Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist will undergo surgery next month for what is believed to be a benign brain tumor, the RI Dept. of Education (RIDE) announced today.

In a release sent to media, Board of Regents Chair George Caruolo said:

As you may be aware, while traveling to a conference in Atlanta on July 9, Commissioner Gist suffered a concussion. During her recovery from the concussion, medical examinations revealed that Commissioner Gist has a brain tumor that her doctors believe to be a meningioma, which are nearly always benign and not life-threatening, and the Commissioner is expected to make a full recovery. Because of the location of the tumor, the Commissioner’s doctors recommend its removal, and surgery is scheduled for late September. Until that time, Commissioner Gist will continue to fulfill her responsibilities, but she will work on a limited schedule in order to speed her recovery from the concussion, which is important in leading up to the surgery. Commissioner Gist will return to the R.I. Department of Education (RIDE) full-time after her recovery from surgery; recovery is expected to take about two months. Plans have been developed with the Commissioner to ensure that all the work of the Department will continue without interruption.

On behalf of the Board of Regents, I wish Commissioner Gist a speedy and full recovery. Our thoughts and our prayers are with her.

Governor Linc Chafee said:

Commissioner Gist is a valued member of my administration and a tremendous advocate on behalf of all Rhode Island students. I know that the Commissioner faces this challenge with a positive attitude and a tenacious spirit, which will help her make a quick recovery. Stephanie and I will keep her in our thoughts in the coming weeks, and I know that all Rhode Islanders join with us in wishing her well.

The Commissioner and her family and friends are in our thoughts at this difficult time. I'm sure that that all Rhode Islanders will join me in wishing Commissioner Gist a speedy recovery.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

Rep. Jay Edwards (D-70), whose district includes the area of Island Park affected by the closure of the Escape Bridge, has reached out to RI Dept. of Transportation (RI DOT) Director Michael Lewis for clarification on the status of this critical evacuation route, he told harddeadlines this afternoon.

In an e-mail, Edwards said that the statement published here from RIDOT's public information officer contradicted assurances he had been given by Lewis.

"That is not what Director Lewis told me on July 24. In fact, he was quite clear about it, that all they had to do was remove the Jersey barriers," Edwards said.

Edwards said he will be speaking to Lewis within the next day. "This bridge has been one of my top concerns since I was first elected," he said.

Full disclosure: I am a supporter of Jay Edwards.

The RI Dept. of Transportation confirmed this afternoon that Portsmouth's Escape Bridge is currently unusable, according to an e-mail from Chief of Information and Public Relations Charles St. Martin.

After posting the update this morning about the delay of the opening to the first week of September, I received a communication that the bridge was in fact ready to use but RIDOT was not advertising this fact. Since I had heard a similar reassurance from another public official, I reached out directly to RIDOT.

Here's what St. Martin said: "That is incorrect. The bridge in its current condition cannot be used for traffic. Should a tropical system begin an approach to Southern New England and flooding is a concern, we would take steps to prepare it for temporary use."

That statement sounds carefully couched to stop short of actually promising it would be usable. He concluded with the usual reassuring boilerplate:

"The Department will work closely with the Town of Portsmouth to make sure emergency access/egress is available for Island Park."

Full disclosure: To the two public officials who tried to reassure me: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

Completion of repairs to the Portsmouth Escape Bridge, the only egress for hundreds of Island Park families in the event of a hurricane, has now slipped to "the first week of September," according to the latest RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Community Update.

Just two weeks ago, they were predicting the bridge would be done by the end of the month. Guess I was right about the jaunty italic font.

Full disclosure: In the event of flooding, my neighbors and I would be trapped so, yes, this is personal.

The Democratic National Committee and Obama for America have officially certified Rhode Island's delegates to next month's Democratic National Convention, the state party announced today.

In a prepared statement, RI Democratic Party chair Ed Pacheco said, “When we began this process in 2011, we sought to include individuals who reflected Rhode Island’s diversity. We hosted delegate academies across our state to inform Rhode Islanders about delegate selection and we set specific goals to ensure the group we bring to Charlotte represents the Ocean State. In each and every category, we met or exceeded our goals. We are proud to include so many young people, minorities, and members of the LGBT community. We believe this delegation is the most diverse group the Rhode Island Democratic Party has ever sent to the Democratic National Convention.”

