Government: How the Game is Played

Providence 2019 Street Sweeping Program – Tentative Schedule

STREET SWEEPING: DPW crews will being cleaning streets throughout the City of Providence starting in Ward 7 on January 7 - 9. Street sweeping is conducted 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM, Sunday night through Friday morning to minimize the disruption to residents. The schedule is subject to change based on inclement weather.

For more information and a full citywide street sweeping schedule

Sidewalks – abutters are requested to sweep sidewalks in anticipation of street sweepers. Citizens are also asked to clean sidewalks in front of vacant lots and public areas. Their cooperation would be most helpful since wind-borne litter carried from adjacent sidewalks and parking areas can nullify the results of a well-swept street. Street Sweeping is continuing on a nightly basis to address areas with continuing litter and debris issues.

If you have a location that needs to be swept, please contact DPW during normal business hours at (401) 680-7500 or visit #PVD311 to let us know how together we can keep Providence clean.

Replacing the Henderson Bridge Workshop 12/14

  The Cities of Providence and East Providence, the East Providence Waterfront Commission, and the Seekonk Riverbank Revitalization Alliance will host a workshop on:

Friday, December 14 at 3:30 PM Providence Department of Planning & Development 444 Westminster Street, first floor auditorium

The workshop will present designs for replacing the Henderson Bridge developed by Professor Will Green (URI) and his senior design studio for comment and input.

Last Yard Waste Pick-up - Dec. 10-14

Garbage & Recycling:
Waste Management will end the 2018 yard debris season the week of December 10th, on the normal trash day service.
Providenceri.gov/public-works

Monday’s Service:          December 10
Tuesday’s Service:          December 11
Wednesday’s Service:    December 12
Thursday’s Service:        December 13
Friday’s Service:              December 14

Adverse weather could impact the schedule.

WPRI: Everything you need to know about the 2018 RICAS results

By: Dan McGowan 
Posted: Nov 29, 2018 09:45 AM EST
Updated: Nov 29, 2018 11:32 AM EST

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Rhode Island’s latest standardized test results for public schools are in, and they’re not pretty.

The R.I. Department of Education released a school-by-school breakdown of outcomes on the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System exam Thursday, giving parents, educators and other stakeholders their first glimpse at proficiency rates in English Language Arts and math under the state’s new annual exam for students in grades three through eight.

So how do things stack up? Here’s an overview.

(Click here to view proficiency rates by school)

Rhode Island Transit Master Plan - Public Workshops 12/11-12/12

Public Open House Workshops - December 11-12, 2018
Providence, Woonsocket, Newport

The Transit Master Plan will envision how our passenger transportation network should look and operate in the future. In Rhode Island, our passenger transportation network currently includes bus, rail and water transportation services. The Transit Master Plan will envision how this network should be enhanced and further developed to best meet the travel needs of the state's residents, workers and visitors. To develop this plan, we will use data, public input, stakeholder feedback and more. Both short-term and long-term projects will be proposed, as well as an implementation strategy identifying potential partnerships, policies and needed investments.

Get Involved/FAQ

Reminder: Conversation with Tom Hoagland, Providence Business Loan Fund 11/15

Providence Conversation

Come learn about the Providence Business Loan Fund

Guest: Thomas Hoagland, Director
          Providence Business Loan Fund

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Place: 133 Dexterdale Rd, home of Barbara Riter

Time: 7 pm - 8:30 pm

For government, “economic development” translates into public money to private businesses. On the one hand, businesses often desperately need capital, beyond what banks are willing to loan. On the other hand, often the banks are appropriately cagey: the businesses are not sure bets.

