Rhode Island State News

RI man charged with pandemic relief loan fraud pleads guilty

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:41:02 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island man charged with fraudulently seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in forgivable federal loans designed for businesses struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic has pleaded guilty, federal authorities said Friday.

David Andrew Butziger, 52, of Warwick, was one of two men charged in May with seeking loans needed to pay employees at businesses affected by the virus crisis, when in reality the businesses were not operating before the pandemic began and had no employees, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, Aaron Weisman.

They were the first people in the U.S. to be charged with making phony applications for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, officials said at the time of their arrest.

Butziger pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Providence to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18.

A message was left with his attorney.

Butziger submitted a loan application for more than $100,000 through a Rhode Island bank on behalf of a company he called Dock Wireless, prosecutors said.

The application indicated that Dock Wireless had seven employees and an average monthly payroll of more than $42,000, prosecutors said. In truth, Dock Wireless had no employees and no wages were ever paid out by the company, authorities said.

Butziger also conspired with the other man, who sought hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans to pay employees at three restaurants he said he owned. Two of the restaurants were not open prior to the pandemic and he had no ownership stake in the third, prosecutors said.

The other man, David A. Staveley, who also goes by Kurt Sanborn, of Andover, Massachusetts, is awaiting trial. His attorney has not commented.

More sexual assault charges being filed against Lincoln dentist

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:34:28 +0000

LINCOLN, R.I. (WPRI) — Lincoln police say they’re filing additional charges against a dentist accused of touching one of his patients inappropriately.

After reporting the arrest of John F. Begg on Thursday, police received additional complaints of sexual assault involving him, Captain Philip Gould said Friday.

Begg, 85, was charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault after a 68-year-old patient told police he had groped her during a routine visit on August 31.

He now faces at least two more counts, according to Gould.

Police continue to investigate and asked anyone with information to contact Det. Sean Gorman at (401) 333-1111.

Suspect in fatal Providence mall stabbing held without bail

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:52:15 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The suspect in a fatal stabbing at a Rhode Island mall was held without bail at his arraignment Friday.

Riky Hilario Cabral, 22, faces a murder charge in the death of Nazzique Hernandez, 19, who was stabbed late Thursday morning at the Providence Place mall and pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Cabral did not enter a plea and was referred to the public defender’s office, according to court records.

The stabbing on the third-floor of the mall near the food court was preceded by a fight, Providence police Maj. David Lapatin said. He did not say what sparked the fight.

Four people were originally taken in for questioning Thursday, but only Cabral was charged and the other three were released, he said. The case remains open and there is a possibility more people will face charges, he said.

The mall’s operator, Brookfield Properties, said in a statement that it was “extremely disheartened by the senseless act,” and said it did not appear to be a random act.

Police ID Providence Place mall murder victim as suspect faces judge

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:31:13 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A man suspected of stabbing another man to death inside the Providence Place mall appeared in court Friday morning.

Riky Hilario Cabral, 22, was arraigned on a murder charge and ordered held without bail as a probation violator.

The victim was identified Friday by city police as Nazzique Hernandez, 19, of Providence.

Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements said the stabbing took place following a “melee” involving six men late Thursday morning in the food court.

Clements said the victim and suspects knew each other, calling it an “isolated incident.”

Cabral was one of four people arrested thereafter. He’s the only one who’s been charged so far, but Major David Lapatin said more charges could be filed as detectives investigate.

Detectives are looking into whether the fight was gang-related, according to Lapatin, and whether it was connected to a pair of gun-related incidents that took place Thursday night.

12 News is at the courthouse gathering more information. Check back for updates.

Providence College deals with surge of student virus cases

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:28:15 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Saying “we are out of options,” the president of Providence College announced that the school is moving to remote-only learning for at least two weeks after a surge of new confirmed coronavirus cases among students.

More than 80 students at the Roman Catholic school tested positive for the disease in just two days, the Rev. Kenneth Sicard wrote in a message to the community Thursday.

Most live off campus. The school has now had 106 positive student cases. Providence has about 4,800 students.

Students who live off campus cannot leave their apartments, and students who live on campus will be tested and are not allowed to leave campus, he said. Gatherings of any kind are banned.

Students who violate the rules face suspensions, and if things get worse, campus may be shut down for the semester, Sicard said.

“We recognize how serious and difficult these directives are, but this is our last chance to remain together in person for the fall semester,” Sicard said. “Between these actions and the serious steps we already have taken – especially in the past few days – we have used virtually every tool at our disposal. We are out of options.”

Jewish High Holy Day services modified to keep congregants safe amid pandemic

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 10:19:41 +0000

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — The Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, begins at sundown Friday night leading into Yom Kippur at the end of the month.

The two High Holy Days are the most important Jewish worship days of the year and will be far from traditional this fall.

Social gathering limits are still in place, and religious services are still expected to be modified to keep congregants safe.

In Rhode Island, Phase III guidelines for religious and faith-based organizations say “live streaming or broadcasting of services is strongly recommended as a safer alternative to in-person gatherings.”

Places of worship are only allowed to hold 66% or less of the area’s maximum occupancy level or the number of people who can maintain a minimum of six feet of distance between groups. Places of worship can also only have up to 125 people in the building, in accordance with the statewide rule for indoor gatherings.

Brian Sullivan, Chief Brand Officer for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, tells 12 News most congregations have come up with their own plans to observe the High Holy Days.

Sullivan says some are opting for virtual services or socially distant services outside, while others are traveling the state to bring certain traditions directly to their congregants.

At Temple Sinai in Cranston, weekly services have not been held in-person since March, but instead, over video conferencing platforms. Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser says Temple Sinai’s Passover seder over Zoom actually turned out to be one of the more popular services.

Friday night, Rosh Hashanah services will be virtual with another seder via Zoom, which will include traditional music.

On Saturday afternoon, there will be a live, in-person “drive-through” shofar service, in addition to a socially-distanced tashlikh service at Goddard Park Beach.

The calls from the shofar fulfill the religious duty on Rosh Hashanah, but even that will be altered to keep in accordance with COVID-19 health protocols.

“We’re also going to be putting a mask on the mouth of the shofar so we’re not creating aerosols,” Goldwasser said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states for events and gatherings, “masks are strongly encouraged in situations where people might raise their voice (e.g., shouting, chanting, singing).”

CDC considerations for community-based organizations also ask to “consider temporarily suspending musical performances that involve singing or playing wind instruments. If such events are held, musicians should be spaced as far apart as feasible, ideally farther than 6 feet apart.”

Rabbi Barry Dolinger serves as Rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence, in addition to serving on the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island.

In an email to 12 News, Dolinger says in regard to singing and the spread of aerosols, “it’s imperative that leaders and individuals treat this aspect of the spread seriously.”

“This is probably one of the most likely ways a high holiday service could become a super-spreader event and there are tangible steps we can all take to limit the risk,” he continued.

Dolinger also claims the shofar produces more aerosol output compared to singing.

“It’s crucial to blow the shofar away from people, stand far away, note the wind direction, get a COVID test for the shofar blower if possible, and to put a mask on the end of the shofar, or some efficacious combination of these steps,” Dolinger said.

The modifications will continue through Yom Kippur at the end of the month, with more virtual services at Temple Sinai. Goldwasser says the annual kid’s service inside the synagogue can’t occur on Yom Kippur this year.

The event, held for children in kindergarten or younger, involves storytelling, singing, and sharing traditional snacks of apples and honey.

“We certainly would never choose to do it this way, but if this is what we’ve got, we want to do it in the way that is most meaningful and in the way that takes advantage of what the media offers,” Goldwasser said.

Temple Sinai’s religious school will also be held virtually, to start.

In Providence, Temple Beth-El celebrated with in-person celebrations involving apple picking and shofar blowing, but will be worshiping Rosh Hashanah digitally, according to Rabbi Sarah Mack.

“Our live stream is open to all who wish to join our worship. We have included the voices of our community in choral videos and peerage segments,” Mack said.

The temple did reach out to congregants by phone, and there will also be a Zoom “meet and greet” following services.

Mack says the temple also has holiday bags with gifts to assist with at home worship.

PINPOINT TRAFFIC: Overnight roadwork in Attleboro could create delays

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:28:10 +0000

ATTLEBORO, Mass., (WPRI) – Roadwork in Attleboro could create slowdowns for overnight commuters.

This week construction crews beginning work on Route 123 from the Norton town line to Pleasant Street in Attleboro.

The milling and paving project will take place nightly during the hours of 8 p.m. through 5 a.m.

Drivers can expect alternating lane closures in and around this area.

The project scheduled to run through Wednesday, September 23rd.

DOT officials are advising drivers to expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

Melissa Sardelli (msardelli@wpri.com) is the Pinpoint Traffic Reporter for WPRI 12 and FOX Providence. If you have a traffic concern or question reach out to me on Twitter @MelissaSardelli or find me on Facebook.

Substitute shortage could be a bigger problem in pandemic schooling

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 03:11:47 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Amid the flurry of deep-cleaning, acquiring masks, re-making bus schedules and navigating socially distant lunchtime and recess, school administrators in Rhode Island are grappling with another issue: how to handle teacher absences in the world of “stable groups.”

