Rhode Island
Homelessness advocates call on Smiley to cancel plans to clear Providence encampments • Rhode Island Current
PROVIDENCE — Over a dozen homeless advocates and care providers gathered on the steps of City Hall Wednesday afternoon to demand Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and other city officials halt plans to clear out two of the capital city’s largest encampments on Friday.
The city plans to give 48 hours notices for people to vacate encampments on Houghton Street and a highway embankment between I-95 and Branch Avenue. Combined, those two sites include roughly 70 people, according to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness.
Speakers at the coalition’s rally called the city’s timeframe for people to leave “unacceptable.”
“This is a violent action,” said coalition director Kimberly Simmons. “Imagine if someone came to your house, broke in and decided to wake up and move you immediately.”
The sites have posed “serious safety concerns” since they were first reported to the city “a few months ago,” city spokesperson Josh Estrella told Rhode Island Current.
Letters sent to homelessness advocates and providers April 30 from the Providence Police Department don’t offer specific concerns regarding the Branch Avenue site, but said the Houghton Street encampment needs to be cleared because of soil contamination.
“As such, it is imperative that the site remain appropriately secured and free of occupants to prevent exposure and to enable necessary mitigation and redevelopment,” the letter reads.
He also stressed that the encampment clearings are not raids, as suggested by homelessness advocates.
“The city has a process when an encampment is reported by a member of the public or another entity,” Estrella said. “This involves a multi-department approach of which Providence Police are one piece.”
During the rally, Providence City Councilor Miguel Sanchez outlined six demands to city officials. Topping that list is a request for the city to provide 30 days written notice in both English and Spanish.
Other demands include prohibiting police from searching tents and backpacks when clearing the encampments, along with banning bulldozers and brush grinders from operating during any evictions.
Opening of Providence pallet shelter community delayed
Karen Andes, director of Brown University’s Master of Public Health program, told the crowd the use of police and heavy equipment will lead to further trauma for unhoused people.
“That’s not the way we want to treat people in Rhode Island,” Andes said.
The other big task is for city officials to identify a new parcel of land where displaced people can relocate for temporary housing.
State officials are in the process of opening 45 one-room cabins, also called pallet shelters, within the on-ramp to Route 146 South on a lot located off Victor Street. Shelters were initially scheduled to open “before the end of the first quarter” of 2024, but crews are still awaiting final approvals from the state as it hooks up the shelters to utilities.
That’s not the way we want to treat people in Rhode Island.
– Karen Andes, director of Brown University’s Master of Public Health program
“We are still doing site preparation that’s needed (utilities work, etc.) and obtaining final approvals for ECHO, but we will reach out when we have more information to share,” Housing Department spokesperson Emily Marshall said on April 17, when cabins were mostly constructed.
The state’s Department of Housing on the status of the pallet shellers could not provide additional details Wednesday.
The director of the pallet community previously said residents Riley won’t occupy the shelters either some time this month or in June.
“We cannot tell people to move without having another livable, viable piece of land appropriated,” Sanchez said. “This is only going to create a disaster.”
Sanchez himself did not name any specific location where a new shelter could be built. Simmons also did not offer any sites, but she said neither has the mayor as the city moves forward on clearing these spaces.
In a video recorded by Province-based journalist Steve Ahlquist earlier in the day, Smiley told reporters “it’s not clear to us where they go.”
“It’s a struggle and it’s a case-by-case basis, which is why we work with providers to try to find the best option,” Smiley said. “And we know in some cases that there are no good options.”
Ahead of the rally, Estrella said the city works with providers to “provide outreach, support and services to the varying individuals that have occupied the property.”
Advocates also ask that city officials collaborate with them, along with those living in the two encampments, to better facilitate
“If you have to move people, let us work together to make that happen effectively,” Simmons said.
Estrella did not respond to questions on if the city plans to meet any of the coalition’s demands.
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PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien was sworn in for his eighth term Monday night, and shared his pitch to keep Hasbro in Rhode Island.
Years after the Pawtucket Red Sox left for Worcester, the city now faces the threat of another Pawtucket staple leaving town: Hasbro, Inc.
“Right now we’ve been having those honest conversations with them,” said Grebien. “They seem to be on hold for a little bit.”
Hasbro, a member of the Fortune 500, has been rooted in Rhode Island for nearly a century.
It’s headquarters are currently located in Pawtucket, but the company’s leadership is flirting with a move to Massachusetts.
“We’ve made it clear through the leadership on the council, myself, and our state delegation that we want them here,” Grebien said. “They belong in Pawtucket, we’re gonna do what we can to make that happen.”
Grebien said a major part of the Pawtucket’s pitch to Hasbro is a new hub developing in the city, focused around train service and the city’s new professional soccer team.
