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Crime families in Rhode Island
A look back at some Rhode Island and New England mobsters.
Journal Staff
Bar Stool Sports founder Dave Portnoy certainly loves a good pizza.
In 2024, Portnoy went all over the state and reviewed the pizzas of four Rhode Island establishments as part of his online show: One Bite Pizza Reviews.
Portnoy grades a pizza shop off his personal criteria: the store-owners’ vibes and the attitude of the patrons eating there, the ambience and atmosphere of the place and, arguably the most important part: the quality of the pie.
Lower ratings on Portnoy’s scale tend to be around 6.0 to 7.5, with the highest ratings being in the 8’s and 9’s.
Here are 2024’s best pizza restaurants in the state, according to Portnoy’s pizza reviews.
Most of this review was Portnoy complaining about the then-recent backlash he received for his comments on the return of Ed Cooley, a former Providence College basketball coach.
Concerning Merlino’s Pizzeria at 889 Dyer Ave, he said it was good and that the pie had “Papa Gino’s vibes.”
He gave Merlino’s Pizzeria an 7.4 out of 10.
“Good, middle-of-the-road pizza,” Portnoy said.
At first, Portnoy got pizza strips from D. Palmieri’s Bakery at 624 Killingly St., having been told to review the local classic. He tried a cold pizza strip and said it was an acquired taste, giving the Rhode Island delicacy a 5.8.
“If this is Providence food, then everybody’s going hungry,” Portnoy said.
The owner then came out and convinced Portnoy to try their hot bakery pizza.
After approximately 10 minutes of waiting and locals taking selfies with Portnoy, the actual pizza came. Portnoy took a couple bites and gave it a 7.5, complimenting the crispy crust.
“I’m glad I tried this,” Portnoy said.
Visiting Nice Slice Pizzeria at 767 Westminster St, Portnoy took one bite and exclaimed “nice,” following up with a “no pun intended,” commenting that he was glad that he and his team picked Nice Slice.
“I take back Providence not having good pizza,” Portnoy said. “This is really good.”
He gave Nice Slice a 7.7.
This Providence spot was the standout champion of One Bite Reviews in 2024 in Rhode Island; the restaurant owners heralded Portnoy’s arrival with a sign saying “We Want Portnoy.”
Portnoy said he really liked the pizza at Francesco’s Pizzeria at 357 Hope St. He was surprised by his enjoyment of the pizza, calling it a distant relative of a New Haven pizza.
“This is as good as you can really get from me without getting to the eights,” Portnoy said.
He gave the pizza at Francesco’s Pizzeria a 7.9.
Rhode Islanders who plan to join in the global celebration of Irish culture can choose from big and small events, including a parade in Providence.
The March 17 holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, and many big events will be held the weekend of March 14-15. Originally a modest, religious feast day honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day today is a vibrant, boisterous holiday observed by millions of people regardless of their heritage.
The Providence parade is March 21.
We’ve rounded up 10 more events to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But first, are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!
Here’s your guide to St. Patrick’s Day fun in Rhode Island:
Local News
A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.
Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.
Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.
At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.
The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said.
Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.
Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.
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CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday.
The event was held at the Cranston Public Library at 9 a.m.
Reed and other leaders of WFRI hosted a panel discussion with women leaders in environmental and agricultural advocacy, education, community resilience, housing, finance, workforce development, and more, officials said.
Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday. (WJAR)
“Women have played a critical role in this process, most often without any recognition,” Reed said. “Today’s panel brings together an extraordinary group of women who are addressing the challenged of sustainability from various angles and I want to thank you all for your great efforts.”
The panelists highlighted their experiences, shared insights and tips on lifting up women’s voices, provided strategies for sparking change and more.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (1)
According to officials, some of the panelists included Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council Nessa Richman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island College Kim Bright, Newport Housing Authority Executive Director Rhonda Mitchell and more.
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