Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here A Providence and Worcester Railroad train derailed in Central Falls on Tuesday A spokesperson for the railroad said the train coming northbound derailed five railcars Four of them were empty flatbeds and one was a loaded car of scrap metal The spokesperson said no one was injured and there was no hazardous materials involved "We have been working on rerailing the cars and expect that to be completed this evening," the Providence and Worcester Railroad spokesperson told NBC 10 CENTRAL FALLS — A grassroots movement to support small businesses in Central Falls is taking off as community members say that the clampdown on immigration is taking its toll on the local economy Hardly covering one-square mile, the dense, predominantly Hispanic city is home to about 22,500 people. Walkable main roads like Dexter Street and Broad Street house a blend of restaurants shops and bakeries where one can easily find authentic Mexican Peruvian and Portuguese cuisine lauded for their comforting The Milagros Project, a nonprofit that helps Rhode Islanders access basic necessities, has been calling for people to patronize Central Falls restaurants “We are partnering with other orgs to help our friends and businesses in Central Falls If you have the opportunity please support!” the organization wrote on social media Close to 40% of Central Falls’ residents are foreign-born and, of them, about 69% do not have U.S. citizenship, according to the latest census data President Donald Trump’s expansion of immigration enforcement has sown fear in immigrant communities nationwide who was deported this month after returning from Lebanon The Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Lounge had a sizeable crowd Tuesday night with eyes glued to the soccer match airing live between the Colombia and Paraguay national teams the Colombian restaurant was full of yellow Chef and co-owner Walter Rodriguez said that thanks to loyal customers business has mostly been good but he noticed that some people in the community are going out less Although there has been a dip in diners coming in “Some people – after the new president and everything – were scared to go out they get pulled over and ICE gets called,” he said Some of the restaurant’s employees were nervous about coming to work at first but Rodriguez said that many of their immigrant employees decided to move forward with their immigration cases to solidify residency “They’re really good people and they’ve been working on their cases,” he said “I guess other people don’t have that [documentation] Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera has been vocal about wanting to support local businesses and the city’s immigrant community. Service sector jobs are the most common form of employment for the city’s residents “The impact of what’s happening is not good for our small businesses and it’s up to us to keep them afloat. We have so many good restaurants. Come visit us in Central Falls,” she posted to Facebook “Please reach out to our Office of Constituent Services and Health (401-318-3788) with questions or concerns, we will continue to serve as a vital resource for services, support, and information,” she wrote in another post urging people to be wary of misinformation Walter’s brother and co-owner of Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Lounge is proud of how well their business has done in Central Falls The Colombian family lived in Boston and worked at restaurants there for 22 years before opening the Rhode Island venture that serves upscale Latin fusion Even people from Providence are coming here to Central Falls because of the love we put into our food and the way we treat people here.” community members held a protest outside the Wyatt Detention Facility a Rhode Island resident from Laos called Vanhhatdy — also known as Lay — was detained by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is currently being held in the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls according to the Party for Socialism and Liberation Rhode Island His family declined to share his last name and more information about why he was detained Vanhhatdy’s detainment follows several others in Rhode Island. In late January, an individual was detained in Newport and in early March, another was apprehended in Central Falls community members held a protest outside the detention facility Representatives from the Providence Youth Student Movement and the Deportation Defense Coalition — which consists of the Olneyville Neighborhood Association PSL and the Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance — supported the protest “I will continue to fight until all Southeast Asians are free until all immigrant communities are free from ICE terror,” Suonriaksmay Keo the Youth Engagement Director of the Providence Youth Student Movement said during the protest daughter and son also spoke at the event in support of freeing Vanhhatdy.  “I want ICE to know that I am angry and I am hurt,” Vanhhatdy’s wife said Some members of the Southeast Asian community in Rhode Island have rallied against recent local ICE activity A late March demonstration protested the detainment of two Southeast Asian men from Rhode Island who are currently being held at the Krome Detention Center in Florida according to PrYSM Co-Executive Director Vanessa Flores-Maldonado The men “thought it would be safe to travel since their partners are citizens and they are green card holders,” Flores-Maldonado wrote in an email to The Herald.  