“We want to have them partner with the commuter rail and with Tidewater Stadium,” Grebien said. “To have an active zone where we’re developing, and they’ll be a part of that ground-up development.”
Grebien said he believes Rhode Island is the best fit for Hasbro.
“If they go to Mass., it really is about them, they’re lost in Mass,” he said. “Here they’re a big fish in a little pond, and I think they realize that.
“At the end of the day they’ve got to do what’s right for them,” Grebien continued. “We’ll support them either way.”
Governor Dan McKee has also been in communication with Hasbro, as officials attempt to keep the company in Rhode Island.
The I-195 Redevelopment District offered Hasbro exclusive rights to buy an acre of land in Providence for $1.
Hasbro has not yet responded publicly to the offer.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Rings in 2025 with 108 DUI Arrests Over the New Year Holiday – Newport Buzz
Rhode Island law enforcement didn’t take a holiday break during the New Year’s season, making 108 arrests for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) between December 27, 2024, and January 5, 2025. The crackdown was a collaborative effort among all 38 municipal police departments and the Rhode Island State Police, aimed at keeping roads safe during the busy holiday period.
“I’m proud of the work that our police officers are doing to keep our roadways safe, but at the same time, these numbers are deeply concerning,” said Colonel Bradford Connor, President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and Warwick Chief of Police. “Driving under the influence is never acceptable, and our message is clear: if you choose to drink or use cannabis and drive, you will be caught, and you will be arrested. This holiday season, 108 people learned that the hard way and will spend the next months—and years—dealing with the consequences.”
Harsh Penalties for a Costly Mistake
Rhode Island’s DUI laws carry significant penalties for offenders. A first-time DUI conviction can result in:
- A jail sentence of up to one year at the Adult Correctional Institution (ACI).
- License suspension lasting 3 to 18 months.
- Mandatory community service ranging from 10 to 60 hours.
- Fines between $100 and $500, with additional fees that can add up to thousands.
Refusing to take a chemical test, such as a blood, breath, or urine test, also has serious consequences. First-time refusals can lead to:
- License suspension for six months to one year.
- Fines of $200 to $500.
- Community service requirements and mandatory alcohol or drug education programs.
Repeat offenders face even stiffer penalties, including potential incarceration and extended license suspension or ignition interlock periods.
A Deadly Gamble
Despite widespread campaigns against impaired driving, the holiday season often sees a spike in DUIs. Law enforcement and public safety officials are urging Rhode Islanders to plan ahead, use rideshare services, or designate a sober driver to avoid endangering lives and facing life-altering legal repercussions.
“This isn’t just about getting arrested—it’s about saving lives,” Connor emphasized.
As Rhode Island moves into 2025, the message remains firm: impaired driving will not be tolerated, and law enforcement will be out in full force to ensure the roads remain safe for everyone.
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Related
With the calendar turning to January, United Way of Rhode Island is reminding nonprofits that there are now less than 90 days until the return of 401Gives on Tuesday, April 1.
As the Ocean State’s single largest philanthropic effort on behalf of local nonprofits, organizations across the state are encouraged to participate and raise funds to support their work. All Rhode Island-based nonprofits are invited to register now at 401Gives.org.
Already, 133 nonprofits have registered, according to United Way of Rhode Island. In 2024, its fifth year, 401Gives raised a record $3.86 million to benefit 597 organizations in the state, prompting nearly 25,000 gifts from Rhode Islanders. The day is powered by the Alliance for Nonprofit Impact at United Way of Rhode Island.
“Since the very first 401Gives, we’ve seen some incredible outcomes as the result of Rhode Islanders coming together to support the causes they care about most,” said Nancy Wolanski, director of the Alliance for Nonprofit Impact at United Way of R.I. in a statement. “Each year we have seen 401Gives reach new heights. It’s an opportunity to highlight the tremendous work being done every day by small and large nonprofits across the state. We’d love to see more organizations participate than ever so that all of us can learn about new nonprofits doing great work and addressing issues that matter deeply to our communities.”
A unified day of giving that makes it easy both for nonprofits to participate and for individuals to make donations to them, 401Gives utilizes an online fundraising platform and harnesses the power of social media and peer-to-peer outreach.
Once registered, nonprofits can begin customizing their individual 401Gives page to share their stories, the impact of their work in the community, and highlight what they’re raising money for. Each organization’s 401Gives page features the ability to house images, embedded video, and more. And as part of the 401Gives experience, the Alliance offers an online library of webinar and training videos, and a Nonprofit Toolkit that includes sample emails, social media tips, and downloadable graphics.
To learn more about 401Gives or if there are questions, contact Caitlynn Douglas at (401) 444-0720, or email 401Gives@unitedwayri.org.
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