(WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation said that Devil’s Foot Road Bridge in North Kingstown will be closed from May 16 until late in the Fall for replacement of the bridge’s superstructure which is located between School Street and the Davisville Road/Old Baptist Road intersection RIDOT added that the entire project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2027 Detour maps can be found here. by GABRIELLE CARACCIOLO It marked the first time he's spoken publicly about the scandal His testimony mainly focused on his family and educational background though he did testify that he wasn't trained or certified to administer body fat or body composition tests Thomas was first hired by North Kingstown High School as an assistant football coach and substitute teacher in 1989 He eventually became an assistant basketball coach and later ran the basketball program for 24 years He stopped working for the district in 2021 after he was placed on leave due to complaints over the fat tests "I'm never going back," he said of teaching He testified that he's had difficulty maintaining a job in recent years there’s too much information out in the public We will hire you back only after the trial is over,'" he said Many students testified they were naked while alone with Thomas in his office during the body fat tests which included pinches of the student's upper inner thigh near the groin A monitor in his office showed a live picture of nearby doors and hallways at all times including during the fat tests He testified it was to look over expensive equipment in the communications program he led "The purpose of all the cameras is to angle at all the door so if anyone comes in an anything's missing you basically have a trail of where they went through," he said His lawyers have maintained the fat tests were never criminal (WJAR) — Rhode Island Department of Transportation has completed its first round of weekend work on the bridge that carries Route 1 over Route 138 The crews worked on the southbound side while there were temporary lane and ramp closures The northbound bridge will be replaced this weekend with work starting this Thursday night at 9 p.m Route 1 lanes will be reduced from two lanes to one The ramp from Route 1 south to Route 138 east and ramps that allow traffic to reverse direction from Route 1 north to Route 1 south and Route 1 south to Route 1 north will also be closed RIDOT shared a map of detours and closures for the weekend (WJAR) — A fire broke out inside a garage in North Kingstown Thursday night Officials said they received reports of heavy smoke coming from a garage on Edmond Drive shortly before 8:30 p.m North Kingstown Fire Chief John Linacre said crews arrived on scene and found heavy flames emerging from the garage Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire Officials said the fire was contained to the garage The cause of the fire is under investigation CRANSTON — The North Kingstown boys volleyball team has been pushed to the brink only a few times over the years Tuesday night's match in Cranston wasn’t quite that dramatic But it was as competitive as any match in just four sets Cranston East let the second frame slip away to the visiting Skippers before holding off a rally in the third The fourth set was all North Kingstown for a 3-1 (25-21 The Thunderbolts certainly asserted themselves as a championship contender and gained confidence in the process “I think any team honestly could make a run in the playoffs,” North Kingstown’s Cody Tow said “Every team in the state is very good and very competitive Said Cranston East’s Charles Pincince: “I feel we match up pretty well [with North Kingstown] There are some things that we need to work on but I feel like we’re a pretty good matchup.” suffered an ankle injury in practice the day before last year’s championship NK lost in five sets to La Salle and squandered away a title that seemed on its way to South County Nothing is taken for granted this spring for a senior-heavy squad It’s their last chance to add to a stunning NK legacy that includes three championship appearances all the games we played before that don't really matter,” Harrington said we have a whole bunch of seniors on this team It's the highest-level team that I've been on and we’re trying to come in with a positive attitude the whole year.” Harrington finished with 20 kills on 38 attempts against the Thunderbolts including a point that knotted the second frame at 20-all The duo is a dynamic pair on the outside and they are gunning for a championship but we’re still coming in with the same attitude and same mindset,” Harrington said “We’re just trying to get back to a playoff spot and state championship NK retools and reloads unlike any other program — it’s how they’ve been able to stay consistent over the years seniors Connor Valois and Ryan Rathbun have stepped into larger roles for the Skippers Valois took over for All-Stater Quinlan Fahy in the middle And he was instrumental in the second set and gave the Skippers a chance at a sweep with a key block in the third frame pulled NK to a 20-19 deficit with an ace in the second set but it's hard to fill his shoes,” Valois said of Fahy “He had some of the most blocks I've ever seen in a season The win on Tuesday night didn't give NK the championship but it’s part of the path back to Rhode Island College in June “It was very tough last year and we lost our best player [to injury],” Valois said of 2024’s championship “We brought them to five sets and it was my favorite game I've ever played.” The same principle applies to Cranston East as it does to North Kingstown A competitive loss to NK doesn’t grant the Thunderbolts a spot in the championship But this spring they’ve returned most of the lineup that lost a five-set match