Digital Extras

Extra Care
In this three-day series, Journal Medical Writer Felice Freyer takes a look at a few new ways to access medical care.

Rhode Island Bike Paths
Journal Staff Writer Katherine Imbrie takes you to 4 bike paths in Rhode Island – Blackstone, West Bay, East Bay and South County – including slide shows of what you'll see along the way.

MidLives
Midlife is a state of mind, not of age. For some, it's a second start, for others, it invites wanderlust. Midlife is when mortality stands visibly on the horizon. It's a time to live deliberately, to see new possibilities, to attend to our bodies, to point our souls to the next act.

8th grade
Staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan and photographer Kathy Borchers are following four eighth graders during their last six months of middle school, chronicling an important time and exploring the social and academic pressures facing them.
Multimedia: Hear Journal education writer Jennifer D. Jordan's interviews of the students, and see more photos by Journal photographer Kathy Borchers
Your turn: Parents, share your eighth-grade experiences.

A page ahead
For the 2006 General Assembly legislative session, some 115 young men and women are working as pages. They run copies, stuff envelopes, deliver mail, fetch sodas, turn microphones on - do just about anything that's asked. See Journal staff photographer Connie Grosch set of portraits.

The casino vote
Gambling proposals have been a fixture in Rhode Island politics since the early 1970s, when voters amended the state Constitution to establish the state lottery.
Your turn: Should the state Constitution be amended to allow a casino?

Rise and fight again. The story of Nathanael Greene
There were only 3,000 of them left. Defeated and ragged, they retreated toward the Pennsylvania wilderness in the harsh cold of December 1776. Pursuing them were 20,000 soldiers of England, then the world's greatest superpower. The ragged men were the remnants of George Washington's Army. They were the only hope for the rebel Colonies calling themselves the United States, but no one expected they could win. Marching with them was the son of a Quaker preacher from Rhode Island, a man with a limp from birth and the heart of a lion.

The Patrick Kennedy Interview
U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy spoke with The Providence Journal's Washington bureau chief, John E. Mulligan, after announcing on May 5 that he would enter the Mayo Clinic for treatment of his addiction to prescription pain medication.
Audio: Listen to excerpts of the interview (mp3 file, 28:28 min., please wait for the file to download)
Your turn: How effective as a legislator can Rep. Kennedy be now?

A mother's addiction
In this week-long series, Providence Journal reporter Edward Fitzpatrick and photographer John Freidah take readers inside Rhode Island's Family Treatment Drug Court to follow the case of Tania Cabral and her infant daughter.
Photo gallery: See mores photos taken by Journal photographer John Freidah during a year of covering this story.
Your Turn: How should society address the issue of drug-addicted parents with children?
Chat: Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. was at The Providence Journal on Wednesday, May 10, for an online chat hosted by Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick. Read the transcript.

The demolition of the old Jamestown bridge
Built in 1940 for $3 million, the old Jamestown Bridge came crashing down into the Bay as part of a $19.5-million demolition project that used 75 pounds of explosives on the center span.
Slide show: View the explosion
Survey: Did you watch? Hear the boom? Where? Talk about it!

Rhode Island's slave history
How the smallest of the 13 colonies came to dominate the American trade in African men, women and children. This series was written by Paul Davis, a reporter for The Journal’s South County edition, with photographs by Frieda Squires and illustrations by Frank Gerardi.
Multimedia: Hear Journal staff writer Davis' reports with local historians and writers about the history of slavery in R.I.
Survey: React to the series

Camp Katrina
Follow reports from Journal reporter Karen Davis and photographer Kris Craig, who are traveling with volunteers from the Seekonk Congregation Church, United Church of Christ, on a trip to help build a broken community.
Multimedia: Journal photographer Kris Craig and Journal staff writer Karen Davis report on a Seekonk church group's cleanup efforts in New Orleans

Catching up with Gina Gauvin
When writer Felice Freyer and photographer Mary Murphy first met Gina Gauvin several months after the Station nightclub fire, they were struck by her plucky spirit in face of all her injuries. Now, days before the third anniversary of the fire, they find a woman whose outlook is still upbeat, if not more so.
Multimedia: Listen to Journal photographer Mary Murphy talk about photographing Station night club fire victim Gina Gauvin then and now.

Five favorites
When Hope Alswang took over as director of the RISD Museum last fall, we were curious about seeing the collection through her fresh eyes. What were her favorite pieces at the museum?
Multimedia: Tour the Providence museum with its director and Journal arts writer Bill Van Siclen.

Idol performance
Ken Maccarone, of Providence, reprises his rendition of Cher's "Believe," and more, against the backdrop of downtown Providence
Multimedia: Maccarone sings
Survey: What's your take on Ken Maccarone's performance?
Survey: Are you hopelessly devoted to American Idol?

The Wild Life
Journal staff writer Benjamin Gedan's story on problems stirred up by the growing numbers of feral and stray cats.
Multimedia: Gedan talks about efforts to curb the feral cat population
Survey: Should the state step in to help control stray cats?

The righteous
Martha Sharp, born in Providence and educated at Pembroke College, and her husband, Unitarian minister Waitstill Sharp, saved hundreds of refugees, many of them children, from the Nazis; in June, Israel will honor their courage.
Multimedia: Mark Patinkin with historical photos tells the story of the Sharps
Guestbook for Martha and Waitstill Sharp

On Her Own
99-year-old Beatrice Demers had $4 million and countless numbers of cats. Now the state attorney general is investigating whether she was exploited, abused or neglected.
Multimedia: Q&A with Pawtucket lawyer Nancy Fisher Chudacoff
Chats: See what advice local experts shared

Looking back at 2005
War, storms and shooting hit home, But it was a year of new beginnings for Catholics, downtown Providence and a 12-year-old named Sara.
Slide show: View more images
Survey: Which top local story in 2005 affected you the most?