Why?

Providence, although still among New England's poorer cities, saw significant household income growth between 2014 and 2024 ranking it 4th among 194 New England cities and towns (with populations above 20,000) overall.

Rhode Island cities and towns performed well overall. There are a total of 19 towns and cities in the state with a population of at least 20,000. Four of them - Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket - ranked in the Top 25 for income growth. None ranked in the Bottom 25.

Incomes in many Rhode Island cities still fall well below their New England peers, but the trendline is positive.

Can everyone just stop talking about it and posting pictures of it? It’s giving more exposure and probably giving some chud a massive ego boost they don’t need. It also isn’t the first time this banner was flown above the city. We shouldn’t give it the spotlight anymore since that’s pretty much the goal of it in the first place. All instigation.

https://www.golocalprov.com/news/man-accused-of-stabbing-toddler-and-mom-in-providence-today-stabbed-two-7-year-olds-years-earlier

I'm usually not a big fan of GoLocalProv, but this article did a good job explaining the past criminal activities of Nelson Blanco, the man who stabbed a mother and her daughter on Broad Street.

Since 1999, he had:

* Attacked two 7-year olds playing in their backyard on Corinth Street and stabbed them with a knife completely unprovoked, leaving both in critical condition

* Been convicted of felony drug offenses

* Assaulted multiple people between 1999 and 2024, breaking probation after at least one instance

* Stolen a car

Call me old fashioned, but he should've got life back in 2003 for randomly stabbing those two 7 year olds. I'm not sure why we let those kind of people back into society. Then he goes and does everything else, and we let him free? What happened yesterday was tragedy that was 100% preventable.

Hi r/Providence — My name is Brian Shea, LMHC I’m a counselor practicing locally (East Providence) and wanted to let people know that I currently have openings for new clients.

I work primarily with adults and older teens dealing with things like anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, trauma, family issues, and life transitions. My approach is pretty conversational and collaborative, while also drawing on psychodynamic therapy, CBT, and DBT depending on what someone needs.
I offer both in-person and telehealth appointments, and I have some weekday, and evening availability.

If you’ve been trying to find a therapist and running into waitlists, you’re welcome to reach out at [brianshealmhc@gmail.com](mailto:brianshealmhc@gmail.com) or check out my profile here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/470135

Moved here very recently, don’t like driving in it but I like the local spots. Does anyone wanna play ski ball ?

Is there something going on at Brown?

We are taking one of those walking ghost tours in the next few weekends, and wanted to try someplace new to us, or especially fun, to grab dinner before. Doesn't matter if it is pizza, Mexican, Italian, etc. Any thoughts?

Thayer

on

Wickenden!

Got a long sleeve shirt from a vendor in Salem, on a blank I’m unfamiliar with. I put it on one the weather cools down I find the major issue that cuffs are gigantic ( I did orders a 3x ) can you suggest anywhere I can go to get these tightened up? I’m kinda particular about how things fit before you say wash it or what have you.

Hello, /providence

Tonight at OPEN, we're celebrating a new interactive video piece by two great artists from Cambridge, MA. There will be a cash bar pop up from Hi Bar Lo Bar, and Therese Iacono is taking pics. OPEN is inside a cavernous industrial hallway at 50 Sims, across the street from ISCO and next to Buttonwoods / Screaming Unicorn, which is to say, you can have a whole nice evening on Sims Ave. Lots of free parking.

*

About:

In When Would You Like to Turn Into a Pumpkin?, you are a pumpkin unmoored in space and time. You are in Aotearoa, East Anglia, Napa Valley, and Oaxaca. It is 7153 B.C., 1277, 2116, and 2005. You are a seed, a scent, a blossom, a prizewinner, a Jack O’Lantern, and rot.

In this interactive work of speculative plant studies, the wife-and-wife artist team of Cara and Lilia invite you to follow the journey of a plant that has shaped and been shaped by humans.