to La Salle in last year’s semifinals It’s paying off as Cranston East earned high praise from its competition they play really good defense,” Harrington said of Cranston East and they have a lot of tall blockers on their side We're ripping [shots] sometimes and we're not used to a big blocker and then they have the guys that could put the ball away on our side I think that's what gives them an edge over smaller teams.” The Thunderbolts entered Tuesday as winners in four of their last five matches “We’ve had some really good breakthroughs in our play,” Pincince “We found some energy that we didn't know we had Some of our players found their way and are able to do what we expected.” Cranston East has developed the best bench celebrations in the state The routines are complete with a bowling pin act and a home run celebration when the opposing team hits it out especially when Cranston East is trying to play upset “They are the loudest bench and they're the most energetic and encouraging bench “On the court we can only have so much energy when we're playing in the game A coat of white paint brightens the once dark and dated living area Jeremy King gave himself two years to renovate the run-down fairy-tale cottage he bought in October 2023 the project took only two months and cost King nary a cent “The whole experience was surreal from beginning to end,” he says “I was just in awe the entire time.” The yacht captain had been looking for roomier digs when he found the North Kingstown home on Zillow with its trademark orange gingerbread trim handcrafted wooden details and working elevator (Some eagle-eyed readers may remember that Rhode Island Monthly profiled the home in its “Save This House” feature in May 2022.) He was charmed by the details that former owner John R and that mice skeletons inhabited the heart-shaped bathtub he remembers an out-of-state couple roaming the parcel’s four woody acres staying until the heat and smell drove them outside didn’t want the house; they just wanted to rip it down and build a new one That’s when King knew he had to save it — it was too unique to be razed.  “When I saw the house one of my first thoughts was ‘This house has to be shared with people,’” he says Producers from HGTV’s “Scariest House in America” felt the same calling King shortly after his closing after seeing the home online and soon found out he beat out eight other equally spooky homes across the nation A cool $150,000 renovation by HGTV interior designer Alison Victoria The home needed a lot of work: The electrical system was shot overgrown trees and vegetation crowded the home King gave Victoria some design inspirations but for the most part let the team lead the renovation process.  The refreshed black exterior makes the home’s many windows pop “When the designers came in here asking What can’t we do?’ my reaction was ‘I don’t know that any one thing is off-limits,’” he says “There isn’t any one thing that makes this house so incredible They covered the living and dining room walls — including a rock wall and fireplace Cota made himself — and raw wooden beams in a fresh coat of white paint sluiced off fifty years of varnish from a dining table Cota crafted from a slab of elm unveiling the gorgeous grain underneath.  The kitchen is done in matte black with hints of copper and wood A working elevator leads to the third floor calling attention to the matte black appliances with smart copper trim and copper-hued tile backsplash.  A dramatic second-floor catwalk is trimmed in custom metalwork railings — also in matte black — by the artisans at Iron Mountain Forge & Furniture of Providence in a nod to King’s favorite animal and his occupation.  where that heart-shaped tub once held court a his-and-hers shower and a copper soaking tub that looks out onto the wooded yard.  it feels like an extension of the outside,” King says “Almost like a Monet painting.”  The master bathroom looks out onto the wooded yard The project took about two months to complete especially how Victoria played up the home’s quirkier elements and let Cota’s craftsmanship shine through.  you just couldn’t really build this again let alone you’d be hard-pressed to find the craftsmen who both have the skill and the time availability and material available,” King says this house might last 100 more years.” And King made good on his promise to share the home: In December, he listed the property on Airbnb, where anyone can now spend a night in America’s (formerly) scariest house. Visit airbnb.com and search for “The Fairy House” in North Kingstown walked the Superior Court jury through his 24 years as the school’s experienced head varsity basketball coach Calcagni working to paint a human portrait of the former coach Thomas spoke of his team’s defensive-minded philosophy and the expectation of athletes being physically at their best And he spoke of the personal costs of the years-long controversy It’s “extremely difficult” to hold down a job he worked four months at a Lowe’s in 2022 before a boss approached him and said there was "too much [attention] out there" for the store to continue employing him said he now lives with his elderly parents in Seekonk Thomas spent only about 40 minutes on the stand in Washington County Superior Court before testimony ended for the day While most of the questions pertained to his educational and coaching background Calcagni had Thomas concede at the start that he had no formal training on how to conduct body composition testing on student athletes And Thomas offered a different explanation than the one prosecutors have raised for the video camera outside his school office where he taught communications: a deterrent to theft of expensive media equipment Thomas has pleaded not guilty to the charges His lawyers have said that while Thomas’ behavior was "clearly questionable," it did not rise to the level of criminality His trial in Washington County Superior Court began April 7 but was paused for almost two weeks as Judge Melanie Wilk Thunberg tended to a family emergency prosecutors called 10 former student athletes former North Kingstown school officials and two medical experts to make their case that Thomas had indeed broken the law Thomas was the last of five witnesses called by his defense team the other four being former high school athletes they testified that Thomas’ tests proved beneficial to them; that his testing protocol was performed matter-of-factly without any sexual references and that the spreadsheets produced after each test helped them monitor their physical growth and athletic improvements Former students for both the prosecution and the defense have described the body composition tests the same way They would be alone with Thomas in his office or a nearby storage closet where the coach would ask them: “Are you shy or not shy?” Those who said not shy would drop their undershorts as Thomas used his hands or skin fold calipers to measure their inner thighs beside their genitals One former student witness for the prosecution has also testified that Thomas performed so-called puberty tests on him in which he pressed his thumb on two thigh points beside the boy’s genitals the former student testified that he noticed Thomas had become physically aroused two former students testified for the defense (Thunberg has asked the media not to name any of the former student athletes.) testified that he tested with Thomas from 1997 through 2001 even though he did not have a parent sign a consent form he said he initially thought it was “unusual” that Thomas would ask about dropping his briefs before measuring his upper he kept his shorts on when Thomas posed his usual “shy or not shy" question But eventually he came to lowering his shorts while he covered his genitals He explained he trusted that his coach had no other reason for the request other than getting an accurate measurement and thought dropping his shorts would be more expedient Prosecutor Meagan Thomson asked: Had any other high school coach ever asked him to get naked who played four years of high school basketball said Thomas tested him at least a dozen times between 2015 and 2019 He would lower his underwear for the inner thigh caliper measurement and remembered during one such test Thomas actually telling him to better cover up his genitals as he conducted the test He described Thomas as methodical and data-driven and said he continued to have Thomas do his body composition testing even after 2018 when the school bought a machine to perform the tests after receiving complaints about Thomas inappropriately touching student athletes I don’t think there is a more analytical coach out there.” The former student said he wanted to play college basketball and that Thomas counseled him on ways to get stronger and put on weight and sent game films to the University of Rhode Island where he wanted to play two experts for the prosecution described Thomas’ body fat and puberty testing as completely inappropriate and medically invalid Child Protection Center and fellowship director of child abuse pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital testified that puberty tests are rarely performed unless there is a medical concern and that such tests are always performed in a medical surrounding where there is an accompanying medical professional present the co-founder of the Global Health and Body Composition Institute and an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts testified there was never a reason for a student athlete to be naked for a body composition test Thomas is expected back on the stand May 5 Contact Tom Mooney at tmooney@providencejournal.com (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation said that two extended weekend lane closures on Route 1 at the Route 138 interchange in North Kingstown will begin on May 1 RIDOT said that lanes and ramps will be temporarily shifted and closed and detours will be implemented as part of accelerated bridge construction to replace the bridge there The southbound bridge will be replaced from 9 p.m while the northbound bridge will be replaced during the same hours beginning May 8 and finishing prior to the morning commute on May 12 The following lanes and ramps will be closed during the construction: the following lanes and ramps will remain open: RIDOT said that commuters should use the following detours during the closures: The department added that access to local businesses along the Route 1 corridor “will be maintained at all times.” (WJAR) — Rhode Island Department of Transportation is temporarily closing and shifting the north and southbound lanes of the Tower Hill Road Bridge It carries Route 1 over Route 138 in North Kingstown First up this weekend are the southbound lanes with work starting Thursday night at 9 p.m They will work on the northbound lanes next weekend "We're going to demolish that bridge and slide into place a new building that we have been building from last year or so," said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr The accelerated method of demolishing and sliding in a bridge helps cut down on construction time "We had an opportunity here to be able to do accelerated bridge construction that will allow us to minimize the impact to six days instead of a year and a half," said Alviti Detours will be added for standard passenger vehicles "You'll have to go down Route 1 to a turnaround further south than those bridges actually do a U-turn and come back up on the on-ramp and going to East on 138," said Alviti to help truck drivers escape very tight turns "Trucks will need to take the Narrow River