 (Remember 38 Studios).
How does Providence balance the need to bolster its businesses, against the worry that some of those businesses may die, even with a public subsidy?
Come hear Thomas Hoagland, Director of the Providence Business Loan Fund

Conversation and coffee, tea and cookies

RIPEC Report on November 2018 Ballot Initiatives and State's Debt Position & Budget Outlook

PROVIDENCE R.I. (October 2018) – On November 6, Rhode Island voters will be asked to consider three ballot questions, which would authorize $589.5 million in additional debt costs, accounting for estimated interest and borrowing costs.  Today, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) released a report intended to assist voters as they consider these ballot initiatives.  The report provides an updated look at the state’s FY 2019 budget and out-years, based on the preliminary FY 2018 closing, as well as Rhode Island’s current debt position.  The purpose is to provide voters with information regarding the current financial position of the state and other related issues, which may be helpful when deciding whether to approve the referenda. The report also provides a summary of the 2018 ballot initiatives, and includes a set of questions for voter consideration.  The full report is available here.

WPRI Debates - Providence Mayoral, US Senate, RI Governor

Providence Mayoral Debate
Incumbent Democrat Jorge Elorza, and independent Dianne "Dee Dee" Witman.
https://www.wpri.com/on-air/newsmakers-1122018-providence-mayoral-debate/1568956402

Rhode Island US Senate Debate
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican challenger Robert Flanders.
https://www.wpri.com/on-air/watch-in-full-us-senate-debate-between-whitehouse-flanders/1507353993

Rhode Island Gubernatorial Debate
Democratic incumbent Gina Raimondo, Republican nominee Allan Fung and independent Joe Trillo
https://www.wpri.com/politics/watch-in-full-wpri-12-gubernatorial-debate/1480435225

Emergency Mail Ballot

Reminder: although it is too late to apply for a regular absentee ballot, you may still go to your local city/town hall and apply for an Emergency Mail Ballot. You can also download the Emergency Mail Ballot and return it to city/town hall before election day.
https://vote.sos.ri.gov/ovr/voters/emergency_ballot

Providence Conversation: Thomas Hoagland, Director, Providence Business Loan Fund

Providence League of Women Voters
Invites you to a
Providence Conversation

Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 7pm

Providence needs its small businesses.
Sometimes those small businesses need a boost from the city.

Come learn about the Providence Business Loan Fund

Guest: Thomas Hoagland, Director
          Providence Business Loan Fund

Conversation and coffee, tea and cookies


Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018
Place: 133 Dexterdale Rd, home of Barbara Riter
Time: 7 pm - 8:30 pm

Mayoral Candidate Forum - Audio online

The Providence League of Women Voters, in conjunction with URI's MPA Program at the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies hosted a Providence Mayoral Forum on September 4 at URI's Paff Auditorium on the Providence Campus. It was an informative night moderated by Scott MacKay a commentator for RIPR's (now the Public's Radio) Political Roundtable. Candidates shared their views on the proposed skyscraper in the city's jewelry district, how to solve billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities, how to improve public schools, and more.

Candidates: ROBERT A DEROBBIO, Democrat: JEFFREY E LEMIRE, Independent (present but not participating); JORGE O ELORZA, Democrat; KOBI JASON DENNIS, Democrat; and DIANNE S WITMAN, Independent

Thanks to RIPR you can listen to the full discussion here.

R.I. gun-safety task force releases final recommendations

By Katherine Gregg
Providence Journal Political Writer

Posted Oct 4, 2018 at 4:06 PM
Updated Oct 4, 2018 at 7:16 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The 43-member gun-safety task force that Gov. Gina Raimondo created last April in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre released its final recommendations on Thursday, and they include passage of a passel of new laws that the Democratic leaders of Rhode Island’s General Assembly have thus far been unwilling to bring to a vote.

They include: a ban on ammunition feeding devices — known as magazines — with a capacity of more than 10 rounds, prohibiting the concealed carry of firearms on school grounds and within 1,000 feet of elementary or secondary schools and in government buildings, and raising the age to buy a “long gun” from 18 to 21, where it already stands for handguns.

The group stopped short, however, of backing a ban on military-style assault weapons, opting to call instead for a new requirement that they be registered with a state or local law enforcement agency.
Full Story

Last day to register before the November 6th Election is October 7.

