Jorge O. Elorza - Providence Business News

Vasquez named VP and community development officer at BankNewport

Financial Services 06/17/2024

NEWPORT – Annisha Vasquez has been appointed as vice president and community development officer at BankNewport, the bank announced. Vasquez in her new role will...

JAMES S. BENNETT has been named R.I. Commerce Corp.'s new president and chief operating officer. / COURTESY PROVIDENCE MAYOR'S OFFICE

R.I. Commerce names Bennett new president

Economic Activity 04/11/2024

PROVIDENCE – The city’s former economic development director will now lead R.I. Commerce Corp. James S. Bennett, who led Providence’s economic development from 2011 through...

City scooter vendor files for bankruptcy protection

Economy 12/28/2023

PROVIDENCE – Touted as environmentally friendly alternatives to other forms of transit, the future of the city’s Shared Micromobility Program offering rentable scooters and...

HOMEGROWN: Amelia Lopez, left, Southside Community Land Trust food access associate, and Appoline Alphonsine, a college intern, sort through vegetables harvested by the Providence nonprofit. SCLT recently received an $80,000 grant from the city that was not part of the $10 million racial reparation initiative. Some have complained that the city is moving too slow on deploying the $10 million equities program. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

What happened to Providence’s reparations initiative?

Cover Story 09/15/2023

Jim Vincent threw himself into the work when he was appointed to the Providence Municipal Reparations Commission in early 2022 because he saw an...

STALLED? Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley says he supports the city’s $10 million racial reparations program but is still reviewing plans for how the money should be spent in the community.  PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Time to move forward with $10M reparations program

Editorial and Op-Ed 09/15/2023

Ten months after city officials approved a spending plan for a $10 million racial reparations program championed by former Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, only...

REACTIONS TO THIS PAST weekend's PVDFest remain mixed, with some community members feel the lack of activity downtown impacted both the event and businesses. / COURTESY PVDFEST

After weekend festival, emotions on PVDFest remain mixed

Art & Culture 09/12/2023

PROVIDENCE – PVDFest this past weekend, according to some business leaders, was a tale of two cities. After several changes were made, including moving PVDFest...

U.S. expands curfews for asylum-seeking families to 13 cities as an...

Government 08/04/2023

SAN DIEGO (AP) – U.S. authorities are sharply expanding the reach of curfews for the heads of asylum-seeking families while they wait for initial...

THE TAX BREAKS the city of Providence has given developer Arnold "Buff" Chace Jr. and entities controlled by Chace have prompted the City Council to hire legal help in potentially undoing that deal. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Could fighting tax deal prove costly for Providence?

Government 08/04/2023

The Providence City Council’s recent move to pursue legal action against a local developer’s tax deal may help the city recoup revenue from previously...