🌱 Oyster-Based Vodka + State Budget + Weekend's Deadly Shooting

Happy Friday, people of Providence! Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and very cold. High: 23 Low: 9.

Here are the top three stories today in Providence:

1. A Providence-based distillery has crafted the first oyster-based vodka in the country. The Industrious Spirit Company recently created a limited edition vodka, named Ostreida, which is infused with locally sourced oysters. The company will be hosting a launch party for Ostreida on Jan. 23 from 2–6 p.m., and the vodka will be exclusively sold in cocktails at Bayberry Garden and bottles at the distillery’s tasting room. (WPRI.com)
2. On Thursday, Governor Dan McKee proposed a new psychiatric hospital as a part of the state's $12.8B 2023 fiscal year budget. In this plan, $1.1 billion in federal COVID aid will be spent over six years, with the largest chunk of $431 million proposed in this upcoming budget. With that budget, federal spending will include $211 million for economic and workforce development, $180.5 million for small businesses, $152 million for ongoing COVID response, $132 million for climate initiatives, among other spending. (Turn To 10)
3. A deadly Providence shooting over the weekend has a connection to the Boston Marathon bombing case. Both men involved in Sunday morning's shooting outside an illegal after-hours club were linked to the gun that was ultimately used by Boston Marathon bombers Dzhokar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the days after the attack to kill MIT police officer Sean Collier, to carjack someone, and in a shootout with officers in Watertown. Court transcripts from Dzokar Tsarnaev's trial show a close friend who testified that he got the gun from "Howie," which is the nickname of Biniam Tsegai who was involved in the shooting and then gave it to Tsarnaev a few months before the bombing. (WJAR)

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Today in Providence:

• Collaborative Community Art - Paper Quilt, At Rochambeau Library - Childrens Area (1:00 PM)
• Play A Game Family Day!, At Providence Community Library (1:00 PM)
• COVID Public Clinic, At Providence Community Library (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Farm Fresh Rhode Island has connected The Grange with local food over the past nine years. Since 2013, The Grange has placed 606 orders on Market Mobile RI! (Instagram)
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has announced a new website, creating a single, unified hub for hunting, fishing, boating, and commercial fishing licenses and permits. (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Feast & Fettle — (Visit website)
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Events:

• Divorce and Your Home – Vesta's N. Attleboro, MA / Providence, RI Hub (January 26)
• Virtual Info Session About Career Training (January 26)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners, and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.