PrYSM’s Deportation Defense Director Theary Voeul and PrYSM co-founder Sarath Suong ’24.5 told R.I. PBS that many individuals who are currently being threatened with deportation orders are immigrants who committed crimes when they were children or adolescents.   immigration is punishing them all over again It’s heartbreaking,” Voeul said in an interview with the local station.  Trump’s presidency has increased deportation efforts “To see ICE presence in Providence is beyond an insult to our community as we’ve been working to undo detention and deportations in our city for decades now,” Flores-Maldonado wrote (WJAR) — Local organizations are coming together to support Central Falls restaurants Uva Juarez with Black Lives Matter Political Action Committee Rhode Island spent part of her Thursday putting up decorations in front of La Fruta Loca on Dexter Street for a special event and Libertarian Mutual Aid partnered for "Support Central Falls Restaurant Night." "Support Central Falls Night" is an event...supporting the businesses in Central Falls specifically the restaurants which have seen a decline in sales and customers since the recent immigration rulings," said Juarez and they're not coming out to the restaurants anymore so that's the main reason that they've seen the decline." She said they hope this unified effort will bring more people to Central Falls restaurants La Fruta Loca is a fruit and snack shop favorite known for tasty treats like their la pina loca Jacqueline Cano's mother started the business in Central Falls Cano and her sister helped expand the business to New Bedford Cano said she has noticed a difference in Central Falls "It sucks to see our people in fear," she said and it's not like that anymore." Central Falls has a largely Hispanic and Spanish-speaking population and we actually had an incident happen here that people came in running," said Cano "They were terrified that they had seen something at a gas station near us and our employees were scared because they didn't know what was happening." with an event like "Support Central Falls Restaurant" night Organizers said they do understand a visit from I.C.E and that there are those that may feel uncomfortable coming out They encourage everyone inside and outside of Central Falls to come and support local "I think it will help people feel a little bit more comfortable He said they hope to have more events like this in the future Thanks for visiting (WLNE) — The Central Falls community gathered for the Easter in the Park celebration Saturday Organized by Mayor Maria Rivera and the city Parks and Recreation Department Central Falls MayorMaria Rivera confirmed that a parent was detained by federal immigration authorities near school grounds on Tuesday morning (WJAR) — Local non-profits have expressed their concerns about the presence of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Southern New England communities We are seeing statistics that say they have increased," said Rodas "But we know this was happening long before this administration." "If you see before this administration it doesn't matter if you have a document you are treated in the same way," said Lorenzo Lorenzo said a person was picked up this Tuesday morning on their way to drop off their children at school Lorenzo is talking with the person's lawyer and hopes to see more information available in the next few days Sabina Matos addressed the latest reported detainment "Based on the information that I have been given so far it looked like this happened in front of children at a moment in which there were community members around and this just creates a lot of fear in our community," said Matos Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera confirmed that a parent was detained by federal immigration authorities near school grounds on Tuesday morning "While immigration enforcement is a federal matter and outside the control and jurisdiction of the city and school community deeply affected by this event We have been working with our school and community partners to provide assistance and support where possible I know many families in our community are feeling afraid and I will always advocate for their safety and well-being My Administration remains committed to ensuring that Central Falls is a place where all families feel safe and supported," Rivera said in a statement sent to NBC 10 "What I'm against is fear for people that have done nothing wrong many of those undocumented families and individuals are working two and three jobs to provide for their families" said Matos "At the end of the day this fear [means] children are not going to go to school so we're going to have a bigger issue in our schools we're not going to have the attendance.. and also it's going to affect our economy." Rodas said they are taking action to combat misinformation and fearmongering through education and resources like their defense hotline although we support a couple more languages and people can report I.C.E activity that seems suspicious or downright