When the U.S. team in the America’s Cup preliminary regatta takes to the waters off Barcelona on Thursday, it will be a Newport resident and University of Rhode Island graduate coaching the crew.

Tom Burnham grew up sailing in Orange, Connecticut. In his senior year of high school, already competing at the international level, Burnham raced in the 420s championship in Yugoslavia, where his teammates included some URI sailors who sang the university’s praises.

More: Mark Patinkin: When the America’s Cup was a huge deal around here

“I’ve sailed all my life. I was never a standout superstar but I was always involved in sailing and loved sailing,” Burnham said from Barcelona, Spain, as American Magic prepares for the 37th America’s Cup, which starts Thursday with the preliminary regatta. “It was one of the main reasons I went to URI, frankly. And the sailing team was really good at the time.”

In his four years at Kingston, the sailing team won several national championships and reached the World Collegiate Keelboat Championships (also called the Student Yachting World Cup) all four years. In 1990, the Rams became the only U.S. team to win the World Cup. It’s a distinction they still hold 34 years later.

In 1997, Burnham was living in Newport, doing some coaching and taking care of people’s boats, when he got an invitation to go out for a day with America’s Cup challenger Young America, which was training in nearby Quonset Point. That turned into a job that started a 10-year run of competing in the America’s Cup, including two campaigns with the Italian team, Luna Rossa. In 2017, he returned to the America’s Cup as head coach of Sweden’s Artemis Racing.

He was hired about two years ago to coach the New York Yacht Club American Magic, with a goal to win the 37th America’s Cup, returning the Cup to the yacht club that held it for 132 years. The mission starts Thursday, when American Magic gets its first close-up look at the four challengers — Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and France – and defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand in preliminary regatta. The racing starts for real Aug. 29 with the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin regatta. The regatta’s winner will face New Zealand for the America’s Cup, starting Oct. 12.

In those two years readying for the Cup, American Magic has put together its eight-man crew and substitutes and built a brand new AC75, the 75-foot-long monohull racing yacht that the Cup adopted in 2021. The yacht – Patriot – was the work of the club’s more than 40 engineers, about a third of the club’s total workforce. Patriot was built in Portsmouth at the yacht club’s manufacturing facility and flown to Barcelona on a cargo plane.

“The whole technology, construction, and design side is really a big part of the program with America’s Cup teams,” he says. “So that’s really exciting.”

Asked about his role as head coach, his first thoughts go to creating an inclusive team atmosphere.

“My real goal, my focus as a coach, is to create the environment for learning … where people feel comfortable asking questions and allowing themselves to be open to input, feedback and learning together,” he says.

As the crew practices off the Port of Barcelona, Burnham coaches from a chase boat, following behind Patriot and communicating directly with its crew. When racing begins, he will be in the chase boat, but stationed to the side of the race course and not allowed communication with Patriot.

“That’s part of the reason why fostering this atmosphere and getting guys to work together and problem-solve is so important,” he says. “They have to be self-reliant and deal with things as they come up while they’re racing.”

Asked to handicap the Cup, Burnham starts with his standard line: It will be close and come down to execution on race day.

But he adds: “I certainly like our sailing team … and I think the boats are going to be relatively similar. There are going to be some boats that have better days than others in terms of wind conditions. There might be some teams that are great in heavy air but not so good in light air. These are all things we’re going to find out in the next couple of weeks.

“I think that we’re doing well and we’re in a good place, but I’m certainly not overconfident about it either.”

Rhode Island Medical Imaging and its 90 physicians have agreed to join independent practice coalition Strategic Radiology, the two announced Wednesday.

Around for over 80 years, RIMI has a network of 16 private diagnostic imaging facilities overseen by its staff of subspecialized radiologists. The practice also performs procedures and interprets images for 10 Rhode Island hospitals and one more in Massachusetts.

Practice President John Pezzullo, MD, said Rhode Island Medical Imaging made the decision to help preserve its autonomy.

“RIMI is proud to join the Strategic Radiology community and is committed to continuing as a physician owned and operated independent practice,” Pezzullo, an associate professor of diagnostic imaging at Brown University, said in a statement. “In becoming part of this esteemed organization, we not only expect to strengthen our independent practice model by taking advantage of SR’s operational efficiencies, but also contribute to the future success of the organization by sharing best practices.”

