News

Welcome back to my Friday column. Your thoughts and tips are always welcome at idonnis (at) ripr (org), and don't forget to follow me on Twitter. Here we go:

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for a weekly business segment we're calling "The Bottom Line." Each Friday they look at business news and themes that affect local business and the public.

This week Dave and Mark discuss the proposed Internet tax in Congress and implications for state revenue, sales tax, and brick-and-mortar stores.

When to Listen

You can hear The Bottom Line each Friday at 5:50pm.

Rhode Island’s online marketplace for health insurance is taking shape in preparation for October 1st. That's the date the exchange is scheduled to be up and running with a variety of new health plans to choose from.

Rhode Island is one of 26 states that have promised to consider new science guidelines known as the Next Generation Science Standards. The standards were developed by the same organization that created the Common Core, a group of national standards many states including Rhode Island are now adopting for Math and English.

On today's podcast, Rhode Island's unemployment has reached its lowest point in over four years, and the Ocean State celebrates national Bike to Work Day.

Plus, our panelists on Political Roundtable, doubles down on this week in politics.

Former state auditor Ernest Almonte has announced plans to run as a Democrat for state treasurer next year.  Former treasurer Frank Caprio has also expressed his intention to run for the post.

Almonte’s decision to run for treasurer marks a switch, since he announced plans last year to seek the governor’s office in 2014. In a statement, Almonte doesn’t explicitly explain his decision to change course. Yet he says he’s listened to input from Rhode Islanders and – quote – “made a decision based on logic.”

Pablo Rodriguez joins the Roundtable this week as we discuss the 2014 race for treasurer; Governor Lincoln Chafee's recent judicial nominations; lower-than-expected state revenues; and the trio of controversies facing President Obama.

Rhode Island’s unemployment rate took a healthy drop in April.  But the state is still a long way from restoring all the jobs lost to the recession.

Rhode Island’s April unemployment rate was 8.8 percent. That’s three tenths of one percent lower than in March and the lowest rate in four-and-a-half years.  Charles Fogarty, director of the state Department of Labor and Training, attributes the decline to increased consumer confidence.

Providence is among the cities that will observe National Bike to Work Day Friday.  A gathering at Burnside Park 8:00am Friday will include members of the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition and will also include Mayor Angel Taveras.  The event is to show how biking is a healthy commute to work, said Matt Moritz the president of the Rhode Island Biking Coalition.

Seth Magaziner, who would add an unabashedly progressive profile to the 2014 campaign season, is considering running for treasurer next year.

UPDATE: Via email, Magaziner confirms that he's looking at the race, adding that he's still early in the process:

Over the past few days, a number of people have encouraged me to run for General Treasurer should the position become open. I haven't made any decisions yet, but am considering the possibility.