Good morning, Providence.

Hope & Main opened West End Kitchens on Friday, Oct.

2, at the JKL Engineering building (76-year-old structure) at 945 Westminster Street. The culinary nonprofit now hosts 35 startup food businesses near restaurant row on Federal Hill and will add two more kitchens after the new year.

Blank Street, a coffee chain from New York, will open its first location at 218 Thayer St. (near Brown University) and will replace a former Starbucks, according to Harrison Dulgarian of Dulgarian Properties.

Reese’s has launched a contest to name the Trick-or-Treatiest Street in America, and two local contenders — Freeman Parkway in Providence and Chapmans Avenue in Warwick — are in the running to win a Reese’s Halloween block party on Oct.

21.

A downtown boutique celebrates its 20th birthday on Saturday, Oct.

10, while Gracie’s hosts its $175 annual Halloween Sucree event with a six-course meal on Saturday, Oct. 31. The free PVD Downcity Holiday Market returns outdoors from Dec. 3 through Dec. 6 — a chance to enjoy local small-business flair.

Brown University's Carney Institute program trains undergraduates in quantitative methods for brain science; summer projects led by students like Haya Bugshan provide innovative solutions for managing large data sets in professor Song's lab on campus.

Brown University will waive the $80 undergraduate application fee for Providence public school seniors (available via the Common Application) starting with Fall 2027 admissions.

The change aims to remove financial barriers and encourage more local students to consider Brown.

The Excel & Ready Community Program supports local students in grades 2 to 12 with after-school academic help and mentorship.

A recent five-week summer program served over 50 students plus the nonprofit invites volunteers and donations to keep tutoring and enrichment accessible.

The Providence School Board is in turmoil after complaints were made about its leadership and a board member called for the superintendent's resignation; president Ty'Relle Stephens said he would understand if parents asked for all board members to resign and is setting a special meeting to address the issues.

Providence school buses now have live digital video cameras to capture traffic violations as required by a state law passed in 2025.

Offenders caught illegally passing buses will face fines ranging from $250 for a first offense + $500 for subsequent violations.

A Brown University study found nearly one-third of new nurse practitioners in four states were trained at for-profit schools, up from 2.4% in 2010 (with California at 40.9% and Florida at 35.1%).

Researchers call for greater transparency in licensure outcomes to better assess care quality.

East Providence girls tennis finished a strong season with a 6-1 win over Lincoln on Oct.

8, marking one of their best performances yet. The team will play a rematch on Oct. 14 as they aim to secure the top seed in Division II.

Today, the Providence Journal sports team at 75 Fountain St. shared its Week 5 high school football picks for local games, with experts such as Bill Corey, Bill Koch, and Eric Rueb predicting wins for teams like Lincoln and Narragansett (with varied selections in other matchups).