The League of Women Voters  of Providence will be at the Stephen Hopkins House, 15 Hopkins Street (corner of Benefit St) Providence, RI 02903 Saturday, October 6, from 10am to 4pm to register voters, make address changes and answer questions.

Primary Election is Wednesday (not Tuesday), September 12

Voting Reminder from the Providence League of Women Voters

Because some polling places have changed,  check the Secretary of State’s website for your spot.

Click onto “Find a Polling Place.”

 Vote. Vote. Vote.

Memo Alert - Firearms in Schools

It has been brought to RIDE’s attention that there is confusion among local education agency (LEA) personnel regarding who may carry a firearm, including a concealed-carry firearm, in a school. This confusion stems from inconsistencies among various state laws, regulations, and LEA policies that govern safety and firearms on school grounds.

With the start of the new school year, this document provides direction on how to navigate this issue and will be binding on LEAs and their personnel, effective immediately and until such time as the underlying laws are reconciled. The intent of this document is to ensure that all students in Rhode Island attend safe and secure schools, and is based on feedback from public safety experts, including the State Police, local police, as well as school administrators, teachers, and town officials.

Full Document

Check your voter registration

If you registered to vote at the DMV this year, you can check your voter registration status at https://vote.sos.ri.gov/

Software glitch affects voter registration info for about 5,000 in RI
By: Ted Nesi 
Posted: Aug 31, 2018 05:56 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 31, 2018 09:13 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - About 5,000 voter registrations were processed incorrectly by the outside company that runs the official state website RI.gov, state officials confirmed Friday.

Joseph Graziano, a spokesman for Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, said her office learned earlier this month about "an issue regarding changes to voter records done through the online driver's license renewal webpage handled by RI.gov." The website is operated by NIC Inc., a publicly traded company based in Kansas.

Full Story

Emergency Mail Ballots

If circumstances arise within 20 days of an election, you can apply for an emergency mail ballot and vote at your local board of canvassers until 4 P.M. on the day before the election.

You can also apply for an emergency mail ballot and have it mailed to you or authorize someone to pick up your emergency mail ballot on your behalf within 20 days of an election. Remember that the State Board of Elections must receive your mail ballot by 8:00 P.M. on Election Day.

Download emergency mail ballot application:
https://vote.sos.ri.gov/…/pdfs/emergency_mail_ballot_primar…

Board of Canvassers list:
http://www.elections.state.ri.us/canvassers/

What you should know about every school district in RI

By: Dan McGowan 
Posted: Aug 27, 2018 12:04 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 27, 2018 12:11 AM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – With classes set to begin for students across Rhode Island, Eyewitness News asked superintendents from every district to identify their district’s biggest strengths and challenges heading into 2018.

Each school leader was asked five questions: 1. What’s the number one thing parents and students should know about this district this year?2. What is the biggest challenge your district faces? 3. With voters set to consider a $250-million ballot question for school repairs across the state, what are the top three building improvements needed in your district? 4. What will your school district look like 10 years from now? 5. Tell us something nobody knows about your district.

So how did they respond?

Dan McGowan's Voter Guides - Wards 9 and 15 (belated)

Ward 15 
Posted: Aug 10, 2018 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 10, 2018 07:49 AM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Next up: the candidates for the Ward 15 City Council seat.

Councilwoman Sabina Matos is facing a primary challenge against Democrat Oscar Vargas to represent parts of the Olneyville, Valley and Silver Lake neighborhoods. The winner of the Sept. 12 primary will not have an opponent in the general election.

Ward 15 Voter Guide


Ward 9
Posted: Aug 20, 2018 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 20, 2018 12:01 AM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – It's round three for Councilwoman Carmen Castillo and Hector Jose.

Castillo has twice defeated Jose in the past, first in the 2011 special Democratic primary to fill the Ward 9 seat following the death of Miguel Luna, and again in 2014. Now the two will have their first head-to-head matchup in the Sept. 12 primary.

Ward 9 Voter Guide


Ward 1
Ward 2
Ward 4
Ward 5
Ward 7
Ward 8
Ward 10
Ward 12
Ward 13