Flooded homes; storm-ravaged coastline; new restaurants: Top stories this week

Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of Jan. 14, supported by your subscriptions.

• Drought. Heat. Pests. Disease. Forests across North America are facing more threats than ever. But an experiment taking place on a 45-acre plot in Richmond could be part of the solution, using an unconventional approach: cutting trees down to save them.

• What's in Gov. Dan McKee's $13.7 billion budget proposalfor the fiscal year that starts July 1? Fear not: We've crunched the numbers so you don't have to, with breakdowns on what it offers for education, public safety and the environment.

• A battle over a proposed 158-acre solar farm in a heavily wooded section of Johnston is flaring anew, mirroring skirmishes in communities across Rhode Island, as the push for renewable energy bumps up against questions of where solar farms – and wind turbines – should be located.

• In his first dispatch from Israel, columnist Mark Patinkin finds a land of contrasts: buzzing with normalcy on the surface, while quietly grieving those lost or kidnapped in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, and praying for the safety of loved ones fighting in Gaza.

• For the latest on the Patriots under new head coach Jerod Mayo, and full coverage of college and high school sports, go to providencejournal.com/sports.

Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com:

In retreat from rising waters, RI steps in to buy out flood-prone homes

For Kathy Ribeiro, the Jan. 9-10 rainstorm was a timely reminder of why she sold her East Providence house and moved out of the flood-prone neighborhood where she'd lived for 21 years. Keeping the basement from filling with water was a constant battle, with sump pumps running around the clock every day.

Hers is one of 13 houses and five vacant lots near the Runnins River being bought with federal money as part of a floodplain restoration project. The houses will be torn down and the natural wetlands restored, with the goal of reducing chronic flooding in the Luther's Corner neighborhood.

Purchase programs to move people out of areas that have flooded repeatedly are becoming more common, as climate change leads to rising seas and frequent heavy rainstorms. Buying homes and tearing them down is a last resort, but sometimes there’s no viable alternative.

Environment: In retreat from rising waters, RI steps in to buy out flood-prone homes

Shocking erosion along coastal RI the worst since Superstorm Sandy, experts say

While torrential rains inundated neighborhoods from West Warwick to Johnston to East Providence last Tuesday and again on Saturday, the state’s southern shore was pounded by wind-whipped waves that washed out beaches, dunes and even stretches of road.

The erosion in parts of South Kingstown, Westerly, Narragansett and Charlestown was the worst that coastal geologist Janet Freedman had seen since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. And that was before she'd surveyed damage from another storm that hit the region on Saturday.

See photos of the damage, and find out what the prognosis is for recovery.

Weather:Shocking erosion along coastal RI the worst since Superstorm Sandy, experts say

They lost valuables in the Harborside Inn fire. Now they're caught in insurance limbo.

Guests of the Harborside Inn on Block Island find themselves in limbo as insurers point fingers instead of covering losses from the August blaze that destroyed the historic structure, along with it visitors' cellphones, bridesmaid dresses and other belongings.

Nicole Glorioso and her boyfriend, Zachary Falconeri, incurred more than $5,500 in losses after fleeing the Harborside around 11:25 p.m. on Aug. 18 with just their clothes and her purse. Since then, the couple has documented their losses with the hotel’s insurer, Ategrity Specialty Insurance Co.

In October, Ategrity pinned the blame for the fire on the Harbor Grill, the hotel restaurant, and referred all claims to them. In November, the restaurant's insurer said "liability has not been determined to date," and told Glorioso and others to file claims with their own insurance companies.

Now guests are stuck in the middle, without coverage for belongings valued in the thousands of dollars.

Block Island: They lost valuables in the Harborside Inn fire. Now they're caught in insurance limbo.

What's coming to RI's dining scene in 2024? 10 restaurants to keep an eye out for

Rhode Island's vibrant dining scene will continue to bloom in 2024 with the opening of new restaurants, bakeries, breweries, cafes and Providence's first food hall. The year is young, but many places are in assorted stages of construction or simply in the works.

Will the pace of openings keep up with what we saw in 2022 and 2023? It's too soon to know. Still, we do have some confirmations.

Here's the announced lineup for openings in 2024.

Dining:What's coming to RI's dining scene in 2024? 10 restaurants to keep an eye out for

What is Level99? A look at the 'adult playground' opening at Providence Place mall

Maybe at this point you’ve seen the sign on the side of the Providence Place mall and thought to yourself, “What is Level99 and what do you do there?”

Maybe you’ve been to the Natick location and are wondering if the new Providence spot – opening next week – will have all the same puzzles and games.

Or maybe this is the first time you've heard about the 40,000-square-foot space opening in the former JCPenney at Providence Place.

Either way, here’s everything you need to know about the new recreational center.

Entertainment:What is Level99? A look at the 'adult playground' opening at Providence Place Mall

To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Journal top stories: Flooded homes buyout; coastal erosion