The Providence Eye

Providence’s City Council will see at least 5 new faces in January, with some major upsets shaking up City Hall. A coalition of progressive City Council members nearly swept their elections, after promising to work with Mayor-elect David Morales to build a “Providence for All.” Miguel Martínez Youngs delivers an acceptance speech on primary night. Photo: Dana Schneider.

State Representative David Morales captured 53% of the vote in Wednesday’s primary, surpassing incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley’s 46% in a race that reflects a national surge of left-leaning politicians challenging their establishment Democratic peers. In total, Morales beat Smiley by just over 1,700 votes. Morales promised to fight for a “Providence for All” and make the city more affordable by capping annual rent hikes, stabilizing taxes and demanding corporations contribute more to city services.

Congress of the Birds, which rehabilitates wild birds, is looking for volunteers and transporters. Each day, they receive dozens of calls about animals in need across the state. With the help of volunteers, they’re able to respond to more calls. Training classes are available. For more, contact Sheida Soleimani at (513) 236-0654, or email [email protected].

Editor’s Note: This article was initially published August 7, 2024. It has been updated to include accurate information for the 2026 Election Season. Please note that Rochelle Lee is a current Board Member for The Providence Eye. Rhode Island has a primary election today, Wednesday, September 9 and a subsequent general election on Tuesday, November 3. Voting in these elections is the basic right and responsibility of all Rhode Island citizens.

Since I joined Instagram in 2023, I’ve made a lot of posts about Providence. I’ve shared photos of Waterfire, Roger Williams Park, Blackstone Boulevard, Swan Point Cemetery, the State House, the pedestrian bridge, frozen lemonade trucks…the list goes on. I don’t have a particularly large following, so the response to these posts is usually modest. A few dozen “likes.” An occasional share or comment. Every now and then, I get a new follower. An influencer I am not.

In response to “The Status Quo is Not a Solution”: A New Proposal for the Providence Pension Crisis [Opinion], published September 2, 2026: Thank you Bradly for putting the Providence pension system front and center for discussion. It is indeed a ticking financial time bomb that most Providence residents are unaware of.

Editor’s Note: Few issues are more pressing in Providence than housing. This op-ed is part of an ongoing series of Providence Eye Readers Voices essays about the issue. Previous essays include: “Four Years of Renting in Providence Have Left Me Feeling Vulnerable, Rootless, and Unsure I’ll Ever Afford A Home,” “I’m a Renter in Providence Who Opposes the City’s Proposed Rent-Control Legislation.

Over the last three years, inmates at Rhode Island’s Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) demolished a floor at the minimum security facility to make way for a construction workshop. As they replaced the rooms that used to hold prisoners, trainees learned basic carpentry, floor laying and painting skills. Participants were shaping the future of the prison—and their own lives—one draw of the tape measure at a time.

Hannah Dean is a local artist who believes in the power of pen and paper.

Jennifer has lived in Providence since the days of Suicide Circle, the Dancing Cop, and Buddy Cianci. She loves to walk and shop in her Hope Street neighborhood.