BLACKSTONE VALLEY
Oh Christmas Tree….Shops
There is talk in the Diamond Hill Road business district of new interest in the former Lowe’s store property, possibly as location for a Christmas Tree Shops or similar retail outlet, but city officials couldn’t confirm those possibilities on Friday. The Woonsocket Call has the latest on this possible project.
The Call of Duty
A city firefighter’s response to a life-threatening emergency while off-duty in another community won him the praise of his department supervisors and Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. The Woonsocket Call has story about Daniel Vallejo’s heroics.
Fence Knocking Down Barriers
Visitors to the garden at Daggett Farm in Slater Memorial Park can easily notice a brand-new fence that allows space for wheelchair accessibility and they have a senior at St. Raphael Academy to thank. The Pawtucket Times has the details on this Eagle Scout’s special project.
Silver Top Served Legal Victory
A Superior Court jury Thursday moved the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency a little closer to taking control of the historic Silver Top Diner, but the legal wrangling isn’t over yet. The Pawtucket Times dishes on this ongoing diner debate.
SOUTH COUNTY
Charlestown rejects zone change for rehab facility
Plans for a teenage rehabilitation facility at the site of the General Stanton Inn may be falling through, The Westerly Sun reports. The Charlestown Town Council this week rejected a special zone change, putting the project in jeopardy.
Grease-to-fuel effort attracts global attention
Fried food is making a positive difference in the Westerly community, according to an article in The Westerly Sun. Led by Westerly High School students, Project TGIF — Turning Grease Into Fuel is using used grease to produce energy and help keep families warm. Now the students are the focus of a documentary.
RI DOT plan includes area road, bridge work
Fourteen area road projects costing nearly $34 million and reconstruction or repair work on 17 bridges in Westerly and its neighboring towns have made the cut in the 10-year transportation plan proposed by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, according to The Westerly Sun. The plan will focus heavily outside the South County area first, officials said, but will address some of the areas biggest needs.
Ready, Set, Shop!
Aldi’s – the popular and growing German-based grocery chain – opened its doors last week to some fun and fanfare. And, as The Westerly Sun reports, the store is filling more than just a vacant location along Franklin Street.
WEST BAY
Ragosta Report to be Released
A judge recently ruled on the City Council’s subpoena to release the report detailing how school administrators responded to allegations that Gorton Junior High School science teacher Mario Atoyan drew a penis on the arms of two girls. The Warwick Beacon details when the so-called Ragosta report will be released.
Cranston Schools Switch
Plans to institute all-day kindergarten across the city, move the sixth grade back to the middle school level, and convert Hope Highlands Elementary School into a fourth middle school have been formally set in motion. So how will it unfold? The Cranston Herald has vital information parents will want to know.
Report: Cranston one of the best cities
There are countless communities across the U.S., but Cranston remains among the very best in which to live, according to a recently published list. The Cranston Herald breaks down how the city won the honor.
To Catch a Cash Thief
West Warwick Police are asking the public for continued help in catching the man who stole a donation bin from Roch’s Market that was going towards the construction of a police memorial. The Kent County Times has the details on this heist.
Thou Shall Not Pass
Neighbors in Warwick’s Pontiac neighborhood aren’t too happy with plans to build a 30,000 gallon propane tank at a nearby business. While a city councilman says he can’t stop the project, he tells The Warwick Beacon how he plans to ease some traffic concerns.
NORTHWEST
Dam repairs backed up
Johnston is going with the flow as it addresses unexpected challenges in repairing the town-owned dam at Oak Swamp. The water isn’t draining fast enough and mother nature isn’t helping. The Johnston Sun Rise has details on the town’s “plan B.”
Fire Bowl Returns
The Fire Bowl – a unique flag football game featuring firefighters from Johnson and North Providence that made its debut last year and helped put food on the tables of people in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas – will return next week. The Johnston Sun Rise has the game details.
A Stitch in Time
It’s a new twist on the internet cafe. In May, a business owner opened Whipstitch Sewing Café in North Providence with the goal of making the craft more accessible. Want to know more? The Providence Journal ties it all together.
PROVIDENCE
Reclaiming Stolen Wages
Across the country, the battlefield for stolen wages ranges from farm fields to fast-food chains, from nail salons to construction sites, from small companies to large corporations. The Providence Journal details what’s being done locally to crackdown on claims of wage theft.
Doctor Leading Digital Revolution
Dr. Cedric Priebe has always found himself pulled in two directions: one toward caring for pediatric patients and the other toward programming computers to help doctors do their jobs better. Now senior vice president and chief information officer for the Lifespan hospital system, Priebe tells The Providence Journal how his two interests benefit one another.
SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS
Attacks Hit Home for UMass Prof
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Professor Michelle Cheyne, a dual citizen of the United States and France, was not merely heartbroken when she heard the news of the attacks in Paris on Friday, but “heartsick.” Cheyne shares her story with The Herald News, including her concern for her son – who is still in Paris.
Holiday Fund Kicks Off
Maybe it isn’t jingling outside just yet, but there’s a jingle in the air — and in some local stores, Christmas decorations and Christmas candy are starting to take over whole aisles.That other harbinger of the holly season, The Herald News’ Holiday Fund, is also cranking up the sleigh. Here’s how you can help »