illegal," said Rodas They also offer a special card to help people interact with officers "The one that we're giving out has explanations in Spanish for Spanish speakers but it also has a part that you can tear off and hand to the policeman that says I wish to remain silent I asked to talk with a lawyer," said Rodas Rodas also remind non-English speakers that it is important to know their rights and they resources to assist call the AMOR Defense Line at 401- 675-1414 (WJAR) — Police in Central Falls were involved in an hours-long standoff Monday when officers were called to check on a resident experiencing a mental health crisis officers heard a gunshot and made contact with a subject inside who refused to come out," police said in a release "At that time officers established a perimeter around the location to ensure everyone’s safety." the person came out of the home Monday afternoon and was taken to a hospital Pawtucket police and state police assisted at the scene (WJAR) — Mechanical issues on an Acela train heading towards Central Falls led to a disruption in service and a large police presence in the area A spokesperson with Amtrak said 244 passengers were on the train Another engine came to move the train back to the Providence station to transfer onto another train heading to New York Amtrak Northeast posted on X that passengers can expect long delays due to power issues in the area Officials said passengers on Amtrak Acela 2193 will transfer to a commuter train for service to Providence An NBC 10 photographer saw several police cruisers NBC 10 has reached out to police for more information (WJAR) — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that a Central Falls man has been found guilty of murder Jairo Esdel Galva had been accused in the shooting death of 22-year-old Joel Rosario in 2020 a jury found 26-year-old Galva guilty of second-degree murder discharging a firearm when committing a crime of violence resulting in death committing a drive-by shooting and carrying a firearm without a license “This case is another tragic example of a petty argument that turned deadly because the defendant chose to settle a score with a gun,” said Neronha said “I hope this verdict provides some measure of peace for Joel’s family and friends.” Pawtucket police responded to Lonsdale Avenue for a report of a shooting Rosario was found to have been shot in the chest and was later pronounced dead at Miriam Hospital Investigation revealed that Galva had shot Rosario on the chest after an argument between two vehicles Prosecutors said witnesses were able to identify the shooter as Galva Galva is being held at the ACI pending a sentencing hearing on April 21 Galva had been sentenced to life in prison in June 2022 In 2024, Rhode Island Supreme Court vacated the conviction saying that the trial judge made an error in jury instructions and "abused his discretion" by precluding the testimony of a witness (WJAR) — A three-story home in Central Falls was heavily damaged after a fire Monday Officials said they responded to Cowden Street and saw heavy flames pouring out Firefighters said the damage was mostly contained to the second floor Officials said the fire was caused by a cellphone charging block (WJAR) — Central Falls Police Department announced that it received an FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) Agency Trilogy Award on Thursday this marks the first police department in Rhode Island to receive this recognition Central Falls Police Department was awarded after it completed the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Series which is an intensive training program to enhance leadership skills of law enforcement executives "I am extremely proud of the effort and dedication to improving our leadership capabilities and for achieving this significant milestone," Central Falls Police Chief Anthony Roberson said "It remains essential in the field to develop outstanding leaders in law enforcement This comprehensive training strengthens our dedication to excellence and empowers us to enhance the quality of service we deliver to the city of Central Falls." The FBI-LEEDA representatives flew in to present the award to the department The award was presented at the Central Falls City Hall at 10 a.m the Central College baseball team suffered a 6-3 setback against Luther College Friday afternoon The Dutch (12-13, 4-9 American Rivers Conference) started the day with back-to-back singles by third baseman Brayden Sawyer (junior, Grundy Center) and center fielder Max Steinlage (junior, Cedar Falls) before shortstop Garrett Guenther (sophomore Central HS) launched a three-run home run for an early 3-0 Central lead "Garrett's becoming a fixture in our lineup," coach Adam Carey said He's got a bright future and we're seeing flashes become more consistent." 