by Billy Kepner | Apr 27, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan in conjunction with Mayor Jorge Elorza, the Providence Parks Department, Rhode Island Tree Council, RI Department of Environmental Management, National Grid, Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, and Mount Pleasant High School students, administrators and faculty will tomorrow host an Arbor Day Celebration at Mount Pleasant High School. This year, 20 trees will be planted at Mount Pleasant High School and 600 trees will be planted city-wide.
The Arbor Day event will include a tree planting ceremony, and the Tree City USA Award will be presented to the City of Providence by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The Rhode Island Tree Council will be on site with educational booths, and certified arborists will field questions on tree planting and care. The event is free and open to the public.
WHO: Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, Mayor Jorge Elorza, National Grid CEO Tim Horan, RI Tree Council Chair Doris Alberg, RIDEM Director Janet Coit, Providence Parks Department, Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, Mt. Pleasant High School administrators, teachers, and students.
WHAT: Arbor Day Event
WHERE: Mount Pleasant High School, 434 Mt Pleasant Ave, Providence, RI 02908
WHEN: Friday, April 28, 2017 at 11:00 am
by Billy Kepner | Apr 24, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5, Ward-6
The Providence City Council Committee on Ordinances tonight approved a measure that aims to give police officers greater latitude in addressing the city’s growing challenges with illegal use of dirt bikes and ATVs. In recent months, the city has seen an alarming uptick of these vehicles being used on city roads and in public parks, sometimes swarming in large numbers to intimidate onlookers. This winter, one motorist was killed while operating an ATV on a city street in the Manton neighborhood.
If approved by the full City Council, the ordinance will allow the Providence Police Department to confiscate and destroy recreational vehicles that are used illegally. The ordinance, adapted from a similar law in New York City, has already earned support from the Providence Police Department. “Over the past several years, Providence has experienced a growing number of recreational vehicles being driven on public streets and in public parks,” said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare. “These vehicles are driven recklessly, driven at high speeds and with no regard for the safety of others. This ordinance will allow the Providence Police Department to combat this problem in a way that will reduce and eventually eliminate the public safety threat that exists today.”
The ordinance is sponsored by Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5). “This is a city-wide issue that has great implications for the quality of life in all of our neighborhoods,” said Councilwoman Ryan. “I want to thank Captain Dean Isabella for his valuable insight. This ordinance gives our police officers the tools they need to deal with the growing epidemic of illegal vehicles abusing our traffic laws and endangering the public.”
“We are doing everything we possibly can to rid the city of the ATVs and dirt bikes terrorizing our parks and neighborhoods,” said Councilman Michael Correia (Ward 6), who recently called upon the police department for increased enforcement.
Prior to becoming law, the ordinance requires two passages from the full City Council. The next City Council meeting will be held on Thursday, May 4th at 7:00 pm.
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 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.”