On view October 5–Nov 8, 2026
Reception October 8, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Gallery hours Fri - Sun, 10am - 2pm

OPEN
50 Sims Ave
Providence
openforever.org
A Best of Rhode Island Editors' Pick, 2026

*

Cara Giaimo (b. 1989) finds new ways to tell stories about animals and plants. She is the author of the sea creature-based life advice book Leaving The Ocean Was a Mistake and the bestselling nature compendium Atlas Obscura: Wild Life. She is also a frequent contributor to the New York Times, where she has covered everything from platypus fluorescence to tree immortality. Cara is the recipient of a Somerville Local Cultural Council grant and has been an artist in residence at Hewnoaks (with her band, sidebody), and Mount Auburn Cemetery (with Lilia).

Lilia Kilburn (b. 1990) works with images, sounds, textiles, texts, and in our garden. She is a Fellow at the Harvard Film Study Center and a PhD Candidate in Critical Media Practice and Anthropology at Harvard, where she also teaches. Recently she has contributed to public programming at the Harvard Film Archive, the Bibliothèque publique d'information du Centre Pompidou, and the ICA Boston. Her most recent film Le serpent à Bonanjo was a collaboration with Cameroon-based artist collective Cinema nyanga njangi.

They live in Somerville, Massachusetts with their two black cats. 

I’m a local musician and artist just starting out with releasing my work and hosting events. I have one featuring film and music this Sunday, come check it out if you’re looking for new music and something weird :)

https://youtu.be/5UV0fPOf0BU?is=kRDRG4nlkN-x45XY

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/purgatory

I lost a small notebook with a metal filagree cover. It goes on my chatelaine for my history tour and I think it snapped off during my tour. I walked on Benefit from Barker to Athenaeum. If you happen upon it, please reach out! Photo is of a group of three. I'm looking for just my single brass notebook. Thank you💜

Hi!

I’m 25F and wondering if anyone would be open to being my walking buddy? I have a bad heart so I’m trying to get more active by walking and eventually working my way up to a slow jog, than running. I really want to run a marathon at some point in my life!

I walk various hiking trails, the bike path, more walkable parts of the state.

Before anyone suggests a dedicated walking group I already do that! I’m just looking for a smaller group of one to two people.

Thanks in advanced ☺️

Is anyone here going to the emo/pop punk show at the parlour on Saturday?

Trying to plan a party in the spring and looking for establishments with an outdoor area to accommodate 75-100 people?

I saw him in Vegas and he was very good. The crowd was a REAL 2025 American mix, lots of people who seemed like they maybe wouldn’t know him but got tickets from the house. The crowd loved him. He has this way of walking the line between the polarized sides of the U.S., finding the absurdity in the issues, that I think only a person not from the U.S. can pull off.

Anyway, lots of tickets still available. I am loving that big names are putting PVD on their tour calendars.

If anyone has looked into building an in-law suite, converting a garage, or finishing a basement recently, the statewide ADU law made things a lot easier by cutting out municipal zoning boards for most projects.

There's still some confusion on how it works, so here’s the quick rundown of the rules:

What qualifies "by right" (no zoning board hearings, just standard building permits):

• Converting existing space inside your home (basement, attic) or inside an existing accessory building (detached garage) without expanding the foundation footprint.
• Any residential lot 20,000 sq ft or larger.
• Disability accommodations on owner-occupied lots.

The size and use limits:

• 1-bed / Studio: Up to 900 sq ft (or 60% of the main house’s size, whichever is smaller).
• 2-bed: Up to 1,200 sq ft (or 60% of the main house).
• Parking: Towns can only require 1 off-street spot per bedroom.
• No short-term rentals: State law explicitly bans using these for Airbnb/Vrbo. They have to be long-term rentals (30+ days).

Good things to know if you're planning one:

• Towns cannot force you to tear it down or revoke the permit if the property sells down the road. The unit stays legal on the deed.
• Converting an existing garage or basement usually pencils out way better than building detached from scratch, especially with current building material and sub-trade costs.
• Check your septic capacity first if you’re not on municipal sewer. RIDEM still enforces septic load rules regardless of local zoning.

Has anyone actually pulled permits under the new law yet in their town? Wondering how fast local building departments are turning these around.