Press release: Rhode Island continues to fall short in providing affordable homes for low-income renters
“We are still not producing enough homes affordable to residents with the lowest incomes, leaving families without the stability they need to thrive."
steveahlquist.substack.com/p/press-rele...
A train with a jade green locomotive in what’s called lightning strip paint, with a red oval New York Central herald on its nose, under wires alongside a highway
A train with a jade green locomotive in what’s called lightning strip paint, with number 1036 in large numbers at the back, under wires alongside a highway, as the train goes away
A commuter train goes over a bridge over a body of water. It’s led by a locomotive painted green, with a lightning stripe on the side, and lettered New York Central.
MBTA “New York Central” heritage unit at Providence and Apponaug? Check!
Libby will serve our city with compassion & dignity. She is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also understands the complexities of running a school system. I believe she is well equipped to engage with constituents & stakeholders alike.
That's why I am proud to endorse her. (2/2)
...support in this coming election cycle, and I would like to ask each of my friends and family in Ward 3 to support her in her mission to provide our students with a high quality education, and our teachers with the resources they need. Let's all work together to move East Providence forward. 2/2
I am very happy to see that @libbymerrill.bsky.social is running for Ward 3 School Committee. Libby is exactly what we need in this city - an intelligent, policy oriented person who cares deeply about the community — and I am very proud to call her my friend. She has my unwavering... 1/2
A group of seven community volunteers of various ages stand together behind a large wooden conference table at Weaver Library. The table is filled with assembled hygiene care kits in clear plastic bags. One young volunteer in a pink jacket has their face obscured by a blue heart emoji. The atmosphere is bright and collaborative.
A white wall inside the library featuring a large mural that reads "THANK YOU" in bold brown lettering. The central English text is surrounded by "thank you" written in dozens of different languages and scripts, reflecting a diverse and grateful community spirit.
A close-up of a cardboard collection box with a flyer for the EPiC (East Providence in Community) drive. The flyer features illustrations of toiletries and a checklist of needed items, including socks, soap, hand warmers, and dental hygiene products.
A close-up shot of several finished hygiene kits packed into clear gallon-sized bags. Visible items include warm socks, deodorant, and wipes. Each bag features a prominent blue card that reads "MOVE FORWARD EAST PROVIDENCE" with EPiC’s social media and website info.
Thank you to all who donated and volunteered at our Community Drive! We will be distributing these kits throughout our city, to other non-profits, and to neighbors in need. ❤️🩹🪥🫧
📅 TOMORROW! Join us for our Hygiene Care Kit Drive on Sunday, March 1st @ Weaver Library (Conference Room) from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
We’ll be accepting donations for care kits throughout the afternoon, or you can simply drop in to help us pack! Let’s come together & make an impact. See you there? 💙✨
Opposing new housing is an intentional choice that puts human lives in jeopardy. Whether it’s people dying on the streets due to being unhoused, or LGBTQ folks unable to flee to safety because New England is too expensive, these choices cost lives.
The Speaker is right.
Speaker Shekarchi announces his sixth package of housing bills
"The sad reality is that there is a direct correlation between rising housing costs and increased homelessness," said Speaker Shekarchi.
steveahlquist.substack.com/p/speaker-sh...
Barrington, one of RI's wealthiest towns is filled with "Democrat" NIMBYs who proudly display "all are welcome here" yard signs & yet are actively opposing a housing development that would not only provide hundreds of market rate homes, but 25% affordable housing too!
Cognitive dissonance much?
These bills will:
1️⃣ Allow vacant state buildings and lands to be converted into homes by right
2️⃣ Reform the building code to encourage bigger, more light-filled apartments
3️⃣ Reduce excessive parking requirements that derail apartment construction
Excited to see Speaker Joe Shekarchi's 2026 housing package! We're looking forward to helping push these bills across the finish line 💪
A Garfield plush toy with suction-cup paws is pressed against the inside of a yellow car window, peering out through a rough hole dug into a thick blanket of snow. The rest of the vehicle is completely buried in white, leaving only the grumpy orange cat and a small sliver of the bright yellow car body visible through the cleared-out opening.
Here's what Garfield has to say about the Blizzard of '26: "WORST. MONDAY. EVER."
We are proud to see our city setting the standard for the rest of our state. Our community relies not just on roads, but pedestrian & cycling infrastructure to reach their jobs & schools safely.
That's why we believe the East Bay Bike Path should be managed as essential transit infrastructure. 1/2
We are horrified and saddened by the shooting at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket. We believe every community member, every child has a right to be safe in their daily lives. 💔
"We want productive and prosperous cities. We want neighborhoods where walking and biking feel normal and safe [...] The federal Highway Trust Fund—insolvent since 2008—expires at the end of September. Congress will once again face the question of what the federal role in transportation should be."
The exterior of the Parthenon Diner Restaurant at night. The building features a classic metallic, mid-century diner aesthetic with glowing neon accents and warm indoor lighting. The parking lot in the foreground is dark with patches of melting snow.
The interior of the Parthenon Diner decorated for Valentine’s Day. A large, shimmering red tinsel heart hangs from a modern overhead light fixture. In the soft-focus background, the diner’s red booths and more heart decorations are visible through the warm, dim lighting.
