The Providence Eye

05/28/2026

On May 18, RIDE Commissioner Infante-Green signaled that the battle for control between the state and city was still far from over. She issued a new list of 15 conditions that the Mayor and School Board would need to meet over the next 13 months for her to even consider a return before July 1, 2027.

Then, on May 20—in a stunning reversal—she announced that the six-year state takeover of Providence Schools will end effective July 1 of this year.

The sudden return to local control illuminates a long list of potential local disputes that will come with the shift of authority from state to local government.

Read more at pvdeye.org.

04/29/2026

Chef Rollie Wesen will be joining The Providence Eye next Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Farm Fresh building for an engaging conversation about the past, present, and future of Providence as a culinary city.

Since my wife Claudine Pépin and I arrived here in 2011, I have come to realize that per capita, Providence is one the best food towns in the country. This is the result of a number of factors, including: great agriculture and farmers, skilled chefs with a farm-to-table ethos and authentic cultural...

04/08/2026

This week, security consultant Teneo is asking people at Brown University to share their input on campus security changes after December’s mass shooting.

Brown University students returned to a different campus in January. New emergency phones appeared in front of their dorms. Twice as many police officers were on patrol. Private security guards checked for school IDs as they entered the library. New cameras watched them travel to class. This week, s...

04/03/2026

“This is a perfect example of why curation matters,” said Nicholas Platzer, a founder of Conflux Art Projects and the former mural manager at The Avenue Concept. “[...] To do this well, there’s so much planning that goes into all of these projects.”

A 43-foot tall, 38-foot wide mural on the side of Downtown bar The Dark Lady shows an outline of a blond woman framed by blue geometric shapes. Just one eye is finished—the rest of the face remains a beige and blue outline. The bottom of the mural, in gold plated lettering, reads Iryna Zarutska, 2...

04/02/2026

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04/01/2026

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03/31/2026

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03/30/2026

Mark your calendar: 401 Gives starts tomorrow! Help us reach our $3,000 goal, and your donation to The Providence Eye will be matched. Support independent local journalism in Providence and help us build a strong, sustainable future for this young nonprofit newsroom.

03/25/2026

In Providence, only a few lingering snowbanks serve as reminders of the major storms this winter. As city residents say goodbye and good riddance to the snow, the snowmelt will continue to make a big impact on the local environment.

In Providence, only a few lingering snowbanks serve as reminders of the major storms this winter. As city residents say goodbye and good riddance to the snow, the snowmelt will continue to make a big impact on the local environment. The slow drip of the snow melting allows the soil to slowly filter....

03/20/2026

City Council introduced several amendments to the proposed rent stabilization ordinance that would would limit property owners from raising prices by more than 4% each year in Providence, where median rent prices have increased 40% since 2020.

Smiley announced his own “housing stabilization” plan on March 17. A proposed Rental & Essential Needs Transition (RENT) Fund uses $1 million from the sale of city properties to distribute emergency housing grants of up to $3,000 for households facing unexpected financial challenges. The package also funds efforts on eviction defense, building code repairs and landlord/tenant education.

A rent stabilization ordinance is moving through the City Council, and Mayor Brett Smiley is watching closely. Smiley has promised to veto the policy if it passes the Council, but City Hall hearings on the proposal are drawing hundreds of people to testify. “Residents waited hours to have a chance...