The 2012 Rhode Island Delegation

Delegation Chair:
House Speaker Gordon Fox*

District Delegates, Congressional District 1:
Gerald Carvalho, Providence
Tom Coderre, Pawtucket
Anne Connor, Barrington
Mary Alyce Gasbarro, Barrington
Julie Meyers, Pawtucket
Onna Moniz-John, East Providence
Mayor Joseph Paolino, Jr., Providence
Councilman David Salvatore, Providence
Brett Smiley, Providence
Councilwoman June Speakman, Barrington
Myrth York, Providence

District Delegates, Congressional District 2:
Representative Frank Ferri, Warwick
Patrick Fogarty, Harmony
Thomas Izzo, Cranston
Senator Joshua Miller, Cranston
Elisa Pollard, Foster
Elaine Prior, Warwick
Council President Michael Solomon, Providence
Representative Teresa Tanzi, Wakefield
Helen Taylor, Warwick
Mark S. Weiner, Warwick
Susan Weiner, East Greenwich

At-Large Delegates:
Hecmy Jose, Providence
Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Pawtucket
Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, North Kingstown
Vimala Phongsavanh, Woonsocket
General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, Providence
Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Cranston
Zoe Weiner, East Greenwich

Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official Delegates:
Senator Maryellen Goodwin, Providence
House Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello, Cranston
Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, Newport

Unpledged Party Leader and Elected Official Delegates:
U.S. Representative David Cicilline, Providence
Representative and State Party Vice-Chair Grace Diaz, Providence
U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, East Greenwich
DNC National Committeewoman Edna O’Neill Mattson, North Kingstown
DNC National Committeeman Frank Montanaro, Cranston
State Party Chairman Edwin Pacheco, Pascoag
U.S. Senator Jack Reed, Jamestown
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Newport

At-Large Alternates:
Nicole Beede, Newport
Donald Zweiter, Warwick
Vacant*

Credentials Committee Members:
Mayor Angel Taveras, Providence

Platform Committee Members:
Martha Holt Castle, North Kingstown

Rules Committee Members:
Jeffrey Padwa, Providence

Delegation Pages:
Susann Della Rosa, Rumford
Jonathan Boucher, Warwick

*To be elected by the delegation on August 29.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

This afternoon, I received an e-mail message which claims to be from Justin Katz, the Ocean State Current editor who appeared on "10 News Conference" last weekend and said that he suspected Anthony Gemma was running to lose. Here's what the feedback, from justin@justinkatz.com, said:

Just a couple of notes: I didn't "accuse" the Gemma campaign of anything. In a light-hearted way, I proposed a hypothetical and offered alternatives. And it would have been nice if you'd been more explicit that the comment on Bob's appearance was not made by me.

For some reason, I'd thought you more fair than that.

Readers who may have missed the story, go watch the video. The segment in question is at 11:04.

I've watched the clip several times. I'm not seeing anything in Mr. Katz's words that indicates he is proposing a light-hearted hypothetical. Katz makes the claim about Gemma, then follows it up with supporting evidence: that he won't attack Cicilline, is not available to the media, does strange things, and exhibits wild shifts in policy. True, he does end the his observation with "starts to make you wonder, at least for the fun of observing politics."

But journalists shouldn't get a pass on making grand speculations by ending up with "oh, that was only a light-hearted hypothetical." Saying that someone is running a campaign to lose sounds to my ears like an accusation.

And I specifically attributed the observation about Plain's appearance to a "comment on" the Ocean State Current wrap-up. Not a "comment IN the wrap-up." It's the web. We all know what a comment is.

I'll leave it to my readers to decide for themselves, but I stand by my coverage.

Click to view large PDF.

The Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge will host a re-opening ceremony of the renovated Visitor Center and new exhibits at 2pm next Friday, August 24, at 769 Sachuest Point Road in Middletown, according to a flyer from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

In addition to the ceremony which will feature snacks and refreshments, there will be exhibits and activities from noon to 5pm, including live animals, touch tanks, seining, and birding (and, of course, the always excellent trails of Sachuest Point will be just outside the doors!)

More info on the clickable PDF above. If you're attending the opening ceremony, you can RSVP to Charlie_Vandemoer@fws.gov or (401) 782-7209.

Update: Event timing updated, moved to the afternoon.

On this morning's "10 News Conference" with Jim Taricani, Justin Katz, managing editor for the conservative Ocean State Current, accused the Anthony Gemma campaign of being part of a conspiracy to help Rep. David Cicilline's run in the first congressional district. Katz was appearing with Bob Plain, the editor of the progressive blog RI Future.

At 11:04 into the video, Katz says, "Well, I always get nervous when I start to think of conspiracies, but, as an observer, it's been awfully hard not to con... to start to suspect that Gemma isn't really running so much to win as to lose and give the media writers an opportunity to write headlines like 'David Cicilline, comeback kid.'"

Katz describes what he sees as evidence in the way Gemma's campaign is run, concluding, "Perhaps it's just being badly done, but it makes you wonder."

I'm sure that the Gemma campaign will have a contrasting point of view.

FYI, if you're not following RI Future this election season, this would be a great time to start. Plain does a wonderful job at curating progressive content from around the state.

Should anyone have doubts about exactly what the "Center for Freedom and Prosperity" and "Ocean State Current" stand for, just go check out their web sites. I particularly like the comment on the Ocean State Current wrap-up of this story which criticizes Bob Plain's haircut and says that he looks like he's homeless. It's not quite 'get a job' but, wow.

Full disclosure: My writing has occasionally appeared on RI Future.

Rep. David Cicilline at Flo's Clam shack with candidates Dennis Canario (l) and Jay Edwards (and, yes, Jack!)

Congressman David Cicilline was one of the many local political figures who paid a visit to the Portsmouth Senior Center Yard Sale this morning, and the local Democratic Town Committee was on hand to welcome him.

	Portsmouth Democrats staff Senior Center Yard Sale table.

Local Dems had a prime corner table (and pop-up tent that came in handy during this morning's showers!) and sold a variety of items while also collecting signatures for the "No Tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge" petition. Rep. Cicilline stopped by around 10:30, and spent time walking around the dozen outdoor tables, talking with residents.

Local candidates were on hand as well, including Dennis Canario (70), Jay Edwards (D-71), Town Council hopefuls Fred Faerber, Len Katzman, and Molly Magee and School Committee candidates Emily Copeland and Andrew Kelly. (You can read about all the local candidates at PortsmouthRIDemocrats.com.)

Congressman Cicilline then spent some time canvassing with Canario and Edwards, before stopping at local Island Park landmark Flo's Clam Shack for lunch.

Full disclosure: Yes, that's my son in the picture with Rep. Cicilline at Flo's.

If you want to vote in the September 11 primary in Rhode Island, this Sunday, August 12 is the deadline for new registrations, moves, or name changes, and the Portsmouth Town Hall will be open from 8:30am to 4pm. You can save time by downloading a registration form, and you can find more info on the very helpful RI Secretary of State web site.

Secretary of State Ralph Mollis also announced in an e-mail today that the main office at 148 West River St., Providence, will be open from 8:30am to 4pm if that is more convenient than Town Hall. "We are working with every city and town to ensure that everyone who is interested in voting in September's primary knows where to go and what to do in order to be properly registered before the deadline," Mollis said in the e-mail.

If you're a regular reader and registered Democrat, you know that I think we should all be supporting our endorsed slate of School Committee candidates locally (that's Terri Cortvriend, Andrew Kelly, and Emily Copeland).

At the Congressional level, I hope you'll join me in supporting our sitting Rep. David Cicilline, who is also facing a primary challenge.

I'll have more to say about the races as we get closer to September. But for now, if you're not registered, please get on down to Town Hall on Sunday.

Full disclosure: I am a member of the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee.