17-05-2025
'Real Housewives' worries; beach makeover; Culpo's restaurant picks: Top stories this week
Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of May 11, supported by your subscriptions.
Rhode Island's affordable-housing crisis has generated plenty of headlines since the pandemic. This week, The Journal explores one facet of the complex dynamics at play: the influx of out-of-state buyers, particularly from the greater Boston area. What makes the Ocean State so attractive? And how is it both a boon to the state's economy and another obstacle for local buyers?
Rhode Island FC's new home, Centreville Bank Stadium, is not just a state-of-the-art soccer venue. It's also designed to host rugby matches and other sporting events for collegiate and high school teams as well as concerts. Journal sportswriter Jacob Rousseau looks at coming attractions at the new riverfront stadium in Pawtucket. For that, and the latest and sports news, go to .
Food editor Gail Ciampa gives an update on the Rhode Island dining scene, including new restaurants, returning old favorites and expansions.
Here are the week's top reads on
Will "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island" encourage the rest of the country to come visit our beaches and try our restaurants?
Or will the show – not exactly known for showcasing decorum, taste and restraint – become a source of embarrassment for the Ocean State?
That depends on whom you ask, with the state's top leaders, including the governor, House speaker and Senate president, applauding the news while some critics on social media are predicting a "rude awakening for the tourism bureau."
Read on to see what tourism officials and the state's Film and Television Office are saying about how the show could affect Rhode Island's image and its economy.
Reality TV: 'The Real Housewives' franchise is coming to RI. But not everyone is real thrilled.
Beachgoers will find their favorite sandy spots a little more cramped when they visit Roger W. Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett this summer.
The beach is undergoing a makeover as construction crews replace and expand the boardwalk and build a bulkhead. By the time work is done, the new boardwalk will have doubled in size to nearly 1,200 feet in length and be accessible for people with disabilities.
New stairs, sidewalks, shade structures, a foot-washing station and concrete benches will also be installed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The work, however, will bring some disruptions to beachgoers. Read on to see what's changing.
Local news: Roger Wheeler State Beach is a go-to for families. Why it won't be as friendly this summer
There are many places you can go on the political conference and junket circuit each year.
Taiwan. Portugal. Israel. San Juan. Deadwood.
You can even go to Rhode Island, which often hosts big national groups like the lieutenant governors who descended on Providence this spring.
Add in the perennial fundraising banquets, or a presidential campaign, and the opportunities for time on the road are almost limitless.
Political Scene takes a look at which politician logged the most miles in 2024, compared with the previous year's most frequent flyer, and explores where the governor and other state officers went – and who picked up the tab.
Political Scene: From Tel Aviv to Taiwan, these RI politicians traveled the most last year
When columnist Mark Patinkin first heard about Alex Shieh, a sophomore at Brown University, he thought Shieh was just having fun copying an Elon Musk ploy – he sent out emails to the school's 3,805 non-faculty employees asking what they do every day.
But after meeting with Shieh, Patinkin believes the action was motivated by a genuine desire to cut waste at Brown and thereby address a core challenge of American life: the high cost of college tuition, especially at elite schools.
Shieh is facing disciplinary action at Brown, which alleges he used nonpublic university data and data systems. In the process, Shieh has become something of a national hero in conservative circles, even drawing comment from Musk himself on X.
Read on to find out more about Shieh and the repercussions of his DOGE-like campaign to reduce university "bloat."
Mark Patinkin: Alex Shieh wants to make Brown affordable. Mark Patinkin learns why he's being vilified
Olivia Culpo is known for her taste, particularly in restaurants.
The reality star's family has opened five restaurants in the state – The Back 40, Union + Main, Lake Taco, Evie's and Black Oak Kitchen & Drink – since 2017 that she has a hand in. And she's always made it known on social media that she loves Rhode Island food.
She recently had her baby shower at the famous Castle Hill Inn, known for its drinks on the lawn and fine dining.
But that's not the only restaurant she loves in the state. In 2024 on Instagram, she did an Ask Me Anything where she shared 13 restaurants to try. Here's a look at her list.
Dining: Olivia Culpo shared a list of 13 restaurants she loves in Rhode Island. Check it out.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'Real Housewives of RI' worries; Culpo's favorite RI restaurants