The typical solution — call in a substitute teacher — carries a host of new issues in the pandemic. First, there are not enough; as Target 12 reported in February, Rhode Island has a widespread substitute shortage, one that was not magically solved over the spring and summer.

But the patchwork of solutions previously utilized — splitting up students into other classes or having teachers and staff cover for absent colleagues — presents a new problem to administrators seeking to maintain stable groups of students and adults in order to contain any outbreaks of COVID-19.

“We do need enough subs so that we can target subs to certain schools,” said Judy Paolucci, the superintendent of Smithfield Public Schools.

Multiple superintendents told Target 12 they are aiming to assign substitutes to specific schools this year, where they will go into multiple classrooms but not multiple buildings. (The building-based sub method has been used with success in Central Falls for years.)

But at the same time, many of those administrators acknowledged they have around the same number of substitutes on their roster as last school year — a number that was not enough to fill all their absences at the time.

That includes Providence, where spokesperson Laura Hart says the total number of available subs remains about the same as last school year. At that time, before schools shut down for the pandemic, Providence was only able to fill an average of 50% of teacher absences with subs.

Providence has one thing going for it in this realm: there are about 30 teacher positions still vacant, according to Superintendent Harrison Peters, compared to more than 100 at the beginning of last school year, freeing up some substitutes from needing to fill those long-term roles.

Yet on the other hand, the state’s largest school district is already reporting an uptick in daily teacher absences for the first week of school this year. There were 122 teachers absent on Monday, according to Hart, compared to 108 on the first day of school last year. Tuesday saw 134 teacher absences. (There are nearly 2,000 teachers in Providence.)

“There is definitely a shortage of people willing to sub,” said Michael Crudale, chief human resources officer for Cranston Public Schools. He said the district is trying to hire more subs after losing about 20% to 25% of its roster — many of them retired teachers, the age group at higher risk for the virus.

“We are doing our best to assign subs to specific building to assist with coverage,” Crudale said. “We are still in the process to address what happens if we run out of bodies to cover. That is tough to answer at this time.” Cranston was able to fill about 55% of absences with subs before the pandemic.

East Providence Superintendent Kathryn Crowley is also planning to place two building-based subs in every school, but said the district has not yet succeeded in filling the jobs.

“We are having difficulty,” Crowley said in an email. “This will be a problem moving forward.”

The R.I. Department of Education is also seeking to find more substitutes, this week awarding a contract to the Highlander Institute to recruit and train up to 200 subs, according to spokesperson Pete Janhunen.

Janhunen said the contract is still being finalized, but once it is complete Highlander will start accepting applications and will train substitutes who can then be deployed by RIDE to districts who need them.

In Smithfield, Paolucci said the school district raised the substitute pay rate from $85 a day to $100 in order to be more competitive. But she said it’s still been hard to recruit.

“People don’t want to go inside of a school, and people are being paid more in unemployment than certainly we even pay for a substitute,” she said. And without the funds to make subs full-time employees, she said she can’t stop them from teaching in multiple districts, another potential problem for viral spread.

“In order to have someone be a full-time employee we have to pay them first step on the teacher’s scale,” Paolucci said. “With benefits that is about three times more expensive.” She said the school budget is also still unclear because the General Assembly has not passed its own budget, which dictates state aid to schools.

Many districts acknowledged they will be sending staff to cover classrooms when no sub is available, potentially exposing them to far more students than the 30 in their cohort.

“Which would now violate the protocols of self-contained pods,” said Bob Walsh, the executive director of National Education Association Rhode Island, one of the state’s teachers unions.

Walsh said he expects there to be more teacher absences this year because of the edict that everyone stay home if they have the slightest symptoms, such as a mild cold or allergy sniffles. Plus, there could be two-week mandatory quarantines for teachers who are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for the virus.

Paolucci had a more optimistic view of the matter, pointing out that face masks and social distancing may keep common colds at bay, helping hold down the number of absences.

In Providence, splitting kids into different classrooms when they don’t have a sub will no longer happen, according to Hart.

But the practice is not outright banned statewide. Janhunen, the Department of Education spokesperson, said it’s up to the school districts to implement their own procedures, with RIDE there for help and guidance.

“We are not approaching this as an enforcement exercise,” he said in an email.

RIDE’s guidance on class coverage says: “As much as possible, the movement of teachers around the building should be limited. A schedule for substitutes that provides as little movement as possible should be established. The fewer groups of students that staff interact with in-person, the better.”

The guidance says if staff must enter multiple classrooms, they should remain six feet from their students “as feasible,” and wear a face covering. But teachers have pointed out that masks will be removed when students are eating (lunch and snacks are happening in the classroom, not the cafeteria), and staying far away from young students can be difficult when they need help or are having a conflict with another student.

Walsh fears those caveats in the guidance — “as feasible” and “as much as possible” — will be used as excuses not to follow the rules.

“There can be no exceptions,” Walsh said. “I think the first time someone is asked to do something that violates the health and safety protocols that have been laid out, we’re going to end up either in the official grievance process or before a judge, saying ‘shut it down.'”

Steph Machado (smachado@wpri.com) covers Providence, politics and more for WPRI 12. Follow her on Twitter and on Facebook

Police: 19 shots fired near Brockton shopping plaza

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:57:31 +0000

BROCKTON, Mass. (WPRI) ─ Police are investigating after shots were fired near a busy shopping plaza in Brockton Thursday.

Police said reports from the scene indicated that a man in a black SUV was shooting at an Infiniti Sedan in the parking lot, located on Crescent Street.

The city’s ShotSpotter system detected 19 shots that were fired in the area before the SUV sped off.

Officers chased after an SUV matching the description of the one involved in the incident through several surrounding towns.

Massachusetts State Police and law enforcement from those communities joined the pursuit, which police said ended with a crash in Taunton.

#BREAKING Intersection of Adams & Church Street in Taunton is blocked off. Local and State Police on scene. Just talked with a group of people who live on the street who say they witnessed a woman being taken into custody by police. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/W4kp9gWdXr
— Rob Nesbitt (@RobNesbittNews) September 18, 2020

Police said two people were arrested in Brockton after officers discovered they had illicit drugs on them. They may face additional charges related to the shooting at a later date.

The person who was driving the SUV that crashed has also been detained.

Anyone who has information on either incident is asked to contact the Brockton Police Detective Bureau at (508) 941-0234.

‘We are out of options’: PC to shift to remote learning after 80+ students test positive

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:54:48 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ After more than 80 students tested positive for COVID-19 in just two days, Providence College announced Thursday it plans to shift to fully remote learning until at least Sept. 26.

In an email to the PC community, President Rev. Kenneth Sicard said there has been a large concentration of cases involving students living off campus. On Tuesday, the college asked all students living off campus to learn remotely until they produce a negative test result after more than a dozen students tested positive.

After consulting with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Sicard said PC is also issuing a stay-at-home order for all students.

He said during this time, all students living on campus will be tested.

Sicard issued the following guidelines to students regarding the stay-at-home order:

On-campus students may not leave campus during this time. Off-campus students may not leave their apartments. (Food will continue to be delivered. Those who chose the PC Cash option will continue to have that option available to them.) There must be no indoor or outdoor gatherings of any kind. There must be no travel whatsoever to bars, restaurants, clubs, or neighborhood businesses.
Violations will result in immediate interim suspensions. College staff, in conjunction with the Providence Police Department and private security, will be monitoring PC houses in the off-campus neighborhood on a 24/7 basis.
All students who normally would be student teaching in the community or engaged in internships or clinical placements must do so on a remote basis

“We recognize how serious and difficult these directives are, but this is our last chance to remain together in person for the fall semester,” Sicard wrote. “Between these actions and the serious steps we already have taken – especially in the past few days – we have used virtually every tool at our disposal. We are out of options.”

“If we are not successful, we will have no alternative other than to shut down our campus for the remainder of the fall semester. This also will likely affect our ability to reopen for the spring semester,” he continued.

Students living off campus who have tested positive, as well as any of their close contacts, must be relocated. Sicard said anyone who is able to return home should do so at this time, and if that is not possible, they will be relocated to either a campus facility or a hotel room.

“These strategies have worked at other colleges and universities, so we have a fighting chance, but it will take commitment and discipline on the part of everyone in our community,” Sicard said. “I have confidence that we can summon the collective will to regain our footing, and I pray that each of you will join me in doing all we can to get back to the point where we can resume communal campus life.”

Some RI school districts implement ‘silent lunch’ to prevent spread of COVID-19

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 01:24:13 +0000

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Kids in some Rhode Island school districts are being told to keep their voices down at lunch in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Parents from Barrington, North Providence and Bristol-Warren told 12 News the practice was being employed at district schools. During what’s sometimes called a “silent lunch,” students are asked to either chat quietly or refrain from talking altogether.

In an email to families, Barrington Public Schools explained that the idea is based on a recommendation from Dr. Erin Bromage, an associate professor of biology at UMass Dartmouth whose COVID-19 expertise has been widely cited.

“We are aware of the importance of socialization for our students,” the email reads. “As such, we have increased opportunities for outdoor breaks where students may socialize in a much safer environment. We recognize and value the social and emotional well-being needs of students and staff and must balance them with physical safety.”

12 News reached out to Bromage to learn more about the science behind the practice.

“The difference between breathing and talking is about 75-fold in regards to respiratory emissions, like the droplets and small aerosols that come out,” he explained. “So a silent lunch, where you take away the interactions of walking down hallways and mixing pods, actually becomes a safer option than moving the kids.”

Dr. James McDonald, medical director at the Rhode Island Department of Health, said the state has not explicitly told school districts to have silent lunches.

“I think what’s happening is, people are interpreting other guidance we’re giving them,” he said. “I’m not aware of us saying you can’t talk at lunch.”

McDonald echoed Bromage in saying that talking can more easily spread viral particles, especially while kids have their masks off to eat.

“That’s why the silent snack might be an intervention that some schools might choose to do,” he said. “No school is required to do that ─ that’s up to them.”

To those concerned that the practice is unfair or harmful to kids, Bromage said it’s about safety.

“I think that kids can adjust to a 5-to-10 minute silent lunch and then have the appropriate time outdoors for recess to be kids, to run around and have fun,” he said.

Bromage said allowing students to eat outside is better and would allow them to speak freely to one another so long as they are socially distanced.

Coronavirus: Coverage and Resources

COVID-19 Tracking: Maps, Charts, Interactive Data | Projection Models | Find a Testing Site Near You | School Updates | Latest Headlines | En Español: 12 Informa |

RI Coronavirus Hotline: (401) 222-8022 | Work-Related Questions: (401) 462-2020 | Mental Health Assistance: (401) 414-5465

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Raimondo issues statewide Drought Advisory

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 01:12:32 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Gov. Gina Raimondo and her team issued a statewide Drought Advisory on Thursday to help raise awareness about the dry conditions the state is experiencing.

Federal, state and local experts took part in meetings held on Aug. 13 and Sept. 10, hosted by the Drought Steering Committee.

During the more recent meeting, the committee determined the data gathered supported making an official recommendation to the governor.

Raimondo offered encouraging words on the situation.

“I want to reassure Rhode Islanders that we have systems in place to respond to dry conditions, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation in the days and weeks ahead,” she said. “We are encouraging residents and businesses to identify their water supplier and watch for any water restrictions in their area. I also want to remind Rhode Islanders to be considerate of their water usage, because we all play a role in our state’s water conservation efforts.”

There are four major drought indices that are included in the assessment of current drought conditions:

The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) uses readily available temperature and precipitation readings to estimate relative dryness.

Here are some ways on how you can do your part in conserving water usage:

“While our state’s water supply system is designed to handle drought conditions, it is important for the public to be aware and take precautionary steps,” Water Resources Board Chairwoman Susan Licardi said. “WRB staff and our partners will closely monitor conditions moving forward.”

Although the Drought Advisory is the first of four drought levels, residents are encouraged to check in with their local water supplier for any possible restrictions.

RI medical director: ‘There is a way to trick or treat safely’

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 23:18:54 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Department of Health Medical Director Dr. James McDonald said although Halloween may look different this year, it will still be possible, echoing Gov. Gina Raimondo’s sentiments on Wednesday.

McDonald suggested bringing hand sanitizer while trick or treating and making sure to stay six feet apart from children from other households.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a hard thing to add into the occasion,” McDonald said. “Wear a mask underneath your Halloween mask.”

He said that his family has decided to put candy out on their front porch for trick or treaters, asking children only take one.

“Trick or treating is normally an outdoor phenomenon and I think that is a positive thing,” he said.

McDonald did warn about going in apartment buildings, since they are inside, suggesting people place candy outside their door.

He also expressed concern over comments made Wednesday by Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Redfield told lawmakers that face masks are better at protecting against COVID-19 than a vaccine would be.

McDonald said he’s, “not really sure where he’s coming from with that.”

“We don’t have a vaccine yet,” he said. “We don’t know how effective they are going to be.”

McDonald also used it as an opportunity to again emphasize the importance of wearing a face mask.

“One important point I would agree with is a face mask is really important and it’s how I show you that I value you,” McDonald said.

Coronavirus: Coverage and Resources

COVID-19 Tracking: Maps, Charts, Interactive Data | Projection Models | Find a Testing Site Near You | School Updates | Latest Headlines | En Español: 12 Informa |

RI Coronavirus Hotline: (401) 222-8022 | Work-Related Questions: (401) 462-2020 | Mental Health Assistance: (401) 414-5465

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Lifespan searching for volunteers in upcoming COVID-19 vaccine trial

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 22:33:47 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Rhode Island’s top hospital group is looking for hundreds of people to take part in a COVID-19 vaccine trial.

Lifespan announced Thursday that it has teamed up with the COVID-19 Prevention Network , which was formed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to find 400 eligible participants for the upcoming trial, which could take place at The Miriam Hospital.

Dr. Karen Tashima, an infectious disease physician at The Miriam Hospital, said if Rhode Island is chosen as a trial location, selected candidates will be compensated for their time.

“They may receive two doses of a vaccine and we will be asking them to tell us how they feel, if they have any side effects,” Tashima explained.

Lifespan said The Immunology Center at The Miriam has a successful track record with vaccines. The hospital has successfully completed trials with drugs for HIV treatment, Hepatitis C and, most recently, testing the use of Remdesivir, a drug that is now used to treat COVID-19.

Tashima said participants would be required to have their blood drawn once a month. She said no one should be worried about contracting the virus from the shot itself.

“We are not giving anybody any live virus, even if it were a weakened virus, we’re not doing that,” she said.

Tashima assures that, if the trial were to happen in Rhode Island, it wouldn’t just be safe, it would also be rewarding.

“If we get a good vaccine, we’re going to call them heroes,” she said. “They will be heroes no matter what.”

Tashima said Rhode Islanders are not the only ones who can participate in the vaccine trial. Residents of nearby Massachusetts or Connecticut can also sign up.

Click here to volunteer »

Coronavirus: Coverage and Resources

COVID-19 Tracking: Maps, Charts, Interactive Data | Projection Models | Find a Testing Site Near You | School Updates | Latest Headlines | En Español: 12 Informa |

RI Coronavirus Hotline: (401) 222-8022 | Work-Related Questions: (401) 462-2020 | Mental Health Assistance: (401) 414-5465

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12 Responds: Why are we being asked to return $9,800 in COVID-19 unemployment assistance?

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 22:11:56 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A Pawtucket man reached out to 12 Responds for help after his sister received a concerning message from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

Bob Crook wrote: “My disabled sister applied for COVID-19 benefits in Massachusetts … she received benefits, and she returned to work in June. Now they sent her notice that she has to repay $9,804. I don’t understand why, and how they made the decision. Can you help?”

Crook said his sister has developmental disabilities and works at a grocery store across the border in Massachusetts. When the pandemic hit, he said the store cut its hours and his sister was unable to work, and she wasn’t eligible for regular unemployment insurance.

“She was part-time. She works from 3–9 in the evening,” he said. “They cut the hours to 6 o’clock, so they didn’t need her.”

Crook said he was able to secure COVID-19 unemployment assistance for his sister.

“Everything was going OK, she got her money, a total of $9,800,” he said.

When the store expanded its hours in June, Crook said his sister went back to work and he let the DUA know she no longer needed benefits by filling out the form online.

“‘Were you affected by COVID-19 this week?’ This time, the answer was no,” he recalled.

That’s why he was shocked when he later received an email saying “they want the $9,800 back.”

Crook said he failed to spot key documentation until he sent 12 News the paperwork which states, in part:

“If you fail to provide all requested documentation … DUA will determine you overpaid benefits and require you to repay all benefits previously received, even if you are no longer requesting Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Assistance.”

“They never told me,” Crook added. “They never said what documentation they were looking for. I never got that.”

After 12 Responds reached out to the DUA, the agency got in touch with Crook and found his address needed verification. He said that since he didn’t respond, the claim was canceled.

The issue has since been resolved.

12 Responds: Submit your financial or health question here »

Newport Food & Wine Festival will go beyond the mansions this year to help local restaurants

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:53:43 +0000

NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) ─ The Preservation Society of Newport County tells 12 News that, not only will food lovers still get to enjoy themselves at this year’s Food & Wine Festival, they’ll also be helping the local restaurant industry.

In past years, a ticket would allow attendees to go from booth to booth tasting each chef’s samples while also taste-testing different wine, but this year, organizers said the festival is expanding beyond the mansions.

This year will include collaborations with almost a dozen local restaurants. Event goers will be able to stop at participating restaurants and enjoy their tasting menu.

Executive Director of the Preservation Society of Newport County Trudy Coxe said they were going to find any way to make the event happen.

“It has been complicated, but we just kept working among ourselves and checking in with the state to find out what we could and couldn’t do,” Coxe said. “I think everybody had foremost in their minds, that one way or another we’re just going to make it work.”

She also expressed the importance of helping the local restaurant industry through the pandemic.

“We really wanted to invest any way we could, making sure we connected ourselves with some of the local restaurant owners,” she said. “I think it sends a message that, we are doing everything we can to keep these places open, alive, keep people in their jobs. That’s the way we are going to recover from this incredible pandemic that is wreaking havoc on the restaurant and hotel industry.”

There will also be special tasting seminars at the mansions, along with Sunday brunch at Rosecliff.

Each event will have a limited capacity to allow for social distancing. The event runs Thursday through Sunday.

While most of the events are already sold out, anyone interested in purchasing tickets can do so online.

Low-income housing agency SWAP tried to evict tenants during pandemic

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:49:24 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A Providence District Court judge was “not happy” a nonprofit organization with a mission to help low-income tenants and revitalize neighborhoods filed several evictions during the COVID-19 moratorium.

Court records show SWAP, a 45-year-old nonprofit that owns several pieces of rental property in Providence, filed eight evictions involving 14 people in early July when the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was still in effect.

One of SWAP’s evictions involved Marcelino Perez and his disabled child.

“I have to admit that this is one of the sadder cases that I’ve dealt with within my time on this calendar,” Judge Christopher Smith said from the bench during a hearing to dismiss three of the cases.

Perez was $965 behind on his rent which is $407 a month, according to court documents.

“This case should’ve never been filed. It shouldn’t have been heard,” Smith said from the bench. “No demand letter should’ve been sent. And I’m not happy that a demand letter was sent and ultimately the case was filed.”

On September 4, SWAP’s attorney Sean O’Leary filed motions to vacate eviction orders in Perez’s case and two others, including one involving Jacqueline Silverio.

Silverio, who owed close to $3,000, said she lost her job during the pandemic and did not receive her first unemployment check until June.

SWAP’s motion to vacate prompted Smith to dismiss the cases against Silverio, Perez, and Lucrecia Carto, but Silverio said the process caused weeks of stress.

“I suffer from depression. I haven’t slept,” Silverio said. “It’s been horrible. It’s been a very hard two months.”

SWAP Executive Director Carla DeStefano said the properties in question, “did not qualify under all the CARES Act” protection requirements.

“We did not want to argue with the judge,” DeStefano said. “It is something of a technicality.”

But several attorneys who specialize in evictions insisted the law is clear. Landlords with federally backed mortgages were not allowed to even take the first step in the eviction process by mailing five-day demand letters for back rent.

Court records indicate SWAP sent letters to all eight tenants, and O’Leary signed the affidavits in each of the cases stating the properties were not covered by the CARES Act.

In the documents, O’Leary indicated he based his conclusion on “communications with” SWAP property management.

“Ultimately, this information turned out to be inaccurate,” Smith said, referring to the three cases that were vacated.

From the bench, Smith said while three of SWAP’s filings initially led to eviction orders, the court relies on the accuracy of the affidavits when deciding a case.

The five other cases were voluntarily dismissed, according court records. DeStefano said those tenants paid their back rent.

But a statement by Smith to Silverio about the payment agreement she made with SWAP indicates the other agreements may not have been required.

“You should not have had to enter into that or contemplated that,” Smith said, referring to Silverio’s payment agreement. “Because, under the protection of the CARES Act, this case shouldn’t have been filed.”

Silverio said after she was initially evicted, she was not sure where to confirm whether her apartment was protected by the CARES Act, but she added that she trusted that SWAP knew the law.

“They are supposed to be helping people with low income” Silverio said. “So they should be keeping up with the law and not make people go through this. It’s not necessary.”

Send tips to Target 12 Investigator Walt Buteau at wbuteau@wpri.com and follow him on Twitter @wbuteau.

How RI colleges, universities are monitoring COVID-19 cases

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:44:12 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Nearly all of Rhode Island’s colleges and universities have implemented new COVID-19 testing policies and protocols in order to keep students who are returning to campus safe.

Most schools are tracking the number of positive cases on campus so they can quickly respond to any potential outbreaks.

The University of Rhode Island (URI) has created its own COVID-19 tracker, which details how many tests have been administered and how many came back positive.

From Sept. 9-16, the university reported that of the 1,149 tests administered, 33 came back positive. Right now, there are 17 students in isolation.

Rhode Island College is also tracking its COVID-19 cases online. As of Sept. 8, RIC has reported that one residential student has tested positive. The college said as a result, that student was placed into isolation and two others, one living on campus and another living off campus, were quarantined.

At Providence College (PC), 40 people have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Of those cases, one was a staff member and the other 39 were students.

A number of students living off campus tested positive Tuesday, and as a result, PC has asked all students living off campus to learn remotely until they produce a negative test result, and to only visit campus as instructed for testing.

Roger Williams University (RWU) is reporting that of the 29,248 tests administered so far, 15 have come back positive.

Bryant University is encouraging students and staff to download its “Bryant Health Checker App” to screen themselves for symptoms daily. The university is also testing students and staff at least once a week.

As for Brown University, there have been 14 positive cases out of the thousands of tests that have been administered since the school year began.

Unlike the other institutions, the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) does not have a testing protocol since it’s a commuter school.

The majority of classes at CCRI are being held online due to the pandemic, but school officials say they are encouraging students, faculty and staff to follow the testing guidelines put forth by the state.

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Providence, Central Falls offer up to $500 and amnesty to turn in guns

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:12:23 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The cities of Providence and Central Falls are offering gift cards in exchange for unwanted guns, with those who turn in a stolen gun eligible for $500.

The new gun buyback program will be privately funded through donations, Mayor Jorge Elorza said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. The organization One Gun Gone — which makes art out of guns removed from the streets — donated $10,000, according to Elorza’s press secretary.

The gun buyback will be anonymous, “without questions or consequence from authorities,” Elorza said.

“We simply want to get these guns off the streets so not a single one of them is used in another crime,” he said.

The mayor pointed to the 85 guns that recently made their way onto the street after police allege a Providence man purchased them at various gun stores and sold them, falsely reporting them stolen from his basement.

“He knew they were going to be used as crime weapons,” Elorza said.

The gun buyback will provide a $100 Visa gift card for a rifle or shotgun, $200 for a handgun and $500 for a firearm that has been reported stolen. The firearms will be destroyed.

Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré said the program is aimed at preventing both gun violence and suicides.

“That gun will be out of our community, forever destroyed, never to be used for any purpose again,” Paré said.

People can bring their unwanted guns to two locations on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at either the DaVinci Center in Providence or the Knights of Columbus in Central Falls. Those who cannot make it on that day can email gunamnesty@providenceri.com to schedule a time to surrender a gun.

Instructions provided by the city of Providence for safely surrendering guns are below:

Firearm must be delivered unloaded with no magazines in the weapon.-
Firearm must be placed in a clear plastic bag and delivered in a non-see through container such as a pocket book, gym bag, backpack or suitcase.
If turning in ammunition in addition to a firearm, the ammunition must also be placed in a clear plastic bag and delivered in a separate non-see through container such as a pocket book, gym bag, backpack or suitcase. All magazines must be turned in unloaded and placed in the clear plastic bag and delivered in the non-see through container.
If turning in just ammunition, the ammunition must be placed in a clear plastic bag and delivered in a non-see through container such as a pocket book, gym bag, backpack or suitcase. All magazines must be turned in unloaded and placed in the clear plastic bag and delivered in the non-see through container.
The firearm must be transported in the trunk of a car separate from the ammunition.
Additionally, participants must wear a mask upon returning the firearm, maintain 6 feet of social distance and follow the latest health and safety COVID-19 guidelines.

RI farmer says he was conned by mom charged in adopted daughter’s death

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 20:22:18 +0000

EXETER, R.I. (WPRI) ─ A local farmer claims he was conned by a woman who’s been charged in the death of her adopted daughter.

George Whitford tells 12 News that back in March, he was on social media when a post pleading for help caught his attention.

He said the woman who created the post, named Shelli Guisinger, was looking for a place where she could park her handicap-accessible van and mourn her child’s death.

Whitford said he reached out to the woman and allowed her to stay on his farm in Exeter.

But what Whitford didn’t know until months later was that the woman was actually Michele Rothgeb.

Rothgeb, 57, was arrested in January 2019 after 9-year-old Zahnae Rothgeb, who had cerebral palsy, was found unresponsive in a bathtub at their Oakland Beach Avenue home.

Police said Zahnae had been left to play by herself in the tub for hours and was being cared for by her 15-year-old brother, who has Asperger’s syndrome.

Rothgeb was arrested shortly after Zahnae’s death and has since been charged with manslaughter, as well as seven counts of child neglect ─ one for each of her adopted children that were living with her at the time.

“When I found out who she was and read up on her, I was totally disgusted on who the person was in the backyard,” Whitford said. “She was using this dead child as an excuse for people to feel sorry for her.”

Whitford said Rothgeb lived on his property for four months under the alias she gave him.

Since he was busy taking care of his sick father, Whitford said Rothgeb was able to fly under the radar for months, that is, until he and his friends learned her true identity.

“A friend of mine was coming over the house to take care of his goats,” Whitford recalled. “He and a couple friends decided to go hang out with her one night and she gave them some type of information that made [them] suspicious of who she was.”

Rothgeb’s whereabouts are unknown at this time. She was supposed to appear in court Wednesday for a pretrial conference, but only her attorneys were in attendance.

