- [Pamela] Tonight, "A Tale of Two Cities".

A look at what's happening to one of Rhode Island's biggest industries in the wake of the Washington Bridge debacle.

- When it first happened that December of 2023, immediately, our business fell off a cliff.

- [Michelle] And what do the bridge and dessert have in common?

We went to Warwick to find out.

- [Pamela] Then, Rhode Island basketball legend, Ernie D. - I think the reason I became a professional basketball player is I never listened to someone tell me I couldn't be one.

- [Michelle] Finally, Congressman Seth Magaziner's reversal problem with Ted Nesy.

(bright music) (bright music continues) - Good evening.

Welcome to "Rhode Island PBS Weekly".

I'm Pamela Watts.

- And I'm Michelle San Miguel.

We begin with another look at the Washington Bridge closure and its impact on a critical sector of Rhode Island's economy.

- The hospitality business is a more than $5 billion industry in the ocean state, but it's been some of the worst of times for those enterprises in a number of communities, and somewhat better times for others.

Tonight, we examine the "Tale of Two Cities" as part of our continuing coverage, Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge.

- The first week after that happened, I don't know if you recall, but traffic was absolutely insane.

I was driving into work from Warren, where I live, and I was having to drive all the way around and through Pawtucket to get into the east side of Providence.

I mean, it was just brutal.

- [Pamela] It's been a long haul for Rhode Islanders since December of 2023.

That's when a young engineer saw this, a critical gap in rods under the westbound Washington Bridge.

The state immediately shut it down, leaving not just commuters, but commerce in a sudden jam.

Asher Schofield, who drives from the East Bay to his Hope Street shop in Providence, The Frog and Toad, says the initial ramifications were significant.

- When it first happened that December of 2023, immediately, our business fell off a cliff.

Our business was maybe 50% of what it usually would be, which was very scary, because we're talking about fourth quarter holiday retail, which is, for a small business, like make or break time.

- [Pamela] Schofield says things eventually improved for his two Providence locations.

- Things stabilized, and since then, we haven't seen any drop offs, per se.

- [Pamela] Which wasn't the case for some other businesses in Providence.

Schofield says it seems people are avoiding the drive to or through the capital city.

- We're provincial.

We don't have to go too far and be too inconvenienced.

We live in the smallest state, and it should be easy to get to the store, or the mall, or what have you.

- [Pamela] A recent report illustrates the point.

The comprehensive economic impact study, conducted by Salve Regina University and the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, reveals significant consequences for the industry.

From December, 2023 through the end of last year, Providence County took the worst hit, accounting for more than 56 million of the sector's total revenue loss.

Another casualty, the elimination of almost 700 hospitality related jobs.

Kent, Newport, and Washington counties also experienced economic declines, indicating how widespread the effect of the bridge's closure, and subsequent traffic delays, had on cities and towns depended upon hospitality driven revenue.

The industry includes hotels, restaurants, amusements, and tourism businesses.

The Frog and Toad, for example, sells a myriad of Rhode Island souvenirs.

Schofield believes another fallout from the bridge is psychological.

- I think that culturally, as Rhode Islanders, it's in a way been a fulfillment of our worst impressions of the state that we live in, which is what makes me feel sad.

So it's almost like that bridge that I pass on the daily has become like this totem of a stereotype of all of the negative things that people have to say about the state.

- Complexities from the bridge have not been an entirely negative experience for one part of Rhode Island.

The same study notes a reverse trend.

Bristol County realized a more than 2% gain in hospitality revenue.

That translates to some six and a half million dollars.

Are you surprised by the findings that say that the Bristol County area is actually doing better than it was before the bridge business?

- I was a little surprised.

Not shocked.

- [Pamela] However, Andy Arruda, who is chairman of the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, says the study makes sense because this area is insulated from the bridge.

The chamber represents businesses from Bristol, Warren, and Barrington.

Arruda says they learned from past economic downturns how to pivot during a crisis.

- We just got over the pandemic, and then the bridge closes, and the fear that what are we gonna do without customers from Providence, and Cranston, and north of Providence.

But everybody adapted, and they just, I think they worked harder.

They marketed more.

I just think that people like, it is what it is.

There's nothing we could do about it.

So they dug in, they became a little more creative.

- [Pamela] Arruda cites a strong sense of community in Bristol County, and says the Chamber offers frequent business after hours, and coffee connections.

