Alexandra Leslie
Emmy nominated Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for WPRI 12 • Dog mom to Eddie • Living with Cystic Fibrosis • Reposts/likes = look! • aleslie@wpri.com
- Reposted by Alexandra Leslie[Not loaded yet]
- In an open letter to Rhode Islanders, outgoing RIDOT Director Peter Alviti said that he is leaving on his "own terms" and that he has worked too hard to allow himself "to become a political pawn." www.wpri.com/target-12/al... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: As of Feb. 3, Providence has spent approximately $562,660 on snow cleanup from the Jan. 25-26 storm. That figure will only grow. The city still has outstanding expenses for the vendors continuing to work on snow removal overnight. www.wpri.com/target-12/in... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: Some Providence city councilors are demanding answers from Department of Public Works leadership to explain how it prepared for the storm. Plus, other councilors want the DPW to provide at least one ton of free salt for residents. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
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- NEW: Providence Mayor Brett Smiley says on 2/9 “at the formal request of the families” after a campus memorial, the city will release public records, like police body-worn camera video, related to the deadly shooting at Brown. Previous story: www.wpri.com/target-12/pr... @wpri12.bsky.social
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- Mayor Brett Smiley said the city is still reviewing police body-worn camera video from the deadly shooting at Brown U. The video they expect to release “will be heavily redacted,” meaning that potentially graphic content will be blurred or muted. www.wpri.com/news/provide... @wpri12.bsky.social
- BREAKING: Two 12-year-olds were arraigned on murder & conspiracy charges in connection w/a deadly assault of a 51 y/o man on Manton Ave. on Jan. 19. Two more juveniles, aged 11 and 12, will face the same charges in court later this week. www.wpri.com/news/juvenil... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Speaking from firsthand experience -- roads in Pawtucket and Providence are still in bad shape this morning. It is hard to imagine where the municipalities are going to put the snow. While some streets are technically passable, they are not safe. www.wpri.com/weather/wint... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Big business news in Prov-- Plant City's South Water Street location is closing on Feb. 8 after six-and-a-half years. The owner cites "the Washington Bridge disruption's significant impact on traffic patterns and access to the waterfront" as the reason behind the closure. @wpri12.bsky.social
- UPDATE: A Providence police spox confirms the man assaulted by four juveniles earlier this week has died. An autopsy is being conducted. No word yet if charges will be upgraded. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Lots of discussion on the floor tonight in Providence City Council chambers about the newly proposed rent control ordinance. The chambers and hall were also filled with people representing both sides of the issue. Background: www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- A majority of the Providence City Council has come out in support of a proposed rent control ordinance. To override a potential veto, the measure would need support from at least 10 out of 15 members — two more than the current tally. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Both Mayor Brett Smiley and Providence PD Dep. Chief Tim O’Hara told Target 12 they have watched the police body-worn camera video from the deadly Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University. No video has been made public yet. MORE: www.wpri.com/target-12/sm... @wpri12.bsky.social
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- NOW: Mayor Brett Smiley announces an executive order that states city-owned properties can’t be used for civil immigration enforcement unless authorities are executing “lawful judicial warrants.” www.wpri.com/target-12/ci... @wpri12.bsky.social
- STORY: The Providence City Council is introducing an ordinance this week that would put a 4% limit on annual rent hikes for some units across the city. It's a controversial topic that's been widely discussed in recent years but never implemented. www.wpri.com/news/provide... @wpri12.bsky.social
- The Providence City Council will introduce an ordinance that puts a 4% limit on annual rent hikes for SOME rental units. New builds wouldn’t be subject until 15 years later, and small mom and pop units would be exempt. @wpri12.bsky.social
- TARGET 12: A veteran deputy sheriff charged with second-degree sexual assault and simple assault is accused of committing the alleged acts inside a Providence courthouse. www.wpri.com/target-12/po... @wpri12.bsky.social
- As RI colleges and universities are evaluating campus security after the deadly Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, Rep. William O’Brien has once again filed legislation that would require state colleges to have armed police officers on campus. www.wpri.com/target-12/af... @wpri12.bsky.social
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- NEW: A Taunton-based soccer gear retailer will temporarily open up shop at Waterplace Pavilion, which has been vacant for over a year. Meanwhile, two upscale restaurant groups are still vying for a long-term lease. www.wpri.com/business-new... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: Mayor Brett Smiley said the city will hire an outside consultant to review the city’s response to the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown. Full story here + live report at 5 & 6 on @wpri12.bsky.social www.wpri.com/target-12/sm...