Whitford is hoping that by telling his story, no one else will fall victim to Rothgeb’s lies. He’s asking anyone who’s seen her to contact the authorities so she can be brought to justice.

Rothgeb pleaded not guilty to the initial two charges in June 2019.

Zahnae’s death led to sweeping changes at the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).

A report released by DCYF’s oversight agency, the Office of the Child Advocate, found Rothgeb should never have been a licensed foster parent and concluded: “the actions or inactions of DCYF staff contributed to the death of this child.”

Since Zahnae’s death, the state has capped the number of children who can live in a foster home at five. Some homes still have up to eight children because they were grandfathered in, according to the DCYF. The agency said each of those homes has been reassessed since then, and they all have two parents and do not have the same number of children with special needs living under one roof.

Man, 19, stabbed to death inside Providence Place mall; 4 suspects in custody

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:56:14 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Four young men are in police custody as detectives investigate a deadly stabbing that happened Thursday inside the Providence Place mall.

The victim was a 19-year-old man from Providence, according to Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements. His name has not yet been released.

Clements said a “melee” between six young men broke out around 11:30 a.m. in the food court, starting with a verbal dispute. Shortly after, one of the individuals ran over to a group of four others and stabbed the victim.

In what the chief described as a “chaotic scene” that followed, responding officers captured two suspects inside the mall and two others in the parking garage. He said police are confident they have the person who committed the stabbing in custody.

The names of those arrested have not been released, but Clements said they’re all in their late teens and early 20s and were all known to police, as well as each other. No charges had been filed as of mid-afternoon as detectives interviewed the suspects.

“Like most of the violence that we have, and we say this all the time, whether it’s gun violence, or in this case, knife violence, people on both sides of the weapon know each other,” Clements said. “There’s familiarity between victim, suspects, and that’s true here as well.”

It was not immediately clear if more suspects are being sought.

Police tell 12 News that a weapon has been recovered.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for the mall’s owner, Brookfield Properties, said they were “disheartened by what happened,” but referred all questions to Providence police.

She added that the third floor would be closed until 3:30 p.m. Thursday, but the rest of the mall remained open. Clements said the food court on the third floor was not too crowded when the incident happened.

The chief called the stabbing an isolated incident, and said he expects police will be working with the mall to ramp up security.

“For the most part, we all know this mall is very safe,” Clements added. “We’re confident people will continue to come to this mall.”

The teen’s death marks the city’s 11th homicide of the year. Clements said he believes it was the first to take place inside the mall.

Steph Machado contributed to this report.

Brown, attorneys reach settlement in women’s sports fight

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:45:53 +0000

(AP) — Brown University and attorneys for student-athletes who challenged the Ivy League school’s decision to reduce several women’s varsity sports teams to club status announced a proposed settlement Thursday.

In addition to restoring the women’s equestrian and women’s fencing teams to varsity status, the sides also said that a 1998 legal agreement ensuring gender equity in varsity sports at Brown would end on Aug. 31, 2024. The school would still be subject to the federal Title IX law requiring equal opportunities for women in sports.

Until that date, the Providence, Rhode Island, school will continue to comply with the 1998 agreement’s maximum 2.25% difference between the percentage of female varsity athletes and full-time female undergraduates, and will not reduce the status of — or eliminate — any women’s varsity teams and will not add any new men’s varsity teams, the sides said in a joint statement.

The settlement is subject to the approval of a federal judge, which could come as early as next week.

Lynette Labinger, lead attorney for the student-athletes, called the proposed settlement bittersweet because they were not able to save all five women’s sports.

“But through our efforts and the overwhelming contributions and energy of the student-athletes, we have ensured that Brown will provide meaningful participation opportunities for more women athletes and not simply push numbers around on a page,” she said in a statement.

Brown announced in May it would reduce women’s varsity fencing, golf, squash, skiing and equestrian teams to club status in an effort to streamline its athletic department and make remaining teams more competitive.

Six men’s varsity sports were also cut, although track and cross country were later restored. Brown said it would add co-ed and women’s varsity sailing teams to maintain gender balance.

Public Justice and the ACLU of Rhode Island on June 29 filed a motion asking the federal court to enforce the 1998 agreement by restoring the women’s sports and finding the university in contempt. The 1998 agreement had stemmed from a legal challenge to Brown’s decision to cut women’s gymnastics and volleyball in the eary 1990s. It was named the Cohen Agreement after one of the plaintiffs, and previously had no expiration date.

That agreement presented a “significant obstacle” to Brown because it established unique reporting requirements not faced by any other U.S. college or university, the school said in a statement Thursday.

The school had repeatedly denied violating the terms of the agreement.

“The Cohen agreement served an important purpose when it was signed 22 years ago, but Brown’s commitment to women athletes transcends the agreement,” Brown President Christina Paxson said in a statement. “We can provide excellent athletics opportunities for women and men, be a leader in upholding Title IX and have a competitive varsity program. And we will.”

The legal battle became increasingly tense last month when attorneys for the student-athletes released a series of internal Brown documents, including emails from Paxson and other top administrators, that Public Justice and the ACLU said proved that Brown wanted to dismantle the 1998 agreement.

Brown fired back that Public Justice and the ACLU were just hyping “spurious conspiracy claims.”

Man, 19, stabbed to death inside Providence Place mall; 4 susepcts in custody

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:34:03 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Four young men are in police custody as detectives investigate a deadly stabbing that happened Thursday inside the Providence Place mall.

The victim was a 19-year-old man from Providence, according to Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements. His name has not yet been released.

It was not immediately clear if more suspects are being sought.

Police tell 12 News that a weapon has been recovered.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for the mall’s owner, Brookfield Properties, said they were “disheartened by what happened,” but referred all questions to Providence police.

The chief called the stabbing an isolated incident, and said he expects police will be working with the mall to ramp up security.

“For the most part, we all know this mall is very safe,” Clements added. “We’re confident people will continue to come to this mall.”

The teen’s death marks the city’s 11th homicide of the year. Clements said he believes it was the first to take place inside the mall.

Steph Machado contributed to this report.

Man, 19, stabbed to death inside Providence Place mall; 4 in custody

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:04:38 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Four young men are in police custody as detectives investigate a deadly stabbing that happened Thursday inside the Providence Place mall.

The victim was a 19-year-old man who died at the hospital, according to Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements. His name has not yet been released.

In what the chief described as a “chaotic scene” that followed, bicycle patrol officers captured two of the men outside as they sprinted away from the mall, and two others were apprehended elsewhere, according to Clements. He said police are confident they have the person who committed the stabbing in custody.

The names of those arrested have not been released, but Clements said they’re all in their late teens and early 20s and were all known to police, as well as each other. No charges had been yet filed as of mid-afternoon as detectives interviewed the suspects.

It was not immediately clear if more suspects are being sought.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for the mall’s owner Brookfield Properties, said they were “disheartened by what happened,” but referred all questions to Providence Police.

She added that the third floor was closed until 3:30 p.m., but the rest of the mall remains open. Clements said the food court on the third floor was not too crowded when the incident happened.

Clements called the stabbing an isolated incident, and said he expects police will be working with the mall to ramp up security.

“For the most part, we all know this mall is very safe,” he added. “We’re confident people will continue to come to this mall.”

The teen’s death marks the city’s 11th homicide of the year. Clements said he believes it was the first to take place inside the mall.

12 News has crews at the scene gathering information. Check back for updates.

CVS to add 2K COVID-19 drive-through test sites nationwide

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:50:23 +0000

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — CVS Health announced Thursday that it plans on adding an additional 2,000 COVID-19 drive-through testing sites at its pharmacies nationwide.

CVS currently manages the most independently run COVID-19 testing sites in the country. With the additional locations, the company expects to have more than 4,000 sites up and running by mid-October.

“Since opening our first test site in March, we’ve been able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape in order to make it easier for people in the communities we serve to access testing,” Chief Operating Office Jon Roberts said.

The new locations are expected to open over the next several weeks, beginning with more than 400 scheduled to open on Friday.

The self-swab tests are free of charge, but patients must make an appointment in advance.

Last week, CVS announced they were adding 120 new testing sites across the country, including four in Rhode Island, and that children 12 years of age and older could now get tested for COVID-19 at their testing sites.

Parents or guardians must complete the online registration if they would like their child to get tested and patients 12 to 15 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

“We recognize the critical role testing plays in helping to manage the spread of the virus and are incredibly proud of how our teams have responded to this need while continuing to take care of our customers, clients and patients,” Roberts said.

Most results are expected to be available within two to three days, according to CVS.

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Man fatally stabbed at Providence Place mall; 4 in custody

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:44:32 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A 19-year-old man was stabbed to death at a Rhode Island mall late Thursday morning and police have taken four people into custody, authorities said.

The stabbing at the Providence Place mall at about 11:30 a.m. followed a verbal argument that turned into a physical altercation, Police Chief Hugh Clements said.

The victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Officers chased the four suspects and arrested them as they were attempting to flee, he said.

They are all “well known” to police, Clements said.

The stabbing occurred on the third floor in the food court area.

No names or possible charges were released.

The death was the city’s 11th homicide of the year.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokeswoman for the mall’s ownership group, told WPRI-TV they are “disheartened by what happened” but referred further questions to police.