- Business members go there and they share ideas.

They introduce themselves to everybody.

So you know if there's a plumber there, if there's a financial person, there is a mechanic there.

Everybody is there to not only get business, but also find sources for business.

- [Pamela] Arruda also says a small percentage of business picked up from Portsmouth and Middletown neighbors traveling the Mount Hope Bridge.

The same for Seekonk and Swansea residents.

- I am talking to people all the time in the East Bay.

I heard very few that said, "Yeah, we're still down because of the bridge."

For the most part, it was, "We're holding our own."

That was used a lot.

Overall, I think they're up a little bit.

- What do you attribute that to?

- Boy, a lot of it would be restaurants.

Our restaurants are really strong in the East Bay.

- We actually have rotation this year.

- [Pamela] At the Portside Tavern in Bristol, business is steady, according to owner Richie Corrente.

He says it took a quick dip after the bridge closed, but bounced right back.

- If anything, you know, maybe people didn't want to leave town as much.

Bristol's a really awesome community, and it definitely supports its own.

So I know most locals here would prefer to eat and shop in Bristol when they can.

Everybody's friends, everybody's looking out for each other.

Everybody would prefer to shop locally.

- [Pamela] Corrente says his town also has an atmospheric appeal, sometimes referred to as the Little Newport.

- They're definitely investing in the waterfront.

There's new people coming every day.

You know, we have the best 4th of July party in the country.

It's a good community.

You're on the water, but you're not paying Newport prices.

- [Pamela] In Bristol's downtown, Corrente owns a second restaurant on Hope Street.

Roberto's offers Italian cuisine.

Corrente says he has to travel to Providence for supplies once or twice a week.

- You definitely don't wanna be doing that at 8:30, 9 o'clock in the morning.

And maybe you're less likely to go that route.

You know, maybe on a Friday night, instead of heading to some of the great restaurants down on the hill, you might be more likely to stay in this area.

That's another reason why, you know, you probably see the trajectory going up.

We also had a couple new breweries open up, Vigilant and Pivotal.

Great places, and I'm sure that all counts in the survey.

So there's just more reason to come to Bristol, for eating and drinking.

- [Pamela] Speaking of drinks, people still seek Delekta's on Main Street in Warren, home of Rhode Island's iconic milkshake, the coffee cabinet.

- That's a Rhode Island thing, and that's enduring.

- [Pamela] Also enduring, according to Asher Schofield, the resiliency of Rhode Islanders, no matter what's coming down the road next.

- I always like to think that when you're smaller, you're nimble.

I think typically, we're pretty good, even though we might be grouchy about it, and have plenty of complaints.

I think we're pretty good about weathering the storm, and soldiering on as a citizenry.

- [Pamela] Andy says carrying on business as usual includes some humor to help cope.

- We've prided ourselves in responding to different moments in time with tongue in cheek whimsical designs.

And so right away, we released a couple of bumper stickers, one of which said, "I did not survive the bridge debacle of 2023."

We sold out of that almost immediately.

If you don't laugh, you're gonna cry.

And if we can give one small measure of stress relief for others in our community that are experiencing any difficulty, that's something, I suppose.

- Up next, contributor David Wright introduces us to some entrepreneurs in Warwick who took inspiration from the Bridge's frozen traffic to create a sweet treat.

- [David] What does ice cream have to do with infrastructure?

Inspiration, for Tom Bucci Sr. - The bridge happened and I say, "Wow, crumbling bridge, it goes with crumbling ice cream."

So I just come up with an idea of Crumbling Bridge.

I had the name, then I had to assign a flavor.

- [David] Transforming a Rhode Island eyesore into a tasty treat.

- Vanilla base ice cream, which is everybody's favorite, is vanilla, swirled with black tar fudge, and we put crumbled peanut butter rebar in it.

- And it's wild, 'cause when you drive on the bridge, and you launch a flavor after the bridge, it's like, wow, that's pretty cool.

- All righty, lead the way.

Thomas Bucci Jr. Is a fourth generation ice cream man.

This little factory in Warwick was founded by his great-grandfather in 1930.

How do I look here?

- [Thomas] You look like an ice cream man, I'll tell you that.

- [David] Family owned and operated to this day, a labor of love for father and son.

The factory features two 1,000 gallon tanks full of chilled ice cream mix.

I love the paint job.

- Yes.