Afterwards, we grabbed dinner together, celebrating Valentine's Day at the Parthenon Diner Restaurant. 3/3
A promotional sign for the "PEZidential Hide and Seek" game at the PEZ Visitor Center. The poster features a red, white, and blue patriotic theme with various PEZ candy illustrations. It explains that visitors must find 8 former U.S. President dispensers hidden throughout the center to collect clues for a secret message and claim a prize. An example on the sign shows a George Washington dispenser and a completed game card.
A close-up of an Andrew Jackson PEZ dispenser on a blue stem, housed inside a clear display case. A graphic overlay on the case reads, "Congrats! Write 'TI' under #4," indicating it is one of the hidden clues for the PEZidential scavenger hunt. The background shows a blurry view of the visitor center’s exhibits.
A row of four Series 1 Garfield PEZ dispensers from circa 1990, all featuring orange stems. The dispensers showcase different facial expressions: a neutral sleepy look, a wide smirk, a broad toothy grin, and one Garfield wearing a bright green visor. A small white placard sits in front of them identifying the series.
A row of four Series 2 Garfield PEZ dispensers from circa 1998, each on a different colored stem. The collection includes: A standard Garfield on a pink stem. Sleepy Garfield wearing a blue nightcap on a yellow stem. Chef Garfield wearing a white chef's hat on a red stem. Aviator Garfield wearing purple goggles on a teal stem.
Highlights include Garfield PEZ dispensers and learning more about the history of PEZ. 2/3
Exterior of the PEZ Visitor Center in Orange, CT, on a cloudy day. The building is a mix of tan siding and red brick. Large snow piles sit in the foreground. Mounted on the side of the building are three massive, horizontal PEZ dispenser sculptures in Orange, Lemon, and Grape flavors. A blue neon "Welcome" sign is visible through the glass entrance.
A massive, floor-to-ceiling display wall inside the visitor center featuring hundreds of individual PEZ dispensers. The dispensers represent a vast array of characters and colors, arranged in perfect vertical rows. In the center of the glass-covered display is a large blue "PEZ Visitor Center" logo set against a wide yellow diagonal stripe.
Five vertically framed vintage-style posters arranged on a bright yellow wall. Each poster features a stylized illustration of a smiling woman, known as a "PEZ Girl," wearing a different colored uniform and hat. They are shown holding various PEZ products, with labels for flavors like Citron, Peppermint, Orange, and Eucalyptus in a mid-century aesthetic.
A close-up of a framed vintage German PEZ advertisement. The poster depicts a woman in a light blue pillbox hat with "PEZ" embroidered on it, holding a blue box of PEZ Peppermint. The German text at the bottom reads, "Bitte sich zu bedienen!" (Please help yourself!), followed by a description of the candy as a "luxury confection of the polite world."
Went to the PEZ Visitor Center in Orange, Connecticut today with Mélodie. To celebrate President's Day, we successfully completed their Pezidential Scavenger Hunt. 1/3
A blue graphic titled "accessible streets" featuring white icons of a person walking across a crosswalk and a bicycle. The text below reads: "Street congestion and car dominance are pressing issues. We envision streets that work for everyone. EPiC supports smart adaptations to our streetscape, including more bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks, and enhanced RIPTA access, to ensure safe and efficient movement for all. Reducing car travel benefits not only the environment but also our quality of life by fostering healthier, more connected communities."
Our work is guided by 5 core values that reflect our vision to move our city forward.
We believe in accessible streets, where smart investments like bike lanes & sidewalks create a safer, more connected community for everyone. We aren't just dreaming of this, we are actively advocating for it. 1/2
The cuts made to RIPTA go beyond a line item in the budget. Behind every cut & reduction in service is an affected community member.
Their stories matter. We encourage you to watch Bus Cuts. Special thanks to @pvdstreets.bsky.social for sharing this short film.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsH...
"Often funding cuts, are justified by low ridership. Using this argument to slash funding for essential public services creates a cyclical problem in our society, where less funding creates less frequency of service, which creates lower ridership, & lower ridership leads to less funding."
Hearing that daily ridership decreased by 10% is pretty much what I predicted. Shame on our elected officials.
As the RIPTA driver said in the short film, I don't see where the light at the end of the tunnel is, either. Especially now that we have this cyclical problem w/lower ridership.
The person on the left wears a black beanie and glasses, holding a sign with colorful block letters that reads: "FREEDOM of SPEECH? FREEDOM MEANS NOTHING WHEN YOU CAN SHOOT ME DOWN WITH A PUSH of a BUTTON." The person on the right wears a red patterned beanie and holds a sign featuring a black-and-white comic-style illustration of a girl (Nancy) pointing to a notice that says "NO ICE."
Was happy to be out in defense of our Constitution and immigrant neighbors. It was lovely to meet other kind folks while we were out, who share the same love for everyone in our community.
A single-panel Nancy comic by Ernie Bushmiller. Nancy stands in front of a sign that originally said "NOTICE," but she has used a pencil to completely fill in the letter "T," making the sign now read "NO ICE." She stands with a smirk, holding her pencil and a briefcase, while a frozen body of water is visible in the background.
Made these two calls in just a few minutes. Call our Senators and let them know we do not stand for a police state that targets our immigrant neighbors and hampers our freedom of movement as citizens. They must hold the line.
EPiC members attended the City Council meeting tonight to learn more about the proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. We’re feeling inspired by the mix of practical short-term recommendations and long-term goals that will make our streets safer for all road users. (1/3)
Well done Providence General Assembly for getting this to Mayor Smiley!
We would love to see East Providence take a similar step to protect residents on city property.
🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional!
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
