rhodyjourno

rhodyjourno OP t1_jclem17 wrote

Reply to INVESTIGATION: Mike Mota and the art of the Virtual Con by rhodyjourno

BACKSTORY: From Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket and Skyline at Waterplace in Providence to Alex and Ani, ripping off the city and state of Rhode Island. This is the story of Michael Mota -- whose secret behind his success is tireless networking, great timing, and some smoke and mirrors.

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My colleague Amanda Milkovits has been working on this story for the last year. Read a snippet below.

Michael A. Mota leaned back in a black leather chair in his second-floor office, next to a framed poster of him surrounded by actors famed for portraying Hollywood mobsters, and talked confidently about his business plans.
He spun tales about the value of the cryptocurrency he launched, his popular conventions aimed at fans of mob movies and “The Sopranos,” his connections with celebrities and power players, and the successes of his convention and entertainment company, VirtualCons.
In press releases and online, he calls himself “Dr. Mota,” referring to an honorary doctorate he received last fall, and says he was a vice president at Alex and Ani, the once high-flying jewelry company. He says unnamed overseas investors and others want to sink millions into his plans “because I am a smart guy, just so you know.”

And he has emerged as a key player in two of Rhode Island’s most prominent properties where his boasts are no less grand — and the results so far underwhelming at best.
As CEO of Skyline at Waterplace, a shimmering event venue in downtown Providence, Mota once proposed building an amphitheater and ornate Bellagio-style fountains in the mucky tidal river.
And Mota claims his company, Bayport International Holdings, has a $50 million to $90 million redevelopment plan for the former Memorial Hospital property in Pawtucket, which will help solve the state’s housing crisis along the way.
There’s just one problem: Mota’s tales of success are largely fictional, a Globe investigation shows.
Skyline hadn’t paid its rent to the city of Providence for months, city officials say, and there’s no record that Mota made renovations that were promised in exchange for avoiding rent for nearly three years.
Bayport International Holdings is a defunct company. Its stock is worthless, industry analysts say.

Mota’s doctorate comes from a diploma mill that provides honorary degrees for a price, the Globe’s research found. His work at Alex and Ani has been exaggerated — the company’s founder told the Globe he never served as its vice president.
The list goes on.
“Don’t trust him,” said Rhode Island filmmaker David Bettencourt, who worked directly with Mota at a marketing company that was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alex and Ani. “You can’t listen to anything he says.”

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READ MORE IN THE GLOBE: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/17/metro/mike-mota-art-virtual-con/

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rhodyjourno OP t1_jcgrevh wrote

Reply to More than half of R.I. renters spend over 50% of their income on housing, new report finds by rhodyjourno

FROM THE STORY: Six of every 10 households that rent in Rhode Island spend more than half of their income on housing alone, and are at risk of homelessness, according to a newly released report.On Thursday, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released “The Gap” report, which is an annual compilation of data that examines the shortage of affordable homes across the country. The US has a total shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income rental households.

Between 2019 and 2021, the national shortage of affordable housing for extremely low-income renters worsened by more than half a million units, according to the NLIHC. Some rental inflation has cooled during the first quarter of 2023, but those with extremely low incomes are still facing significant barriers to finding and maintaining affordable housing. In many cases, their incomes are insufficient to cover even modest rental costs, NLIHC president and CEO Diane Yentel said.

In Rhode Island, there are 51,596 extremely low-income households, but only 27,547 rental homes are affordable and available to them, the report found, which shows a shortage of 24,049 affordable and available units just for this income bracket.

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j9yrmj5 wrote

Reply to In push to counter misinformation, R.I. to launch public conversations to foster media literacy by rhodyjourno

DETAILS FROM THE STORY: A federally-funded two-year initiative is expected to launch next week to help combat misinformation in Rhode Island and help minimize online violence and extremism.
The new program, dubbed Courageous RI, was designed by the University of Rhode Island’s Media Education Lab, and was funded through a $700,000 grant from the US Department of Homeland Security. The initiative, which will be rolled out in three phases, has been tasked with fostering community conversations, providing training and education, and engaging youth. The trainings look to help participants across sectors become “more resilient to propaganda and disinformation.”
The initiative will formally launch at an in-person event at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the Rhode Island State House, kicking off a series of free virtual sessions that are open to the public. Officials including Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore, Republican State Representative Brian Newberry, and Democrat State Senator Hanna Gallo are expected to offer remarks.

