Providence, like many cities across the country, has seen office spaces emptying out, as some companies are downsizing and moving towards hybrid work models. That can have a ripple effect on the city’s economy, including local businesses like restaurants and shops. What is Providence doing to avoid falling into the so-called doom loop that is […]
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Posted inHealth, Local, Politics
Massachusetts judge temporarily halts Trump NIH cuts nationwide
The NIH under the Trump administration wants to cut the money it adds to federal research grants to cover laboratory costs and other institutional overhead. Of the $35 billion NIH spent last year, 25% went to indirect costs. The NIH under the Trump administration wants to cut that to 15%, potentially saving billions of dollars. […]
Posted inHousing, Local, Metro Desk
Long-awaited ECHO Village shelter set to open this week in Providence
A bed with a colorful quilt, an AC unit, a heater, a shelf to dry dishes — these are among the amenities homeless people can look forward to at ECHO Village, the pallet-shelter community opening in Providence this week. After years of conversation and months of delays, organizers expect people experiencing homelessness will finally start […]
Posted inEducation, Local, Metro Desk
Providence could regain control of its schools by 2026
Gov. Dan McKee and Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green have laid out nine goals the city of Providence must meet in order for the state to consider handing schools back to local control. The Providence Public School District has been under the state’s control since 2019, following a review by John Hopkins […]
Posted inLocal
New England courts become battleground over Trump cuts
Among more than 40 federal lawsuits filed against the Trump administration so far, this week has brought major developments in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. On Monday, the chief judge of U.S. District Court in Rhode Island ruled the administration had defied his previous order to unfreeze billions of dollars in federal grants. Judge John J. […]
Posted inLocal, South Coast Bureau, Transportation
South Coast Rail set to open in late March
At long last, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has an opening date for South Coast Rail. The MBTA announced that trains will begin carrying passengers from Fall River and New Bedford to Boston starting Monday, March 24, pending final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration. The long-awaited project will revive train service between those cities […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Reed: If Trump breaks the law, courts need to stop him
The first few weeks of the Trump administration have been a whirlwind, raising alarm among Democrats and pleasing supporters of the president. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed sat down to discuss Trump’s initiatives and how Democrats are responding. Here are highlights from the interview. On how the delegation is responding: Sen. Reed: “I think the delegation […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics
Caught in foreign aid freeze, R.I.’s Edesia gets good news
It’s been a roller coaster week for the folks who work at Edesia, a Rhode Island nonprofit that helps feed hungry children around the world. Senior staff members were in Sierra Leone, visiting one of their feeding programs, when the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) issued an immediate stop-work order for all of its […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Feb. 7, 2025
When it comes to the Super Bowl, I am mostly there for the nachos — and the harbinger of baseball drawing closer. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** 1. […]
Posted inEn Español, Immigration, Local, South Coast Bureau
Los padres inmigrantes temen redadas de ICE en escuelas
Click here to read in English. Organizaciones que apoyan a inmigrantes, que deseaban permanecer anónimo por temor de ser atacadas, en Rhode Island y el sureste de Massachusetts dicen que han recibido una avalancha de llamadas y mensajes de padres preocupados de que ICE podira detener a sus hijos, específicamente en la escuela o en […]
