{{short description|American journalist}} {{About|the American journalist|the German soldier|List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (W)}} {{infobox person |name=Herbert Weiss |birth_name=Herbert P. Weiss |birth_date={{birth date and age|1954|6|25}} |birth_place=Dallas, Texas, U.S. |alma_mater=Hillcrest High School<br>University of Texas at Austin<br>North Texas State University<br>University of Maryland, Baltimore County |occupation={{flatlist| *Author *journalist }} |spouse=Patricia S. Zacks (D'Angelo) |children=2 |parents=Frank Weiss<br>Sally Weiss }} '''Herbert "Herb" P. Weiss''' (born June 25, 1954) is an American author and journalist. He is best known for his work as a writer and as an arts and cultural ambassador for the city of Pawtucket.
== Early life and education ==
Weiss was born on June 25, 1954, in Dallas,<ref>{{cite web|title=Power Player|url=https://www.golocalprov.com/news/powerplayer-pawtuckets-herb-weiss|publisher=GoLocalProv}}</ref> Texas to the late Frank and Sally Weiss.<ref>{{cite web|title=obituary|url=https://obits.dallasnews.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=sally-weiss&pid=137075402|publisher=Dallas News}}</ref> In 1972 he graduated from Hillcrest High School<ref>{{cite web|title=Hillcrest Highschool|url=https://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Hillcrest_High_School_Panther_Yearbook/1972/Page_451.html|publisher=Yearbook}}</ref> and went on to receive a bachelor's degree in psychology with a social work certificate from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|title=U Texas Graduates|url=https://northtexan.unt.edu/class-note/herb-weiss|publisher=North Texas University}}</ref> Later he received a master’s of Arts in Aging Studies in 1979 from North Texas State University.<ref>{{cite web|title=Government Advocate to Help Grow Arts|url=https://staging.pbn.com/arts-need-government-advocate-to-help-grow-local-jobs91496/|publisher=Providence Business News}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Weiss also completed 24 credits of a doctorate in public policy and aging from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 1980 to 1985.
== Journalistic career ==
Weiss published his first article in 1980 on aging.<ref>{{cite journal|date=September 1980|title=An AIT's View of the Word|journal=Contemporary Administrator for Long Term Care|issue=September 1980|page=2}}</ref> and worked as a journalist for over 45 years. He has authored or co-authored more than [https://herbweiss.blog/list-of-publications/ 1,111 articles] on aging, health care and medical issues. Weiss’ columns regularly appear in newspapers throughout Rhode Island<ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=http://warwickonline.com/browse.html?search_filter=herb+weiss,|publisher=Warwick Beacon}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=http://cranstononline.com/browse.html?archive_search=1&content_source=archive&search_filter=herb+weiss&search_filter_mode=and|publisher=Cranston Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=https://seniordigestnews.com/?s=herb+weiss|publisher=Senior Digest News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Ammachi: Holy Woman Draws Hundreds to Bryant," August 6, 1995 Cover Story in the Sunday Brunch Section, Providence Journal; "Arts Districts Cost Effective Way to Enhance Economy," April 22, 2008, Providence Journal, "My Turn: Ballpark Changes Equation for Pawtucket," April 7, 2018, Providence Journal; "Buy Locally: Keep Cash in the Economy," December 22, 2010, Providence Journal|publisher=Providence Journal}}</ref> and news blogs.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weiss|first=Herb|date=June 11, 2019|title=Herb Weiss: Religious groups urge House to combat antisemitism and racism|url=https://upriseri.com/2019-06-11-herb-weiss/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|date=8 May 2015 |url=https://www.rifuture.org/author/hweissri/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=You searched for herb weiss|url=https://rinewstoday.com/search/herb%20weiss/|website=RINewsToday.com}}</ref> He writes a weekly “Age Beat” commentary covering issues that impact America’s baby boomers and seniors, published in the Pawtucket Times<ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/search/?sd=desc&l=25&sort=relevance&f=html&t=article%2Cvideo%2Cyoutube%2Ccollection&app=editorial&nsa=eedition&q=herb+weiss|publisher=Pawtucket Times}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> and Woonsocket Call.<ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=https://www.woonsocketcall.com/search/?sd=desc&l=25&sort=relevance&f=html&t=article%2Cvideo%2Cyoutube%2Ccollection&app=editorial&nsa=eedition&q=herb+weiss|publisher=Woonsocket Call}}</ref> The American College of Health Care Administrators recognized his work with 1994 and 1999 National Journalism Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Herb Weiss|url=https://achca.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/Awards/award%20winners%201991-2015.pdf}}</ref> He received the 1998 Distinguished Alumnus award from the Department of Applied Gerontology at the University of North Texas in 1998, and the AARP Rhode Island’s 2004 Vision Award.<ref>{{cite journal|title=2004 Vision Award|journal=AARP Connections Rhode Island|volume=Winter 2004|page=1}}</ref>
