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Tens of millions of people have visited Providence on a WaterFire night, held regularly on Saturdays each summer, but also for special occasions.

Imagine Providence with no WaterFire. It could happen.

With corporate donations dwindling, and state leaders hemming and hawing over providing additional financial support, the world–renowned arts event is struggling.

RI HEALTH
Fatal overdoses drop in R.I. for the first time in five years
Fentanyl and other opioids continue to drive overdose deaths, in Rhode Island and across the country.

INFRASTRUCTURE
Lawsuit over R.I.’s Washington Bridge likely to come in August, lead lawyer says
The lawyers hired by the state acknowledged the legal case has delayed the release of any findings about what caused the bridge failure.

RHODE MAP
The new face of the hospitality industry in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Hospitality Association has announced Farouk Rajab as its new CEO.

GLOBE RI + RI PBS
Institutionalized in R.I.: A thousand nights stuck in a system that fails kids
The US Department of Justice has accused Rhode Island of warehousing children at Bradley Hospital, the state’s only pediatric psychiatric facility. Families hope the investigation finally means help for their children is on the way.

Colonel Oscar Perez on his first year as Providence police chiefDo we still need police officers in Rhode Island schools?Infants, toddlers face long wait for crucial Early Intervention services in R.I.The device debate: Fed up, some schools are banning cell phonesProvidence’s ‘Superman’ building could need more public funding, R.I. housing secretary saysUS Senator Reed says Netanyahu should step down

ELECTION 2024
‘I think we’re losing the plot here,’ says Ayanna Pressley as Democrats remain divided on Biden
A group of influential Democrats in Congress are neither ready to line up behind President Biden, nor to publicly pressure him to step aside as their party's nominee. “I think we’re going to have to continue to have the healthy conversation we had today and go on from there,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

RI POLITICS
Union request to livestream hearing highlights ‘gray area’ of R.I. Open Meetings Act
Labor Relations Board will decide dispute July 25 after weighing arguments from SEIU Local 580 and the Department of Children Youth and Families.

INFRASTRUCTURE
When will RI’s Washington Bridge reopen? State officials no longer have an estimate.
The original plan was to get the bridge open by September 2026 at the latest, but that estimate “pushed the envelope,” the DOT director acknowledged.

RHODE MAP
Amica is the next jersey sponsor for the Celtics
The multiyear deal means the Lincoln, R.I.-based insurance giant will replace Vistaprint on the front of the Celtics’ uniforms every game of the season.

As city sizzles, these spaces serve as fleeting refuges
People flocked to malls, libraries, and subway cars to cool off.

Latest Sports News

Rafael Devers looking forward to resting his sore left shoulder during All-Star break

Framingham champion Matthew Naumec reaches final eight of Massachusetts Amateur at his home course

Terms solid on NBA’s new media deal — 11 years, $76 billion — with Turner Sports still able to stay in the game

Ongoing coverage

Follow globe r.i.

The Great Elephant Migration traveling exhibit and fundraiser is on display at Rough Point Mansion and other locations in Newport, R.I. from July 4 through Sept. 2, 2024.

THINGS TO DO

401 Fun: The best things to do in Rhode Island, July 5-12

This week: WaterFire, RiverFire, and fireworks, outdoor movies and concerts, laser light show, and more!

Pride Month events in Rhode Island

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RI NEWS

A man named Rob, one of the WaterFire fire tenders who helped pull a woman and a rabbit from the water on July 4, holds the animal following the rescue. The photo was taken by Chris Donovan, who is also a fire tender.

Woman jumps into Providence River to rescue a rabbit during WaterFire

A video posted on TikTok shows the woman swimming and holding the animal above her head in the inky waters before fire tenders pull her onto a boat and help her to shore.

RI NEWS

People fish as large waves hit the rocks at the Charlestown Breachway in August 2021, in Charlestown, R.I.

Debris that could be a shipwreck surfaces in Charlestown, R.I.

A winter storm rolled into Charlestown Breachway and knocked down part of a beach wall in January. Since then, parts of what appeared to be a ship began to stick out of the sand.

RHODE MAP

President Joe Biden during a July 4 celebration at the White House. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Vice President Kamala Harris joined him.

A consequential week in Washington for Rhode Island’s congressional delegation

The pressure on President Biden is expected to increase this week as the House and Senate return to Washington. So what should we expect to see and hear from Rhode Island’s congressional delegation?

INNOVATOR Q&A

Providence-area residents Ryn Caddick, left, Carolyn van Artsdalen, and Mya Stern, recently hired through Brown's ArtsCrew program, collaborate to catalog and archive student artworks.

‘Bringing joy back to making art’: New workforce development program launches at Brown

Avery Willis Hoffman, artistic director of the Brown Arts Institute, has been thinking about the hit the arts industry took during and since the pandemic. She hopes to support people in the arts through ArtsCrew, a robust workforce development program.

Man identified as suspect in Hopkinton, R.I., homicide found dead after police chase

Joseph Francis, the estranged husband of the victim, 44-year-old Stephanie Francis, was pronounced dead after his vehicle rolled over.

Two kayakers, one from Allston, found dead in Rhode Island pond

Gregory Boerman, 37, of Allston, and Joseph Fritz, 52, of East Providence, were found in Omega Pond near two empty kayaks, the East Providence Police Department said in a statement Saturday.

RI ARTS

‘The Gilded Age’ actress Laura Benanti is back in Newport, headlining two musical evenings with Newport Classical

The Tony Award-winning actress talks about celebrating her daughter’s birthday in Newport, losing her tooth on the set of ‘The Gilded Age,’ and refusing to eat or drink while wearing period costumes.

RHODE MAP

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 11, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Watch: The political debate you didn’t hear about last week

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is getting a lot of attention for his comments on President’s Biden’s debate performance, but did you know Whitehouse participated in his own spirited debate last week?

Imagine Providence with no WaterFire. It could happen.

RI HEALTHFatal overdoses drop in R.I. for the first time in five yearsFentanyl and other opioids continue to drive overdose deaths, in Rhode Island and across the country.

INFRASTRUCTURELawsuit over R.I.’s Washington Bridge likely to come in August, lead lawyer says The lawyers hired by the state acknowledged the legal case has delayed the release of any findings about what caused the bridge failure.

RHODE MAPThe new face of the hospitality industry in Rhode IslandThe Rhode Island Hospitality Association has announced Farouk Rajab as its new CEO.

RI POLITICSUnion request to livestream hearing highlights ‘gray area’ of R.I. Open Meetings ActLabor Relations Board will decide dispute July 25 after weighing arguments from SEIU Local 580 and the Department of Children Youth and Families.

INFRASTRUCTUREWhen will RI’s Washington Bridge reopen? State officials no longer have an estimate.The original plan was to get the bridge open by September 2026 at the latest, but that estimate “pushed the envelope,” the DOT director acknowledged.

RHODE MAPAmica is the next jersey sponsor for the CelticsThe multiyear deal means the Lincoln, R.I.-based insurance giant will replace Vistaprint on the front of the Celtics’ uniforms every game of the season.

As city sizzles, these spaces serve as fleeting refuges People flocked to malls, libraries, and subway cars to cool off.