🌱Providence St. Patrick's Day Parade + Modern Day 'Oklahoma'

Good day, neighbors! Karena Garrity here with your brand-new copy of theProvidence Daily.

First, today's weather:

Cooler with periods of rain. High: 58 Low: 47.

Here are the top five stories in Providence today:

1. University of Rhode Island graduate, Providence native, working mom and dazzling designer, Amy Page DeBlasio explains how she makes it work; one twenty-four day at a time . (Rhode Island Monthly)
2. Shortly before midnight on Thursday, an assault occurred at the Brass Monkey on Allens Avenue in Providence. The incident involved an Off-Duty Warwick Police Officer. No arrests have been made at this time. Providence Police Detectives confirmed that there is currently an investigation underway. (GoLocalProv)
3. Kevin Gallup, Charlestown Emergency Management Director and former police officer, offered an apology for the controversial comments he made about Providence during a town council meeting Monday. His comments included, “We’re going to have people showing up from Providence, hanging out that we don’t know, hanging out with our children, and some people aren’t going to appreciate that, and I can tell you that for a fact,” said Gallup. (Turn to 10)
4. The modernization of the classic 'Oklahoma!' will open at the Providence Performing Arts Center on March 22. Without changing a word, the show will highlight a new twist on an old classic. (The Providence Journal)
5. Providence St. Patrick’s Day parade is back after a two-year hiatus. Will you be wearing green today? (WLNE-TV (ABC6))

Today in Providence:

• GED/COMPUTER - Providence Community Library (9:30 AM)
• Free Small Business Workshop Series Beginning March 19 at PPL (9:30 AM)
• Learn ITALIAN: advanced - Providence Community Library (10:00 AM)
• Plant Walks in Roger Williams Park - Roger Williams Park Conservancy (10:00 AM)
• Plant Walks in Roger Williams Park - Providence City Hall (10:00 AM)
• Learn SPANISH in 2022: beginner - Providence Community Library (11:00 AM)
• ESL Class: beginner/principiante - Providence Community Library (11:00 AM)
• Learn SPANISH in 2022: Intermediate - Providence Community Library (12:30 PM)
• Planetarium Show - Providence City Hall (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Nextdoor Neighbor, College Hill: "Today, Stages of Freedom is offering you 6 FREE at-home COVID test kits and (now) 10 FREE KN95 masks per person thanks to the Rhode Island Department of Health. - Stop by Stages of Freedom with a friend at 10 Westminster Street in Providence" (Nextdoor)
• PPAC: The PPAC is no longer requiring masks, proof of vaccination, or COVID test results - WLNE-TV (ABC6) (WLNE-TV (ABC6))
• Brown University: Pop-Up PVD: coming to a sidewalk near you (The Brown Daily Herald)

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Events:

• Paint Pottery! (March 19)
• American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day: Understand Your Risk (March 22)
• Alimony, Child Support & Co-Parenting – Vesta's N.Attleboro/ Providence Hub (March 23)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with your next update.

— Karena Garrity

About me: I am a native of Connecticut, who currently resides in the Tri-Town community of Chester, Deep River and Essex. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my small town community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.