In 2024, the RI Minority Task Force honored him for his years of coverage of aging issues in Rhode Island.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aging Expert Weiss Receives RIMETF Founder Award |url=https://www.woonsocketcall.com/news/aging-expert-weiss-receives-rimetf-founder-s-award/article_df632a62-9be9-11ef-b059-e7c4cfef2bf4.html |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Woonsocket Call |date=November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> From 1983 to 2009, Weiss has served on the editorial advisory boards of the following publications covering long-term care: The Brown LTC Quality Letter (1993); McKnight’s LTC News (1992–2000); Aging Network News (1991–1993); The Journal of Long Term Care Administrators (1985–1995); and Contemporary Long Term Care (1983–1990). In January 1997, McKnight’s LTC News named Weiss one of its “100 Most Influential People” in the Long-Term Care industry.<ref>{{cite journal|date=January 1997|title=100 Most Influential People|journal=McKnight's LTC News|volume=18|page=14}}</ref> Since 2018, Weiss has been a member of the Order of the Occult Hand.
Weiss oversaw editorial content for seven nationally published trade newsletters and newspapers. These include Founding Editor of Aging Network News (1985 to 1988); editor of three medical-related national newsletters on CPT and CPR coding, as well as Medicare reimbursement issues for physicians (1988 to 1990); editor of Senior Law Report and Marketing to Seniors (1990-1991); managing editor of Brown LTQ Quality Letter (1993); the Blackstone Valley beat for the Providence Journal (1994) and Founding Editor of Senior Living, now called Prime Time (1997 to 1998).
Weiss also covered Capitol Hill writing the Capitol Report for The Journal of Long Term Care Administration (later renamed Balance) from 1990 to 1998, and Washington Report for Contemporary Long Term Care from 1986 to 1987. As a journalist, he was accredited by the [https://pressgallery.house.gov/ House Press Gallery] (1987, 1988, 1990, 1991) to cover Congress.
In 2025, the James P. Adams Library at Rhode Island College created a collection titled Herbert P. Weiss Papers to house all of Weiss' published articles, reports, newsletters and newspapers he has edited. Covering over 45 years of reporting on health care and medical issues, the collection is available to students and researchers nationwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Honoring a Lifelong Advocate|url=https://agefriendlyri.org/honoring-a-lifelong-advocate-herb-weisss-archive-at-ric-captures-45-years-of-aging-focused-journalism/ |publisher=Age Friendly RI}}</ref>
== Books ==
In 2014, Weiss co-edited an e-book with Dr. Nancy Carriuolo, then president of Rhode Island College, detailing the emails of Richard Walton, a well-known Rhode Island social activist. In 2016, Weiss published a collection of his articles for seniors called Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly.<ref>{{cite web|title=Columnist Weiss Pens Book|url=http://www.pawtuckettimes.com/news/times-columnist-weiss-pens-book/article_8156337c-9a2d-11e6-ab0e-fb47a199ddb7.html|publisher=Pawtucket Times}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=East Siders in the Know October 2016|url=http://eastsidemonthly.com/stories/east-side-in-the-know-october-2016,20775|publisher=East Side Monthly}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
Weiss has published two sequels of his collected articles, one in 2021 called Taking Charge, Volume 2: More Stories on Aging Boldly<ref>{{Cite web |title=On getting older, he wrote the book |url=https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/on-getting-older-he-wrote-the-book/article_a6dd68de-508c-11ec-a855-8b00fd9fdda6.html |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=Pawtucket Times |language=en}}</ref>
In 2025, Taking Charge, Volume 3: Lots More Stories on Aging Boldly was published.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Read It and Recap |url=https://www.mcknights.com/daily-editors-notes/read-it-and-recap/|access-date=2025-06-11 |website=McKnights |language=en}}</ref>
