick to tell their version of the story. And we take you inside the apartment.

Dorcas International, which serves thousands of refugees and immigrants annually, is facing funding cuts and layoffs amid changing policies in Washington. For the latest episode of Rhode Island PBS Weekly, guest host Steph Machado sat down with Kathy Cloutier, the executive director of Dorcas International, to learn more about what’s happening on the ground under the Trump administration. This podcast is an extended version of their conversation.

Former US Representative Jim Langevin has a long track record of leading cybersecurity efforts in Congress. The Trump administration’s cuts to positions at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency “make no sense,” he says. He joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk about these developments and the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College.

Since April, a small group of inmates in Rhode Island’s medium security prison have been learning how to code. It’s part of a program called The Last Mile. The classes are designed to help inmates find jobs and stay out of prison. Globe RI’s Steph Machado just finished a story for Rhode Island PBS about The Last Mile. She joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk more about the program.

Indie pop singer-songwriter Lainey Dionne has gone from performing for classmates at Smithfield High School to becoming a voting member of the Grammy’s Recording Academy. She talks to our guest host, Boston Globe reporter Chris Gavin, about her journey and life as a working musician in Rhode Island. Dewey Raposo, RI PBS producer of Ocean State Sessions which showcases local musicians, also joins the podcast to discuss the series’ fifth season.

Today marks the start of Rhode Island’s legislative session. What can we expect from lawmakers this year? The Globe’s Steph Machado and Jim Hummel of “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS join host Ed Fitzpatrick and make some predictions.

More than 200 years ago, Jamestown, R.I., had the largest percentage of enslaved people in the state. What happened to the Black community there? A local historian has been working to bring that history to light. That’s just one segment in the most recent episode of the “Our Town” series on Rhode Island PBS. RI PBS Arts and Culture Producer Ross Lippman joins our host, Ed Fitzpatrick, to talk more about the series.

Winter is here, thousands of Rhode Islanders are experiencing homelessness, and there are not enough shelter beds. The state’s largest provider of housing for homeless individuals thinks building apartments, not just opening more shelters, is the answer. The Globe’s Steph Machado sat down with Michelle Wilcox, the president and CEO of Crossroads Rhode Island, to hear about the plans.