Providence has set an ambitious goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. That’s why, in 2023, Providence began requiring owners of large buildings – the biggest carbon producers in the city – to track and report their energy usage. After a year of reports from places like schools and the zoo, what do we know? […]
Providence
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk
Independent Man returns to the top of the Rhode Island State House
A crowd of locals, amateur photographers, construction workers, and families gathered to watch the glistening 15-foot Independent Man statue as it touched down above the Rhode Island Statehouse dome a little after 10 in the morning on Wednesday. The icon of the Statehouse was removed about a year ago after drone footage revealed a wedge-shaped […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk
Providence takes steps toward solidifying its new housing-forward comprehensive plan
The Providence City Plan Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt some zoning ordinance changes based off of the city’s new comprehensive plan. Broadly speaking, the zoning changes would allow greater density in most neighborhoods in Providence, with the exception of Blackstone and some pockets of the West side. While the comprehensive plan is a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
What Rhode Island’s Young Democrats thought about the presidential debate
The Black Sheep bar in downtown Providence was brimming with 40 or so young voters on Tuesday night, many of them wearing blue “I voted” stickers on their lapels and shirt collars. They were there to watch the presidential debate, pitting Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump, at the The Young Democrats […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local
‘There won’t be another Mr. Ced.’ Cedric Huntley remembered as a mentor who dedicated his life to preventing violence
A memorial service is being held Friday for Cedric Huntley, who died earlier this month at the age of 65. Huntley was a community leader who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of young people. Most recently, he served as executive director of the Nonviolence Institute in Providence, a nonprofit that focuses on preventing violence. […]
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Local
Providence’s port community punches back against pollution
A band of activists has taken matters into their own hands, forging alliances and even going door-to-door in an effort to move the needle on health outcomes.
Posted inHousing, Local, Metro Desk
What Providence’s proposed zoning changes would mean for your neighborhood
The City of Providence’s Planning Department has released a new map showing proposed changes in growth and density in the city under its draft comprehensive plan. According to the city’s Planning Department, the proposed changes are meant to accommodate more people. Over the last Census period, the city’s population increased by 7%, and the city […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Transportation
Washington Bridge westbound must be demolished and undergo years-long rebuild
The state of Rhode Island plans to demolish and completely rebuild the westbound side of the Washington Bridge, a project officials expect to take two years or more. “We will be replacing the bridge,” Gov. Dan McKee said at a news conference Thursday. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation closed the westbound span, which carries […]
Posted inHealth, Housing, Local
Rhode Island could lose millions in funding to repair and remove lead paint
On the second floor of a multi-family house in Central Falls in early February, Henry Severino, a construction specialist with Rhode Island Housing, was focused on doors. The damage was obvious: paint chipping off the frames, layers of old paint peeking through after years of wear and tear. “Let’s replace these doors because the kid […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk
Providence planners have released a new map showing how the city will grow
Once per decade, the city planners and lawmakers in Providence get a chance to rewrite the plan that guides how neighborhoods are shaped, efforts to control housing costs, and where commercial real estate can be built. That once in a decade opportunity is now. The City of Providence’s Planning Department is beginning to release parts […]