== Municipal career ==
On January 4, 1999, Weiss was charged by Pawtucket, RI Mayor James E. Doyle<ref>{{cite web|title=City of Pawtucket|url=http://www.pawtucketri.com/planning-redevelopment|access-date=5 January 2020|archive-date=12 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112142154/http://pawtucketri.com/planning-redevelopment|url-status=dead}}</ref> with oversight of the city of Pawtucket’s newly established 307-acre Arts and Entertainment District. Over the years, he has been a driver of Pawtucket’s arts-oriented development strategy.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kari|first1=Kline|title=They Make Art for Pawtucket's Sake|journal=The Slater Trader|volume=June 2004|page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Go Local Providence|url=https://www.golocalprov.com/news/powerplayer-pawtuckets-herb-weiss|access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Donnis|first1=Ian|date=October 10, 2003|title=The Sparkplug: Herb Weiss Has Helped to Remake Pawtucket as a More Artist Friend Community|publisher=The Providence Phoenix|issue=October 10, 2003, P. 28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Dionne|first1=Nicole|date=June 4, 2007|title=Pawtucket's Revival Coming Together 'Like a Mosaic'|publisher=Providence Business News|issue=June 4–10, 2007, P. 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=June 4, 2007|title=Editorial: Pawtucket's Success is not an Accident|publisher=Providence Business News|issue=June 4–10, 2007, P. 36}}</ref> In particular, his efforts to bring artists to the city’s historic mill buildings have attracted national attention.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Harless|first=William|date=December 1, 2013|title=Rhode Island Drops Sales Tax on Original Art|work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/rhode-island-drops-sales-tax-on-original-art-1385941392|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Where have Boston's artists gone? - The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/03/01/where-have-boston-artists-gone/rdeNCMBMVpUqhY6Hjvni9L/story.html|website=BostonGlobe.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Abbott|first1=Elizabeth|date=2016-09-27|title=Old Mills Remade in Pawtucket|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/28/realestate/old-mills-remade-in-pawtucket-ri-with-art-as-their-product.html}}</ref> Weiss was among those featured by filmmaker Jason Caminiti in Pawtucket Rising, a 2008 documentary.
Weiss was part of the group that created the month-long Pawtucket Arts Festival (PAF) in 1999, and later received its inaugural Medal of Excellence Award in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pawtucket Arts Festival to honor Weiss|url=https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/pawtucket-arts-festival-to-honor-weiss/article_8081dfc0-aa4f-574d-864c-be0c55d28369.html|website=Pawtucket Times}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pawtucket Arts Festival fundraiser will honor Herb Weiss|url=https://www.valleybreeze.com/2015-04-21/pawtucket/pawtucket-arts-festival-fundraiser-will-honor-herb-weiss|website=The Valley Breeze|date=21 April 2015 }}</ref>
Weiss was the first recipient of the non-profit Pawtucket Foundation’s Person of the Year award.<ref>{{cite web|title=PBN on Weiss|date=19 April 2004 |url=https://pbn.com/herb-weiss15130/|publisher=Providence Business News}}</ref> In 2005, the All Children’s Theatre awarded him the Advocacy in the Arts Action Award, and in 2013 he was recognized with an Excellence in Arts and Business award from the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.<ref>{{cite web|title=Weiss to be Honored by Blackstone Valley Tourism Council|url=http://www.pawtuckettimes.com/weiss-to-be-honored-by-blackstone-valley-tourism-council-at/article_93207eee-faef-5c33-8286-1308f47696ee.html|publisher=Pawtucket Times}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
Weiss also serves as the liaison between the city and filmmakers wanting to use Pawtucket as a location in movies, television shows and commercials. For his advocacy and support of the film industry, the non-profit Rhode Island Film Collaborative gave Weiss its first Excellence Award in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=RI Film Collaborative's Black and White in Space Bash|url=https://www.golocalprov.com/lifestyle/ri-film-collaboratives-black-and-white-in-space-bash|publisher=Go Local Providence}}</ref> In 2016, the Rhode Island International Film Festival recognized his efforts to promote the Rhode Island film industry by awarding him its Producer’s Circle Award.<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-08-19|title=Flickers Names Award Winners|url=http://www.pbn.com/Flickers-names-award-winners-from-20th-annual-festival,116601?search_filter=herb+weiss++&search_filter_mode=and&search_range_option=entire_site&sub_type=stories,packages|publisher=Providence Business News}}</ref>
