GoLocal LIVE Team

GoLocal is expanding its coverage of everything local.

Now, every morning, the 6:00 a.m. email will include 27 percent more articles and videos.

Latest Expansion for GoLocal

In February, the company launched GoLocal LIVE — the daily two-hour broadcast with the biggest newsmakers in Rhode Island and experts from around the world.

GoLocal produces as many as two dozen local articles and videos everyday. As a result, GoLocal expanded the coverage in the morning Eblast which is distributed to 49,000 each morning.

“Last week our guests on GoLocal LIVE included one of the top security experts in the UK on the London bombings, we talked with top French journalist Jean Lesieur just hours after the attack at Notre Dame Cathedral — we are changing local journalism to be live and immediate,” said Josh Fenton, Co-Founder and CEO of GoLocal.

GoLocal is committed to providing best in class analysis, great community coverage, and insights into national and global events and how these events impact Rhode Island.

To receive the daily, 7 days a week morning e-blast at no cost – please sign up here.

Rickman’s Big View

It all starts today — Civil Rights leader Ray Rickman will begin broadcasting a weekly opinion segment every Thursday on GoLocal LIVE. It is called, “Rickman’s Big View.”

He has been one of Rhode Island’s leaders in government, human rights, and issues of equality for more than 30 years.

Each week, Rickman offers his insights and opinion on the issues that matter most to Rhode Island, the country, and the world.

He is the co-founder of the non-profit Stages of Freedom and heads the public affairs firm — The Rickman Group. He is a former State Representative and Deputy Secretary of State for RI.

Watch or listen every week at 4:00 p.m. on GoLocal LIVE on Facebook Live, GoLocalProv.com or YouTube.

Former Providence Journal Editorial Editor

Bob Whitcomb has achieved a remarkable career as a journalist — one that includes serving as the Editor of the Editorial Page at the Providence Journal, as the Finance Editor of the International Herald Tribune in Paris, and as an editor and writer at The Wall Street Journal in New York.
Starting on Wednesday, Whitcomb joins GoLocal and will be writing a weekly column titled Digital Diary.

“It is a real privilege to have Bob join the team at GoLocal. For years, Bob has been one of the most influential figures in New England and his editorials have been an important part of the public dialogue in Rhode Island,” said Josh Fenton, CEO and Co-Founder of GoLocal24.

In addition to his remarkable career as print editor and writer, Whitcomb has worked in all major print and electronic media. This has included co-hosting a public-affairs show on an ABC-TV affiliate and being a frequent contributor on radio engagements. The editor of several books, he co-wrote Cape Wind, from which the movie Cape Spin was made. He has also done extensive writing over the years for national magazines, such as Newsweek, Pacific Standard and The Weekly Standard, as well as editing and writing international newsletters.

Whitcomb Today

Whitcomb was the member secretary of the Aga Khan University Media Thinking Group, whose work helped lead create the university’s Graduate School of Media and Communications, serving the developing world and based in Nairobi.

His current work includes being a partner and senior adviser at Cambridge Management Group, a national healthcare consultancy; overseer of newenglanddiary.com; managing editor of the Boston Global Forum; blogger for The Huffington Post; fellow of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy; chairman of the Providence Committee on Foreign Relations, and president of Guard Dog Media, which publishes The Boston Guardian, a weekly newspaper.

He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and has a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, with a fellowship in economics. He lives in Providence, and is married with two grown daughters.

Read his first column here.

Raymond Patriarca ruled New England organized crime for nearly fifty years.

For the past year, GoLocal reporters and editors have been working to gain access to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) file for one of America’s most infamous criminals and one of Rhode Island’s notorious favorite sons – Raymond Patriarca.

Raymond Patriarca

Launching on August 3, 2015 and continuing over the next few months, GoLocal will be releasing the FBI files in segments – with expert insights and related documents – each Monday.  This weekly series is being called, “The Patriarca Papers.”

From the 1940’s to the 1990’s, New England organized crime was led by Patriarca (who died in 1984), and then by his son Raymond “Junior” Patriarca.

Patriarca not only dominated New England, but by many accounts was one of the most influential criminals in America.  There has long been an urban myth that Patriarca was the foundation for Don Corleone’s character in Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” – and after reading this dossier on Patriarca, the event and characters often seem remarkably similar.

