On Politics

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras faces a sharply different landscape as he prepares to deliver his second State of the City address at 5:30 pm Tuesday in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. A year ago at this time, Taveras warned of how Providence faced the possibility of going bust. Now, the mayor can tout considerable improvements in the city's fiscal standing - a narrative that meshes with his expected gubernatorial run in 2014.

As is always the case during debate on emotional social issues, the verbal parrying at the State House can drift into seriously ridiculous misinformation. Such is the case in Sunday’s gay marriage page one ProJo story by Phil Marcelo.

In this piece, Marcelo quotes Sen. Frank Ciccone III, D-Providence. Ciccone is a prominent opponent of same gender marriage; he has introduced legislation calling for a voter referendum on the issue.

Being Providence mayor is a tough job, but it isn’t all about filling potholes and budget deficits and cajoling municipal union leaders. On Sunday, Mayor Angel Taveras showed up at Veterans Memorial Auditorium to greet jazz great Wynton Marsalis.

Before introducing Marsalis, Taveras told the packed house that being mayor ``comes with certain privileges.’’

That phrase drew a ripple of  knowing Rhode Islandesque laughter. Taveras quickly deadpanned, ``I’m not Buddy.’’

Same sex marriage has won overwhelming approval in the Rhode Island House. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay on what’s next in this historic debate.

If you don’t believe the political landscape in Rhode Island has undergone a seismic shift, you weren’t at McKim, Mead and White’s State House for the historic House vote on same sex marriage.  The measure won overwhelmingly on a 51 to 19 tally.

Two of the nation’s leading African-American intellectuals will be speaking at Brown University and  the University of Rhode Island.

URI will host Charles Ogletree on Feb. 5. Ogletree is a nationally-known Harvard University Law School professor and longtime mentor and adviser to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Both the Obamas were Ogletree’s students at Harvard. Ogletree is an expert on criminal and civil rights legal issues.