Man, 19, fatally stabbed inside Providence Place mall; 4 in custody

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:01:45 +0000

BREAKING: A 19-year-old man was fatally stabbed Thursday morning at the Providence Place mall food court, according to Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements. Four people are now in custody, including the person who investigators believe committed the stabbing.

This is a breaking news update. See the previous story below.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The third floor of Providence Place has been closed down by mall security as police investigate a homicide.

The deadly stabbing took place late Thursday morning, according to Providence police.

Police are holding a news conference to provide an update on the investigation. Watch the news conference live right here on WPRI.com.

Crime scene investigators putting objects, including a black sweatshirt, into their cruiser. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/uuMj1jSrav
— Anita Baffoni (@AnitaBaffoni) September 17, 2020

A large portion of the third floor is taped off, and some stores say they’ve been asked by mall management to close. Police have also shut down one of the escalators leading to the third floor.

The investigation appears to be focused on the area of the food court, as well as the parking garage.

Scene outside Providence Place Mall after a deadly stabbing inside. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/U1ZRYQEYt4
— Johnny Villella (@JohnnyVillella) September 17, 2020

Mall workers tell 12 News it appeared a fight broke out between a group of people.

It’s unclear at this time if any suspects have been identified or arrests have been made.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for the mall’s ownership group, says they are “disheartened by what happened” but referred all questions to Providence police.

This is the city’s 11th homicide of the year.

12 News has crews at the scene gathering information. Check back for updates.

Clements

Terrible tragedy in the food court

11:35 call

19-year-old

Police investigating deadly stabbing at Providence Place mall; entire 3rd floor shut down

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:34:01 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The third floor of Providence Place has been closed down as police investigate a homicide.

The deadly stabbing took place late Thursday morning, according to Providence police.

Scene outside Providence Place Mall after a deadly stabbing inside. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/U1ZRYQEYt4
— Johnny Villella (@JohnnyVillella) September 17, 2020

Nearly half of the third floor is taped off, and some stores say they’ve been asked by mall management to close. Police have also shut down one of the escalators leading to the third floor.

The investigation appears to be focused on the area of the food court, as well as the parking garage.

Mall workers tell 12 News it appeared a fight broke out between a group of people.

It’s unclear at this time if any suspects have been identified or arrests have been made.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for the mall’s ownership group, says they are “disheartened by what happened” but referred all questions to Providence police.

This is the city’s 11th homicide of the year.

12 News has crews at the scene gathering information. Check back for updates.

Dentist, 85, charged with sexual assault for allegedly groping patient

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:21:20 +0000

LINCOLN, R.I. (WPRI) — Lincoln police have arrested a dentist after receiving a complaint from one of his patients that he inappropriately groped her during a visit.

John F. Begg, 85, was charged with second-degree sexual assault after he turned himself in last Thursday, police said.

The 68-year-old patient told police the incident took place on August 31 during a routine visit to Begg’s dental practice on Front Street.

Police noted that the alleged victim was not anesthetized at the time.

Begg has been practicing in the town for several years, according to police.

He was released on personal recognizance following his arraignment and is due in court on October 23.

RI finds toxins in soil at highway construction site

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:13:51 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island officials have found toxins in soil brought in by a contractor building highway interchange in Providence and have ordered its removal.

Samples taken from the soil at the construction site at the interchange between Routes 6 and 10 contained elevated levels of contaminants, Rhode Island officials said on Wednesday.

The Massachusetts-based contractor Barletta Heavy Division brought in the contaminated soil as backfill from another project, officials said.

A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Transportation said it had ordered the contractors to remove all contaminated soil and dispose of it at a licensed facility.

Officials are also barring the contractor from bringing in any additional soil from its other projects to the site.

The $410 million project includes repairs to seven bridges, according to the Department of Transportation website. Work started in 2018.

Local 57 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, whose members are working at the site, first reported toxins in August, the Providence Journal reported.

The contractor directed a request for comment to the project manager, who could not be reached by the newspaper.

Testing over the weekend by the state’s Department of Environmental Management found two toxins, one of which is a carcinogen, in the soil brought to the site.

Police respond to deadly stabbing at Providence Place mall

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:34:23 +0000

BREAKING: Providence Police Major David Lapatin tells 12 News there was a homicide Thursday at the Providence Place mall.

Police tell me it was a stabbing. @wpri12 https://t.co/udtppnC9Gh
— Anita Baffoni (@AnitaBaffoni) September 17, 2020

This is a breaking news update. See the previous story below.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Providence police responded late Thursday morning to an incident at the mall.

Police confirm one person was injured and transported to the hospital.

Responding officers appeared to be focused on the food court and parking garage.

Several storefronts are currently blocked off with police tape.

Mall employees tell 12 News it appeared a fight broke out between a group of people.

12 News has a crew at the scene gathering information. Check back for updates.

101 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported in RI

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:54:04 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The R.I. Department of Health reported 101 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The daily positivity rate came out to 1.2%, officials said, with more than 8,100 tests conducted the previous day.

The Health Department also reported four more COVID-19-associated deaths, bringing the state’s total to 1,085.

As of mid-day Thursday, 88 COVID-19 patients were in the hospital, of which nine were in the intensive care unit and five were on ventilators.

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Man injured after falling out of tree stand in West Greenwich

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:12:24 +0000

WEST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — Rescue crews were called to a wooded area in West Greenwich Thursday morning.

Crews responded to an area near Burnt Sawmill Road around 8:30 a.m. for a report of a man who fell from a high point in the woods.

12 News learned the man had been on a tree stand, which is used by hunters.

The man was taken to a local hospital, but the extent of his injuries is unknown at this time.

12 News is working to gather more information. Check back for updates.

Police searching for missing North Attleboro teen

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:05:41 +0000

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — Attleboro police are asking the public’s help in finding a teenage girl who was last seen Wednesday night.

Jada Carlson, 14, of North Attleboro, was last seen leaving a home in Attleboro around 10 p.m.

Police say she stands about 5-foot-5 and has a medium build, brown eyes, and long, braided hair. She was last seen wearing a lavender shirt and black and white leggings.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Keith Golden at (508) 222-1212.

More positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Mass. schools

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:00:35 +0000

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — Officials across the region say the first week of school has been smooth so far, but school districts keep learning about new positive COVID-19 cases.

There have been 19 cases in Rhode Island among students and staff since schools reopened Monday, in addition to more positive cases in Southeastern Massachusetts schools.

A member of Gomes Elementary School in New Bedford has tested positive for the virus, according to Arthur Motta, the district’s community and public affairs manager. This comes after school officials reported an “excellent opening” this week.

Motta says the city health department was notified. Additionally, two close contacts of the person who tested positive were notified and are now working remotely. The person who tested positive has not been on campus since Friday, and will remain in quarantine for 14 days, according to school officials.

The state’s metrics show New Bedford is still in the red zone, meaning they are in the “high risk” category for COVID-19 outbreaks.

Back to School: School Updates »

In the first week of school in Southeastern Massachusetts, 30 students in Attleboro are also back home and in quarantine because they were considered “close contacts” with a student who tested positive for the virus.

City officials say that student went to school on Monday knowing he has the virus.

“It’s very frightening because he put everybody’s life in danger, and put everybody at risk,” one woman said.

The incident is now having a ripple effect — a mother of a quarantined student now can’t go back to work until she gets a negative test result.

“First for the safety for her, I don’t want her to get sick because she goes down hard pretty when sick,” Kim Evers said. “I tried to calm her down more than anything because she was worried herself.”

City officials say they weren’t notified with enough time to spread the word of the positive case before the student arrived at school Monday. The principal credited all the planning they did over the summer in identifying close contacts, and safely isolating them from everyone else so school can go on.

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Truck slams into Seekonk home

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:56:41 +0000

SEEKONK, Mass. (WPRI) — A home in Seekonk is damaged after a pick-up truck slammed into it Thursday morning.

The incident occurred just before 6 a.m. on Newman Avenue. The truck was also damaged during the collision.

No word on any injuries or if anyone was home at the time of the crash.

12 News has reached out for more information and is awaiting to hear back.

More positive cases of COVID-19 reported since start of school

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 10:34:38 +0000

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — Officials across the region say the first week of school has been smooth so far, but school districts keep learning about new positive COVID-19 cases.

There have been 19 cases in Rhode Island among students and staff since schools reopened Monday and there are also more positive cases in Southeastern Massachusetts schools.

Motta says the city health department was notified and two close contacts were notified and are now working remotely. The person who tested positive has not been on campus since Friday and will remain in quarantine for 14 days.

The state’s metrics show New Bedford is still in the red zone, meaning they are in the “high risk” category for COVID-19 outbreaks.

Back to School: School Updates »

City officials say that student went to school on Monday knowing he has the virus.

“It’s very frightening because he put everybody’s life in danger, and put everybody at risk,” one woman said.

It is now having a ripple effect — a mom of a quarantined student now can’t go back to work until she gets tested.

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9th person charged in rape investigation involving teen

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 23:04:06 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Police have arrested a 9th person suspected of taking part in the rape of a 16-year-old girl at a party in Providence late last year.