Weiss was also invited by other municipalities around the region to discuss Pawtucket’s arts policy and its economic impact on the city. These invitations took him to: Maine - Portland; Pennsylvania – Philadelphia and Oil City: Rhode Island – Providence, Cranston, Newport, and Woonsocket; New York - New York City; New Jersey - Camden and Millville; Massachusetts - New Bedford, Fall River and Rockport.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Powers|first=Keith|title=seARTS meeting explores districts devoted to arts communities|url=https://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20120307/NEWS/303079456|website=Wicked Local}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2010 Annual Conference|url=https://www.artistcommunities.org/conference2010/events.html|website=www.artistcommunities.org|access-date=2021-01-22|archive-date=2012-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125005549/http://www.artistcommunities.org/conference2010/events.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Muskie CE Report|url=http://efc.muskie.usm.maine.edu/docs/CEreport.pdf|access-date=2021-01-22|archive-date=2010-06-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609223328/http://efc.muskie.usm.maine.edu/docs/CEreport.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pawtucket: Rhode Island's Creative Community | NEFA|url=https://www.nefa.org/resources/community-initiatives/pawtucket-rhode-islands-creative-community|website=www.nefa.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Art In Ruins News Archive|url=http://www.artinruins.com/stories/news/06-0409.php|website=www.artinruins.com|access-date=2021-01-22|archive-date=2020-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129085234/http://www.artinruins.com/stories/news/06-0409.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MW3 Arts as Economic Development in Pawtucket, Rhode Island|url=https://www.planning.org/events/activity/4154859/|website=American Planning Association}}</ref>
In September 2022 Weiss was appointed Deputy Director of Senior Services at the Leon Mathieu Senior Center.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Weiss to join staff at Mathieu Senior Center|url=https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/news/weiss-to-join-staff-at-mathieu-senior-center/article_c61ea42c-2225-11ed-9f41-639a09734880.html|website=Pawtucket Times}}</ref>
== State appointments == Weiss was appointed by five governors to serve on the Rhode Island Advisory Commission on Aging. The appointments were made by Governors Bruce Sundlun (1994), Lincoln Almond (1999, 2000), Donald L. Carcieri (2005), Gina Raimondo (2016), and Daniel J. McKee (2022).
Weiss was appointed by Rhode Island Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio in November 2021 to serve on the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Treatment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-06 |title=Herb Weiss - aging boldly! |url=https://rinewstoday.com/herb-weiss-aging-boldly/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=RINewsToday.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Professional licenses / Certifications == Weiss was licensed as a nursing home administrator in Washington, D.C., from 1981 to 1987 and from 1993 to 1999 in Rhode Island.
Weiss is a 2012 graduate of the Theta II Class of Leadership Rhode Island.
== Personal life == Weiss is married to Patricia S. Zacks (D’Angelo) of Pawtucket, Rhode Island and has two step children, Ben (born 1983) and Samantha (born 1981).<ref>{{cite web|title=Weiss Wedding|url=https://www.pawtuckettimes.com/the-weisses-are-now-mr-and-mrs-pawtucket/article_d9cd9112-6317-598f-92f4-fd1e36496c9d.html|publisher=Pawtucket Times}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> He has lived in Pawtucket since 1995.
== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Weiss, Herbert}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American journalists Category:20th-century American male journalists Category:21st-century American journalists Category:20th-century American male writers Category:21st-century American male writers Category:University of North Texas alumni Category:People from Pawtucket, Rhode Island Category:American newspaper reporters and correspondents Category:Journalists from Rhode Island Category:Mass media in Rhode Island Category:Writers from Rhode Island Writers Category:21st-century American male journalists