by Billy Kepner | Apr 13, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) today hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at Mount Pleasant High School to celebrate the school’s new athletic complex and kick off the first baseball game of the season. The event marked the first time the Mount Pleasant Kilties baseball team has hosted a game on their home turf in years; prior to renovation, the size and condition of the school’s baseball field rendered it unfit and unsafe for league games.
Councilwoman Ryan secured federal CDBG dollars to fund the athletic complex project. She consulted with Mount Pleasant High School Principal Christopher Coleman and Brian Byrnes of the City’s Parks Department to develop a master plan that would address the school’s immediate and long-term needs. Phase I of the project is completed and includes the new baseball field, a multi-purpose field, fencing, tree plantings and a walking path. Phase II will include new tennis courts, which will be moved to accommodate a new soccer field. Gardner-Gerrish Landscape Architects LLC designed the complex and Yardworx was contracted to do the work.
“This is an exciting time for Mt Pleasant baseball,” said Councilwoman Ryan. “I am happy to have been part of a team effort to bring a first-class ball field to Mt Pleasant High School. For years, substandard and unsafe field conditions left the Kilties without a home to call their own. Let’s take time to celebrate this win, while acknowledging that we still have much work ahead of us to provide our young people with the school and athletic facilities they deserve.”
In previous seasons, Mount Pleasant’s baseball team used its home field for practices only; the team was bussed to other locations for home games. According to Principal Coleman, the condition of the previous field didn’t meet the team’s needs, even for practices: the ground was uneven, and the team had to adjust to playing on larger fields during games. The new field, said Coleman, is a big morale boost for the team and cuts bussing expenses.
“Mount Pleasant High School is extremely grateful to Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan for the construction of our new baseball field and the improvements she has made to our athletic complex,” said Coleman. “Our students will now be able to play on their own field and have a facility that they can be proud of for years to come. We thank Councilwoman Ryan for her efforts to make this dream a reality for our students.”
by Billy Kepner | Apr 7, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-12
Councilman Terrence Hassett (Ward 12) will tomorrow host a ribbon cutting and street dedication in honor of Patrick T. Griffin, whose Smith Hill business, Patrick’s Pub, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The naming of Nolan Street to Patrick T. Griffin Way coincides with the pub’s 25th anniversary celebration. The event kicks off with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:00 pm, followed by an afternoon of entertainment from John Connors and the Irish Express.
“Patrick is an exemplary business owner and community leader,” said Councilman Hassett. “His twenty-five years in Providence have deepened the city’s Irish culture and contributed to Smith Hill’s small business economy. Our community has always been a welcoming home to immigrants, and Patrick’s Pub embodies that tradition. While Patrick’s Pub is authentically Irish, it also serves as a mecca for the heritage and traditions of so many countries that are represented in Providence. The culture at Patrick’s is enlightening and reflects what America is all about.”
Patrick, a native of Ireland’s County Roscommon, came to America in 1984 for a construction job in Boston. In 1992, Patrick became a US Citizen, moved to Providence, and opened Patrick’s Pub on Smith Street. The Smith Hill establishment quickly became a popular gathering spot for neighbors and politicians alike, and Patrick eventually expanded the pub to accommodate family events and fundraisers. Today, the pub even serves as the headquarters for a few cultural organizations, including the Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, Ireland’s 32 Society, and the 1916 Committee. Patrick is also widely credited for reinstating the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which had become defunct for a number of years prior to his arrival.
“I’m so happy I chose to come to America, start a family, and become a successful business owner. I’m proudly living the American dream, just as so many Irish immigrants did before me,” said Patrick. “It is a great honor to have a street in Providence, Rhode Island named after me. God bless America and God bless Ireland.”
Tomorrow’s events are open to the public and begin at 1:00 pm at Patrick’s Pub, 381 Smith Street, Providence.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 6, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) today announced that local basketball legend Christina Batastini has joined the Pleasant View Recreation Center as a part-time staff member. Christina was named one of the most influential Rhode Island sports figures in the last hundred years by The Providence Journal and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and Rhode Island Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame.
