🌱Pain At Gas Pump + Brown Provides Haven For Ukrainian Scholars

Hey, Providence! Here's everything you need to know to get this Sunday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Cloudy, a shower; breezy. High: 61 Low: 46.

Here are the top five stories in Providence today:

1. There is pain at the pump! Rhode Island's gas prices have risen 26 cents since Monday making the average price per gallon now $3.85. This is the largest single-week jump the state has seen since September 2017. (Patch)
2. Providence has one of the lowest-funded public pension plans among U.S. cities. Because of this, residents will soon decide whether they want the city to borrow up to $515 million to help fund that pension fund. (Turn to 10)
3. Brown University is currently working with partner organizations such as Scholars at Risk (SAR) and the New University in Exile Consortium “to provide a safe academic home” for Ukrainian scholars displaced by the ongoing Russian invasion. The university has previously worked with both SAR and the consortium to bring displaced Afghan scholars and students to Brown. (The Brown Daily Herald)
4. Although most schools throughout Rhode Island have made the decision to drop the mask mandate, two school districts, Providence and Central Falls, have chosen to keep students masked, citing high COVID transmission rates and low vaccination rates. (The Providence Journal)
5. The Rhode Island Historical Society will hold the first of its Bicentennial Jubilees on Saturday, March 19. The celebration will feature an 1822 open house at the Society’s Aldrich House headquarters in Providence. (My Backyard News)
6. In a widespread gesture of thanks, The Hasbro Children's Hospital hosted "Good Night Lights Friday" to thank the military medical team that helped Rhode Island Hospital during the most recent COVID-19 omicron surge. (10 WJAR)

Today in Providence:

• Bird Walks in Roger Williams Park - Providence City Hall (10:00 AM)
• Providence Flea Every Sunday! (11:00 AM)
• Chaminade Musicale - Music Mansion (2:00 PM)
• Planetarium Show - Providence City Hall (2:00 PM)
• Student Musicians Chopin Club - Music Mansion (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Rhode Island School of Design: "Painting Senior Show Exhibition’22 on view at Woods-Gerry through March 8." (Instagram)
• Rhode Island State Police: "Recently members of RISP joined @providencepolicedepartment and traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for a basketball tournament and missionary trip hosted by our community partner, Lights and Sirens International." (Instagram)
• Providence Performing Arts Center: "Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway hit that Newsweek calls, “a touching story that keeps audiences laughing all night long." Join us on the dance floor and grab tickets now at ppacri.org/theprom!" (Instagram)
• Farm Fresh Rhode Island: "Join the African Alliance of RI with chefs Kymara Mary Owusu and Heather Langlois in celebrating Haitian cuisine with a cooking demo of Haitian pumpkin soup." (Instagram)
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management: The state prepares for the emergence of the highly infectious avian flu that could have dire impacts on commercial poultry flocks and backyard chickens, but poses low risk to human health." (Facebook)
• Providence Animal Rescue League: "We will be distributing dry dog food only through our next Pet Food Pantry event on Sunday, March 13. Save the date and please share as you never know who may be in need of extra support during these difficult times."(Facebook)

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— Karena Garrity

About me: I am a URI graduate and I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love Providence and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.