An Artist’s Pitch to the Star of “Secret Mall Apartment”: Let’s Turn Providence Place into a Creative Commune.

by Julius Cavira

Dear Michael Townsend, My name is Julius Cavira.  Most people don’t know me. Some may even dislike me. I’m a disabled Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran, raised in inner-city Chicago, where art is alive and gallery openings and socials happen every week. I don’t have [...]

Courthouses Should be Places of Justice, Not Fear. Our Bill Helps Protect the Judicial Process.

by Rep. José F. Batista, Sen. Meghan Kallman

On any given morning in Providence, hundreds of people enter our courthouses seeking justice — they include: survivors of crime, witnesses, families, jurors, and defendants exercising their constitutional rights. Providence County courthouses such as the Garrahy Judicial Complex on Dorrance Street or the Licht Judicial [...]

I’m Part of a Group of Early Risers Who Work Out – Year-Round – Outside the State House. You Might Like It, Too.

by David Karoff

What are you doing next Wednesday morning at 5:31?   If you’re like most, you’ll be sleeping, or just waking up to begin your morning routine. It’s few people’s favorite time to stumble out of bed and out the door, especially when it’s cold or raining [...]

PVD’s Post-Storm Civic Engagement Reflected Our Community Strength. But It’s Not a Substitute for Competent Governance.

by Cynthia Gibson, Ann Wang

Sam Howard’s recent Readers Voices piece —“In Providence, the Blizzard Was a Reminder of the Power of People, Not Politicians”— offers a romanticized view of civic resilience that mistakes emergency improvisation for effective governance and celebrates mutual aid that sidesteps accountability. While the volunteerism he [...]

Readers’ Voices: Words and Images from the Great Storm of 2026.

by The Providence Eye

The Blizzard of 2026 made national news.  In its aftermath, the Washington Post reported that Providence had received “a nearly incomprehensible amount of snow,” and noted that it snowed here for 25 straight hours. The paper’s headline proclaimed “A bonkers 37.9 inches of snow hit [...]

I’m A Photographer Who Lives Downtown. When the Blizzard Hit, I Knew It Was My Chance to Document History.

by David Lawlor

I remember seeing the alert that a big blizzard was on the way, and I honestly thought we were done with storms this year. So instead of being annoyed, I got excited.  In my head I was already thinking, “What if this turns into something [...]

After the Storm, Providence Transformed – Briefly – Into an Urban Ski Resort.

by Robert Isenberg

The snowboarder clicks his boots into their bindings. He adjusts his bulbous helmet. Half his snowsuit glows orange in the fading sunlight. Kids back away, giving the stranger room. He nudges his board forward, until it tips down the icy slope. He picks up speed, [...]

In Providence, the Blizzard Was a Reminder of the Power of People, Not Politicians.

by Sam Howard

Weather politics is local politics distilled to its purest form.  Local politicians take credit or get blamed for things outside of their control all the time, from crime rates to economic conditions to state- or federally-funded infrastructure projects.  Weather – a literal force of nature [...]

Four Years of Renting in Providence Have Left Me Feeling Vulnerable, Rootless, and Unsure I’ll Ever Afford A Home.

by Daniel Morris

Editor’s Note: Few issues are more pressing in Providence than housing.  This week we’re publishing two essays from renters in Providence. They continue a conversation that began — for us, in the Eye’s Readers Voices section, at least — last year, with essays arguing for [...]

I’m a Renter in Providence Who Opposes the City’s Proposed Rent-Control Legislation. Here’s Why.

by Alisa Mazor

Editor’s Note: Few issues are more pressing in Providence than housing.  This week we’re publishing two essays from renters in Providence. They continue a conversation that began — for us, in the Eye’s Readers Voices section, at least — last year, with essays arguing for [...]