Providence Police Maj. David Lapatin said Antonio Leiva, 20, was arrested Wednesday on a warrant for first-degree sexual assault and conspiracy. He was ordered held without bail.

Eight other men have also been charged in connection to the assault. The first seven were arrested earlier this month and the eighth suspect turned himself in nearly a week later.

Police said the girl was lured to a Providence home on the night of December 20, 2019 and plied with alcohol and marijuana before she was assaulted while unconscious.

A video of the attack was later posted on Facebook, and has since helped detectives identify and apprehend the suspects.

Coyote caught in East Providence tests positive for rabies

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 22:53:24 +0000

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — East Providence Animal Control issued a warning to residents on Wednesday after capturing a rabid coyote.

According to Animal Control Officer William Muggle, a city employee saw the coyote acting strangely last Friday in the area of Eastern Avenue.

Muggle responded and caught the coyote, which later tested positive for rabies.

Rabies in coyotes is extremely rare, Muggle said, adding that there have only been three confirmed cases in Rhode Island since 1994.

“We ask that people use heightened caution, especially in that area,” he said. “Be sure not to leave pets or children outside unattended.”

“Coyotes are crepuscular, which means they are most active around dusk and dawn, but are often seen outside during the daytime hours as well,” Muggle continued.

Animal Control has also received reports of coyotes acting strangely in the area of Algonquin Road.

Anyone who spots a coyote out during the day, wandering aimlessly through a neighborhood, getting close without seeming fearful, stumbling or walking strangely, or acting aggressively is asked to call East Providence police at (401) 435-7600 or the R.I. Department of Environmental Management at (401) 222-3070.

RI has identified 19 positive COVID-19 cases since schools reopened

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 22:44:40 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ It’s been three days since Rhode Island students went back to school, and since then, the state has identified 19 coronavirus cases in students and staff members.

In her weekly briefing, Gov. Gina Raimondo said the state’s school-specific sites have swabbed about 300 people so far, eight of whom have tested positive. The other 11 positive cases, she said, were people who were tested elsewhere.

Among those eight cases are two student teachers in East Providence, according to Superintendent Kathryn Crowley.

Back to School: School Updates »

Crowley said Wednesday those student teachers ─ one at Whiteknact Elementary and another at Hennessy Elementary ─ recently tested positive for the virus.

Since the students at Hennessey weren’t back in person yet, Crowley said only two staff members there were told to quarantine.

At Whiteknact, Crowley said they had to quarantine an entire class of students and three staff members. All of the students will be learning remotely while in quarantine, she said.

At Anthony Carnevale Elementary School in Providence, the principal and vice principal were put in quarantine for two weeks after a staff member tested positive, though the school remains open.

The Lincoln School, a college preparatory school in Providence, confirmed Tuesday it has had two students test positive in its upper school and has opted to cancel in-person learning for those students for the remainder of the week.

Two schools, Blackstone Valley Prep and Ponaganset High School, each had a staff member test positive and have been working with state health and education officials to conduct contact tracing.

Prior to the first day of school, a Bristol-Warren Regional School District staff member tested positive for the virus. The positive case led to the quarantine of eight other staff members and a lawsuit against the state to stop the reopening of schools. That lawsuit has since been denied by a judge.

Providence College is also dealing with nearly two dozen positive cases among students living off campus. The college reported Wednesday that 22 students and one staff member tested positive, though these are not factored into the cases announced by Raimondo Wednesday.

As a result, PC has asked all students living off-campus to learn remotely until they produce a negative test result, and to only visit campus as instructed for testing.

Coronavirus: Coverage and Resources

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Restaurants face uncertain future as outdoor dining season wanes

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 22:18:29 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The pandemic continues to take a significant toll on Rhode Island’s restaurant industry, with 16 area eateries confirming to 12 News they have closed or will be closing as a result.

On Wednesday, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced that financial help is on the way for restaurants, but some owners say it’s too little, too late.

Birch, an award-winning restaurant in Providence, announced Tuesday they will close their doors once they’re unable to have outdoor dining.

Other restaurants say they had to close due to capacity restrictions, a lack of employees, or the investments required to meet COVID-19 mandates.

“Every little bit counts. That extra money is critical right now,” said Dale Venturini, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

Raimondo said she will be expanding eligibility requirements for Restore RI grants. Starting next week, any restaurant showing more than 30% loss of profit or with fewer than 50 employees can apply for financial assistance.

That funding is in addition to the $150,000 each association can apply for through the governor’s Take It Outside campaign.

Rick Simone of the Federal Hill Commerce Association said these expansions are needed.

“When you had the grant program that only gave $7 million out of the $50 million, it was the realization that more people wanted to apply, but needed the process to be less cumbersome,” Simone added.

Venturini said she is fearful more closures will be added to the list soon.

“What I hear is that we are going to see many more as the weather gets colder,” she said.

Outdoor dining has been described as a saving grace for restaurants during the pandemic, but as we head into fall, plans to keep patrons at those tables are already in the works.

“We’ve all become pretty reliant on outdoor dining,” Constantino’s Venda Bar & Ristorante general manager Gabriel Constantino said. “It’s really difficult with the spacing guidelines to get enough people inside.”

Simone said they’ve already seen a difference as it continues to get cooler outside.

“This past weekend, we had a report that business was down by 27% across the board for restaurants because the temperatures dropped,” he explained.

On Wednesday, Raimondo said she hopes the extra money will help restaurants prolong outdoor dining through the purchase of items like “heating lamps, outdoor furniture, tents, bike racks, tables, chairs, lighting.”

Simone says Federal Hill would need more money to keep its Al Fresco Dining going throughout the fall.

“I think the money they have allotted right now will help some places get started,” he said. “The question is, ‘how long we can make that money last?'”

The dining associations also issued a reminder that if you’re not comfortable going out to eat, you can still support local restaurants by ordering takeout or buying gift cards.

‘Pandemic pods’ offer hybrid of distance learning, returning to class

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:46:00 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Weeks before the bell rang for the first time in local schools, parents around the state were planning their own type of hybrid model involving a cross between distance learning and returning to school.

“Pandemic pods” are popping up across the country and the region, with parents forming groups that bring their children together in a small classroom setting away from hallways, cafeterias and playgrounds that would no doubt include more potential exposure to COVID-19.

Providence single mother Shaylene Costa ran out of steam last spring as she tried to guide her two children through the distance learning process, while also working full-time as a medical assistant.

“The bad dream part wore off around May,” Costa said. “Then I knew I had to lean in and find a better way.”

Costa knew she did not want the COVID-19 risk of sending her children back to school and by forming a pod with another family, she believes she lessened their chance of infection.

“I know who my kids are in touch with and who those kids may have been in touch with,” Costa said. “So, it’s open communication. If I decide to take my kids into the supermarket, I’m telling my pod we went to the supermarket.”

That potentially makes contact tracing easier, and gives the students at least a small dose of socialization during breaks from their makeshift classroom and distance learning.

Some pods are hiring certified teachers to work with their children in their living rooms, and private locations are offering space for these micro-classrooms to learn away from home but also away from large groups of students in local schools.

Other pod parents teach the children themselves, but can get a break by alternating that responsibility with the members of the group.

For Costa and many others, their work schedules are a vital factor in deciding to join a pod.

Costa and her pod partners were able to stagger their work hours to basically split the school hours.

“So, on days that I’m not at work and she’s at work I’ll have all three kids,” Costa said. “And visa versa. When I’m at work, she’ll have all three.”

Costa also suggests considering the COVID-19 exposure risk of the other parents when forming pods, saying it makes more sense for the risk levels to be similar.

She also suggested knowing what your requirements are for your children and matching those needs with the needs of the other pod-members.

“If your child absolutely has to get outside on a regular basis, or needs a certain type of instruction, make sure you find other parents and children who need that too,” Costa said.

She added her first potential pod partner was not the right match, but she found her cousin who was.

Attorneys and educational organizations also suggest considering legal issues such as accident liability when you form a pod.

Costa said her research also involved talking with family members, making her realize while a pandemic pod is a new concept, a group approach to raising children is actually old-school.

“I started looking closely at what my parents and grandparents and their grandparents did,” Costa said. “They were in Fox Point and the kids went from one house to another house, and they all sort of watched out for each other as a group.”

According to the R.I. Department of Education, there are no specific state requirements for putting a pod together.

Send tips to Target 12 Investigator Walt Buteau at wbuteau@wpri.com and follow him on Twitter @wbuteau.

Judge: Warwick mom charged in adopted daughter’s death must appear in court next week

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:24:34 +0000

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) ─ While the lawyers representing a Warwick woman charged in the death of her adopted daughter appeared in court Wednesday, their client was nowhere to be found.

Michele Rothgeb was arrested in January 2019 after 9-year-old Zahnae Rothgeb, who had cerebral palsy, was found unresponsive in a bathtub inside her Oakland Beach Avenue home.

Police said Zahnae had been left to play by herself in the tub for hours and was being cared for by her 15-year-old brother, who has Aspberger’s syndrome.

Rothgeb has been charged with manslaughter, as well as seven counts of child neglect ─ one for each of her adopted children.