5-8 conference) answered with a leadoff homer and a three-run blast of their own to take a lead it would not relinquish The Dutch outhit the Norse 11-7, led by a four-hit day by Sawyer. Right fielder Jaden Kramer (junior, Cedar Falls) and left fielder Dylan Williams (junior "We put good at-bats together all game but we were just on top of the ball," Carey said "Our job the rest of the weekend is to keep putting at-bats together like we did today and I would think the ball would bounce our way." Starting pitcher Jackson Torbit (St. Louis, Mo., Webster Groves HS) went seven innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Bryce Haessig (junior Ballard HS) retired all three batters he faced in the eighth inning "Jackson battled really hard today," Carey said "They took advantage of two mistakes pitches in the first inning Bryce gave us a shot with a quick eighth inning." Central and Luther will continue their weekend series with a noon doubleheader Saturday in Decorah Thanks for visiting (WJAR) — Firefighters were able to put out a fire in Central Falls early Tuesday morning The fire took place at a building on Illinois Street The fire chief told NBC 10 that a ceiling fan caught fire in a second floor bathroom The State Fire Marshal is investigating the incident (WJAR) — Crews responded to a reported gas leak in Central Falls on Friday morning The Central Falls Fire Department response was concentrated on Lincoln Avenue and a Rhode Island Energy crew at the scene The Central Falls Police Department says a resident backed his vehicle up and accidentally hit a gas meter today just before 7:00 a.m The department said the repairs were finished before 8:00 a.m. and residents were able to return to their homes CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (WLNE) — The Central Falls Police Department said a resident was taken to the hospital for evaluation after an ongoing standoff Monday morning. police went to Cowden Street for a well-being check regarding an individual facing a mental health crisis Central Falls police said officers heard a gunshot and established communication with the subject inside the residence Police established a perimeter around the residence and blocked off Cowden Street during the standoff After a “lengthy negotiation,” police said the subject left the residence without incident and were taken to the hospital to be evaluated (WLNE) — Cowden Street in Central Falls is currently blocked off due to a police investigation Officials at the scene said that the investigation is due to an ongoing standoff Police are advising residents avoid the Cowden Street area (WLNE) — The Central Falls Fire Department responded to a multi-family house fire on Cowden Street Monday crews responded to a second-alarm structure fire Officials said the fire occurred on the second floor of the building According to Central Falls Fire Department Deputy Chief Sam Dyman the building sustained smoke and water damage The Red Cross is helping the families affected The cause of the fire is under investigation CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (WJAR) — For the first time since skeletal remains were unearthed from a construction site in Central Falls two years ago the NBC 10 I-Team is getting answers to who they may belong to A standard day of construction at 55 Sheridan Street took a creepy turn on October 24 after crews stumbled on human bones buried beneath the surface it was the hip,” excavator Carlos Silva said “The second time I put the bucket down and lifted it up it was the head and some of the arm or the shoulder.” “We did locate other bones along with a skull,” Central Falls Police Captain Craig Viens said “They were found in different parts of the area over there.” The skeletal remains were collected and sent to the state Medical Examiner’s Office for testing but no information has been released to the public since then the I-Team has confirmed through the Rhode Island Department of Health that the skull along with bones and bone fragments recovered that day we are unable to determine that right now,” Viens said The preliminary findings on the young Jane Doe come from a forensic anthropologist contracted by RIDOH The department is still waiting for a final report from the forensic anthropologist we may try to get dental impressions and see if we can make an identification,” Viens said The update to the case also comes with a twist; RIDOH revealed Jane Doe may not be the only person who needs identification A department spokesperson confirmed additional bones recovered at the site “likely belong to one or more other persons.” “Maybe it is something as simple as at one point there was a burial ground there or maybe we do determine that it was a homicide,” Viens said 55 Sheridan Street is now a new development a Colombian hangout run by cocaine drug lord when the Sportsman’s Club was a late-night hot spot “It was a pretty active place,” Former Central Falls Police Chief Robert Sasso said “Through intelligence and over the years we found that he (Garcia) was pretty much like the kingpin.” Whether the former club has any connections to this case remains to be seen When asked whether it’s part of the current investigation To draw the dots connecting the two at this point would be premature.” Viens pointed out the building has had other uses over the years It was also vacant for many years and even caught fire police are focused on the current investigation which centers around two major questions: Who is Jane Doe and how did 55 Sheridan Street become her final resting place “We will continue to work with the state Medical Examiner’s Office and anthropologist until we’ve exhausted every avenue,” Viens said It's unclear how long the additional testing will take (WJAR) — Central Falls police