Rhode Island Medical Imaging is currently developing a peer learning program and maintains a “sophisticated” quality infrastructure, Strategic Radiology noted. The American College of Radiology has recognized its outpatient offices as Centers of Excellence, and the ACR and Joint Commission have accredited the academic and community hospital radiology departments RIMI serves.

“RIMI’s commitment to quality patient care, independent practice, and the future of the specialty are private practice hallmarks shared by all Strategic Radiology members,” Scott Bundy, MD, chair and CEO of Strategic Radiology, said in the same statement.

The practice reached its considerable size, in part, through acquisition, adding Radiology Associates and its three locations in 2015.

Strategic Radiology now represents over 40 privately owned, independent practices employing 1,800-plus physicians. Most recently, Wake Radiology in Raleigh, North Carolina, and its 60 rads joined SR earlier this month.

Here is its full list of members:

1. Advanced Radiology Services, Grand Rapids, Mich.
2. ARA Health Specialists, Asheville, N.C.
3. Carolina Radiology Associates, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
4. Casper Medical Imaging and Outpatient Radiology, Casper, Wyo.
5. Catawba Radiology Associates, Hickory, N.C.
6. Chesapeake Medical Imaging, Annapolis, Md.
7. Delaney Radiology, Wilmington, N.C.
8. Gaston Radiology, Gastonia, N.C.
9. The Hill Medical Corporation, Pasadena, Calif.
10. Hot Springs Radiology Services, Hot Springs, Ark.
11. Huron Valley Radiology, a division of Advanced Imaging Alliance; Ann Arbor, Mich.
12. IntelliRad Imaging, Miami.
13. Intercity Radiology, Bozeman, Mont.
14. Mecklenburg Radiology Associates, Charlotte, N.C.
15. Mountain Medical Physician Specialists, Salt Lake City.
16. Naugatuck Valley Radiological Associates, a division of Advanced Imaging Alliance, Waterbury, Conn.
17. Northwest Radiologists, Bellingham, Wash.
18. Northwest Radiology, Indianapolis.
19. Pacific Imaging Associates, Portland, Ore.
20. Quantum Radiology, Atlanta.
21. Radiologic Medical Services, Iowa City, Iowa.
22. Radiology Associates, Corpus Christi, Texas.
23. Radiology Associates, Jeffersonville, Ind.
24. Radiology Associates, Eugene, Ore.
25. Radiology Associates of Albuquerque, N.M.
26. Radiology Associates of Macon, Ga.
27. Radiology Associates of North Texas, Dallas.
28. Radiology Associates of Richmond, Va.
29. Radiology Associates of Tallahassee, Fla.
30. Regional Diagnostic Radiology, Sartell, Minn.
31. Rhode Island Medical Imaging, Warwick, R.I.
32. Riverside Radiology Medical Group, Riverside, Calif.
33. Rome Radiology Group, Rome, Ga.
34. Skagit Radiology, Mount Vernon, Wash.
35. Southern Radiology Consultants, Baton Rouge, La.
36. Summit Radiology, Fort Wayne, Ind.
37. Tower Imaging Medical Group, Santa Monica, Calif.
38. Triad Radiology Associates, Winston-Salem, N.C.
39. United Imaging Consultants, Mission, Kan.
40. Wake Radiology, Raleigh, N.C.
41. X-Ray Consultants, a division of Advanced Imaging Alliance, South Bend, Ind.

There was not a second “calamari comeback” during the ceremonial roll call vote at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday.

The fried delicacy included in Rhode Island’s nominating presentation stole the show from the 2020 virtual roll call vote that nominated then candidate Joe Biden.

A reappearance from chef John Bordieri was highly unlikely since the Associated Press reported in June that the so-called “calamari ninja” was a supporter of then President and 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz won the ceremonial roll call that mirrored the party’s virtual vote held on August 6.

The roll call included an appearance by Atlanta rapper Lil’ John.

The Democratic National Committee convention is in Chicago through Thursday where Harris is scheduled to formally accept the party’s nomination for the 2024 Election.

Democratic convention live updates: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama set to take the stage

How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

When and where is the Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second time.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC announced nightly themes for the convention. The title of the convention is “For the People, For Our Future.”

Here are the themes for each night:

• Monday: “For the People”
• Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”
• Wednesday: “A Fight for our Freedoms”
• Thursday: “For our Future”