Mark Patinkin, who’s been a newspaper columnist for over four decades, recently wrote about the issue of hazing in schools following incidents in Newport and Smithfield, respectively. Hazing has also been the focus of an opinion piece written by BTS cohost Dan McGowan, a columnist for the Boston Globe.

Patinkin said student athletes who behave badly should be held responsible for their actions. But he also called on adults — specifically coaches — to take some ownership of what’s going on.

“Coaches have the power to be able to sit kids down and a football team or a comparable situation and say, ‘Look, if any of you haze a kid, you’re off the team,'” Patinkin said. “Coaches can do that. They have the power. And I just have to think those conversations have not been happening in Rhode Island.”

Patinkin also discussed his experience writing about the Israel-Hamas war, which included him traveling to the Middle East to interview people on both sides of the conflict. Patinkin, whose writing has leaned pro-Israel, said he’s rarely received such sharp criticism over his position.

“It was withering … but I’ll tell you, it didn’t sway me,” Patinkin said. “When you’re a columnist putting your personality out there and people disagree with you, they say, ‘You’re a disgrace to humanity,’ so it gets very personal.”

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “Stories We Wish We Wrote.”

• Records reveal R.I. pediatrician wrote more than a hundred prescriptions for his own daughter by Amanda Milkovits, Boston Globe
• Union leans on lawmakers to keep School Budget Commission on track by John Howell, Warwick Beacon

• As winter heating costs rise, so does consumer anxiety in Rhode Island, poll finds by Alexander Castro, Rhode Island Current
• BROKEN NEWS? Outlets in search of sustainable community journalism model by John Lahtinen, Providence Business News

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

The series focuses on the life of Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio, the last mob boss to lead New England’s most notorious crime family.

For decades, the Patriarca Crime Family ran a shadow government from Federal Hill, wielding power that rivaled public officials, private financiers and law enforcement on all levels.

Target 12 managing editor Tim White, 12 News chief videographer Johnny Villella and on-air marketing manager James Bartone joined host Eli Sherman to talk about the project that started nearly one year ago.

Episode 1: "The Hill" is currently streaming exclusively on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

The app is free to download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung streaming platforms and TVs.

Episode 2: "The Fugitive" airs Monday, Dec. 1.

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Joy Fox owns Beacon Media, which publishes the Warwick Beacon, Cranston Herald and Johnston Sun Rise, along with The Reminder, a weekly shopping guide. She bought the news organization last year from legendary publisher John Howell and expressed optimism about the sustainability of the local newspaper model.

"Don't count us out because I believe that the trends right now are actually coming squarely over local news," Fox said. "People really want to know what is happening at their city hall, what is happening in their schools and what's happening next door."

Fox, who started reporting in high school for the Herald, has also had a career outside media, working as a communications specialist. She worked both privately and for various government agencies and politicians, including former Gov. Gina Raimondo and Rep. Jim Langevin. (She also ran and lost for a seat in the U.S. House in 2022.)

In recent weeks, Fox's team has been looking into an issue in Cranston where there's been a proposal to end the long practice of publishing special meetings in the local newspaper. Local governments often pay to advertise meetings in local news outlets, which means the advertisements help Fox's business. But she also highlighted that doing away with such advertisements damages transparency in government, and there are questions still circling around how the proposal emerged.

"I am confident to say the Cranston Herald won't go out of business over legal ads, and that's good," she said. "To me, the larger issue is we should be increasing transparency and the ease of it for people to access information."

Later in the show, Kim and Eli discussed the "Stories We Wish We Wrote," which included a cooking segment Kim did for "The Rhode Show" ahead of Thanksgiving. Other stories included (not all mentioned on air):

• Inspector General uncovers ‘grossly mismanaged’ Pope’s Island Marina by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light
• The Last Don of Providence by the Target 12 Investigators and 12 News.

• Family disputes police account in death of Woonsocket man by Corey Plante, The Valley Breeze
• RI Energy drops plan for $150 million in winter bill discounts by Ted Nesi and Sarah Guernelli, 12 News

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.