confirm that a 14-year-old girl shot Thursday has died Police said officers found a 14-year-old girl with what appeared to be a gunshot wound She was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital "At this time the circumstances which led to this incident and the female's condition are part of a criminal investigation," police said in a release Students at Central Falls High School told NBC 10 she is a freshman NBC 10 News observed more police units gathered near Illinois Street and Rand Street at about the same time We haven't seen a lot of moments on that street over there," said a Central Falls man who spoke in Spanish Central Falls resident Keyonna Christal said it was disheartening to hear about the shooting "It broke my heart and it's really sad it's just really sad and I'm praying for her and her family and I'm praying for her that as she's fighting for her life for her to make it through," said Christal Mayor Maria Rivera did not respond to NBC 10's request for an interview saying that she was "heartbroken about the news." Police said investigators were canvassing nearby scenes in relation to the main scene on Earle Street It's unclear what led up to the shooting Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call them at 401-727-7411 or the TIPS line at 401-727-7420 Leanna Faulk and Frank Maradiaga contributed to this report Rhode Island House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and housing officials got a construction tour of 44 Central St (WJAR) — Rhode Island leaders toured several redevelopment projects in and around Central Falls on Thursday the tour provided an inside look at the ongoing development of 62 new and and preserved affordable and middle-income rental homes across 12 properties This is a part of the Pawtucket Central Falls Development “The development at 44 Central Street is exactly the type of project we need more of in Rhode Island-- mixed-use with services and resources for residents,” Shekarchi said Shekarchi said that Rhode Island has a housing problem and that families are being priced out of the market not only for home ownership but for renting as well "The rent at 44 Central will be affordable and that’s fantastic For the 30 new families who will live here as well for 32 families that are already here who won’t have to worry about being priced out of the market," he said the redevelopment includes a mix of one- to four-bedroom rental units with affordable rent starting at $800 with options up to $1,900 Central Falls officials said 44 Central will have accessible designs including wider doorways and hallways “This development is a great example of how affordable housing can change neighborhoods and give families the chance to thrive along with community spaces and an accessible design that makes it welcoming for everyone," Executive Director of the Housing Network of Rhode Island Melina Lodge said CENTRAL FALLS – Months before Rhode Island would take over running the Central Falls school system in 1991 for a city on the brink of bankruptcy state education officials spoke of the learning achievements they envisioned with the intervention “I think it offers very exciting possibilities," said Frederick Lippitt then chairman of the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education "I think the goal should be to have the state establish a first-rate urban school district – one that is treated as a special district." commissioner of elementary and secondary education said Central Falls’ schools “would be a model program” where innovative educational programs could be tested "and we could invite teachers from other districts to come and observe." Speed ahead 33 years. On Thursday, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera released a report highlighting the “systemic failures” in the city’s public schools since the state assumed control of the district led by the city’s Chief of Education Strategy Sarah Friedman and based on interviews and listening sessions with teachers found the city’s schools remain the worst performing in the state and contend that something different needs to be done But some of the report’s findings were quickly called into question Thursday by none other than Central Falls Superintendent Stephanie Downey Toledo who said it featured “multiple inaccuracies and sweeping generalizations." Among the inaccuracies: The report’s suggestion that the Rhode Island Department of Education held all the decision-making power over the schools the school district’s Board of Trustees “governs the school district,” Downey Toledo said The Board’s seven members “oversee policy development and are fully empowered as the governing body.” Who really runs the schools?But the question of who governs the schools has historically been unclear responded Friedman in an interview with The Journal which is why the report is asking for clarity through review by legislative leaders and local officials Friedman said there has been “overlapping authority between the Board and the state” depending on the particular governor the education commissioner and the superintendent “The way that law [approving the takeover] has been interpreted has varied and that’s part of the problem," she explained "We want the people of this community … to be the people who have the