“I first met Raymond when he was held on ‘accessory to murder’ charges in 1981 but as a result of a heart ailment, he was admitted to Miriam Hospital. I spent a night or two with him at the hospital. The manner in which he carried himself and his mere presence was that of an old school mobster. He exuded confidence,” said Brendan Doherty, former Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

FBI files unveil hundreds of connections, alleged crimes and business partners of Patriarca that have never been disclosed before in such detail.  The Patriarca Papers are a tour of New England, and these files bring forward alleged connections to high level politicians, a tie into one of New England’s favorite amusement parks, and linkage to one of the region’s biggest bankers, to name just a few of the elements in the files.

The FBI materials begin in 1954 and continue into the 1980’s, and these files tell such tales as paying off an aide to the Governor of Massachusetts to get pardoned, Patriarca’s involvement in a prison break that lead to two prison officials being murdered, and his early days of violence.

The stories about Raymond Patriarca range from condemnation about his violence to praise for his commitment to the Federal Hill neighborhood.

The Patriarca Crime Family Dominated New England for Nearly 50 years

“I did meet him (Patriarca), when I was campaigning on Federal Hill,” said Arlene Violet, former Rhode Island Attorney General, in an interview with GoLocal. “I don’t know if he stepped out of his office because he knew I was on the hill, but I literally almost bumped into him.”

‘Hiya, Sister’ he said,” continued Violet. “You’re no brother,’ I responded.”

Nearly 10,000 Pages

Starting in 2014, GoLocal began the process of securing nearly 10,000 pages of FBI documents. In May of 2015, the FBI approved GoLocal’s request for the files and transferred hundreds of individual files containing nearly ten thousand pages of FBI memos and official bureau documents. Correspondingly, the FBI withheld hundreds of pages.

On many pages, the Bureau has redacted some information.  Names of those interviewed, the identity of some of the FBI’s Special Agents (SA), and other information has been blocked out. However, in the preparation of the presentation of The Patriarca Papers, it many cases names and information in one section of the files was found to be disclosed later in the material.

Analysis of the Files – Leading Experts

Along with the upcoming weekly presentation of the files, GoLocal will provide expert analysis from a range of top law enforcement and criminal attorneys, including former RI State Police Superintendent Brendan Doherty, Criminal Defense Attorney Artin Coloian, and former Rhode Island Attorney General Arlene Violet as well as many others.

GoLocal will also be providing a glossary of terms and a list of major characters during the course of series and each will be updated weekly.

Access to the FBI Files

Pursuant to federal law, GoLocal filed for the release of the FBI file pertaining to Patriarca. The Freedom of Information Act allows any person—except fugitives, federal agencies, and foreign intelligence agencies—to request information about “organizations, businesses, investigations, historical events, incidents, groups, or deceased persons.”

The FBI notified GoLocal that the request was being granted approximately three months after the request was filed. The files were received by GoLocal a number of months later. Since May, GoLocal has been digitizing the files for presentation.

The series is previewed on July 28, 2015 and runs weekly each Monday on both GoLocalProv.com and GoLocalWorcester.com

The series is sponsored by the Chow Fun Food Group.

GoLocal24, a rapidly growing digital local news and information company, is acquiring the hyper-local digital media company WhatsUpNewp.com – the site dedicated to everything Newport, RI. The site generates more than 50,000 unique visitors per month.

GoLocal24’s 1st Acquisition and 4th site

The move marks GoLocal24’s first acquisition and comes just a few months after expanding to the West Coast and launching in Portland, OR.

In addition, GoLocal24 has named Ryan Belmore Vice President of New England Partnerships. Belmore will be responsible for expanding GoLocal’s network of partnerships and content. He also is an experienced expert in social media and event management. He recently managed Digital and social media for the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover, an event that was visited by over 125,000.

“Ryan Belmore is one of the most talented people in digital media in the region. He has built a digital company that both thrives with content and has successfully driven revenue,” said Josh Fenton, CEO and Co-Founder of GoLocal24. “Ryan is the rare blend of content and commerce – he really understands how consumers get their information and how businesses need to reach them.”

GoLocal24 has been delivering news and information to Rhode Island consumers since the company was founded in 2010. The company launched GoLocalWorcester in 2012. In September of 2014, GoLocal24 launched GoLocalPDX.com.  Combined, the three platforms now deliver in excess of 11.9 million page views per month and over 1.1 million unique visitors monthly.

Vice President of Partnerships

For GoLocal24, the acquisition marks the third site in New England – GoLocalProv, GoLocalWorcester and now the Newport site. Newport has been a strategic focus for GoLocal and an advertising hub. This acquisition expands GoLocal’s focus on Newport and Southern Rhode Island.

“GoLocal24 is one of the most dynamic digital companies in the United States. Their ability to drive the news cycle is unmatched,” said Belmore. “We are excited to be a bigger and bigger part of being the primary news source for New Englanders.”