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Articles 31 - 60 of 86
Full-Text Articles in Civic and Community Engagement
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When Providence voters approved a home rule charter in 1980, they took a major step forward in choosing their own destiny, rather than relying on the General Assembly to approve many of their actions. To implement the resulting changes, the date for full compliance of the charter was set at 1983. And since that time, newly hired city workers are required to live in Providence."
Cluster Battle Is Over, But The War Rages On, Chester Smolski
Cluster Battle Is Over, But The War Rages On, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The Chinese have a saying: 'Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think.' For Americans, the same could be said for zoning in the seemingly never-ending war between residents and developers over land development."
Some Back-Yard Arguments Are Best Left At Home, Chester Smolski
Some Back-Yard Arguments Are Best Left At Home, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Governing authorities must contend and work with many special-interest groups in order to plan the growth and development of their communities. Whether these groups are concerned with better schools, garbage pickup, no growth, economic development or the environment, the issues may require action, and often the only way to get the attention of the local council is to band together and confront authorities with the issue."
Regulating Video Arcades Is No Game, Chester Smolski
Regulating Video Arcades Is No Game, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Improvement on Washington Street is needed. The Providence Board of Licenses is about to determine if the Saturn's Rings video arcade on Washington street should have its license renewed. The issue is as critical as it is controversial."
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When George Voinovich, mayor of this city, spoke to the 300 persons gathered from all parts of this country to discuss successes in cities, he had the undivided attention of the audience. After all, this was the man who brought the city back from the brink of bankruptcy and has now given it clear direction and a solid financial base."
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"His name may not be familiar, but it should be. He helped to originate and implement the Marshall Plan, this nation's effort to help European recovery in the post-war years. Throughout his long and distinguished career he touched many bases as editor and publisher of a trade newspaper, U.S.diplomat in several European cities and successful businessman and president of his own firm. Upon retirement several years ago, he developed an interest in cities, wrote a book about them, and four years ago at an age when many have packed it in, became director of the Urban Recovery Project at the …
Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges.
Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges.
Smolski Texts
"Developing neighborhood pride is one of the keys to a healthy neighborhood and a healthy city. In a city that is losing population and jobs, that is faced with increasing numbers of abandoned houses and vacant lots, that has the highest equalized tax rate (tax rate and assessment rate combined) in the state, and that has unique needs because of the large numbers of elderly, minority and poor residents, maintaining strong neighborhoods is a difficult task. Yet, though the task may be difficult, there is hope and there is potential for declining neighborhoods to revitalize themselves. This was the message …
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"They were well dressed, although informally. They came with their spouses. They were articulate, educated, and generally did not raise their voices. They looked like solid middle-class Americans--homemakers, civic-minded, and concerned citizens, so it was difficult to understand their reaction to the proposed housing development."
Downtown Grubbiness As Seen By A Visitor, Chester Smolski
Downtown Grubbiness As Seen By A Visitor, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"This is a thank-you note to Betty Lyndon, of Bordentown, New Jersey, for taking the time to send a letter to the editor of this newspaper concerning a problem in the downtown of our capital city. The letter appeared in the morning and afternoon papers together with an editorial; that evening the police were working to resolve the problem. Perhaps this is the technique that needs to be used to get things done in the city."
Welcome To The Beach: Only If You Can Afford It, Chester Smolski
Welcome To The Beach: Only If You Can Afford It, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Narragansett has been called 'Home of the most expensive public tan in America' because of beach and parking fees imposed by the Tow Council in June."
Clean City Center Requires Cooperation, Chester Smolski
Clean City Center Requires Cooperation, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The drive to clean Providence's downtown got off to a well publicized start last month. On the first day 23 drivers had their cars towed from the streets of the city, paid $15 towing fees, received $5 parking tickets, and had the traumatic experience of thinking their vehicles had been stolen."
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The opposition bumper stickers have already appeared. In bright fluorescent colors to catch the unsuspecting eye, the message is loud and clear--'Reject Home Rule Charter.' Why should there be this opposition, and who are the people against this progressive move toward better local government?"
Cleaning Downtown Can Lead To Improved Services, Chester Smolski
Cleaning Downtown Can Lead To Improved Services, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The newly formed Downtown Providence Improvement Association has a simple goal--to clean the center of the capital city. The DPIA is taking on a commendable and necessary task, one which is long overdue, in what is likely one of the dirtiest and scruffiest downtowns in this part of the country.
Fresh Ideas Essential For Redesigning Downtown, Chester Smolski
Fresh Ideas Essential For Redesigning Downtown, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Whether downtown Providence has style, grace, elegance and good taste or whether it is seedy, sleazy, schlock and second rate, there can be no question that the quality of the built enviornment should be a major consideration in all center city development. If the downtown is to prosper, than it must be made asthetically pleasing, inviting and comfortable, but who should be making these decisions on design?
Key Factor To A Better City, Chester Smolski
Key Factor To A Better City, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The Providence Charter Commission is now moving into the homestretch. After a full nine-month period in which more than 60 meetings were held, culminating in three public hearings in late June, the nine-member commission has gone back to the drawing board to review ideas, revise where deemed appropriate, and have a completed document ready in September. Voter acceptance in November, with General Assembly validation of certain provisions in 1981, will allow home rule for the state's capital city to become fully operational in January of 1983.
