News • 2 min read July 13, 2025

Providence, RI News Roundup (7/13/25)

Sewer collapse devastates basements: Last Thursday, a compromised main line on Blackstone Boulevard collapsed, flooding several Providence basements with raw sewage and leaving homeowners facing tens of thousands in damages as they demand city accountability — find out what’s next.

Providence Fringe goes big: For its 12th edition, FRINGEPVD ramps up with 40% more performances across two new venues at 50 Sims and the Providence Drum Troupe Clubhouse, plus free family programming and an ADA anniversary showcase — check out the full lineup.

Flavor tour across Rhode Island: Providence Restaurant Weeks runs through July 19 with special fixed-price menus and can’t-miss dishes from Woonsocket to Westerly — see if your favorite restaurant is on the lineup.

Record-breaking Providence loft: The 3,100-square-foot downtown condo sold for $1.62 million, becoming the city’s highest-priced loft — find out why.

Unhoused numbers dip: Rhode Island’s 2025 winter census shows a 2.8% decline to 2,373 unhoused individuals but a 15% rise in those sleeping outdoors as shelter beds shrink — find out what’s driving the divide.

Roller Disco rolls back: Providence Rink lights up every Thursday and Friday from 5–10 p.m. (plus first-Saturday nights) with themed roller-skating, family skate days and beginner workshops through October 31 — find out more.

BBQ with Bishop Lewandowski: Young adults from Rhode Island and Massachusetts joined Bishop Lewandowski at the Our Lady of Fatima shrine for a rosary, personal stories, and Portuguese-style BBQ — find out about upcoming events starting August 2.

Remembering Lonsdale Drive-in: The article rewinds to the early ’80s heyday of the Lonsdale Drive-in, where families flocked for double features under the stars — find out why it still resonates.

Volunteers build benches for vets: Dozens of volunteers from 16 Southern New England Home Depots spent hours at Pawtucket’s Elisha Project facility crafting picnic tables and benches for local military organizations, creating new gathering spots — find out how picnic tables foster connections.

Half-century behind the wheel: RIPTA’s veteran driver Stanley Fallens marks 50 years since he started in December 1975, from buses without air conditioning to surviving the infamous 1978 blizzard and still filling in today — find out what keeps him rolling.