A pre-trial conference Wednesday lasted less than two minutes, and Rothgeb was not in attendance.

Judge John McBurney set a return date for Sept. 23 and was direct in letter Rothgeb’s attorneys know he expects her to be present.

“I want Ms. Rothgeb here that day also,” McBurney told Rothgeb’s attorneys. “Unless there is some overarching reason why she can’t be, you understand me?”

Court records show that the current whereabouts of Rothgeb, 57, are unknown at this time. The records do show that she was last living on a farm off Ten Rod Road in Exeter, where she was using an alias while mourning the death of her daughter.

Zahnae’s death led to sweeping changes at the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).

Since Zhanae’s death, the state has capped the number of children who can live in a foster home at five. Some homes still have up to eight children because they were grandfathered in, according to the DCYF. The agency said each of those homes has been reassessed since then, and they all have two parents and do not have the same number of children with special needs living under one roof.

Rothgeb pleaded not guilty to the initial two charges in June 2019.

Police say pit bull euthanized after attack sends 2 people to hospital

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:10:35 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A dog attack in Providence sent two people to the hospital Wednesday morning, according to city police.

The incident took place outside of a multi-family home on Smith Street. Commander Thomas Verdi tells 12 News that when officers arrived on scene, a husky mix was being attacked by two pit bulls, which were unleashed.

The 14-year-old owner of the husky was bitten multiple times while trying to intervene, Verdi said, and the 20-year-old owner of the pit bulls was also bitten trying to break it up. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment and are expected to recover.

One of the pit bulls ran back inside the house after police arrived, but the other remained outdoors, acting aggressively and erratically, Verdi said. After a stun gun proved ineffective, four officers shot the pit bull, which was later euthanized at an animal hospital.

The husky is still alive, according to Verdi.

He said the second pit bull involved in the attack and a third that wasn’t involved were seized by police and transported to animal control, which is now investigating and will determine if there will be a vicious dog hearing.

Verdi also said several children were secured in their rooms, away from the dogs, and had to be removed through windows. The fire department used a ladder truck to retrieve one girl from the second floor, while at least three were removed from the first floor.

Pit bull euthanized after attack sends 2 people to hospital

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:04:16 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A dog attack in Providence sent two people to the hospital Wednesday morning, according to city police.

One of the pit bulls ran back inside the house after police arrived, but the other remained on the husky, Verdi said. After a stun gun proved ineffective, the officers shot the pit bull, which was later euthanized at an animal hospital.

The husky is still alive, according to Verdi.

State, feds now investigating contaminated soil at 6-10 connector

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:02:32 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – State and federal investigators are looking into how hazardous materials ended up at the 6-10 connector highway redevelopment project and whether any laws and contracts were broken in the process, Target 12 has learned.

The R.I. State Police, R.I. Attorney General and R.I. Department of Environmental Management, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, are investigating the project after the state on Wednesday ordered the developer, Barletta Construction, to remove 1,600 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the project.

Barletta has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

“There is an ongoing investigation as to whether or not any activity that took place – or the placement of that fill – whether the origins and/or the transport of it was conducted properly, and I’ll let those investigations take place,” R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti confirmed Wednesday during an interview with Target 12.

Attorney General Peter Neronha spokesperson Kristy dosReis confirmed his office is working with State Police and DEM on the investigation but declined to provide specifics. State Police Col. James Manni likewise confirmed the state’s investigation.

“The Department of Environmental Management is the lead agency in the in the investigation to include charging, if it is warranted,” Manni told Target 12. “But we haven’t gotten to that point. We are there to assist in the event it turns into a criminal matter.”

DEM did not immediately respond to multiple questions related to the soil, but released a statement earlier saying its investigation continues — even though the hazardous material is being removed.

“DEM is continuing our investigation into the handling of soils for this project and cannot comment further on that aspect of the case,” DEM Director Janet Coit said in a statement.

Investigators in part are looking at whether the developer followed the project’s so-called “soil management plan,” which is part of its $410 million contract with the state that’s been reviewed and approved by environmental regulators, according to Alviti.

The plan lays out how the developer should handle any hazardous materials that are either found on-site or used in the development, raising questions about why DEM found evidence of hazardous material — even though Barletta had provided its own test results showing no signs of contamination.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 57, which is working on the project, first raised the issue publicly, but has declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation. The union has accused Barletta of trucking in hazardous material from a stockpile in Boston, which could make it an interstate issue.

The Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Alviti said the state’s Federal Highway Administration administrator notified him that “there is some interest there.”

“We actually support and would like to have this issue fully vetted,” Alviti said.

Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for WPRI 12. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.

Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is the Target 12 investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook

Raimondo: ‘Halloween has to go on’ despite pandemic

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:01:40 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ The pandemic has upended all sorts of events and traditions across the state, but Gov. Gina Raimondo made it clear Wednesday that Halloween will not be canceled in Rhode Island this year.

“Halloween has to go on one way or another,” she said. “We’re going to have to be creative.”

Raimondo said while neither she nor the Rhode Island Department of Health have thought that far ahead, they plan to come up with new health and safety guidelines for trick-or-treating.

“We can’t cancel Halloween,” she added. “We are going to have to come up with new rules.”

Raimondo encouraged anyone with ideas on how to keep everyone safe while trick-or-treating to share them with her.

This is not the first time Raimondo has had to field questions on how holidays will be celebrated differently during the pandemic.

Back in April, Raimondo answered a child’s question regarding the Easter Bunny and whether or not he would need to be quarantined.

“I would never quarantine the Easter Bunny,” Raimondo responded, adding that bunnies can’t get the coronavirus. “The Easter Bunny is an essential worker.”

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Raimondo says new school year off to ‘excellent’ start; urges vigilance as test positivity ticks up

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 18:02:45 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Gina Raimondo warned Rhode Islanders on Wednesday that the state is seeking a small uptick in the share of coronavirus tests coming back positive, while arguing the school year has gotten off to an unusual but largely successful start.

On Wednesday, the R.I. Department of Health reported 86 new positive cases and a daily positivity rate of 1.8%. At her weekly briefing, Raimondo called that “a very good number,” but also noted the state was regularly below 1% earlier this month.

“It’s not a reason for alarm,” she said. “However, it’s a constant reminder to every single Rhode Islander, we’re not out of the woods. The virus remains with us, and we cannot let our guard down.”

Health officials also reported another three people have died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,081. Hospitalizations ticked up slightly to 84, with nine people in the ICU and five on ventilators.

Three days into the delayed start of school, Raimondo and Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green both sought to present an upbeat and optimistic picture of the situation.

“By and large we’re having a great week, and we had an excellent return to school,” the governor said.

“The magnitude of this effort is impossible to overestimate, and we’re doing it,” she said. “It wasn’t perfect. We have to do better. We will get better every day. But I am incredibly proud of everybody who worked so hard to get these kids back to school.”

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2 bitten by pit bull in Providence

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 16:54:19 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A dog attack in Providence sent two people to the hospital Wednesday morning, according to city police.

The incident took place in the area of Smith Street. Commander Thomas Verdi tells 12 News a pit bull began attacking a neighbor’s dog and the neighbor was bitten after trying to intervene.

A bystander was also bitten while attempting to break up the fight, Verdi said, adding that those two people “will be OK.”

When police arrived on scene, they found the neighbor’s dog and two pit bulls, one of which was not under control. Police shot and injured that pit bull, which was taken to an animal hospital in Massachusetts, according to Verdi.

The second pit bull was inside a home and Verdi said police were waiting for animal control to come remove that dog.

He also said several children were secured in their rooms, away from the dogs, and had to be removed through windows. The fire department used a ladder truck to retrieve one girl from the second floor, while at least three were removed from the first floor, Verdi said.

12 News has a crew at the scene gathering information. Check back for updates.

RI approved for sixth week of FEMA unemployment assistance

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 16:38:17 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WPRI) — Rhode Island has been approved for a sixth and likely final week of payments from the Lost Wages Assistance program, according to the Department of Labor and Training.

This means eligible claimants can receive up to $1,800 in additional unemployment assistance from the FEMA-funded program.

Margaux Fontaine, a spokesperson for the DLT, told 12 News the agency started sending out the $300 payments for weeks 4 and 5 on Wednesday morning. Those payments cover the weeks ending August 22 and 29.

“Some people will begin to see that payment as early as today or tomorrow,” Fontaine wrote in an email Wednesday. “The remaining qualified claimants should expect to see the money by this time next week.”

Fontaine said the money for the sixth week could be disbursed as early as next week.

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Lifespan searching for volunteers in upcoming COVID-19 vaccine trial

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12 Responds: Why are we being asked to return $9,800 in COVID-19 unemployment assistance?

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Providence, Central Falls offer up to $500 and amnesty to turn in guns

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Man fatally stabbed at Providence Place mall; 4 in custody

Man, 19, fatally stabbed inside Providence Place mall; 4 in custody

Police investigating deadly stabbing at Providence Place mall; entire 3rd floor shut down

Dentist, 85, charged with sexual assault for allegedly groping patient

RI finds toxins in soil at highway construction site

Police respond to deadly stabbing at Providence Place mall

101 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported in RI

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