Union Traditions And Economic Policy In Ri, Chester Smolski
Union Traditions And Economic Policy In Ri, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When compared with the rest of the nation, Rhode Island stands out as a highly unionized state. A recent study released by the Department of Labor shows that 108,000 of the 398,000 employed in the state in 1978 were union members. Membership in associations such as the National Education Association and others adds a further 11,000 persons to the list. This total of 119,000 union and association members represents 29.9 percent of total employment on non-agricultural payrolls, ranking Rhode Island 13th in the nation and highest in New England which, as a region, averages 26.6 percent, and the same figure, …
Expert Sees A Revival Of Urban Church And The City, Chester Smolski
Expert Sees A Revival Of Urban Church And The City, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Douglas Walrath, recognized church consultant and author, was at the Epworth United Methodist Church in Pawtucket to address a recent conference of the Urban Ministry Division of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches on the topic of urban churches. At the end of the day, more than 100 who attended from throughout the Providence metropolitan area left the meeting considerably more optimistic about the future of their churches and of the urban centers in which they are located."
Bottle Bill Would Stimulate Sense Of Pride In Ri, Chester Smolski
Bottle Bill Would Stimulate Sense Of Pride In Ri, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Statements being made by Bottle Bill opponents have increasingly become more ludicrous. Most recently the head of the Rhode Island section of the United States Steelworkers of America wrote to members of the General Assembly, in whose hands the fate of the propsed legislation now rests, and offered this reasoning on the bill."
Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski
Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The lengthy process to examine the relocation of the railroad station and tracks in downtown Providence continues."
Suburban Elderly Speak Out In Providence, Chester Smolski
Suburban Elderly Speak Out In Providence, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The talk was designed to elicit information and reactions from the audience of elderly. And it did just that because old people do not waste words and are not reluctant to speak out, perhaps because they realize that they have little time left, so they were ready with their comments and quite willing to fill out the questionnaire."
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Planning boards in the communities of the state have the responsibility to study, advise and recommend strategies and policies for the growth and development of their respective cities and towns. These appointed members frequently have no background on such matters and must often make decisions on which they have little understanding. This is particularly true in areas of housing where PUD, PURD, Condo, Co-op, zero lot line zoning, and a host of other acronyms and concepts sometimes defy comprehension."
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"A second public hearing on the proposed relocation of the railroad station and tracks in Providence was held on October 25 in state capitol. Approximately 40 people were in attendance: most of whom were from Providence; most of whom raised substantive questions about the proposed relocation; and most of whom were opposed to it."
New Federal Initiatives For City Revitalization, Chester Smolski
New Federal Initiatives For City Revitalization, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"'We have never really had a comprehensive urban policy in this country...and in the absence of understanding and coordinated assistance among government leaders, many of our cities are caught in a vicious cycle, a downward spiral that can only be broken by new attitudes, new initiatives, and a new partnership.'"
Right Mix For Successful Downtown Renewal, Chester Smolski
Right Mix For Successful Downtown Renewal, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is sometimes called a 'big, small town.' It has all the trappings of a large urban center: from outdoor concerts at the Civic Center to a Go-Go lounge; parking problems and traffic congestion, to a Worthinton Street where bars and prostitutes prevail; and vacant old buildings , to new, high-rise office blocks. Sheer numbers alone in this city bring visible evidence of the activities and characteristics common to the downtowns of most large American cities."
Farewell To The Bucklin Bldg., Chester Smolski
Farewell To The Bucklin Bldg., Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"How does one write an obituary for a building? Does one concentrate on its architecture and long history, or does one single out the actors and forces which killed it? The current razing of the Bucklin Building can only bring sadness to the heart and the need to express, in a few, final words, a tribute to a fine and familiar structure."
Rediscovering Joys Of Walking In The City, Chester Smolski
Rediscovering Joys Of Walking In The City, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
""They're gonna stay in the city," is the way a major Providence developer and landowner stated it. A forecast that urbanists have been making for the past several years is now reaching fruition, and when it comes from businessman whose property investments depend on their perception of the future, there can be little question that its time has come."
Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski
Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It may very well be the most important decision facing Providence in this century; it would provide new commercial space approximately one and one-half times that found in the present downtown; it would remove black and ugly 'dead' space (parking) from the foot of the state Capitol and replace it with acres of greenery and enhanced riverfront; it would provide better access into the downtown and facilitate the east-west flow of traffic; it would drastically alter the focus of the downtown; and it would greatly increase the tax base of the capital city. The Capital Center Project, with its proposed …
Downtown Buildings That Link Us To Our Past, Chester Smolski
Downtown Buildings That Link Us To Our Past, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is sickening and it is sad. A building that has withstood the ravages of time throughout its 103 years of life deserves a better fate; yet there it stands, disembowled and broken by the wrecking ball. The Hoppin Homestead Building on the Westminster Mall will soon be only a memory, and its site will be marked by that ubiquitous asphalt reminder of our automobile addicted age--the parking lot. Is this the cure for old buildings in a downtown that is moving on the road to regeneration?"
The Case For Residency Requirements, Chester Smolski
The Case For Residency Requirements, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The issue has been raised previously. It came up again most recently with the applicants for jobs with the Providence Fire Department. The question is, 'Should city employees be required to live in the city which employs them?'"
Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski
Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The recent sales promotion by the Providence Intown Merchants Association proved quite successful. Five-cent bus rides and bargain sales generated considerable business, especially on Saturday, normally a quiet day for retail sales in the downtown. This well illustrates what is possible when salesmanship and cooperation among downtown merchants are used to full advantage."