Following a week-long strike, Etsy sellers are planning “the equivalent of a union,” said R.I. designer Kristi Cassidy. “We’ve shown we can mobilize and we can get a lot of attention.” pbn.com/r-i-woman-lead…

Women and Infants Hospital nurses protest holiday vacation policy pbn.com/women-and-infa… via PBN

Generations of manufacturing/marine companies have staked their claim along the Providence river, drawn by the 40-foot-deep shipping channel. But new attention on health, environment and racial justice has ignited conflict with their residential neighbors. pbn.com/shades-of-gree…

With one in three Rhode Islanders considered cost-burdened, demand for the concluding RentReliefRI program highlights a need for permanent rental assistance in the state, said Ċookie3 🍪 director Brenda Clement. pbn.com/rentreliefri-t…

R.I. to ban single-use plastic bags, my latest via PBN pbn.com/r-i-poised-to-…

Rubius Therapeutics will lay off 75% of its overall workforce, the Cambridge-based company announced on Tuesday morning, and is discussing a potential sale of its Smithfield facility. pbn.com/rubius-to-lay-…

While observers have highlighted Rhode Island’s colleges and universities as a key source of entrepreneurial energy, some say much of this potential remains untapped. Members of UNIE hope to change that. pbn.com/rihub-partneri…

Following a 2021 decrease, Rhode Island's union growth rebounded in 2022, according to BLS data. At 16.1%, the Ocean State tied with California for the fourth-highest union membership rate in the U.S. pbn.com/union-membersh…

ICYMI: $27M grant could finish Providence’s bike lane network, but Smiley noncommittal pbn.com/27m-grant-coul… via PBN

Hina Musa, named CEO of Social Enterprise Greenhouse in January, has departed the organization. Julie Owens will resume interim leadership as SEG confirms a long-term replacement. pbn.com/hina-musa-rece…

McKee's Learn 365 RI plan is "vague" and follows a pattern of "creating extra programs instead of taking care of what we already have," said Darlene Netcoh, president of the Warwick Teachers' Union. pbn.com/some-educators…

The concept of “missing middle” housing isn’t new, but the state's response is relatively recent, says James Comer of R.I. Housing. And for many residents, who face limited housing stock and lagging wages, there's little time to wait. pbn.com/making-room-in…

Advocates also called for Mayor Smiley to distribute a list of vacant city-owned buildings, order pallet shelters and prohibit police from disturbing tent encampments. pbn.com/homeless-advoc…

“Some people see the bees as their pets, or like they’re [the bees’] mother,” said Cynthia Holt, owner of Little Rhody Beekeeping. “I see it in a very different way, where I’m almost like a servant of the bees." pbn.com/beekeeping-has…

“We have had a high number of calls every single week from people unable to rent on Airbnb and VRBO,” says Kristen Holloway of Randall Realtors Compass, where business is also down 18% compared to last summer. pbn.com/as-travel-seas…

The compact allows nurses to enter or exit the R.I. workforce with greater ease, which hospital leaders believe will tip in R.I.'s favor. UNAP, historically critical of the compact, agreed to rejoin under a three-year sunset clause. pbn.com/rhode-island-r…

At the Amos House soup kitchen, a busy month used to mean serving 1,000 meals more than usual. When pandemic-prompted SNAP expansions expired over the winter, that figure rose by 6,000, and surging need continues to concern pantries throughout RI. pbn.com/food-banks-pan…

RIPTA's free R-Line pilot program ended in the fall, but another public transit experiment recently launched in Massachusetts: Under a statewide MassDOT initiative, SRTA has lifted fares on all bus routes through June 30. pbn.com/free-bus-servi…

Originally a tricycle-based business, Tizzy K's Cereal Ice Cream — which now scoops from a shipping container along the Providence riverfront — will in a way hearken back to its pedal-powered roots with a new shop along the East Bay Bike Path in Warren. pbn.com/tizzy-ks-cerea…

Goodbye Seekonk's Showcase Cinemas, hello Market Basket? pbn.com/market-basket-… via Jacquelyn Voghel