RI Daily

The Wire

The island, unfiltered. Sharp opinion pieces that connect the dots others won’t. Bold takes from Roosevelt Island’s tangled roots.

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When the Air Changes

Mar 16, 2026 Theo Gobblevelt

Eleanor Rivers' article highlights the personal impact of construction and environmental changes on residents of Roosevelt Island, focusing on the experience of altered air quality. In contrast, another piece questions the lack of documentation regarding the…

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Feb 18, 2026 Representation Is a Verb; CB8 meeting is tonight Eleanor Rivers’ recent piece, When Representation Was the Promise, does something deceptively simple. It reminds us that representation was once spoken about…

Feb 2, 2026 Howard Polivy Was Always There Eleanor Rivers' essay on Howard Polivy depicts a troubling portrait of institutional continuity. Polivy exemplifies a governance strategy where consistency outweighs dissent,…

Dec 1, 2025 M and F Train Realignment: What Roosevelt Islanders Need to Know Roosevelt Island residents woke up this week to a new kind of uncertainty. Not a tram outage, not a ferry delay, and…

Jul 7, 2025 Cracks in the Island: Public Purpose Funds The resignation of RIOC board member Ben Fhala spotlighted transparency issues surrounding public purpose funds on Roosevelt Island. Investigative articles revealed favoritism…

Jun 24, 2025 RIRA: From Civic Powerhouse to Rebuilding Chapter Once the heartbeat of Roosevelt Island civic life, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) is in the midst of something it hasn’t…

Jun 3, 2025 Is RIVAA Double-Dipping the Public Purpose Funds? The Public Purpose Fund plays a crucial role in supporting essential services on Roosevelt Island, yet concerns have arisen regarding the distribution…

Jun 2, 2025 Why Are RIOC Board Meetings So Tightly Controlled? The recent board meetings of RIOC have been criticized for resembling a scripted performance rather than a genuine public forum, with limited…

May 29, 2025 Why Every Government Agency Needs a Real Treasurer The treasurer role in government agencies is crucial for financial accountability and transparency. If treated merely as symbolic, it undermines public trust.…

May 13, 2025 Frank Farance vs. the Drift Re-anchoring Roosevelt Island’s Civic Power “If residents aren’t at the table, we’re on the menu.”— Frank Farance, paraphrased from three decades of…