- Ian and Ted, it's good to see you both.

Welcome.

We know the holiday season is busy enough, and now many Rhode Islanders are scrambling to secure their personal information following this major cyber attack against the state's public benefit system.

Ted, what does this mean?

We know that lawsuits have recently been filed against the vendor.

- Now, as we tape today, Michelle, I think there's just a lot of uncertainty.

This is a very important IT system.

It's everything from Snap food stamps, to Medicaid, to Health Source RI insurance.

And as we sit here, we don't know when they'll be able to turn the system back on, if these hackers will release people's personal data.

And these are often vulnerable people who are on these programs that are generally directed toward lower income people.

So, a very challenging situation.

- And it's interesting that this year and last year, Ian, were both book-ended by major stories in Rhode Island.

Of course, last year the Washington Bridge westbound was abruptly shut down.

And one year later, we can't say that we have much more new information about when a new bridge will be built.

- Exactly, Michelle, and this shows how unexpected events can become big political headaches.

It's possible the new westbound bridge could not be completed until even 2027, after the next race for governor.

- [Michelle] Wow.

- [Ian] Governor McKee and DOT Director Alviti say the state is on the right track now.

But from a political perspective, the aggravation of Rhode Islanders is already baked in because they've spent a lot of time in traffic.

And they probably have questions about why this situation developed, considering how the state set off on a massive bridge improvement program under former governor, Raimondo, back around 2015.

- So as the year comes to a close, we don't know when the new bridge will be built.

We also don't know if Hasbro will move its longstanding headquarters from Pawtucket to neighboring Massachusetts.

Will they go somewhere else in Rhode Island?

Potentially Providence?

What do you think, Ian?

What are you hearing?

- Hasbro's playing it very close to the vest, so it's hard to say.

But I think state officials would feel a lot more comfortable if Hasbro had a clear ask.

And there has not been anything like that, sparking fears that there will be a sudden announcement maybe sometime in the new year that Hasbro is decamping for Massachusetts.

Certainly a lot of elected officials, ranging from the governor to the speaker to members of Congress, have spoken with Chris Cox, the CEO of Hasbro, and encouraged him to say.

But it's really unclear if that's gonna have any effect.

- And Ted, as we sit here, another big Rhode Island based employer has been in the news, CVS.

And not for reasons that it wants to be.

- Right, it's been a difficult year for CVS.

They replaced their CEO, they've had big business challenges, significant layoffs.

And now here in December, they're suddenly being sued by the federal government.

A very damaging, I would argue, lawsuit, they're all allegations right now.

But arguing the company mishandled opioids for years with their pharmacies, with their prescribers, and everything else.

Which could also have political implications because, of course, potential gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes was a top CVS executive during part of this period.

- Sure.

We know the industry and the state has certainly had its challenges, and we'll get to that.

But I do wanna point out, hospital officials have said, look, there has been some good news this year.

And they point to the relationship between Brown University and Lifespan, and how they have deepened their relationship.

So ultimately, Ted, what does this mean for patients?

And what does this mean for the shortage that we have seen in the state with primary care doctors?

- I think it remains to be seen, Michelle.

I do think there are reasons to be more optimistic about Brown Health, formerly Lifespan, compared to where they've been in recent years.

They have a new management team who came down from Boston.

They're looking at new ways of expanding.

They just took over those steward hospitals in Fall River and Taunton.

But I also think the challenges, as you said, are very deep in terms of revenue for all health providers in Rhode Island.

So I think they're gonna continue to be challenged, this new management team.

I'm frankly curious to see how they kind of roll out this Brown health version of the health system, and what they're able to do.

- Sure, and, Ian, as you well know, it's not all rosy in the world of healthcare.

You've been doing a lot of reporting this year on the upcoming sale of Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, and our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence.

So where does that sale stand right now?

- State regulators have signed off on the terms of the sale to the Centurion Foundation, a nonprofit based in Atlanta.

And Centurion is trying to line up its financing, but there are big questions about whether this is really gonna work, because both hospitals have been losing a lot of money for years.

The plan would call for the debt to be paid back by revenue from the hospitals.

But if they're losing money, how is that gonna happen?

- We can't talk about 2024 without talking about housing, because we began this year and talk of affordable housing was the big discussion at the State House.

Ian, if you had to sum up housing in 2024 in Rhode Island, what would you say?

- I'll quote House speaker Joe Shekarchi who says, "It took a long time to get into this situation, and it's gonna take a long time to get out of it."

- [Michelle] Ted, would you echo that?

- Yeah, I mean, you know, it's amazing to me, Michelle, there's been so much talk about housing policy, far more.

There've been all sorts of laws passed, and yet when you look at the basic financial state of the housing market in Rhode Island, it's still getting more expensive.

We're now at almost half a million dollars for a single family home, over $2,000 for a new lease on an apartment.

One of the highest growth rates for rents in the country.

So I just wonder too if there's a gap between the talk from state leaders about the need for more housing, and the actual fueling of neighbors on the ground in different communities who often oppose actual proposals to add more housing.

- I feel like a common theme of 2024 is we're inching our way toward progress when it comes to housing, when it comes to a new bridge.

Okay, Ted, you and I have spent a lot of time on weekly insight this year talking about the 2024 election.

And one of the major headlines that came from that here in Rhode Island was that every city and town in the state, there were more votes for President-Elect Trump this year compared to four years ago.

And I'm curious, what does this mean for Republicans in the state going forward?

And, of course, the gubernatorial race that we have in 2026?

- I think it's a huge question now, Michelle.

Obviously the Republican Party in both renowned Massachusetts is in very challenging shape.

No statewide offices, no federal offices, and yet you saw this growth for Donald Trump.

He nearly won Bristol County, Massachusetts.

But the question I guess I have is, is this about Donald Trump or Republicans writ large?

Can other Republicans capitalize on this in 2026?

Or was this really about Donald Trump as just a unique political figure?

- My sense is President-Elect Trump is really a unique figure in American politics due to his celebrity.

And that has not translated into the Republican cause here in Rhode Island, where the GOP presence is treading water and down quite a bit from where it was even 10 years ago.

- Ian and Ted, thank you so much for being here.

Good to see you both.

- Great to be here.

- Good to be here.