Providence Election(s), by the numbers

by Dana Schneider

Tuesday, November 4, was Election Day nationally. Many cities across the country hosted historic mayoral races; Providence, however, is mostly in an off-year, with the next general election for mayor to be held in 2026. Four candidates competed Tuesday in the Ward 2 City Council [...]

What We All Need Now is More Big Nazo

by Dana Schneider

“Oh my god, one more. Look at that bird again.”   Erminio Pinque, the founder and artistic director of Big Nazo Labs, leans forward in his chair to snap a picture on his phone as Yuranian alien Deddiboht (pronounced data-bow) and The Providence Eye’s photography [...]

Proposed RIPTA Cuts, by the numbers

by Dana Schneider

Last week, RIPTA announced proposed service reductions to close the gap in its upcoming 2026 budget. The deficit is wide — $17.6 million — and this is reflected in the breadth of proposed service cuts, which include the elimination of entire routes, route segments, and [...]

The Providence Hospital District Plan, By the Numbers

by Dana Schneider

Earlier this month, the City of Providence published “Providence Hospital District: A Vision for Healing, Housing, and Mobility in South Providence.” The report starts by explaining the various stakeholders involved in planning for changes to Providence’s Hospital District, which it defines as “a 132-acre area [...]

77 Acres of Polluted Freshwater: Mashapaug Pond Counts

by Dana Schneider

Despite being the largest freshwater body in Providence, Mashapaug Pond is seemingly hidden. On a Jane’s Walk tour led by Traci Picard earlier this year, the public historian explained that many infrastructural cues might dissuade a passerby from getting close to the pond: Tucked behind [...]

Providence’s Tree Equity Score and the Benefits of Expanding Our Urban Canopy

by Dana Schneider

According to Tree Equity Score, an interactive online map of tree cover across the country, Providence earns a composite score of 82 out of 100 for “how well the critical benefits of urban tree canopy are reaching those who need them most.”  The argument for [...]

The Butler Hospital Strike, by the numbers

by Dana Schneider

Butler Hospital is a private, non-profit hospital off of Blackstone Boulevard that provides psychiatric and substance abuse care. It’s been open since 1844, making it the state’s oldest hospital.  Recently, the healthcare facility has made headlines as employees have organized to cease work as negotiation [...]

Mayor Smiley’s Proposed 2026 Budget

by Jonathan Howard, Dana Schneider

Providence is in a tough financial spot right now. Unavoidable higher costs combined with a state law capping total property tax increases to 4% per year would leave the city at least $6 million in the hole next year, according to Mayor Brett Smiley. To [...]

Providence’s Worker-Owned Cooperatives Share Tools for A Collective Future

by Samantha Garcia, Dana Schneider

Apollo Rios Lomba tells me that working at White Electric is their favorite job. “It’s truly safe here…I’m not going to come to work and feel like my coworkers are judging me.” Sunshine streams into the narrow cafe on Westminster Street, bathing the many plants [...]