authority.” five of the seven Board trustees all resigned at the same time with the question of control being one of the reasons Going deeper: What does the report say?During the 2022-2023 school year Central Falls ranked last among all Rhode Island traditional or regional school districts in all subject areas (English Language Arts The report found that multilingual learners which make up 52% of the district’s 2,500 students and students with special education needs are not getting the services and support they need “Severe shortcomings in resources and tailored programs have left these students teachers and students don’t have the “very basic materials and support they need because of inadequate unpredictable funding and fiscal management issues.” And RIDE has not “provided the focused attention necessary to enable real strategic change," the report said "The local community wants more of a voice in their schools.” Rivera said she wasn't pointing fingers at any individuals "What I'm looking for is for us to work together There are things that need to be done that cannot be done by one person There are some details of the problem unique to Central Falls like a regular influx of hundreds of new students from other countries who enter the school system unable to speak English and with varying education levels But there are other challenges that are not unique "There are 2,500 students in this city and if we can't fix the problem that is happening here it's going to be really hard to address it in other [larger]communities," the mayor said Among the proposals the report makes: establish a community advisory board audit the current services for students with special needs and language needs and “implement measures to investigate and address financial mismanagement” and responsible use of district money The report also speaks of the advisory board studying a “return to locally accountable governance." How is the Central Falls takeover different than Providence?In response to the report RIDE spokesman Victor Morente said the Central Falls school Board of Trustees already “maintains traditional functions including oversight over program “the Board of Trustees shall have the powers and duties of school committees” and has oversight of the operations of the district in coordination with the superintendent That is different from the state takeover of the Providence school system where school board members are advisory only Morente said RIDE “has worked collaboratively with local stakeholders in several ways to enhance instruction and learning with the goal of improving student achievement.” This story was updated with new information Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com (WLNE) — An investigation is underway following an overnight fire at a home at 262 Illinois Street At this time there’s no word on the extent of damage We’ve reached out to the central falls fire chief for information on injuries and to see if anyone is displaced (WJAR) — Bathrooms and a break area are coming to The Pawtucket-Central Falls transit center there aren't any permanent bathrooms at the station just these portable bathrooms and trailers The Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center is a hub for RIPTA and people can take the train to Boston State and local leaders broke ground on the project on Monday a nearly $5 million building that will include permanent bathrooms there are spots passengers can go to escape the weather elements Officials say they are still figuring out the hours of operation but tell us the building will be staffed when open The project is expected to be completed in 2026 (WJAR) — Gun violence is once again a topic of discussion following the shooting death of a teenage girl in Central Falls Police arrested and charged 18-year-old Moseis Maldonado in connection to the shooting The 14-year-old girl was shot Thursday morning at a home on 22 Earle St Central Falls Police Major Christopher Reed said the victim did not live at the home She was rushed to Hasbro Children's Hospital where she died Friday morning The city of Central Falls held a news conference Friday afternoon to share more details about the fatal shooting but confirm she was a Central Falls High School Student "He is not a Central Falls student," said Reed "He is a resident of Central Falls but he's not a student and they were acquaintances." Police Chief Anthony Roberson said they arrested Maldonado at around 3:30 p.m Maldonado faces three charges including manslaughter "That doesn't bring [back] anything really when you lose a life when you lose any life for that matter," said Roberson "But at least we have the perpetrator off the street." Mayor Maria Rivera was tearful as she addressed the fatal shooting in her community "I'm devastated by the tragic loss of a young girl in the community," said Rivera "I'm committed to working tirelessly with our community and law enforcement to end gun violence in Central Falls We cannot except the loss of another young life." Stephanie Downey Toledo said the school is devastated and they are supporting help students and staff as they grieve "We have an excellent team of counselors and social workers and psychologists who work for the district and so we have ensured that they are already today to support students," said