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Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced Thursday the appointment of Deborah J. Goddard as the state's housing secretary.

Nirva LaFortune emerged on Rhode Island's political scene in 2017. That's when she won a special election to represent Ward 3 on the East Side on the Providence City Council. LaFortune brought a new perspective and she was the first Haitian-American to win political office in Rhode Island. Five years later, in 2022, LaFortune placed third while running for mayor of Providence. She now serves as executive director of City Year Providence, a nonprofit that recruits young adults for a year of service in the Providence schools. Last year, 24 City Year Providence Americorps members served full-time in six city schools, reaching thousands of students. This week on Political Roundtable, I'm going in-depth with executive director of City Year Providence, Nirva LaFortune.

Politically speaking, Richmond is a purple town with some interesting voting patterns. Donald Trump won the rural Southern Rhode Island town this year. But down the ballot, Richmond had a virtual blue wave, with Democrats dominating races for town council, school committee, and state representative.

Donald Trump's first presidency led to restrictions on funding for reproductive health organizations like Planned Parenthood and to the nomination of Supreme Court justices who two years ago struck down federal abortion rights. Gretchen Raffaa, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer of Planned Parenthood Votes Rhode Island, spoke to us about what to expect from Trump's second term, and what local reproductive rights organizations are doing to prepare.

Count me in for extra stuffing and cranberry sauce. Welcome back to my weekly column.

What could Trump's second presidency mean for reproductive health in Rhode Island? A reproductive rights advocate tells us what they expect, what they're hearing from people in our communities, and how they're preparing for the difficult fights ahead. Also, Fall River has been a Democratic stronghold politically for a century. So how did Trump and the Republicans flip it in this past election? Plus, we'll hear a studio session with two Lithuanian American siblings who have been singing traditional Lithuanian folk music for as long as they can remember. That and more on this week's show.

Under the terms of a deal announced Friday, the city must contribute an extra $15 million of funding for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years. The city is also committing to $11.5 million more in fiscal year 2026 and additional funding after that.

Turkeys are more than just a Thanksgiving meal, they're part of forest ecosystems across the country. In this episode of Possibly, we take a look at how they made a major comeback in New England after being driven to local extinction.

A report from the Brown University School of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island shows that 38% of Rhode Island households–a five year high–are experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity is more prevalent for families of color than white families, with 55% of Rhode Island Latino households and 47% of Black households experiencing food insecurity, compared with 33% of white households, according to the new report.

A loving family. Good health. Friends. An outlet for these musings. A decent crosscourt forehand. I have much for which to be personally grateful this Thanksgiving.