Amid word from the state police that further arrests are expected in the probe related to alleged drug-dealing by three Providence police officers, Mayor David Cicilline maintains the department is vastly improved from the time when he took office in 2003.

The political problems of New York Governor David Patterson led seven Newseek staffers to make their respective cases for which state is most corrupt. Former WRNI staffer Nancy Cook writes about Rhode Island:

There's a long connection between Providence Mayor David Cicilline and Angel Taveras, one of the Democrats hoping to succeed him at City Hall. During the September 2002 Democratic primary that effectively ushered in the Cicilline era in Providence, Taveras, a lawyer, helped lead the response to concerns about possible voting irregularities. More recently, Cicilline appointed Taveras to a position on the Providence Housing Court (which Taveras left shortly before launching his run). So it wouldn't be surprising if Cicilline eventually joined the litany of crosstown politicos lining up behind Taveras.

Governor Carcieri discusses a wide range of topics in a session with Scott MacKay, Ian Donnis and Maureen Moakley on WRNI's Political Roundtable Friday. The conversation ranges from Rhode Island's troubled economy to the red ink in the state budget to his biggest regret in his seven years as governor. Roundtable runs every Friday on Morning Edition at 5:40 and 7:40. The show is also posted at the WRNI website, WRNI.org.

What a difference a few weeks make. The AP's Ray Henry reported the following earlier today:

The head of a troubled Rhode Island school that fired all its teachers has agreed to use a mediator in upcoming negotiations with the teachers' union.

Burrillville State Rep. Ed Pacheco is emerging as the consensus choice for state Democratic chairman, according to State House sources.

Pacheco, 29, a URI grad, is a passionate young representative who is loyal to the new House Speaker, Rep. Gordon Fox of Providence. Bill Lynch, the veteran Democratic chairman, left the post to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in the 1st District.

In the first byproduct of Myrth York's decision to forego a run for mayor and endorse Angel Taveras, Taveras has picked up endorsements from two key East Side political players -- State Sen. Rhoda Perry and State Rep. Edith Ajello.

WRNI has learned that former State Sen. Myrth York is not running for Providence mayor and will endorse Angel Taveras in the 2010 mayoral election. York's endorsement is important because she  is popular on the vote-rich East Side.The York endorsem4ent is a big boost to the campaign of Taveras. While York was unsuccessful  in her three campaigns for governor, she always ran well in  Providence.

Speaking of baseball, the national pastime hereabouts is most commonly associated with the Red Sox and the PawSox, Boston's top minor league team. But baseball has a long history in the Ocean State, and Fifty-nine in '84, a book due to be published next week by Providence Journal editorial columnist Edward Achorn, shines a light on Old Hoss Radbourn's record-setting 1884 season with the Providence Grays.

The Providence Journal has gone outside the newspaper to hire a new Boston Red Sox beat writer. Taking the job that is vacant due to the departure of Joe McDonald for ESPN is Brian MacPherson, who has covered the team for the New Hampshire Union Leader.