Focus - Providence Business News

AWARENESS MANDATE: A state law that went into effect on Jan. 1 requires all hotel employees and short-term rental operators to receive training on how to spot signs of human trafficking among guests. As of now, there are no penalties for noncompliance.  PBN FILE PHOTO/WILLIAM HAMILTON

New R.I. law aims to curb human trafficking

Focus 05/08/2026

Hotels and short-term rental operators in Rhode Island are being required to do their part to prevent human trafficking. In fact, it’s the law. As...

TESTING BOUNDARIES: Brown University biology professor John Sedivy, director of Brown’s Center on the Biology of Aging, will help lead a research team running a clinical trial to see if the drug censavudine can slow the human aging process.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Brown researchers testing HIV drug for anti-aging traits

Education 04/24/2026

More than 90% of adults over 65 have at least one chronic condition and about 80% have two or more, according to the Centers...

PLAY AREA: State Rep. David J. Place, R-Burrillville, would like to create a “regulatory sandbox” for biotech firms in the state where a waiver of certain regulations could be approved for activities such as testing, but the proposal has faced pushback from some state agencies. Place stands outside the CCI building in Providence, where some life science firms are located.  PBN PHOTO/MATTHEW MCNULTY

Biotech ‘sandbox’ bill raises oversight concerns

Focus 04/24/2026

With Rhode Island making a push for the state to become a burgeoning hub for life sciences and biotechnology firms by building lab space...

DOULA SESSION: Rachelle Friesen, co-president of the nonprofit Doulas of Rhode Island, speaks to a gathering at Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket as part of the group’s statewide “Meet the Doulas” awareness campaign.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Demand for doulas in R.I. rises after insurance change

Focus 04/24/2026

What a difference a few years have made for doulas in Rhode Island. Doulas provide physical and emotional support to expectant mothers, before, during and...

OVERDOSE DETECTION: The R.I. Department of Health has launched a new portal, the Overdose Spike Alert System, that enables state officials to better “situational awareness” about overdoses in the state.  AP FILE PHOTO/TOBY TALBOT

New tracking system gives clearer picture of overdoses in R.I.

Focus 04/24/2026

For the first time since 2023, the R.I. Department of Health in March issued a statewide overdose spike alert. From March 10-16, the state health...

LAB WORK: Kaitlin Dailey, left, a University of Rhode Island assistant professor, monitors technician Victoria Coulter, a 2025 pharmaceutical sciences graduate, on URI’s South Kingstown campus.  PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

URI pharmacy enrollment rebounds after decline

Education 04/10/2026

When Kerry LaPlante decided to become a pharmacist, the opportunity to play a direct, accessible role in community health care served as a major...

CREDIT WORTHY: Conor McCloskey, left, Narragansett High School principal, and Narragansett schools Superintendent Peter Cummings, are pleased that the town topped the list of Rhode Island school districts that saw the biggest increase in students taking Advanced Placement exams over the last decade.  PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

Advanced Placement participation surges across R.I. high schools

Education 04/10/2026

At Narragansett High School, students as young as freshmen are stepping into college-level classrooms, tackling Advanced Placement courses that just a decade ago few...

RIGHTS OR WRONG? Deputy House Speaker Raymond A. Hull, D-Providence, is supporting legislation that would require insurers to outline policyholders’ rights in simple terms to help in understanding, but at least one industry group objects to the additional regulation.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Insurance ‘bill of rights’ aims to end coverage confusion

Financial Services 03/27/2026

Jeff Brooks, a Newport Realtor with Hogan Associates Christie’s International Real Estate, is the first to acknowledge that he should have known better. Despite his...

A HEARTBEAT AWAY: Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer, director of R.I. Department of Business Regulation, has been appointed president-elect of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and will take over the top role in 2027. At right is Megan Mihara, DBR principal program manager. PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Dwyer poised to give R.I. big voice on national level

Financial Services 03/27/2026

For the first time in more than a century, a Rhode Island insurance regulator has stepped into a top national role. Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer, director...