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READ MORE IN THE LINK.

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j9fjcxt wrote

Reply to comment by putathorkinit in Who will replace David Cicilline in Congress? by rhodyjourno

We are hearing that CF Mayor Rivera is in discussions with family and colleagues exploring a potential campaign as well. This was only a preliminary list of people who have expressed interest in running for Congress in the past. Not a list of viable candidates who would "do a good job."

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I hope that helps!

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j9f7m8u wrote

Reply to David Cicilline to resign from Congress to lead Rhode Island Foundation by rhodyjourno

FROM THE STORY: US Representative David Cicilline plans to resign from Congress later this year to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, the Globe has learned.
The announcement, expected Tuesday, is sure to send shockwaves through Rhode Island’s political establishment, setting up an off-year special election for the First Congressional District seat that most political observers believed the 61-year-old Cicilline could have held for the rest of his life.
Over the course of 28 years, Cicilline has held elected office as a Rhode Island state representative, mayor of Providence, and member of Congress.
During a special meeting on Tuesday morning, the foundation’s board of directors voted to hire Cicilline following a months-long national search to replace outgoing president and CEO Neil Steinberg. The foundation is Rhode Island’s largest philanthropic organization, with a endowment of more than $1.3 billion.

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“For more than a decade, the people of Rhode Island entrusted me with a sacred duty to represent them in Congress, and it is a responsibility I put my heart and soul into every day to make life better for the residents and families of our state,” Cicilline said. “The chance to lead the Rhode Island Foundation was unexpected, but it is an extraordinary opportunity to have an even more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of residents of our state. The same energy and commitment I brought to elected office I will now bring as CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, advancing their mission to ensure all Rhode Islanders can achieve economic security, access quality, affordable healthcare, and attain the education and training that will set them on a path to prosperity.”

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READ MORE IN THE LINK

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j9f7fgm wrote

Reply to Who will replace David Cicilline in Congress? by rhodyjourno

FROM THE STORY: US Representative David N. Cicilline’s decision to resign from Congress to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation took many Rhode Island politicians by surprise on Tuesday. Now the game begins: Who is going to decide to run to replace him?
This is the second time in two years that a Rhode Island congressman has shaken up the state’s political structure with an unexpected departure. US Representative James R. Langevin set off a scramble for the Second Congressional District.

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Democratic candidates could range from former Providence mayors Jorge Elorza and Joseph Paolino, former CVS candidate and probably 2024 candidate for governor Helena Foulkes, former secretary of state Nellie Gorbea, Attorney General Peter Neronha, and many others. A possible GOP candidate? Possibly Minority Leader Senator Jessica de la Cruz.

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Read my colleague Ed Fitzpatrick's smart takes on who could take Cicilline's place.

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j7zmyjk wrote

Reply to Who is the new police chief? ‘The community is on his shoulders’: Providence’s new police chief is known for his compassion and discipline by rhodyjourno

FROM THE STORY: Boxing gloves emblazoned with the Providence Police shield sit on a table behind the new chief.
For all of the awards and achievements over 28 years at the Providence Police Department — a master’s from Boston University, graduating from the FBI National Academy and senior management programs at Boston University and the Harvard Kennedy School, teaching community policing at Roger Williams University and Salve Regina University, serving on the parole board, the board at the Nonviolence Institute, and working on statewide policies — the gloves are a symbol of his grit.

Soon after emigrating from Medellín, Colombia, at age 13, Oscar Perez started going to a boxing gym near his family’s home in South Providence. He couldn’t speak English, but boxing taught him other lessons, like what it takes to remain standing in a fight.
He’s personable and quick to laugh, but even now, at age 52, he instinctively balls up his fists as he talks.
READ MORE IN THE LINK.

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rhodyjourno OP t1_j7rx4dg wrote

Reply to Former housing secretary Saal hired as consultant for the department by rhodyjourno

Details: Joshua D. Saal, the former housing secretary who resigned after months of missteps reported by the Globe, has been hired by the state as a contractor.
The decision to have Saal return to state service as a contracted consultant was made by the governor’s office and the housing department, state department of administration spokeswoman Laura Hart told the Globe. Hart said the agreement was not required and is an “occasional practice” for departing state employees.

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more in the link.

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