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.

Patrick Anderson of The Providence Journal this week joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” to discuss his recent reporting on Gov. Dan McKee's education agenda.

Anderson is a government and politics reporter at the Projo, and he's part of a team of reporters who put together the newspaper's weekly Political Scene column.

The column this week focused on the governor's education agenda, which includes bolstering out-of-school learning for students to try and make up for education missed out on during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anderson discusses whether the policies are working, and what ground needs to be covered to achieve the governor's goal of closing a persisting gap between Rhode Island and Massachusetts standardize testing scores by 2030.

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

• Why the police log no longer names the accused by Joy Fox, Warwick Beacon
• As schools navigate AI, new guidance from R.I., Mass. urges adoption — and caution by Steph Machado, Boston Globe

• North Smithfield weighs humane fixes as beaver-caused flooding persists by Corey Plante, The Valley Breeze
• Noisy neighbors nag some residents nearby Main Street in Warren by Mike Rego, EastBayRI

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.

Tim White this week joins Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian on “Behind the Story” to discuss the ongoing saga of Nicholas Alahverdian.

White is managing editor and chief investigative reporter at 12 News, and he's been covering Alahverdian for years leading up to his criminal trial that began this week in Utah.

Alahverdian, a conman from Rhode Island, was a longtime critic of the state's child welfare agency until he got jammed up with the law and faked his own death in 2020.

White discusses Alahverdian's life in Rhode Island, his troubles with the law, getting discovered while using a fake identity in Scotland and his criminal trial in Utah.

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

• Report: R.I. child care providers not complying with health and safety regulations by Christopher Allen, Providence Business News
• Rocky Point's Corkscrew and Cyclone weren't the only roller coasters in RI. Here's a list by Savana Dunning, The Providence Journal

• New Bedford’s growing Hispanic population lags in voter turnout by Grace Ferguson, Tavishi Chattopadhyay and Jakob Moskowitz, The New Bedford Light
• $50 bills are popping up around Providence, thanks to this Instagram account. How it works by Nish Kohli, The Providence Journal

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.

Nancy Lavin of the Rhode Island Current this week joined Eli Sherman and Dan McGowan on “Behind the Story” to discuss her reporting on Woonsocket finances and State House politics.

Lavin is senior reporter for the independent, digital news outlet that focuses on state government and public policy. Lavin discusses ongoing financial issues in Woonsocket, which has seen its bond ratings yanked after struggling to get its annual financial reporting in order.

Lavin also talks about a recent feature she wrote about Sen. Pam Lauria, a Barrington Democrat, who made some power plays this past legislative session at the State House, helping to recast "her own reputation -- from quiet workhorse to change agent," according to Lavin.

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

• From ranking seaweed to working at Dunkin' Donuts, RI politicians share their summer jobs by Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal
• Future of former library building remains unclear by Allison Shinksey, Southern Rhode Island Newspapers

• Why more cranberry farmers are selling to conservationists, not developers by Crystal Yormick, The New Bedford Light
• Leadership at Rhode Island’s top economic development agency is in limbo at a critical moment for the state’s economy by Alexa Gagosz, Boston Globe RI

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.

Colleen Cronin of ecoRI News this week joined Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian on “Behind the Story” to discuss her reporting about recycling violations in Providence.

Cronin is a Report for America fellow working at ecoRI News, a nonprofit news outlet that focuses on environmental news. She obtained years of recycling violations data that revealed Providence has ticketed most frequently in its poorest neighborhoods.

Cronin talks about how she gathered, analyzed and used the data to inform her reporting, along with how it led her to interviews with key community members.

She also learned that ticketing has begun to ramp up again after a lull during the COVID-19 pandemic and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley's first year in office.

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

• State may miss DCYF lease renewal deadline. Here’s why union workers are OK with that. by Christopher Shea and Alexander Castro, Rhode Island Current
• Why a decade-old fight over bake sales at RI polling places is rising again by Katherine Gregg, The Providence Journal

• Locals recount the ‘craziest’ moments they’ve seen in South County by Bill Seymour, The Independent
• How did Dante Bellini convince Ken Burns to do a biopic? First he had to change careers by Mark Patinkin, The Providence Journal

A special shoutout this week to some really cool new shows launching on our new WPRI 12+ TV app:

• Johnny Villella and Mike Montecalvo have created a podcast-style show called "Street Stories Unpaved," a spinoff of their amazing weekly TV segment "Street Stories"
• Sarah Guernelli has started her own 30-minute show called "12 Responds," which goes in-depth on consumer-related issues and stories she covers on the investigative consumer beat

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.

Ethan Shorey is chief editor of the The Valley Breeze, a weekly newspaper that covers several Rhode Island communities, including Pawtucket. In recent years, the state's fourth-largest city has seen a number of changes, including construction of a new soccer stadium for Rhode Island FC.

The USL team owners said they wanted to move into the city shortly after the Pawtucket Red Sox announced a move to Worcester. The soccer team started playing home games in the new stadium this spring.

Shorey talks about how the new team, along with a handful of new housing developments springing up near the new Pawtucket-Central Falls train station, are affecting the city.

He also talks about city politics, including new candidate Adam Greenman, who's announced he's running against incumbent Mayor Donald Grebien in 2026.

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

• Judicial Nominating Commission forwards five names to McKee for District Court opening by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current
• Brown Health considers closing more facilities. Why it's being called 'catastrophic' by Jonny Williams, The Providence Journal

• Fifty years ago, a terrible accident, a friend lost by Manual C. "Manny" Correira, Bristol Phoenix
• Rhode Island needs a full-court press to land the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun by Dan McGowan, The Boston Globe RI
• 'These women are worth saving': How a new program helps RI women getting out of prison by Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal

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) — Dan Medeiros of the The Fall River Herald News joins Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian on this week’s episode of “Behind the Story” to talk about the deadly fire that killed nine people and injured several more.

Medeiros is senior digital producer at the city's newspaper of record.

He lives and works in Fall River, which experienced one of its deadliest fires in recent history on Sunday. The fire broke out at the assisted-living facility Gabriel House and killed nine people, sending many more to the hospital and displacing dozens.

Medeiros talks about how the story unfolded, the people who died and how the city responded at a time when firefighters says they don't have enough staff to adequately put out fires.

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

• Sewage-contaminated water made 60% of R.I. beaches unsafe for swimming in 2024 by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
• Meet the dog whose fluffy face brings joy to Providence’s East Side by Johnny Villella and Sarah Bawden, 12 News

• 'It's deplorable': Residents, council plead to keep Newport Hospital birthing center open by Savan Dunning, The Newport Daily News
• Westerly takes closer look at short-term rentals 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.