Deported doctor; cheap flights from T.F. Green; Track 15 opens: Top stories this week
Nowell Academy in Providence consistently ranks at the bottom of the state in terms of graduation rate and absenteeism. But there's a success story hiding behind those metrics – one that makes Nowell unlike any other school in Rhode Island, with a mission to serve students whose educations have been derailed by difficult circumstances. The Journal's Tom Mooney talks with some of them – from teen parents, to refugees working to master English, to students over 18 who know that Nowell is "the last stop on the train" to earning a diploma. The school's wrap-around supports are the key to their success, whether it's on-site day care, or texts, phone calls and taxi service from dedicated teachers.
March Madness has arrived in Providence, and The Journal has all you need to know, from the action on the court at Amica Mutual Pavilion to the dining scene, block parties and the logistics of road closures and parking. For that and more and sports news, go to .
Food editor Gail Ciampa catches you up on the dining scene, with a first-quarter report on restaurants that have closed and opened so far in 2025.
Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com:
BOSTON – The federal government said in court papers filed Monday that a Rhode Island doctor, Dr. Rasha Alawieh, was deported from Logan Airport last week after customs and border officers found "sympathetic photos and videos" of on her cellphone.
"With the discovery of these photographs and videos, CBP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined," the documents said. "As such CBP canceled her visa and deemed Dr. Alawieh inadmissible to the United States."
According to government filings, Alawieh, a kidney transplant doctor for Brown Medicine, told officials that she followed the religious and spiritual teachings of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah 'but not his politics.' Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Hezbollah headquarters in September.
The documents said Alawieh had during her recent two-week visit back to Lebanon to visit her family.
Read more of The Journal's coverage of the events surrounding Alawieh's deportation, and Brown University's recommendation to international students, faculty and staff not to travel abroad during the upcoming spring break.
Immigration: 'Nothing to do with politics': How Hezbollah photos led to RI doctor's controversial deportation
CRANSTON – The locks on some prison cell doors in Maximum Security at the Adult Correctional Institutions are malfunctioning, 'a real significant problem,' says the head of the correctional officers' union, compounded by the absence of a locksmith at the prison.
'It's become a running joke,' said Richard Ferruccio, president of the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers. 'We're a prison without a locksmith and nobody can understand that.'
Ferruccio says the corrections department's locksmith retired in 2022 and the private contracting service the department now uses isn't doing proper preventative maintenance.
spokesman J.R. Ventura acknowledged problems with some locking systems in the old granite institution, built in 1878, but said the situation had not led to any assaults or attempted escapes.
Read on to see what fixes are in the works.
Corrections: Some cell locks in ACI's Maximum Security are failing. What's being done?
WARWICK − Looking to fly away from ? The state airport had nine destinations, all on the East Coast, available for $44, at least as of Thursday morning.
West Coast destinations were available for less than $100, and you could even get out of the U.S. for under $150.
Check out the full story for a list of the bargain flights from coast to coast departing from T.F. Green.
Transportation: Wondering where you can fly from RI for cheap? So did we. Here's what we found.
Despite its status as the smallest state, Rhode Island's neat division into 39 distinct municipalities was a complicated process that spanned centuries.
While many of the Ocean State's regional names are a nod to Narragansett Indian Tribe words, others came from English Colonists. But you might have wondered, what's the deal with towns that sort of share a name, but tack on 'East' or 'North' to clearly distinguish themselves?
What and Why RI explores the question from all directions.
What and Why RI: No need for a compass. Here's why some RI towns have directions in their names
, the Providence food hall in the former Union Station, opened Tuesday after four years of planning and construction.
Food editor Gail Ciampa calls it as a stunning homage to the past with original features from the venue's former life as a train station, including barrel-vault brick ceilings and granite walls, wooden tabletops made from old railroad car floors, and menu boards that flash the available food items just as departure boards do at train stations.
The food also stars here, with seven restaurants offering a variety of cuisines in a fast, casual service style.
Hungry for more? Read Gail's full report on the menu options.
Dining: Track 15: Everything you need to know about Providence's new food hall
To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Deported doctor; cheap air fares from RI; Track 15 food hall opens
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