We've had to paint them all, I think every part of our family has had to paint those cows.

- [David] The week after they launched Crumbling Bridge, they had a bit of a hiccup when a container ship smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

- Some people were mad about it.

Some people, most people, "Lighten up.

He's not talking about the bridge," which I'm not.

I'm talking about our bridge.

This was out before that, and you know, it's like, I'm not making fun of somebody's tragedy.

- [David] Now, crumbling Bridge is one of their most popular flavors.

- [Thomas] It's like our number two seller, next to vanilla being number one.

- [David] They also have another flavor called Bumpy Roads, poking fun at the Newport Bridge.

- Get towards the top of Newport Bridge.

I defy you to have a cup of coffee without spilling it.

It's like going over a washboard.

Espresso ice cream with chocolate cookie asphalt, broken coffee concrete chunks, topped off with marshmallow filled chocolate manhole covers.

- We love Rhode Island, and we love ice cream.

And even though it's not a good position to be in, that we're all in, you know, kind of lighten it up a little bit.

- [David] We happily sampled both flavors.

- You first.

- Here goes.

I would say it's worth a little inconvenience on the bridge to have that flavor.

You have an enviable job, my friend.

(David laughs) - Thank you.

- Warwick Ice Cream also does other flavors inspired by Rhode Island landmarks.

Among them, Dell's Lemonade, Autocrat Coffee Milk, and Moonstone Beach Vanilla.

That's their most popular one.

And now, much of the country this weekend is gripped by Final Four Fever, the NCAA basketball Championships.

More than 50 years ago, Providence College made its way to the semifinals of the tournament led by Rhode Island's own Ernie DiGregorio, affectionately known as Ernie D. Tonight, we revisit a story on the North Providence hoop hero and his illustrious career.

- [Announcer] Ernie in forecourt, spinning, going into the right corner, there's that shot from there, and in.

- [Pamela] Ernie DiGregorio, a Providence College Friars phenom.

(announcer shouting) (crowd cheering) - [Announcer] Layup is good!

- I was very creative and imaginative when I played.

I would anticipate what someone would do, and I would throw the ball ahead of them.

And that came from hours and hours of just bouncing a basketball.

- [Pamela] And a half century later, he's still bouncing a basketball, and putting up some of his trick shots.

It was 1973 when DiGregorio led the Friars to the Final Four, with skills such as this, a long court behind the back pass, that stunned the crowd.

- And like my coach Gavin used to say, it was an extension of my arm.

And so when I dribbled the ball, I didn't have to look at the ball.

I could look down there and see who was open, and I would make split second decisions, just spontaneously, instinctively, mostly.

And that's what made me a little different than everybody else.

- [Pamela] Different and legendary.

Affectionately known by fans as Ernie D, DiGregorio is enshrined in the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, and here at his alma mater.

- There's some great coaches and great players in this hall.

- Mm-hmm.

And then there's Ernie D. - [Ernie] Yeah, the little kid from North Providence who made good.

(both chuckling) (crowd chanting and clapping) - That local kid not only fired up Friar Fever, he also defied the odds.

At just six feet tall, he was selected first team all American, the number three NBA draft pick his senior year, and 1974 Rookie of the Year.

You're a little guy from a little school, from the littlest state in the union, and you went all the way to become Rookie of the Year in the NBA.

- Yeah.

- How'd you do it?

- Confidence and practice.

I knew if God gave me anything, it gave me that mindset where I knew where to go, and how to get there.

You know, when I was a little kid, I had a dream, and the dream was to be a professional basketball player.

And I think the reason I became a professional basketball player is I never listened to someone tell me I couldn't be one.

- Do you remember the point as a child that you said, "I got game"?

- When I was 12 years old, I knew I was good.

You know, I had confidence the first day I stepped on the court.

But what I did was I didn't practice shooting long three point shots.

I just stood under the basket and shot little close shots, little close shots, that I made them.

I would play eight hours a day.

And if you played one hour a day, I knew I was a better player.

So when I stepped on the court, I had confidence, and I developed a left hand and a right hand.

You put that in for 15 years, you should be a good player.

Being Rookie of the Year was a great, great, great honor because that proved to everyone that I wasn't lucky.

You can't be lucky to win that award.

You have to, you know, produce.

(crowd cheering) - [Pamela] Radio color commentator for Providence College basketball games is Joe Hassett, another former Friar who went on to play in the NBA.

