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A blue shark swims past a scientist affiliated with the Atlantic Shark Institute during a shark free-diving session.

Article

Climate & Environment

‘Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast’ is a ‘love letter’ to the state’s marine life

The new four-part docuseries produced in partnership with Ocean State Media was inspired by a spontaneous Rhode Island snorkeling experience by filmmaker Tomas Koeck

January 8, 2026

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Luis Hernandez

Amy Glidden said that the Rhode Island Transit Riders think staying in Kennedy Plaza would be perfectly fine.

Article

Transportation

RIPTA budget cuts tied to sharp ridership drop, advocates say

Ridership was down across RIPTA’s routes, according to a year-over-year study by the Save RIPTA Coalition

January 8, 2026

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Ben Berke

Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast

Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast is a four-part Ocean State Media documentary series exploring Rhode Island’s diverse marine habitats, wildlife, and conservation efforts—from the shores of Block Island to the depths of the Atlantic—through stunning cinematography and storytelling by award-winning filmmaker Tomas Koeck.

January 8, 2026

The Superman building in downtown Providence has sat empty since 2013. State legislation headed to the Rhode Island Senate Wednesday would allow the owner to qualify for a sales tax waiver on construction materials.

Article

Politics & Justice

Providence mayor unveils New Year’s resolutions in legislative package

Mayor Brett Smiley will be asking for an increase in the PILOT base rate and a new authority to take over the Crook Point Bridge

January 8, 2026

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Alexander Castro

Winter Wonder Days at the Roger Williams Park Zoo lets you see the animals in a winter environment for half-price.

Article

Weekend 401

Snowy creatures at the zoo, a string quartet honoring MLK, and Rhode Island’s Wild Coast | Weekend 401

This weekend, visit the animals at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in a snowy habitat, check out the P-Bruins’ retro jerseys, learn about Rhode Island’s wild coast, or catch a documentary about John Prine. Plus: The Marian Anderson String Quartet plays a concert at RISD to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 8, 2026

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James Baumgartner

Beloved songwriter John Prine died in April 2020 of complications from COVID. The new documentary "You Got Gold" celebrates Prine's life and music with interviews, archival footage, and performances from friends and collaborators like Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, and Tyler Childers.

Article

Weekend 401

‘You Got Gold’ documentary celebrating John Prine comes to Rhode Island | Weekend 401

The film celebrates the life and music of legendary songwriter John Prine – featuring interviews, archival footage, and a star-studded lineup of performances by artists like Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

January 8, 2026

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Mareva Lindo

Podcast Episode

Future of XYZ

Future of Moviegoing | Jed Harmsen | S8 E1

S8 E1: To kick off the new year, we are opening Season 8 with a conversation about a favorite holiday entertainment and pastime, ‘moviegoing’. Our guest is Jed Harmsen, VP & General Manager of Cinema & Group Entertainment at Dolby Laboratories, famous for revolutionizing audio with noise reduction and compression to significantly reduce high background noise and now the world leader in spatial audio and high dynamic range imaging for movies, streaming, music, gaming, PCs, mobile, licensing, and more. Quoting famed film director George Lucas, Jed says “Sound is more than half the picture”. Tune in today to learn more about moviegoing in 2026 and beyond!

ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

January 8, 2026

Loui’s Family Restaurant opened on Brook Street in Providence in 1946.

Article

Food & Drink

A last meal at Loui’s, the diner where Providence came together

Loui’s Family Restaurant, an eccentric greasy spoon in the shadow of Brown University, was a melting pot of Ivy League students, artists, cops, truck drivers and anyone else who might be hungry for a 5 a.m. meal

January 7, 2026

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Ben Berke