Hundreds of people demonstrated in downtown Providence Wednesday, as the Finance Committee heard from community activists, pushing the city to defund its police department.
Sofie Rudin
Science and Environment Reporter
401-302-1057
srudin@thepublicsradio.org
Sofie Rudin is the science and environment reporter at The Public’s Radio. She previously worked as producer, editor, and general assignment reporter. Her series "When is it time to retreat from the sea?" was a finalist for a Covering Climate Now Journalism Award. She also led the development of web pages for reporting on COVID-19, shoreline access and The 2020 Gallery, which won a National Headliner award and PMJA award. Sofie graduated from Brown University in 2017, where she studied geology.
Posted inArticle, Politics
Providence Finance Committee hearing ends abruptly after commenters use racist, homophobic slurs
The Providence Finance Committee is rescheduling a public hearing after members of the public who spoke via Zoom Tuesday night repeatedly used racist and homophobic slurs.
Posted inArticle
Despite tension, Providence protesters disperse peacefully Friday night
Protesters in Providence dispersed peacefully Friday night, after marching through the city after curfew.
Posted inArticle
Protesters gather in Providence demanding racial justice, end to police violence
Thousands of protesters are gathered Friday evening at Kennedy Plaza, demanding racial justice. Protesters, holding signs that read Black Lives Matter, began marching toward the plaza around 4:30 p.m., from Central High School. The demonstration continued on to the Rhode Island State House. The event is the third protest in Providence since the death of […]
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RI faith leaders hold vigil honoring lives lost to police violence, COVID-19
Rhode Island faith leaders gathered on the steps of the State House Thursday afternoon to remember those killed by police violence and the coronavirus. Reverend Chontell Nelson Washington, interim executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, spoke to Sofia Rudin about the event.
Posted inArticle, Politics
Providence citizens wake up to destruction; Raimondo activates National Guard
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo is activating the National Guard after downtown Providence was struck by vandalism early Tuesday. Demonstrators spread across downtown, looting stores, smashing windows and setting fires, and 65 people were arrested. Law enforcement officials say they’re prepared for more potential disruptions.
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RI courts open for non-emergency cases, with restrictions
As the coronavirus began to spread in Rhode Island, the courts closed except for emergency cases. Some hearings have moved online. As the courts will move to reopen, it won’t be business as usual.
Posted inArticle, Health
Self-help evictions surge as the coronavirus pushes landlords, tenants to the brink
When Rhode Island’s District Court put eviction hearings on hold in mid-March, complaints of landlords illegally forcing tenants out more than tripled, according to Rhode Island Legal Services. Both landlords and tenants are struggling to make ends meet as the coronavirus throws the economy into crisis. For renters living in already unstable situations, the disruption can push them to the brink of homelessness.
Posted inArticle, Health
COVID-19 spreads in youth group homes: How life inside is changing
The spotlight has been on Rhode Island’s hard-hit nursing homes, but group homes for kids are also grappling with COVID-19. The coronavirus has infiltrated at least 14 residential programs in Rhode Island, infecting 28 children and young adults and dozens of staff members. Facility operators are working to prevent the virus from spreading, but it’s proved difficult to contain.
Posted inArticle, Health
Funeral directors are working overtime, as COVID-19 death toll rises
Funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are working overtime to keep up with an increase in calls from families, as the death toll from the coronavirus continues to rise. Restrictions on gatherings have made their jobs harder than ever.
