Smith Hill

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The dashing pirate of Providence

Urban swashbuckler
Casey Dorman of Providence was walking to work on the stone wharfs of Rockport, Massachusetts one day this summer when he crossed paths with Johnny Depp, fresh off another box-office conquest as Captain Jack Sparrow in the latest of the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
By MALCOLM BURNLEY | August 31, 2011

Three wicked freakin' awesome free festivals

Rockin’ the nice price
July is upon us, and Providence is about to ratchet up the al fresco action with an outdoor music festival season sure to satisfy freaks and families alike.
By CHRIS CONTI | June 29, 2011

General Assembly turns a cold shoulder on the homeless

Economics Dept.
Rhode Island's itty-bittyness is, of course, a handicap from time to time. But it is also a source of opportunity.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | June 22, 2011

Will the Catholic Church kill gay marriage?

Inside the high-stakes battle over same-sex nuptials in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s gay marriage moment has finally arrived. And the Catholic Church just might kill it.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | February 23, 2011

Chafee makes his mark on education reform

Boardrooms
The State House was mostly empty Tuesday afternoon, as the snow dropped cold and wet outside. So the crowd was rather modest as Governor Lincoln Chafee walked into the ornate State Room, just outside his office, to announce four new picks for the nine-member Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | February 02, 2011

Who wins? Who loses?

What special interests will be served -- or ignored -- under the new regime?
Quick question: who won the Rhode Island elections in November?
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 29, 2010

An education funding formula, hailed as a breakthrough, faces its critics

Fuzzy math
For years, Rhode Island was one of just two states in the union without a funding formula for its public schools. And then, for a time, it was the only state with that dubious dis-tinction.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | June 24, 2010

Knowing no shame

The disgraceful General Assembly; hail, do-gooders; and a plea for ProHo
The recent rush to adjourn the 2010 General Assembly session on the arbitrary date of June 10 was an affront to the Rhode Island citizenry and a low mark for the state’s politicians.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | June 16, 2010

Making waves

Can WRNI supplant the ProJo as the state’s news king?
Rhode Island’s upstart National Public Radio affiliate, WRNI, aims to be nothing less than a major media player here. And in the space of just a couple of years, the station has taken some impressive first steps.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | June 10, 2010

How Rhode Island can eliminate homelessness

The concept is as simple as it is radical: give the homeless a place to live, with no strings attached
Making it a reality is a matter of political will.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | May 14, 2010

She blowed up good

Kempe goes ballistic. Plus, global greed, and jockeying for electoral position
File this one under either: “Too much coffee this morning, dear?” or “I told you not to hit the ‘Send’ button!”
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | May 05, 2010

Local heroes 2010

We are all in their debt
In the 13th annual edition of the Providence Phoenix’s Best issue, we highlight people and organizations who are doing exceptionally good work.
By PROVIDENCE PHOENIX STAFF | April 15, 2010

The first Latino mayor?

Angel Taveras’s moment suddenly arrives
Until recently, to talk about Angel Taveras was to talk about the future.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 15, 2010

Down ballot drama

Important races to watch in '10
The race for governor and the scramble to replace retiring Representative Patrick J. Kennedy have obsessed Rhode Island's chattering class. But all the talk has obscured an intriguing set of "down ballot" races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, and secretary of state.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | March 10, 2010

Does Scott Brown’s victory mean doom for RI Democrats?

Fallout
Republican Scott Brown's stunning victory this week in the race for the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts has created something approaching panic in the ranks of Congressional Democrats.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 20, 2010

What’s next for Cicilline?

After a couple of tough years — and some jabs from Buddy — how bright is his political future?
Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline rode into office seven years ago as the fresh-faced anti-Buddy. Bleach for a soiled City Hall.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 21, 2010

It will not be a dull year!

The governor’s race, gambling, drama on Smith Hill, and more is on tap in 2010
The New Year is shaping up as potent dope for the political junkie.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 06, 2010

Split atop the RI Tea Party

Tea Time
The Rhode Island Tea Party, a right-wing assemblage best known for its tax day rally against government spending on the State House steps, was until recently run by three women — Colleen Conley, Marina Peterson and, to a lesser degree, Nan Hayden. But no more.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 30, 2009

Worth the gamble?

A push for full-scale Vegas-style casinos is in the cards again. Can poker and craps save a state in freefall?
Just three years after Rhode Island voters killed plans for a full-scale, Vegas-style casino, big-time gambling is in the cards again.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 16, 2009

Thanks for nothing!

In our first annual list of Rhode Island turkeys, the Phoenix fingers 10 people and institutions that made a bad year even worse
We'd like to be thankful, we really would. Change came to Washington this year and the Mad Men returned.
By PROVIDENCE PHOENIX STAFF | November 22, 2011

Can the Rhode Island tea party brew a revolution?

The movement strives to be a coherent force for change. But is it just blowing steam?
The Rhode Island Tea Party, local wing of the national uprising against all things Obama, has some reason for hope.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | October 21, 2009

State House status

In a purportedly liberal state, the Rhode Island General Assembly has a stubbornly conservative bent. But can progressive politics make a dent in 2010?
Rhode Island voters, for all their supposed insularity, are an increasingly progressive bunch.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | August 12, 2009

Hail, Deer Tick!

The Providence rockers are poised for a breakthrough with Born On Flag Day
Heady days for Deer Tick.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | June 17, 2009

Is the party over for the GOP in RI?

A disastrous election in '08. A depleted war chest. Dismal approval ratings for the outgoing governor. Yet the faithful see hope for a Republican revival
In a state known for its political obsessions, there is remarkably little in the way of rabid protest here.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | May 13, 2009

Eyes on the prize

Hold on, Linc Chafee! Dems Frank Caprio, Patrick Lynch, and Elizabeth Roberts would also like to be governor in 2010
We interrupt the Lincoln Chafee buzz fest to bring you this little nugget of news: there are a few Democrats who'd like to be governor, too.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 22, 2009

Our local heroes

Working behind the scenes
Working behind the scenes
By JOHNETTE RODRIGUEZ and DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 15, 2009

How much do lobbyists pay to get their way?

Special interests are big spenders at the State House
In 2008, corporations spent more than $3 million to hire lobbyists to protect their interests at the Rhode Island State House.
By STEVEN STYCOS | March 18, 2009

The year the crap hit the fan

RI political mediocrity couldn't compare with the excesses of the fiscal meltdown
For a good metaphor of the year experienced by Rhode Island in 2008, consider the economic-development summit called by Governor Carcieri in November.
By IAN DONNIS | December 24, 2008

30 on 30

30 local luminaries look back on 30 years of the New Paper and the Providence Phoenix
The Providence Phoenix celebrates 30 years with 30 interviews
By PROVIDENCE PHOENIX STAFF | October 24, 2008

How to eat seed corn

Fiscal due-diligence is a concept unfamiliar to denizens of Smith Hill
It is now revealed that the first quarter revenue projections for the state have come in an additional $33 million less than expected, running our deficit up to $66 million.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | October 16, 2008