RI Capitol’s Civic Intelligence Network · Powered by XPoLL
A new Applebee's location in Cranston's Chapel View complex held its grand opening April 20, replacing the Garden City Center restaurant lost in a 2024 fire. The fire, caused by a gas leak during hood system cleaning, was ruled accidental. The new location hired over 100 staff members, according to Flynn Applebee's New England South market president Eleanor Clancy.
Rhode Island finds itself in a political debate over data center development, with a team of local developers proposing a data center in Hanton City—a 17th-century ghost town site behind Fidelity Investments' Smithfield campus. The project is part of a new business park proposal. The story is paywalled and limited detail is available, but it signals emerging regulatory and land-use questions around data centers in Rhode Island.
Congress passed legislation increasing the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000, benefiting high-income earners in tax-heavy states like Rhode Island. The measure, part of the "Big, Beautiful Bill," applies to filers making up to $500,000 annually and winds down at $600,000. The change is expected to impact Rhode Island residents who itemize deductions for property and income taxes.
