Trouble at St. Mary's Home; Platters lawsuit; Garden City newcomers: Top stories this week
Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of Dec. 31, supported by your subscriptions.
Dig out the boots, lay in a supply of bread and milk, and strap in for what's expected to be the first significant snowfall to hit our area in two years. Keep an eye on providencejournal.com for the latest on how much is likely to fall on Saturday night and Sunday. And before the flakes fly, check your snow blower.
If you (like me) have driven and/or trudged through the snow in a quest for coffee (usually iced, even in a blizzard), check out these seven spots that are most popular with our readers.
As Rhode Island marks its 388th year, columnist Mark Patinkin celebrates its timeless charms and engaging quirkiness, making it “a haven of the odd, the free, and the dissenting,” in the words of native son H.P. Lovecraft.
Friars fans got some awful news on Thursday when it was confirmed that star forward Bryce Hopkins will miss the rest of the season after suffering an injury against Seton Hall. How will that affect Providence's chances of staying in the AP Top 25? For that and more college and high school sports news, go to providencejournal.com/sports.
Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com:
Overdoses, assault and restraints: Inside a damning report on St. Mary's Home for Children
In June, St. Mary’s Home for Children, a residential treatment center serving youth in state care, welcomed a motorcycle club onto its North Providence campus to serve “as a deterrent to human traffickers.”
The unusual arrangement moved forward without the knowledge of the state Department of Children, Youth & Families. It ended abruptly in August after the state Office of the Child Advocate raised concerns about members of “Bikers Against Child Abuse” standing guard against potential predators at a treatment center for traumatized and high-risk youth.
The revelation is part of a report produced by the child advocate’s office after an eight-month investigation of St. Mary’s, which began after a 17-year-old girl housed there was found unconscious from a drug overdose.
“Concerns include but are not limited to, children being physically assaulted by other children, children being sexually assaulted by other children, children being injured in restraints,” the report states.
The day after The Journal's story on the bombshell report, the longtime director of St. Mary's stepped down, and House and Senate leaders are now calling for hearings.
Child welfare:Overdoses, assault and restraints: Inside a damning report on St. Mary's Home for Children
Trailblazing R&B group sues 'imposter' in RI to protect history
The Platters helped shift the landscape of music in the 1950s at a time of fierce racial divides in America, introducing R&B to a wider audience.
It’s that legacy that The Platters’ founder, bass singer Herb Reed, strove to protect until his death in 2012 – work that is now being continued by his successor, Frederick J. Balboni Jr.
The Platters’ rich history is central to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Rhode Island against a singer set to perform Jan. 20 at the East Providence High School auditorium. Maryland-based singer Joe Coleman promotes himself as a singer with The Platters for more than two decades.
Balboni and Eric Sommers, who’s representing Herb Reed Enterprises, call Coleman an imposter who is trading off the goodwill and talent generated by The Platters. They are asking the court to bar Coleman from using the group's name.
Courts:Trailblazing R&B group sues 'imposter' in RI to protect history
Angell Street homes leveled, and neighbors remain 'in the dark' on plans
PROVIDENCE – The last in a line of three historical Angell Street homes was demolished this week. And still, no one knows what will become of the land.
The houses, built in the late 1800s, were leveled at the request of 217 Angell Investments II, LLC. It is unclear who is behind the LLC, as the state's corporation database lists "The Corporation Trust Company" in East Providence as the resident agent – not a person.
The company states it exists for the "ownership and operation of commercial real estate, including without limitation a hotel, multi-family apartments, retail or office, and other ancillary commercial activities attendant to such activities."
City officials say no proposals for the properties have been submitted, leaving neighbors guessing – and fuming.
"Providence used to be a national leader in historic preservation," said Chris Tompkins, who lives in the neighborhood. "We’re now going backwards and dismantling what makes Providence unique."
Real estate:Angell Street homes leveled, and neighbors remain 'in the dark' on plans
Six new shops are coming to Cranston's Garden City Center in 2024
Six new tenants are coming to Cranston's Garden City Center this year, including the expansion of a Providence cookie shop, while a jewelry store is expanding into the watch business.
The new openings mean Garden City is almost at its full leased capacity with this newest group of tenants, Garden City Spokeswoman Faith Lockhart said.
For a preview of the newcomers, read on.
Retail:Six new shops are coming to Cranston's Garden City Center in 2024
Dynamite sandwiches are local to Woonsocket. How did they get their name?
Rhode Island is one of the few places where someone asking for a "dynamite" is probably not looking for explosives.
They're probably requesting a very specific sandwich.
"In Woonsocket, there is a sandwich known as a 'dynamite.' It is served on a torpedo roll. Often compared with Sloppy Joe's but dynamites have peppers and onions. Groups have fundraisers known as a 'beer and dynamite' supper," a What and Why reader wrote in saying. "Where did the name come from?"
Let's take a look at the history of this regional meal.
What and Why RI:Dynamite sandwiches are local to Woonsocket. How did they get their name?
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: St. Mary's Home; Garden City stores