By day, Christina works as the Adolescent School Health Program Manager for the Rhode Island Department of Health and has a number of years’ experience in coaching, youth development, and public policy. In addition to working on basketball skill development, Christina will also use her grant experience to seek new funding opportunities for after-school programs. At Pleasant View Recreation Center, Christina will join fellow Ward 5 resident and basketball star Keith Moors, who serves as the center’s director.
“Christina’s wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset as we work to expand programming at our new recreation center,” said Councilwoman Ryan, who secured funding for Pleasant View Recreation Center to open its doors last fall. “We are thrilled to welcome Christina to the Pleasant View Recreation Center, and we’re grateful that she has chosen to work with our youth on nights and weekends.”
The Pleasant View Recreation Center offers a host of programs after school, on Saturdays, and during the summer. Programming includes basketball, indoor swim, soccer, and a full summer camp. “Our new recreation center is an efficient use of a City asset that, for too many years, went dark after school hours,” said Ryan. “Now it has become a vibrant recreation and community center, with great programming led by neighborhood residents who are recognized in athletics. Together we’re keeping the lights of learning on well beyond the school day.”
Although she has played professional basketball internationally, Christina began her basketball career in Providence. A native of Providence’s fifth ward, she is an alumnus of Classical High School, where her basketball skills earned her the Parade and Nike All-American honors and Gatorade Player of New England award.
Christina holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University, where she won the Phyllis Strimling Award for demonstrating exceptional leadership. She also holds a BA in American Studies from Stanford University. While earning her bachelor’s degree on a full scholarship, the nationally-ranked athlete won three Pacific-10 Championships and played in the 1997 NCAA Final Four in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Following her collegiate career, Christina played basketball professionally for four years in Italy, Switzerland, Norway, and Sweden. When she returned to the United States, Christina worked as an assistant coach for the Brown University women’s basketball team and helped lead the team to the best start in Brown University women’s basketball history. She was also the head coach for seven seasons at Lincoln School, where she guided the high school basketball team to four consecutive Southeastern New England championships.
by Billy Kepner | Mar 22, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
At 7:30 PM, William Manzo Jr. and his wife Christine, owners of Federal Hill Pizza, will formally open their newest location at 1039 Chalkstone Avenue in the former Castle Theater. The restaurant serves an array of dishes which can also be found at their original location in Warren, RI. Chef Billy Manzo, a Master Pizzaiolo certified by Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, and a graduate of the AVPN Pizzaiolo training course, has created a full-service menu with breakfast, lunch, dinner and drink items, including brick oven pizza, pasta, salads, gluten-free pizza, and more. The restaurant will be open from 6 AM – 11:30 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 6 AM-midnight Friday and Saturday.
Federal Hill Pizza is the first business to successfully take advantage of the Providence City Council’s Neighborhood Revitalization Act. This act passed in December of 2015 and helps small business owners lower their startup cost so they can grow their business in Providence. The developer, in turn, must also hire Providence residents, contractors, and minority populations. “Federal Hill Pizza is a great example of the City Council’s Neighborhood Tax Stabilization Program working for small businesses. I’m excited for the Manzo family and wish them the best in their new business venture. I encourage small business owners to look into the neighborhood TSA program to see how it can help them grow,” said Council President Luis Aponte.
By partnering with the City of Providence’s First Source program and Road Map to Recovery, Federal Hill Pizza is also able to employ skilled, job-ready candidates and provide further training. Councilwoman Ryan stated, “Chef Billy Manzo’s patience and willingness to go the extra mile and invest on our workforce, our neighborhoods and in the city of Providence will help revitalize our community’s business corridors.”The rehabilitation of the Castle Theater as well as the Manzo’s plans for many community oriented initiatives proves that they will become a central hub for the Ward 5 community and model for future businesses interested in taking advantage of the NRA project.
Chef Billy Manzo and Christine are also the co-founders of Chefs Feeding Kids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps raise the funds necessary for programming to ensure that children have enough food to eat and equip families with skills to create nutritious meals. Serving youth and promoting healthy eating habits has always been the focus of Federal Hill Brick Oven Pizza’s philanthropic efforts in collaboration with corporate sponsors. The Manzo’s greater commitment to promote social change initiatives will have a direct positive impact on the local community.