- Reposted by Alexandra Leslie[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Alexandra Leslie[Not loaded yet]
- RI health insurance officials said enrollment in the state’s health exchange HealthSource RI is down, and thousands still haven’t made payments to renew their coverage ahead of the Jan. 31 open-enrollment deadline. www.wpri.com/target-12/he... @wpri12.bsky.social
- UPDATE: Days after Target 12 reported on the arrest of RI deputy sheriff Winston Cruz, we learned the 59 year-old resigned from his job. Updated story👇 www.wpri.com/target-12/ve... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: RISP confirms Winston Cruz, the RI deputy sheriff charged with second-degree sexual assault and simple assault, resigned effective on Jan. 6. Previous reporting: www.wpri.com/target-12/ve... @wpri12.bsky.social
- TARGET 12: RISP & 15 police departments from across RI provided mutual aid to Providence police in response to the 12/13 shooting at Brown and the manhunt that followed. A Target 12 analysis found overtime for all agencies totaled more than $646K. www.wpri.com/target-12/an... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: Improving Providence’s financial health, addressing the housing crisis, and once again, attempting to end the state takeover of Providence schools by summer are among Mayor Brett Smiley’s legislative priorities for 2026. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Phone and PA system outages at four district schools last year prompted the Providence Public School Department to seek a contract for additional technical support. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Reposted by Alexandra Leslie[Not loaded yet]
- UPDATE: The RI K-12 Council gave preliminary approval to De La Comunidad Bilingual Charter School, but did NOT approve an application for New England Tech Academy Charter School. @wpri12.bsky.social
- Tonight, the RI Council on Elementary and Secondary Education will vote to approve opening two new charter schools and expanding seats at a third school. Gov. Dan McKee declined to say if the Council should vote one way or the other. MORE: www.wpri.com/news/new-exp... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Tonight, the RI Council on Elementary and Secondary Education will vote to approve opening two new charter schools and expanding seats at a third school. Gov. Dan McKee declined to say if the Council should vote one way or the other. MORE: www.wpri.com/news/new-exp... @wpri12.bsky.social
- TARGET 12: A veteran Rhode Island deputy sheriff is on paid administrative leave after being charged with second-degree sexual assault and simple assault. www.wpri.com/news/veteran... @wpri12.bsky.social
- 21 community learning centers are expected to be fully operational across Rhode Island by the end of this year. I sat down with Gov. Dan McKee to talk about the nearly $82 million investment. www.wpri.com/target-12/mc... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: A grand jury handed up an indictment charging a 16-year-old with first-degree murder and other new charges related to the death of a Providence teenager last February. www.wpri.com/target-12/16... @wpri12.bsky.social
- As we published, Brown responded in the form of a press release to say that it will conduct an after-action review of the Dec. 13, plus that an an external assessment of the campus and surrounding area will be initiated. W/ @elisherman.bsky.social: www.wpri.com/news/trump-a... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: Mayor Brett Smiley is asking the FBI to give the man only identified as “John” the entirety of the $50,000 reward money for his help in leading law enforcement to the Brown gunman. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NEW: I sat down with Mayor Brett Smiley, who reflected on the city’s response to last Saturday's shooting at Brown. www.wpri.com/top-stories/... @wpri12.bsky.social
- I spoke one-on-one with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley about the manhunt for the Brown University shooting suspect. Hear more from my interview coming up on @wpri12.bsky.social at 6. www.wpri.com/target-12/su...
- ICYMI: I interviewed PPD Col. Oscar Perez after police announced the Brown U shooting suspect was dead. He left Brown in 2001. I asked Perez, why now? www.wpri.com/target-12/su... @wpri12.bsky.social
- A press conference in Providence is imminent. I am standing by. We will take it live on air. www.wpri.com/news/local-n...
- SOON: 9:15 presser. Possible 9:30. The room is buzzing. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- UPDATE: Josh Estrella, the city’s director of communications, came into the briefing room at 6:35 pm to tell us that there will be a briefing, but we don’t know what time yet. We will get 20 minute heads up. We are standing by. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Speakers/people expected at tonight’s briefing, per the tape near the podium: PPD Col. Oscar Perez, RI AG Peter Neronha, FBI, ATF, Mayor Brett Smiley, Gov. Dan McKee and Brown U President Christina Paxson. No time announced yet. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- We are still waiting. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- A police spox just announced in the briefing room that there will be”press availability at some point this evening,” but it will not be 4 p.m. We are standing by. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- I’ve been at Providence PD all week, where though the lobby is business as usual, law enforcement have been walking in and out for days. Investigators have been working out of a command center on the third floor. Investigation still very active. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- HOUR 96: Media are ready for a 4 p.m. briefing on Day 5 of the manhunt for the Brown U shooter. New today, an enhanced image of a person spotted near the POI. Plus, police have a map where they want home video from. Airing live on @wpri12.bsky.social and online. www.wpri.com/news/local-n...
- NEW: PPSD preliminary data shows an 80% attendance rate for Monday 12/15, per spox. For 2024, the official RIDE dashboard shows an 88% attendance rate on the Monday before holiday break. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Today’s press conference will happen at 4 pm, a city spox confirms. Media members were told to leave the briefing room while they test something on the projector. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- We’re about an hour away from today’s briefing. @wpri12.bsky.social will carry it on air and online. www.wpri.com/news/local-n...
- 12/16 UPDATE: A city spokesperson tells me the city will hold its first briefing of the day at 5 p.m. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- Brown U Pres. Paxson just formally identified the 2 students that died in Saturday's shooting. "Before releasing their names, it was important that we give their families some space to grieve, but now it is important that we never forget them." www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
- NOW: I am in place for today's first briefing on the Brown U shooter. A person of interest was released less than 24 hours ago and the federal, state and local agents have been searching for evidence and chasing down tips all day. www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social
