Metro

R.I. considers adopting DNA database for felons

ACLU seeks legal compensation in prayer banner case

Chafee seeks to raise taxes and education funding

'Groundbreaking' casino debated

As state legislators debate the idea of building a destination casino in Quonset Point, North Kingston, business leaders and residents of the city remain unconcerned about the prospect. The casino would be the first of its kind in Rhode Island.

State to vote on Achievement First

Occupiers spend final night in Burnside Park

Sunday afternoon was bittersweet for members of Occupy Providence as they packed up their tents and bid goodbye to Burnside Park, vowing to continue their activism.

Hackathon taps into city's tech talent

Scores of techies and self-declared geeks gathered to share ideas and practice hacking at the Providence Hackathon in the Jewelry District this past weekend. The event, called Digital Meets Physical: A Hardware Hackathon, highlighted the growing presence of the technology industry in Providence.

Toy bear designers find home in Providence

Jerry is no ordinary teddy bear. Though toddlers can still play with his woolly, brown fur and carry him around the house, Jerry the Bear requires his owners to monitor his blood glucose level, administer insulin to his body with a special pump or pen and provide him with a balanced diet of fake food ...

Occupy shifts focus to tax status

While most Brown students went home for the holidays, Occupy Providence protesters spent the last month in Burnside Park braving temperatures often below freezing. The group made a deal with the city Monday to leave the park at night, but it has also added a new initiative to its agenda ­— ...

State tackles municipal pension woes

For-profit college seeks R.I. campus

Neumont University, a for-profit college that specializes in computer science, is looking to build a campus in Providence. Since Rhode Island currently does not allow for-profit institutions to grant bachelors or masters degrees, the college would require exemption from state law.

Occupy protesters strike a deal

After striking a deal with the city, Occupy Providence announced the end of its full-time protest in Burnside Park Monday. Claiming victory after over 100 days, the Occupy members have agreed to leave the park at night in exchange for a day center for the city's homeless. Protestors will remain in the ...

Cranston school ordered to remove prayer banner

Tensions surrounding a lawsuit in Cranston have escalated after Rhode Island District Federal Court Judge Ronald Lagueux ordered the removal of a school's prayer banner Jan. 11.

Locals protest tax exemption

Nearly 100 Providence firefighters, police officers and community members protested the University's exemption from paying taxes on many of its properties Jan. 11, blasting fog horns, chanting and holding signs that read "pay your share." The protest was the latest sign of escalating tensions in an ...

City spars with U. over increasing payments

Correction appended.

Web update: Outside U. building, protest targets Brown's tax exemption

Nearly 100 Providence firefighters, police officers and community members protested the University's exemption from paying taxes on many of its properties Wednesday evening, blasting fog horns, chanting and holding signs that read "pay your share." The protest was the latest sign of escalating tensions ...

Web update: Occupy Providence camps out to fight homelessness

As freezing temperatures descended on Rhode Island, members of Occupy Providence rallied today to pressure the state government to respond to escalating rates of homelessness and eviction that could leave some out in the cold this winter.

At AS220, ambiance outshines food

Amid the tunes of a local Irish music ensemble, bright splashes of color and a rich cultural history lies Foo(d) at AS220, a casual restaurant nestled next to a community art space. Located in downtown Providence, Foo(d) has a one-of-a-kind environment, but the cuisine does not quite live up to the ...

R.I. anti-smoking funding falls short

A recent report from a coalition of anti-smoking organizations ranked Rhode Island's funding for anti-smoking programs 38th in the country. The state spends $373,000 yearly on anti-smoking efforts, only 2.5 percent of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended level of $15.2 million, ...

Labor leader Castillo elected to City Council

Newly elected Providence City Councilwoman Carmen Castillo is no stranger to victory. As a union leader and room attendant at the Providence Westin hotel for more than 15 years, Castillo played an instrumental role in settling disputes between her co-workers and Westin management, including bringing ...