The grand opening on Wednesday, March 22 at 7:30 is open to the community and will feature food, beverages, and music to celebrate.
by Billy Kepner | Mar 20, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-12, Ward-14, Ward-5
City Councilors Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), Terrence M. Hassett (Ward 12), and David Salvatore (Ward 14) today issued a joint statement in response to a string of violent crimes and other violations that occurred over the weekend in the lower Eaton Street neighborhood, which has a high concentration of off-campus student housing:
“This past weekend was marked by a dangerous series of events that threatened the safety of hundreds of people, including students, residents, and public safety officials. As City Councilors, we will not tolerate such a breach of peace in our neighborhoods.
While college students are learning to navigate adulthood, they must be held accountable for their choices and conduct. Following this weekend’s alarming series of events, we call upon the colleges and universities involved to take swift action in addressing the dangerous party culture occurring off-campus. Landlords who violate housing codes and enable these kinds of behaviors must also be held to account.
We are committed to curtailing this behavior, and will convene a meeting with the schools, landlords, and public safety officials to continue our positive dialogue and take all necessary action to protect our neighborhoods.”
by Billy Kepner | Mar 16, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10
Providence youth accused of minor infractions may soon have their cases heard in a boardroom instead of a courtroom. The Providence City Council this month established a new Juvenile Hearing Board (JHB) to provide youth with community-based alternatives to incarceration. The panel’s seven members and alternates were recently appointed by the City Council. As a body, the board is comprised of experts and advocates uniquely qualified to review non-violent juvenile cases and determine appropriate sanctions. Cases will be forwarded to the board by the Providence Police Department.
“We want to direct children and families to much-needed resources instead of the state court system,” said City Council President Luis Aponte, who spearheaded the effort with a focus on best practices in juvenile justice. “Juvenile detention facilities are filled with kids whose behaviors could’ve been safely and effectively corrected in other settings. Prying kids from their families and communities often creates much more damage. It’s also costly, and doesn’t serve in the best interests of public safety.”
Across many sectors, JHBs are widely considered instrumental in juvenile justice reform. The formation of the Providence Juvenile Hearing Board has been endorsed by Chief Justice Michael B. Forte of Rhode Island Family Court, Providence Police Chief Col. Hugh Clements, and Executive Director Tobey Ayers of Rhode Island for Community and Justice.
CHIEF JUSTICE MICHAEL B. FORTE, RHODE ISLAND FAMILY COURT:
“The Rhode Island Family Court encourages all communities to create juvenile hearing boards in order to keep children whenever possible out of the formal court system. We applaud the Providence City Council’s initiative and pledge to collaborate with the city’s board whenever requested.”
COLONEL HUGH T. CLEMENTS, JR., CHIEF OF POLICE, PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT:
“In policing the capital city, we are constantly challenged with crime where juvenile offenders are involved. Our department’s community policing philosophy surpasses our everyday interactions with citizens and extends to identifying and deterring individuals who are entering the drug, gun or gang game at an early age. This Juvenile Hearing Board will serve as an essential resource to both the City of Providence and the Providence Police Department to afford our non-violent juvenile offenders with an opportunity to move beyond a life of crime and receive rehabilitative services, avoiding incarceration. We are grateful to the City Council and President Aponte for establishing this board and look forward to working with the newly appointed members in developing greater relations with our youth population.”
TOBY AYERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RHODE ISLAND FOR COMMUNITY AND JUSTICE:
“In an era of mass incarceration, our children’s futures and our state’s economic future depend on keeping juveniles off paths to prison. That’s exactly what the JHB will do. Our data from the 34 other Rhode Island JHBs shows that juveniles they see re-offend at very low rates, at a cost of virtually zero, compared to the high costs of sending a child to court—a win-win for children, families, Providence, and our society. We thank the Providence City Council, the Mayor and the Police Department for re-establishing the Juvenile Hearing Board in Providence. JHBs are a successful Rhode Island innovation we can all be proud of, and now Providence can be part of that success.”