Toledo "But we are also opening up Central Falls High School tomorrow from 12 to 2 [p.m.]to ensure students have a place to gather Thursday’s tragedy was concerning to some residents who tell NBC 10 they worry about safety in the city Rivera wanted to remind the public that gun violence is not unique to Central Falls "The police have seized more than 100 firearms over the last several years and in 2024 alone 33 firearms have been seized," said Rivera "Crime is down in our city and we've achieved the lowest violent crimes in the last 20 years but we know these efforts are not enough." now current Rhode Island General Treasurer James Diossa also weighed in on the tragedy You know there’s no reason for these incidents to happen," said Diossa "It's why I’m so passionate about fighting at the state house on gun issues because of incidents like these." A memorial is slowly coming together on Earle Street with a couple of lit candles and flowers to honor the young life lost Prices of everything If you don't want to give up your dining out nights maybe a slight change in habits can save you some money while you eat out Maybe you can expand the range of where you eat to include some cities that offer inexpensive dining. Maybe you go out early for happy hour prices on oysters Maybe you dine during the week instead of on the weekend perhaps if you get out of your comfort zone you'll find yourself deliciously surprised the state's tiniest city at 1.29 square miles tried new foods and shown great hospitality Stanley's Famous Hamburgers may be the oldest restaurant in Rhode Island you've never been to It's been around since 1932 at 535 Dexter St. It's a diner-style restaurant that might look a bit worn but serves great hamburgers starting at $3.39 Order some fries and shakes and everyone is happy Grilled cheese sandwiches are $2.69 and hot dogs $3.39 though they call it Quebec-style fries for $4.49 La Casona at 768 Broad St. You can try their Colombian-style chicken and rice dish for $16 It comes with yellow rice mixed with strips of chicken all lightly seasoned and served with salad and one additional side dish of your choice Or you can expand your palate with Parrillada a traditional Colombian mixed grill ($30 for two) that includes bite-size beef blood sausage and fried pork rinds served with french fries La Sorpresa is a Colombian bakery and restaurant and you don't want to miss their empanadas and sweets But it is also a place you eat with your eyes as the food is warm and ready to serve cafeteria style Portuguese restaurants in Central Falls include: Café Restaurant Beirao a family-style restaurant where you can start with fish cakes or Portuguese Kale soup A local favorite breakfast spot, Sparky's Restaurant serves their egg and pancake dishes all day during their hours of 7 a.m But they also offer wieners and burgers and you might find fish and chips on a Friday Craving Mexican? Try Taqueria Lupita It will satisfy all your needs for authentic enchiladas poblano peppers stuffed with cheese or the Mole Poblano with chicken Do you know Central Falls is home to a James Beard-nominated restaurant? Tuxpan Taqueria was a semifinalist last year for Best New Restaurant a national category for the Oscars of the food world Imagine you enjoying food endorsed by the James Beard Foundation for its excellence for so little money For a more upscale experience, with water views of the Blackstone River, which is lovely, try Shark's Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St., Central Falls. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is fun Their ceviche and grilled meat dishes are not to be missed They aren't a cheap eats but still a bargain spot take a ride on both Dexter and Broad streets and you'll see so many more mom and pop restaurants Buck a Shuck is offered in East Greenwich at Greenwich Bay Oyster Bar every Monday through Friday, 3-6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at 240 Main St., East Greenwich, greenwichbayoysterbar.com Oysters, Littleneck Clams and Cherrystone Clams are $1 for the Buck a Shuck promotion daily from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Providence Oyster Bar, 283 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 272-8866 and the East Greenwich location at 5707 Post Road, (401) 715-2526, providenceoysterbar.com Happy hourIn Narragansett, Twin Willows has Happy Hour specials from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 3-6 p.m. on Sunday when diners can get a Saugy Hot Dog for $3, a pound of wings for $8, Szechuan Yellowfin Tuna for $8, plus $1 oysters and littlenecks, two chicken or pulled pork tacos for $10 and $10 Cheeseburgers. The restaurant is at 865 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett, (401) 789-8153, twinwillowsri.com At the Crow's Nest in Warwick, raw bar items are 50% off Monday through Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. That's half off for oysters (regularly $2.95), six Littlenecks (regularly $11.95), a Tuna Tower (regularly $16.95) and the Sampler, an assortment of six oysters, six littleneck clams and six cocktail shrimp (regularly $48.95). The restaurant is at 288 Arnolds Neck Drive, Warwick, (401) 732-6575, crowsnestri.com This story is the first of an occasional series for cheap eats in Rhode Island