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Resurrection and Preservation: EcoRI News Roundup

Resurrection of Environmental Bills Held for Further Study in 2021 RI legislators returned to the General Assembly chambers in January, and environmental advocates are hoping to pass an ambitious agenda. The legislature is expected to consider several environmental and climate-related bills that fell by the wayside last session. At the top of the list of […]

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Purveying the Sweet and the Sarcastic: Two bakeries on the rise

This business profile ran as part of Motif’s Black History Month issue, centering the experiences of Black business owners. Alaska-native Nina Reed received her culinary degree from J&W over a decade ago, focusing on baking and pastries. After graduating, she returned to Alaska to complete her internship, but her love of RI and the solid […]

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Extreme Makeover, Mediator Edition: The Mediator Stage gets a fresh new look

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in many closed doors. But the doors at The Mediator Stage have not only stayed open, they and the rest of the venue have been renewed, repainted, reinvigorated, and complemented with a spiffy new deck, sliders, and flooring. The Mediator’s open mic host and “music minister” Don Tassone has transformed […]

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Still an RI Institution, Even After “Knock It Off”: Frog and Toad continues to impress

In 2001, Erin Piorek Schofield and Asher Schofield found some retail space on Hope Street in PVD which they made their own to pursue Erin’s dream of being an entrepreneur. They chose the name due to their childhood admiration for Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books; the shop, they decided, should aim to mimic Lobel’s […]

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More Fantastic Than Umbrellas: Charlestown’s Fantastic Umbrella Factory Inspires and Delights

The Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown describes itself as “a 19th century farmyard shopper’s paradise and international bazaar.” Understandably, we thought this sounded pretty cool.  Stop by the South County complex to visit a number of local artisans, including Small Axe Productions, selling domestic and imported gifts, musical instruments and more; The Purple Shell, an […]

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