He was a high school freshman at LaSalle Academy.

When DiGregorio was a PC senior, - I watched him score 30 points in a game a number of times, but he could also pass the ball and make everybody else better.

He just had a great never say die attitude, you know.

He was only six feet, but he dominated the game.

He dominated a game of giants, basically.

So everybody, every young kid who came up, wanted to be like Ernie.

You know, I said, "Okay, so you wanna play division one?

You gotta be as good as him."

And you started to play more, because you saw him play on TV a lot.

- [Announcer] Ernie D Fires and hits his first point, and it was a pretty shot.

- [Pamela] Ernie D's first pro team was the old Buffalo Braves, where he became Rookie of the Year by leading the league with assists, free throw percentages, and average 15 points a game.

Eventually traded to the LA Lakers, DiGregorio played his fifth and final year with the Boston Celtics.

What was it like to wear the Celtics jersey?

- It was a thrill because I got to play with my childhood hero, John Havlicek, who was a great teammate and a great mentor.

- [Pamela] Yet after the Celtics, and dealing with a knee injury from his days with the Braves, DiGregorio threw in his last basket.

- It wasn't fun anymore.

And so that's why I decided to retire and spend time with my four daughters, and my wife.

- [Pamela] And spending time staying close to the Providence College Friars basketball program.

DiGregorio also worked as a host at Foxwoods Casino, and did some motivational speaking.

Now he's written a book that gives a play by play of his success story, "Star with a Broken Heart".

But as the title suggests, it's not just about basketball, it's about the synergy and tragedy he experienced with his standout PC teammate, Marvin Barnes, and the legacy of PC coach, Dave Gavitt, founding force of the Big East Conference.

- He knew he had two great players, and he let us do what we could do.

- A player's coach?

- Yeah.

Oh, everybody would love to play for a coach like that.

- Every loose ball in St. Louis is ours.

(all shouting) - We used to laugh and have fun.

And I think that's what's missing a lot of times in sports today.

You know, people don't have fun.

They're just so serious and nervous and tight.

We were loosey goosey, and we just had a ball - [Pamela] DiGregorio says he and Barnes formed a bond on and off the court, a deep friendship he believes bridged the racial divide of the early 1970s.

(crowd cheering) - [Announcer] And wouldn't you know it, it was Marvin Barnes who finally got- - [Pamela] While Barnes also went on to become a Rookie of the Year and play for the pros, he was dogged by drug addiction that ultimately led to his death.

DiGregorio says they were like brothers.

- He was such a beautiful guy, and he was so special on the court.

He was so unselfish.

He was a team player.

He could rebound, he could pass.

I mean, block shots.

He was a perfect complement to what I did.

- [Announcer] Ready with the ball, beating high and low, Barnes' turnaround shot is good.

Hit him right on target.

- Then the product was so exciting that we used to sell out the Civic Center.

There'd be standing room only crowds, and we would put on a show.

We never lost a game there.

- [Pamela] DiGregorio says losing both Barnes and Coach Gavitt within a few years of each other left him with a broken heart, and he hopes his book will help it heal.

- I want their memories to be alive again.

I want people to know how special that team was.

I want people to know how great a person Marvin was, and how special Coach was in my life.

(upbeat band music playing) - [Pamela] You can still find DiGregorio at the Providence College home games where he remains a hero.

- Thank you.

- Oh, thank you.

- Oh, thank you.

- I've been waiting to meet you for 51 years.

- 51 years!

Geez.

- [Pamela] This fan, showing him a scrapbook she made of his triumphs all those years ago.

And when he looks up and sees his retired jersey in the rafters next to Marvin Barnes?

- Oh, it makes you, it gives you the goosebumps, puts tears in your eyes.

It's, you know, I lost a piece of me.

A big part of my basketball family is no longer there again, so it'll never be the same.

- [Pamela] But what remains are the memories of the era when Ernie D, Marvin Barnes, and Coach Dave Gavitt took hoops and dreams to the Final Four.

- Reality surpassed everything.

I surpassed even my wildest dreams, what we've accomplished, and the relationship, and the love and friendship we've had.

- Finally, on tonight's episode of "Weekly Insight", Michelle and our contributor, WPRI 12's politics editor Ted Nesy, discuss the future of South County Hospital.

But first, Congressman Seth Magaziner's flip flop on taking up residence in his district.

