This Just In: The Central Falls renaissance
Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal, and I'm looking forward to recognizing some of the great work of the state's journalists tonight at the Rhode Island Press Association's annual banquet. If you're interested in seeing who won awards for their work in 2021, you can find out here later this weekend.
If you haven't been to Central Falls in a while, a trip there might surprise you. Local businesses have been spruced up, new restaurants have opened, public recreation areas have been upgraded, and that's just a start. Paul Edward Parker explores why Rhode Island's smallest city is undergoing a renaissance.
The Rhode Island Department of Health reported four coronavirus-related deaths and 685 additional cases of COVID-19, along with 5,731 negative tests, for a 10.7% positive rate. For the full week, the positivity rate was 9.0%, compared to 9.9% the previous week. There were 84 COVID-positive patients in Rhode Island hospitals at last count, down from 97 reported yesterday, with fewer than five in intensive care. Rhode Island has reported an average of 471 new cases a day over the last seven days, down 21% from a week ago and down 43% from two weeks ago.
Now that marijuana is legal in Rhode Island, what does that mean for workplace drug policies? As Wheeler Cowperthwaite reports, the answer is, it depends.
For the second time in two weeks, firefighters on Aquidneck Island found themselves battling a four-alarm fire at a hotel.
The Rhode Island House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill that would guarantee the public has the right to be 6 feet above the "recognizable high tide line" on any sandy or rocky shoreline.
If Rhode Island moves ahead with a plan to buy more offshore wind power, it will do so without asking ratepayers to reward the state’s dominant electric utility for signing new contracts with developers.
The state plans to spend $1.6 billion this summer on various transportation projects, including a new overpass on Route 146 in North Smithfield.
Hurricane season began this week, and U.S. Commerce Secretary and former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo is warning people in the potential storm path (like, for example, us) that it could be a busy one.
Raimondo will be back in town tonight, campaigning for her former top aide and current Providence mayoral candidate Brett Smiley.
He may be across the ocean, awaiting an extradition hearing in Scotland, but Nicholas Alahverdian has gotten involved in a contentious election campaign in Utah.
Here's some good news if you're planning a trip to Block Island this weekend.
There's going to be a lot of acts to choose from when PVDFest returns in all its glory a week from today, so Rob Duguay picked five that you definitely should not miss.
In her latest Amy's Rhode column, Amy Russo explores a small South County village with a whole lot of local pride.
This week's Walking RI destination features one of the most interestingly named geographic features in the state: the Sin and Flesh Brook.
The Celtics could not miss in the fourth quarter of Game One of the NBA Finals. Too bad they'll have two full nights off before they play Game Two on Sunday.
But if you want to catch some sports action closer to home, it's championship weekend in high school lacrosse. Eric Rueb tells you want you need to know about the boys championship games and the girls championship games.
Have a great weekend. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please encourage a friend to sign up.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: This Just In: The Central Falls renaissance
