Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire
  • 🏠 Home
  • ✉️ Contact
  • 🗂️ Public Records Archive

Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire
Independent Investigative Journalism for the Informed & Unafraid

Government | Crime​ | Public Safety​ | Community Events​ | Business​ | Education | Sports | Health​ 
​
National News | International News | Editorial/Opinion

News Headlines

Cumberland & RI News

Picture

Bipartisan Senate Vote Halts Procedural End-Run on Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban

In one of the most closely watched moments of Rhode Island’s 2025 legislative session, the Senate this week narrowly blocked an attempt to sidestep normal committee review of a controversial assault weapons ban, preserving Senate rules and maintaining bipartisan respect for legislative process.
 
Archive
Picture
Clara (right) pictured with her host family’s son during her exchange year in Cumberland.

🎓 Victory & Fallout: Clara Allowed to Walk After School Committee Reverses Course in Emergency Session​

After an intense burst of public pressure that erupted Tuesday evening, Cumberland school officials were forced to act within 24 hours. The School Committee voted unanimously Wednesday morning to allow a foreign exchange student, Clara, to walk in tonight’s Cumberland High School graduation ceremony.
Picture

Behind the Scores: Growing Staff Concerns Over Testing Practices in Cumberland Schools

In recent weeks, Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire has received multiple independent accounts from within the Cumberland School Department raising concerns about internal testing practices, particularly at the elementary level. While individual details vary, a consistent pattern has emerged: educators say they are being directed to implement strategies designed to boost test score performance, even if those strategies have little connection to actual instruction.
Picture

Cumberland Council Adopts FY25–26 Budget After Amendment Debate (Updated)

Editor’s Note (June 13, 2025): This article previously stated that the Council’s budget amendment was advanced for further consideration. Upon review of the June 2, 2025 Council meeting records, we confirm that the full FY25–26 General Fund Budget (Ordinance 25-10B) was adopted by a 4-3 vote that evening. The original article has been updated to reflect this final adoption. Cumberland Unfiltered remains committed to full public transparency as the budget process concludes.
Picture

Proposed FY25–26 Budget: How Cumberland Plans to Spend, Raise, and Allocate Funds

The Town of Cumberland is in the midst of public review and deliberation over its proposed municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2025–2026. Spanning operating costs for core town functions—schools, water, sewer, recreation, and general government—the budget process includes a property tax levy increase, reallocation of funds across departments, and a series of public meetings before final adoption.​
Picture

Claims of Retaliation, Climate Concerns Surface as Cumberland Schools Reject Internal Survey​

CUMBERLAND, R.I. — The Cumberland School Department is facing growing scrutiny over its handling of internal staff concerns after two separate cases emerged alleging retaliation against individuals who raised issues related to special education, student safety, and administrative accountability.​ 
Picture

Attorney General Clarifies Transparency Guidance After School Committee Vote on Sealed Minutes​

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office has issued clarification on public access laws following a May 22 vote by the Cumberland School Committee, where members declined to move forward with a proposal to review and potentially unseal previously sealed executive session minutes.
 
Picture

Cumberland School Budget Fight: Taxes Rise, Schools Get Less

May 15, 2025 Cumberland, RI – Cumberland is grappling with a major debate over school funding and taxes. The Town Council voted to lift a rule limiting tax increases to 3%, and Mayor Jeff Mutter proposed a budget that raises taxes but gives schools less than they requested. Here’s what happened, explained so you can understand it.
Picture

Cumberland’s 2027 Redistricting Plan: Addressing School Overcrowding

Cumberland’s School Committee launched talks on May 8, 2025, for a major 2027 redistricting plan, driven by BF Norton’s upcoming 255 new seats and ongoing school overcrowding. Part of the “School Committee Fallout – Redistricting” saga, the discussion targets imbalances in elementary schools (Community once over 600 students, now ~500) and middle schools (North Cumberland’s 626 vs. McCourt’s 422 in 2022). No votes were taken, but the committee’s call for planning by summer 2026 signals a long process. Despite Jason Dean posting the agenda in the Cumberland Issues and Concerns Facebook group, no one spoke at the meeting, suggesting low awareness. With busing costs (~$270,000 in 2022) and special education needs in play, this plan aims to balance schools.
Picture

Cumberland Town Council Votes 5-2 to Suspend 3% Tax Cap for One Year

Cumberland, RI – May 7, 2025 – The Cumberland Town Council voted 5-2 to pass Ordinance 25-05A, temporarily suspending the town’s self-imposed 3% tax rate cap for one year, with a sunset clause in 2026. The decision, made during a regular meeting at 7:36 p.m., followed extensive debate and public comment, primarily centered on funding needs for the school department and rising municipal costs totaling over $2 million, including school funding needs. The vote allows the mayor’s office flexibility to propose a budget exceeding the 3% cap, due for submission by May 12, 2025.
Picture

Cumberland's Redistricting Debate: A Look at the Facts, the Fallout, and the Future

CALEB MINSON, Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire Editor-in-Chief, [email protected]
​March 14, 2025

Cumberland Police Arrest Pawtucket Man for Business Break-In and Theft


Cumberland’s Water Crisis: Why Are Failing Pipes Still Being Ignored


Eggs Up Family Restaurant: Expanding a Local Legacy

Editoral

Archive
Picture

Cumberland Editorial Board to Mayor Mutter: Our Students Deserve Better

In the wake of Mayor Jeff Mutter’s decision to reject the Cumberland School Department’s FY26 funding request, the editorial board at Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire has issued a formal statement warning of the long-term consequences for students, families, and the town’s public education system. The report below reflects verified concerns raised by civic sources and is published under the newsroom’s editorial authority.