- Ted, welcome back.

It's good to see you.

Congressman Seth Magaziner made what you can call an unexpected announcement to you and your colleague, Tim White, on Channel 12's Newsmakers, which is that he is going back on a pledge that he had made that he would move into the district that he represents.

- Yes, and it did take us by surprise on the show when he joined us that day, Michelle.

Viewers will probably remember when Congressman Magaziner ran for Congress, for the seat.

Jim Langevin was vacating in 2022.

Very tight race against Republican, Allan Fung, was getting national attention.

And one of the biggest knocks on Magaziner was, "You don't live in this district," you know, "If you wanna represent us, you should live here."

And he promised to move.

He said, "I pledge, I will be moving there with my family.

It's a tough housing market.

It might take some time, but we're gonna go there."

And then last fall, right before last year's election when he was up for reelection for the first time, Tim and I actually had discovered he had quietly moved his registration, which he had moved from the first to the second, was back in the first.

And so Tim went to him, said "What happened here?

I thought you were moving."

And he said, "Well, the renovations are taking a long time."

But now he's abandoned the idea he's moving altogether.

- Let's hear what Congressman Magaziner had to say about ultimately why he decided not to move into that district.

- My wife got a new job that requires her to commute to Cambridge, about a two hour commute.

We had a new baby.

And as you noted, the house in Cranston ended up needing a lot more work than we expected.

- For people who are saying that's an about face on your campaign promise?

- Our circumstances changed.

Sometimes in life, circumstances change.

And so I have to do what's best for my family.

- And no surprise here, Rhode Island State GOP Chairman was quick to criticize Magaziner for this about face, but I think the big question is ultimately what will voters have to say about this?

- Well, right Michelle.

I mean, we should be clear.

This is legal.

You don't have to live, if you're in the US house, you don't have to live in the exact district you represent.

You just need to live in the state you represent.

And there are some other examples of lawmakers who live a little outside the district lines, but at the same time, as you said, he pledged to voters he would move.

And he has walked that back.

And so he isn't up for reelection until the end of next year in the midterms.

And so there's a long time to go before he vases voters.

But you know, I've covered politics a long time, Michelle.

It's not hard to imagine how an opponent would make a TV attack ad out of this controversy.

- Right, saying something like "Broken Promise, Seth Magaziner."

- Exactly.

We've all seen it.

Yes, exactly.

- Yeah.

Let's turn now to a topic that we've talked about a lot here on "Weekly Insight", which is healthcare, specifically the ongoing turmoil at South County Hospital.

For viewers who are not familiar, what's happening there?

- Well, so South County Hospital is something rare these days, Michelle, an independently owned and operated hospital in Rhode Island.

All the others are part of bigger systems, Rhode Island systems, or even out of state systems.

And it's always had a good reputation all the years that I've been a reporter in Rhode Island, but for months now, the hospital's executives have been facing quite a bit of criticism from outside advocates who say they're supporters of the hospital, as well as some of their own staff.

They've criticized them for alleged financial mismanagement, for being sort of imperious, and a lack of good leadership.

And it's now escalated to the point where the hospital is actually suing the advocacy group, South County Hospital, that's been putting all this pressure on them.

- And this comes as leaders in Rhode Island's healthcare sector have already been sounding the alarm about the financial strains that they're feeling.

And ultimately, they're worried about the future of the industry.

- Yes, and that's actually part of what makes this a surprising situation, Michelle, because South County, unlike most of the hospitals in Rhode Island, has a relatively large percentage of its patients who have commercial insurance, which pays better.

Attorney General, Peter Neronha has pointed that out, too.

That should have been good for its bottom line, but South County's been losing millions of dollars a year, which is why one of the reasons all this criticism has come to the fore.

I should note executives at the hospital say there's no risk it's going to close, or anything like that.

And they do argue the situation is improving, but a lot of consternation down there right now.

- Thank you Ted.

Good to see you.

- Good to be here.

- And that's our broadcast this evening.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Pamela Watts.

- And I'm Michelle San Miguel.

We'll be back next week with another edition of "Rhode Island PBS Weekly".

Until then, please follow us on Facebook and YouTube, and you can visit us online to see all of our stories and past episodes at ripbs.org/Weekly, or listen to our podcast on your favorite streaming platform.

Goodnight.

(bright music) (bright music continues) (bright music continues) (bright music continues)