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Hey Providence, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Housing 2030 debate, stained-glass sunflower workshop, and B.A.R.K. and P.U.R.R.K. Ranger Program + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Providence protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Debate over housing priorities: Rhode Island launched two Housing 2030 programs to expand affordable rentals and entry-level homeownership. One dedicates $20 million for homes under $400,000, while advocates urge focus on vulnerable residents — read the full story.

Sales fund library programs: Friends of the East Providence Public Library are accepting used books for spring and fall sales, with the biggest need for recent titles. Drop-offs welcomed at Weaver and Riverside libraries — learn which books are needed.

Pet spa and more: Developers announced plans for a nearly 300-unit apartment complex near T.F. Green in Warwick, with a parking garage, retail and a fitness center. Construction timeline and total cost remain unclear — see the amenities and plans.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Craft a stained-glass sunflower masterpiece
• Paint your pet at Long Live Beerworks
• Snap portraits with the Easter Bunny

🫶 We got your back

Pickles + big decisions: With complimentary pickles and 90-plus sandwiches, Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches is a Providence standby you only miss when the craving hits. Stick with your usual, or spin the wheel… either way, your lunch break gets a fun upgrade.

Weekend nature reset: When the to-do list gets loud, Roger Williams Park offers winding paths, pond views, and quiet lawns. Add the Botanical Center or the zoo if you’re feeling adventurous, and you’ve got a midweek walk, kid energy-burn, or solo coffee lap close to home.

Where fun starts: Henry Bear’s Park keeps families stocked with smart, imagination-sparking toys, games, and puzzles, plus in-store fun like easy crafts and music time. For a quick gift or rainy-day rescue, staff picks and Surprise Packs deliver fast smiles.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🕺 Beginner Line Dance Party @ Cool Pickle Restaurant & Bar (Johnston) | Tuesday (3/10) at 7:00 PM – Tuesday nights at The Cool Pickle mean no-judgment line dancing. Melissa from Get in Line RI starts with a quick beginner lesson, then plays easy follow-along favorites so you can laugh, move, and call it cardio. Free admission, friendly crowd, more fun than the treadmill.

🇵 Tierra Futura: Boricua Land Futures @ WaterFire Arts Center | Wednesday (3/11) at 10:00 AM – WaterFire Arts Center’s gallery hosts TIERRA FUTURA, a potent exhibit where Boricua artists imagine land, memory, and futures rooted in ancestry. Think ritual, rural identity, eco-feminism, and queer joy, no fluff. It’s smart, grounded, the kind of spark that keeps Providence interesting, with free admission.

🎸 Greg Sherrod’s Blues Jam @ The Parlour | Wednesday (3/11) at 8:00 PM – Whether you’ve been nodding along since pagers buzzed or you just need midweek medicine, the Wednesday Blues Jam returns to The Parlour, a Providence staple for decades. Greg Sherrod curates, performs, and stirs the pot. Free to get in, priceless to hear, better with friends.

📚 Family Bilingual Story Class / Cuentos Bilingües en Familia @ Pawtucket Public Library | Friday (3/13) at 11:00 AM – Bring the littles for a free bilingual story class that lets them wiggle, listen, and sing in English and Spanish, while you sip coffee and pretend it’s quiet time. Fun tales, simple crafts, and canciones everyone can actually remember. Ages 1-5.

🥕 Pawtucket Farmers Market @ Jordan’s Jungle | Friday (3/13) at 4:30 PM – Cold weather calls for an indoor market stroll, so head to Jordan’s Jungle on Fridays for Pawtucket’s cozy farmers market. Seasonal bites, holiday treats, and local vendors, with free parking, family and dog cameos, and WIC, SNAP, and Bonus Bucks welcome. Think groceries, serotonin.

🐾 B.A.R.K. and P.U.R.R.K. Ranger Program @ Roger Williams National Memorial | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – Providence’s cutest roll call is at Roger Williams National Memorial, where your dignified dog, skeptical cat, and you can snag B.A.R.K and P.U.R.R.K tags, a free collar charm, then stroll the Washington-Rochambeau route with a ranger. Free, rain or shine, leashes, and petless humans welcome.

🐸 FrogWatch USA Volunteer Training #1 @ Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council | Saturday (3/14) at 1:00 PM – Trade small talk for frog talk, and call it science. WRWC’s FrogWatch training shows you how to ID local frog calls, rate the chorus, and log data that helps our wetlands. Free, part indoor and part outside, in Providence and Smithfield, coffee included, registration required.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Providence report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 68°F – Low: 40°F – Precip: 1%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 2 to 7 mph. Later: Patchy fog between 9pm and 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. South wind 2 to 6 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 59°F – Low: 44°F – Precip: 25%

A chance of rain after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. South wind 3 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Later: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across Rhode Island but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

This contemporary colonial in Providence’s Elmhurst neighborhood balances thoughtful design with flexible living. The 3-bed, 2.5-bath main home features hardwood floors, a fireplace insert, and quartz counters. Upstairs, a vast primary suite adds an office, walk-in closet, and bonus room, plus a double vanity, soaking tub, and walk-in shower. Central air, energy-efficient windows, and a 1-bed, 1-bath ADU complete it.

Take a peek inside →