The Angel Taveras campaign for mayor has scheduled a fund-raiser for March 25 at the Roger Williams Park Casino. Taveras has a solid list of leaders from the city's Latino community sponsoring the event, which is no surprise. But what is giving his fledgling campaign traction is the number of East Side political activists who have signed on even before former State Sen. Myrth York or former Mayor Joseph Paolino Jr., have decided whether to make the run.

You don't need a U.S. Census survey to chart the changes in Providence's population. Just stroll down Broad Street, the business lifeline of the city's South Side. A century ago, the business signs read: Kelly Brothers Market, Macnair Florists, Tolchinsky Tailors and Reilly Undertakers.

Rhode Island Senate president Teresa Paive Weed would bring many assets to a race for 1st District Congress: a Newport, Aquidneck Island base, a strong electoral record and a proven legislative resume.

In case you thought that former Providence mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr., is just in the public mulling process, he has decided to put his money where his ambitions may lie. Paolino tells WRNI that he has put $500,000 in his Paolino for Mayor account, which means he is quite serious about making a race for the  City Hall office he held from 1984 to 1991.

Less than 24 hours after news broke last Thursday night that Patrick Kennedy wouldn't be seeking reelection, Providence Mayor David Cicilline and G. Patrick Gould, his recently hired political director, decided to go their separate ways. The move comes barely three months after Gould, a veteran lobbyist in Washington, DC, came aboard to lead the two-term mayor's political operation.

David Cicilline's decision to run for the Congressional seat being vacated by Patrick Kennedy will set off the greatest free for all for the mayor's office since 1981, when a whopping 25 candidates were in the hunt at some point.

Here's a brief update:

-- John Lombardi announced his campaign this morning near the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier.

N4N reports that David Cicilline's latest mayoral run will be his last, although Cicilline didn't shed light on his future plans beyond that.

The gubernatorial race has naturally dominated most of the chatter about the looming 2010 campaign season, but an interesting rematch -- setting old-school Providence against the city's changing, increasingly Latino face -- is set to take place in Ward 15.

Incumbent Councilor Josephine DiRuzzo, who has held the seat since first winning election in 1981, tells On Politics that she plans to seek reelection. She will be challenged by community organizer Sabina Matos, who lost to DiRuzzo on a 475-381 vote margin in 2006.

Update, 4:43 pm. Gould, running between meetings, called in a short time ago to confirm the information in this post.

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After earlier this year deciding against a gubernatorial run. Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline has hired a lobbyist with Washington, DC, experience to serve as his political director and strengthen his political organization, WRNI has learned. 

The mayor's campaign committee has hired G. Patrick Gould, who is expected to play a lead role in Cicilline's reelection campaign next year and to then continue working for the mayor.

Rhoades Alderson, director of communications for Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, is leaving that post to take a job at the New Harbor Group, the Providence communications firm that is home to such savvy folks as David Preston and Dyana Koelsch.

Here's an excerpt of a note he recently sent to colleagues: