Noise is the New Smoking

by Paula Donovan and John Wilner

Whether it’s the frame-rattling, wall-penetrating bass of car stereos with over-sized subwoofers, the growl of modified mufflers, the inescapable day- (and often night-)long blare of house parties, the grating drone of leafblowers, or the sleep-depriving inundation of dangerously high volume levels from nearby entertainment venues, [...]

“I don’t think our opinion matters to the people making decisions:”  Providence Plans to Close 360 High School

by Catlin Preston

Questions are many and answers are few for the staff and students of 360 High School. After they received the news that Providence Public School District (PPSD) plans to close their school, they have been given little information to help them understand why their school [...]

Nation’s First State-Regulated Overdose Prevention Center To Open in Providence

by Project Weber / RENEW Team

The overdose crisis is a national epidemic, claiming the lives of over 100,000 people per year – more than gun violence and traffic accidents combined .  With over 434 Rhode Islanders who died in 2022, many of us are connected – either directly or indirectly-  [...]

Why Providence Cares About the Farm Bill

by Steven Stycos

Nearly 30% of Providence residents depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy their groceries. As Congress debates the Farm Bill, Rhode Island food advocates call for more money for SNAP, small farms and conservation programs. Millions of dollars could be available for [...]

PPSD Teachers Struggle to be Heard by the RI Board of Education

by Jonathan Howard

It was cold and dark as hundreds of Providence Public School teachers from all over the district streamed into downtown Providence a week ago Tuesday. They came to attend and, they hoped, influence, the January 30 meeting of Rhode Island’s Council on Elementary and Secondary [...]

How Much Do the Arts Contribute to Providence’s Economy? A Lot More Than You Think.

by Cynthia Gibson

“The Creative Capital” isn’t just a catchphrase to describe Providence. Home to world-class arts institutions that draw artists from far and wide, its many neighborhoods thrum with diverse and vibrant arts and cultural scenes. What’s sometimes missed behind this colorful portraiture is the supersized role [...]

Black History Panorama

by Roseanne Camacho

The exhibit of historical artifacts illustrating the history contained in A Matter of Truth continues free and open to the public until the end of February on the walls of the lower level hallways in the State House, created by the Rhode Island Black Heritage [...]

The R-Line Is Crucial to PVD And A Model For RIPTA

by Patricia Raub and Barry Schiller

The R-Line is both RIPTA’s busiest line, carrying about one sixth of all RIPTA passengers, and a model for what other transit lines could be if the Transit Master Plan were ever implemented.  Furthermore, it is a lifeline for Providence. The R-line Broad/North Main was [...]

Should Providence Be More Empowered to Delay Demolitions?

by Brent Runyon

Cities are faced currently with the delicate challenge of balancing progress with the preservation of their historical identity. The architectural remnants of the past often find themselves in the crosshairs of development projects to modernize. Recognizing the irreplaceable value of older buildings, many municipalities have [...]

Providence’s Food Scraps Are a Resource; Let’s Use Them.

by Emlyn Addison

Used books rarely belong in the trash. Instead, most belong in schools and libraries. Those dog-eared pages can feed imaginations and inspire new books. They have value. Food waste also has value. Decomposing scraps can feed the soil and grow new food. It’s why homeowners [...]