As rideshares sneak up College Hill and luggages roll into dorm rooms, campus has woken from its winter hibernation and offered Brunonians a chilly welcome to the new semester. But as students venture out these next few weeks, some may notice certain changes that have cropped up while they were away.
Whether it’s a different storefront on Thayer Street or a new construction project, The Herald’s Metro section has kept its finger on Providence’s pulse throughout winter break. Check in on the latest updates from the Ocean State.
Business and Development
You might be wondering where your favorite restaurant, shoe store or snack shop went while you were gone. And the answer? It could be the latest to fall to Providence’s high business turnover. Berk’s on Thayer announced its closure after over 50 years on Thayer, The Old Canteen will close its doors after decades on Federal Hill, and it seems like more business turnover is just around the corner.
But when one door closes, that same door might open back up again. Audrain Hospitality is set to open a new hot dog restaurant concept in place of The Old Canteen. Plus, the Culinary Hub of Providence just opened inside Providence Public Library and Track 15, a new food hall set to open in downtown Providence, promises to host seven restaurants from around Little Rhody, along with an entertainment venue and a 10,000 square foot plaza.
Developments aren’t just food-based here in Providence. Right by campus look out for continued construction in India Point Park and peak into the reopened East Side Transit Tunnel.
City and State Politics
Gov. Dan McKee kicked off the year with his annual State of the State Address, where he announced the latest update of Rhode Island 2030, which outlines how the state will develop its educational resources, economy, healthcare, infrastructure and energy.
Key highlights include the development of new community learning centers and schools, the launch of a public shelter bed tracker and continued support to RhodeRestore — a program that seeks to improve local infrastructure.
McKee also recently filed his $14.2 billion FY 2026 budget, which outlines investments in education-to-workforce pipeline programs, infrastructure projects, health programs, an assault weapon ban and initiatives to address homelessness.
Providence has also allocated $166 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds towards various infrastructure projects in the city. $41 million will fund the creation of 1,600 new affordable housing units. $92 million will support public infrastructure including stormwater management and flooding mitigation projects and revitalizing open spaces in downtown Providence.
Community, Crime and Advocacy
Community organizations have been active here in Providence — The Atlantic Mills Union, the state’s first ever tenant union, formed on Dec. 21. The tenants organized following concerns as the building looks likely to fall under new ownership.
Two state troopers were fired for laughing at and sharing a video of a man being hit and killed on I-95 in October. According to ABC6, The Rhode Island State Police terminated the two state troopers after investigating a claim into their misconduct.
Over in Central Falls, AMOR RI is calling for the shutdown of the Wyatt Detention Center. The group has held multiple rallies, and on New Year’s Eve the organization held a noise rally outside of Wyatt to reiterate these wishes.
Broad Street Stories is looking to create its own community through art. The organization is kicking off the fabrication of community-designed art installations in three different locations on Broad Street.
And don’t miss out on the lineup of community events and festivals coming up: VegFest will take over WaterFire Arts Center on Feb. 1, Lumina will light up Downtown from Feb. 1-17 including art installations and musical performances and the Providence Children’s Film Festival begins on Feb. 14. It may be freezing, but Providence community events are alive and well!
Health and Environment
In December, RIBridges — the state’s computerised public benefits system — was hit by a massive cyberattack. Approximately 650,000 people — more than half of the state’s population — enrolled in services like Medicaid, food stamps or HealthSourceRI insurance had their confidential information compromised, with some of these files being leaked to the dark web.
Gov. McKee issued a statewide drought advisory last month, and the recent polar vortex has prompted the State to open emergency winter hubs. Unofficial data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also revealed that Rhode Island was the only New England state to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions year-over-year..
In other news: Selling flavored vaping products is now illegal, a move that received pushback in federal court. Healthcare company Prospect Medical filed for bankruptcy, which may affect the sale of its two Rhode Island hospitals. After years of development, the country’s first state-regulated overdose prevention center finally opened in Providence last month.
And — in case you were wondering — “Charlotte” and “Liam” topped the Ocean State’s 2024 list of most popular baby names, according to preliminary lists from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Housing, Infrastructure and Transportation
Last week, Gov. Dan McKee and Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti reported to Rhode Islanders that the remaining span of the Washington Bridge is in “fair condition.” Due to structural concerns, it has been a little more than a year since state officials first closed the bridge’s westbound side. But Rhode Islanders still feel the impact of the bridge’s closure, as traffic clogs East Providence and small businesses close their doors.
While a polar vortex has sent chills across Rhode Island, McKee opened emergency winter hubs across the state to support vulnerable individuals in need of shelter. Four days later, close to 50 legislators called on McKee to declare homelessness a public health emergency, urging the state to allocate more resources and create long-term solutions to address homelessness. McKee has refused to issue a state of emergency, citing fire-safety concerns associated with opening pallet structures.
Once the winter blues give way to spring, Rhode Islanders can look forward to direct flights from T.F. Green Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. Beginning May 1, fares starting at $49 will be available for passengers to travel between the two East Coast cities. It has been more than 15 years since this service was available.
Rhode Island School of Design
While Brown students were still in their slumber at the beginning of January, RISD students returned to campus bright-eyed and ready to create for Wintersession.
Wintersession courses, known for their fast-tracked and intensive nature, take place during the five weeks between the fall and spring semesters. RISD students can use this time to take classes they would not have the time or opportunity to take during the rest of the academic year, such as studio-based courses outside of their major.
In classes like APPAR 1800-101: The Cowboy Boot, students have been studying the history of the North American Cowboy Boot and had the opportunity to design a one-of-a-kind cowboy boot by measuring their feet and using the artisanal techniques they learned about in class.
But the hands-on learning did not stop there. In FAV 1955-101: Puppetry, students learned the foundations of puppetry practice, from shadow plays to Bunraku-style puppetry. Bridging art and theater, students culminated their course by performing a final live performance project with puppets of their creation.
Youth and Education
The release of the Rhode Island Department of Education’s accountability results this December revealed moderate progress across the Providence Public School District. Across the district, the total number of schools classified for Comprehensive School Improvement — the lowest performance category — decreased from 11 to nine.
The district’s annual report card showed slight increases in English, math and science proficiency, but proficiency rates in all three areas remain under 20%. Enrollment in the district saw a nearly thousand student decrease from 20,725 during the 2022-23 school year to 19,856 during the 2023-24 year.
Mayor Brett Smiley continued his push for the return of PPSD schools to local control, announcing his intention to propose legislation at the state level that would end the takeover on July 1. The schools have been under state takeover since 2019.
At Rhode Island’s State of the State Address, Gov. Dan McKee honored two PPSD principals for the improvements made at their schools. His newly unveiled Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes a $43.4 million increase in statewide K-12 education aid, allocates funding for dual enrollment programs and invests $10.6 million in the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island.
And, mirroring other private colleges in the New England region, Johnson & Wales University announced free tuition for students whose families make less than $80,000 per year.
Maya Kelly is a metro editor from Providence who covers community, crime and activism as well as business and development. A concentrator in urban studies and data fluency, she is passionate about intersecting storytelling with data analysis. When Maya's not at The Herald, you can find her hanging from an aerial silk, bullet journaling or in the middle of a forest.
Sanai Rashid lives in Long Island, New York. As an English and Economics concentrator, she is passionate about storytelling and how numbers and data create narratives in ways words alone cannot. When she is not writing, you can find her trying new pizza places in Providence or buying another whale stuffed animal.
Avani Ghosh is a Metro editor covering city and state politics. She is a junior from Ohio studying Health and Human Biology and International and Public Affairs. She is an avid earl grey enthusiast and can be found making tea in her free time.
Ciara Meyer is a section editor from Saratoga Springs, New York. She plans on concentrating in Statistics and English Nonfiction. In her free time, she loves scrapbooking and building lego flowers.
Megan is a metro editor covering health and environment. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she spends her free time drinking coffee and wishing she was Meg Ryan in a Nora Ephron movie.