​Corrections and Clarifications
​

We strive for accuracy in our reporting. If you believe any of the information presented is incorrect or requires clarification, please contact us by email. We value your feedback and are committed to making timely updates when necessary.

Public Right to Respond Policy – If you believe a story contains factual inaccuracies or misrepresentation, you have the right to request a correction, clarification, or rebuttal. Learn how to submit a response here.
Shape Divider - Style triangle

Resources & Updates


  • About
  • Submit Press Release
  • Polls
  • Events
  • Editor's Note
<
>
📰 About Us

Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire
At Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire, our mission is to pursue the truth with transparency, courage, and a commitment to public accountability. We report on power, investigate what others won’t, and believe that a well-informed community is the foundation of a better society.
​
We are an independent, not-for-profit newsroom based in Cumberland, Rhode Island. We cover local governance, education, ethics, and fiscal accountability through fact-based, mission-driven journalism. While our focus is local, our values know no borders—and we aim to serve other communities in the future.

We don’t pretend to be perfectly neutral. In a world where even choosing what to report is seen as political, we acknowledge the weight of editorial choices. But we do promise this: our reporting is driven by facts, not agendas. We ask hard questions, follow the evidence, and publish what matters to the public—not what’s convenient for power brokers or advertisers.

🧭 Editorial Independence

As of May 26, 2025, The Wire operates as a stand-alone investigative newsroom—completely independent from the Cumberland Unfiltered Podcast. Though we share a brand umbrella, our journalism is separate in structure, oversight, and standards.
All reporting, field investigations, and editorial decisions are made under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Caleb Minson, with no involvement from podcast co-hosts, producers, or commentary teams.

Here’s what that means:

🛡 Editorial Oversight – All stories are reviewed solely by a dedicated newsroom, not podcast hosts.

🗂 Independent Infrastructure – We maintain our own feeds, sources, calendars, and editorial priorities.

🔍 Clarity of Purpose – We draw a clear line between civic journalism and entertainment, because credibility depends on it.

This structure protects the integrity of our reporting—and your trust in it.

🏛 Why We Exist

Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire was founded to fill a gap. Too many outlets avoid inconvenient truths, soften their edges, or tell stories for clicks. We exist to do the opposite: to hold local power accountable, expose the stories that shape our future, and give our community the clear-eyed reporting it deserves.

Though The Wire began as a one-person operation, it was built on values that scale: honesty, courage, and public service. We don’t chase consensus. We chase the truth.
​
“You can’t fix what you can’t see. We’re here to turn on the lights.”

At Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire, we are committed to delivering fearless, independent journalism that uncovers the truth and holds power accountable. Our reporting is guided by a strict Editorial Standards & Code of Ethics, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and integrity in every story we publish.

We believe in fact-based, investigative reporting that serves the public interest. Our journalists adhere to the highest ethical standards, including rigorous fact-checking, source verification, and a commitment to transparency. We do not compromise on objectivity or journalistic independence, and we operate free from external influence, political bias, or commercial pressure.

Our Code of Ethics ensures that every story meets the highest professional standards. We protect confidential sources, correct inaccuracies transparently, and maintain fairness in our reporting. Sensationalism has no place here—only hard-hitting, unfiltered news that matters.

As a trusted media outlet, Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire stands for truth, accountability, and fearless storytelling. We are dedicated to exposing corruption, amplifying voices that need to be heard, and delivering journalism that makes a difference.

​Unfiltered. Uncompromising. Unapologetic.

Picture
Hi, I’m Caleb Minson, the editor and founder of Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire. As a credentialed investigative journalist with the United States Press Agency (USPA), I am committed to delivering transparent, objective news that keeps our community informed.
​
In today’s media climate, even story selection can introduce bias, but I strive to present a balanced view of the events that shape Cumberland.
​
While Cumberland Unfiltered – The Wire also features opinion pieces to promote diverse perspectives, it’s important to note that these opinions reflect the authors’ views, not necessarily those of The Wire or myself.

My goal is to create a platform that values truth, encourages open dialogue, and serves the Cumberland community with integrity and honesty.

🔗 Press Credentials & Verification:
United States Press Agency (USPA) Member
USPA Press ID: US8-DEP45848
Verify My Official Press Credentials Here

​Submit a Press Release

​
Have a press release to share with Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire? Upload your document directly to our team.
Stay engaged with the latest issues shaping Cumberland! Our polls give you the opportunity to share your voice on key topics. Participate now and see how your views align with fellow residents of Cumberland.

Submit Your Opinion
​

At Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire, we believe that free speech is essential to an informed and engaged society. We welcome opinion submissions from all perspectives—whether they align with our mission or challenge prevailing viewpoints.

While guest submissions do not necessarily reflect the views of Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire, we uphold the belief that stepping outside of our echo chambers fosters critical thinking, meaningful dialogue, and a stronger community.

Let’s champion open discourse—because when ideas compete, the best ones rise to the top.
​
Submit your opinion piece by email.
🃏 The Wire’s Daily Chuckle
​
​
Start your day with a smile! Check out our daily dose of humor, and brighten up your news reading with a quick laugh.

What do you call a factory that makes okay products?
​​
​​​Answer
Cumberland Unfiltered - The Wire
News for Cumberland, Rhode Island

Contact Us:
Phone: 401-210-5076
Email: [email protected]

​ Quick Links
 Home | Legal
​​
​A Subsidy of Caleidoscope Holdings, LLC
Site powered by CLM Digital Solutions
© 2025 Cumberland Unfiltered. All Rights Reserved.
Follow Us:
Youtube
Facebook​
Picture
  • 🏠 Home
  • ✉️ Contact
  • 🗂️ Public Records Archive