Brian Jones

Latest Articles

Caught in Providence

Trouble in the capital city; Flo’s goes national; separated at birth; and more
Our partner in radio crime, Buddy "Vincent A" Cianci, has been creaming his jeans on the air recently.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | March 10, 2010

Stones arrive

Jagger as a hero-rapist
The Garden was the scene of a historical rock experience last Saturday when the Stones came to Boston. All the past fiascos staged in the hulking home of the Bruins and the Celtics are forgotten.
By KEN EMERSON AND SHEILA | December 03, 2009

Justice prevails

Suttell's supreme nomination. Plus, no E-Z Pass, and a few big nights out.
Well, it's about time people in power began taking note of who Phillipe and Jorge support, just as we jettisoned Barack Obama into the presidency after endorsing him prior to the Iowa caucus.
By PHILLIPE and JORGE | June 03, 2009

Ticket to ride

Reflections on 10 years at the Phoenix
In April 1999, two weeks after I started on the job at the Providence Phoenix , the FBI raided City Hall, formally unveiling the federal investigation that would land Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr., Rhode Island's rascal king, behind bars.
By IAN DONNIS | February 11, 2009

Why care for me, but not poor RI kids?

Priorities
On weekdays this spring, I’ve been driving from my home in Newport to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, where I lie under a fabulous machine that’s saving my life.
By BRIAN C. JONES | May 08, 2008

The end of an era at the ProJo

Rawson bridges two distinctly different eras in journalism
“They’re too contrary, too independent, and too fiercely competitive,” he told me at the time.
By IAN DONNIS | March 19, 2008

Thanks again Red Sox!

Big fat whale
Big fat whale
By BRIAN C. JONES | October 31, 2007

The art of . . .

Bach at Emmanuel, Boston Baroque’s Cosí fan tutte, Kiri Te Kanawa’s farewell to Boston
Craig Smith’s Emmanuel Music began its season with Bach, the composer it’s best known for.
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 16, 2007

Don’t you dare come after my bottled water

Rant
In a fiercely divided America, there’s one thing that the usually-correct Left shares with the almost-never Right.
By BRIAN C. JONES | September 19, 2007

The problem with teenage drivers

Reforms take a deliberate approach to improving safety
Reforms take a deliberate approach to improving safety
By BRIAN C JONES | August 20, 2007

Screwing the youth

When the budget gets tight, young people become an easy target
Wole Akinbi was 16 when someone phoned to say his best friend had been shot.
By BRIAN C. JONES | August 20, 2007

Moving target

The point of adulthood changes with the economy
The point of adulthood changes with the economy
By BRIAN C JONES | August 20, 2007

What would Guthrie say about America in 2007?

Just folks
This year’s edition of the Newport Folk Festival was almost perfect.
By BRIAN C JONES | August 15, 2007

Implementation of First Source moves forward

Citywatch
Now, the law is beginning to help substantial number of workers get jobs.
By BRIAN C. JONES | August 01, 2007

Can Carcieri deliver a reduction in the state workforce?

Talking politics
With Carcieri moving toward lame-duck status, the General Assembly remains the wild card.
By IAN DONNIS | August 01, 2007

It’s a bleak budget season — with no relief in sight

Talking politics
The reams of paper pouring from industrial-strength copying machines at the State House were still warm to the touch as they were distributed to a packed hearing room.
By BRIAN C. JONES | June 12, 2007

By | January 01, 0001

Is Carcieri already a lame duck?

The Governor is politically skillful, but his ability to deliver remains a big question
For openers, Carcieri returned to a State House devoid as ever of fellow Republicans.
By BRIAN C. JONES | June 06, 2007

Isn’t there a better term than ‘girlfriend’?

Guys and dolls
What do Rhode Island state Senator Maryellen Goodwin, Shaha Riza, Miledis Hilario, and Karla Jensen have in common?
By BRIAN C. JONES | May 30, 2007

Activists fight for arts funding in tough times

Talking politics
Overseen by General George Washington, a small army of arts advocates for funding has gathered at the State House.
By BRIAN C. JONES | May 23, 2007

RI’s last execution resonates in our current moment

Capital case
Rhode Island’s last execution was on Valentine’s Day in 1845, below Nordstrom’s shoe department in the Providence Place Mall.
By BRIAN C. JONES | May 18, 2007

PPL drama continues

Got books?
The saga of the financially stressed Providence Public Library sometimes seems like a story being written by multiple authors.
By BRIAN C. JONES | May 09, 2007

Carrying the banner

Whitehouse impresses in the nation’s capital
It is always nice to see Little Rhody looking good on the national scene.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | May 02, 2007

Rhode Island at a crossroads

This year’s budget could signal a major shift in the state’s underlying principles
Among the hundred young people at a recent State House rally was a 17-year-old high school student, who could find himself in one of two places — either in college or homeless — a year from now.
By BRIAN C. JONES | April 25, 2007

From her to eternity

The real Nico emerges on The Frozen Borderline
As a consort of the elite, Nico ruled them all.
By JAMES PARKER | April 10, 2007

Rhode Island’s billion-dollar man

Lawyer Jack McConnell took the fight to the lead paint industry
Jack McConnell grew up in modest circumstances.
By BRIAN C. JONES | February 28, 2007

How the lead paint case was won

A 'public nuisance' argument succeeded where 'product liability' has failed
Blame “Fidelma’s Wacky Idea” for Rhode Island’s victories in its landmark lead paint case.
By BY BRIAN C. JONES | February 28, 2007

Quest continues for resolution of Providence Public Library woes

Citywatch
The battle to rescue the historic Providence Public Library system from financial collapse may be nearing potential resolution.
By BRIAN C. JONES | February 28, 2007

Budget math

Who gets the short end in RI's politics of the rich and poor?
Here’s an example of Bad Robin Hood busy at work robbing the poor and giving to the rich.
By BRIAN C. JONES | February 07, 2007

Ongoing recovery

Kennedy pushes the fight for parity on mental health
Rhode Islanders at a packed State House hearing last week got a close-up look at how US Representative Patrick J. Kennedy is managing his very public struggle with addiction and mental illness.
By BRIAN C. JONES | January 24, 2007