Bridge over to Route 1A and then up to 138," said Alviti If you're going east on 138 this weekend "There are a number of opportunities going both north and southbound for folks to divert over to Route 1A and just take 1A up to 138 and do your business that way," said Alviti So drivers on that route will have to deal with the delays Alviti said they had a reason for choosing this weekend "We specifically picked this date to avoid both the holiday that's coming up and the commencement at URI so neither of those two events," said Alviti "The holiday or the commencement will be affected by this." The Route 1 shifts and detours will run for the next two weekends (WJAR) — Three former North Kingstown High School students told a jury Thursday that coach Aaron Thomas' 'fat tests' were beneficial to them as athletes Thomas the former boys' basketball coach is currently on trial for second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault As with the students that testified for the prosecution the judge has ordered their identities not be shared "It was a way for me to see if I was putting on good weight bad weight and what the effect of lifting was actually doing to me," one former student said Another student who went on to play college sports said the tests "100%" helped him to get to the next level Their testimony contradicted that of 10 former students who took the stand for the prosecution to testify the tests had no merit While one student said he never took off his underwear two of the students testifying for the defense said they did get naked "Nothing came off until it had to," one student said He said the tests were 'professional' but his demeanor changed during the cross examination As Special Assistant Attorney General Meagan Thomson asked if his opinion would change if he knew that there’s no valid reason to test someone’s groin “It would change my opinion,” he said after a long pausing "Would it change your opinion about how professional the program is to know that coach Thomas has said himself there's no reason for anyone to be naked and no benefit to it?," she continued The third student is expected to return to the stand Friday for cross examination before another former student testifies for the defense SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Tuesday afternoon didn’t seem a likely time to see a snowman The Rebels produced something unusual on their way to this victory blowing this one open in the bottom of the fourth inning on April 22 South Kingstown piled up eight runs to snap an early tie and held on late to secure an 11-7 triumph Four singles and three walks with two men out created what must have been a feeling of interminability in the visiting dugout The Skippers couldn’t find a way to escape while watching a 2-2 game explode Jack Noonan’s solo homer to left field leading off the bottom of the sixth added what turned out to be some timely insurance with North Kingstown refusing to go quietly late “It definitely should be a good hitting team this year,” South Kingstown catcher Jordan Chaloux said “When you’re in a lineup and you’re the only one getting hits — which has never been the case here — it puts a lot of pressure on you,” Rosen said sometimes you might not get the job done — the next guy will.” Jack DiGioia grounded a two-run single through the left side Sam McLeod lined an RBI single to right-center and Chaloux dropped a liner into shallow left to make it a personal 2-for-2 frame His leadoff bouncer to third in the bottom of the third was a distant memory by that point “I’ve just been struggling all year,” Chaloux said The teams traded two-run rallies before the deciding inning Noonan’s two-run single to center gave the Rebels (8-1) a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third Chris Ciarniello’s double to deep center and a Ben Davis liner to right-center brought the Skippers (6-2) back even in the top of the fourth “We came out hot and they came back,” Rosen said North Kingstown cut a chunk out of its deficit in the top of the sixth by batting around with Davis and Nick Martucci contributing run-scoring singles and Tucker Lamond grounding an RBI double past the bag at third Colton Kim added a two-run double down the line in left before Connor Wokoske and Quinn Matos combined to retire the last four men they faced “We’re going to hit very well,” Rosen said We’ve just got to make the plays in the field.” bkoch@providencejournal.com a former North Kingstown High School student athlete was the first to take the stand Monday in the trial of former basketball coach Aaron Thomas "It brought me to the lowest of lows," the former student "If some people didn’t pick up the phone I probably wouldn’t be here right now It has been just the hardest thing to go through and deal with for what was supposed to be four years of my life I really looked forward to." Thomas pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree child molestation and one count of sexual assault He's accused of performing body fat tests on student athletes -- sometimes while they were naked -- for decades but prosecutors say because of the statue of limitations only two charges were able to be filed The former student said he was 15 at the time of some of the so-called naked fat testing He recalled how Thomas allegedly asked students if they were "shy or not shy" before prompting students who answered "not shy" to get fully undressed for body composition testing He testified he answered "not shy" because he felt he had to "I back against the wall with my legs spread out as far as they could go," he said alleging that during one test both he and Thomas became aroused The former student was the first to testify in the trial following opening statements from Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy and defense attorney John MacDonald "Are you shy or not shy?" Healy began his opening "That is the question this defendant would ask high school boys That's the question that he asked hundreds of high school boys in order to get them to get naked." Healy alleged Thomas would change the reasoning behind the naked testing at different points telling students they were body composition tests "The defendant would approach them in a variety of ways telling them that these tests would improve their athletic performance," he said "It's not necessary or recommended .. for anybody to be naked for these tests." Thomas and his defense team aren't disputing the fact that the tests took place "Aaron Thomas is not certified in this area He developed this testing program over time from what he learned from what he researched because he thought it helped his students," MacDonald said He claims they were done for the betterment of the athletes comparing Thomas to former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick during his opening "Aaron Thomas to gain a competitive advantage by a high school coach did everything possible to improve the athletic performance of his students," MacDonald said But the evidence will show the sexual intent that the state keeps harping on is simply not there." MacDonald revealed during opening statements that Thomas will take the stand in his own defense later in the trial The student will return to the stand to continue his cross examination Tuesday the criminal trail of Aaron Thomas resumed at Washington County Court Wednesday before the trial was abruptly paused while the judge presiding over the case was tending to a family emergency an associate professor at UMass Boston and CEO of the Global Health and Body Composition Institute returned to the stand as an expert witness for the prosecution She emphasized that the thigh is not an area that needs to be tested for body fat calculations despite Thomas' practice Milliken was the 18th witness called for the state Prosecutors previously called 10 former students to testify about their experiences doing "naked fat tests" while alone with Thomas Child Protection Center at Hasbro Children’s Hospital testified only medical professionals should assess puberty development “A child should not be completely naked at any point,” he said Slingsby was the final witness for the prosecution Thomas' defense will begin calling witnesses Thursday They contend while his actions may have been inappropriate they weren't sexual in nature or criminal In this segment of Studio10 we’re learning all about a great event for sneaker enthusiasts There are also a lot of other local vendors for event goers to enjoy as well which will include ice cream The event will host giveaways which we learn more about here in this segment with the event organizer The kicks and tricks event will take place on Saturday, May 10th from 12pm-6pm at the Wide World of Indoor Sports in North Kingstown, R.I.More information on tickets for the event can be found at Eventbrite at the website link available when clicking here! the Compost Crew at North Kingstown’s Forest Park Elementary School suits up for sustainability Two students thought of this: fifth-grader Cece Carlson and sixth-grader Lua Martinique Caldas They and presented their plan to protect the planet to the PTO “About healthier lunches and reducing waste,” said Martinique Caldas The adults bought in and helped create a district-wide initiative to reduce lunchroom waste and applied for grant money through Rhode Island Department of education's "Get the Foam Out” program to limit harmful trash like Styrofoam lunch trays North Kingstown received more than $165,000 from the grant “When you have young students like this and you see this level of enthusiasm and interest and engagement you want to elevate them," said parent and PTO member Holly Morin Students train other students to be waste warriors More than 50 other Rhode Island Schools do this The goal at Forest Park was to reduce lunchtime waste by 50% they were sending 72 pounds of trash to the landfill every day at lunch and after a few days of the program being in place they brought that down to 12 pounds per day so that’s a reduction of almost 85%," said Gail Meisner from the Rhode Island School Recycling Project the school has diverted more than 5,000 pounds of trash from the Central Landfill in Johnston which is expected to reach capacity in 2043 “We have 5th graders leading the district in this green initiative!" said Patricia Cawley child nutrition manager for the North Kingstown School District so It’s really important for us to invest our time and resources into these young students," said sustainability specialist Eva Touhey I think if the earth has cared for us all these years I think we should care for it," said Martinique Caldas (WJAR) — A large fire broke out inside of a two-story garage in North Kingstown Thursday night Fire officials said they received multiple calls for a fire on Scrabbletown Road Firefighters on scene said there was heavy smoke coming out of the building Crews were able to quickly extinguish most of the fire (WJAR) — The second day of the Aaron Thomas trial focused on the defense's cross-examination of a key witness in the case against the former North Kingstown coach "Aside from seeing the outline of his pants in his crotch area what other fact or detail can you give us to indicate why you're telling us the coach had an erection?" defense attorney John Calcagni asked Prosecutors allege that for more than 20 years he asked student athletes to disrobe for body-fat composition tests for his own sexual gratification but the defense contends there was no sexual intent Thomas's team says the tests were meant to help the athletes gain a competitive advantage Calcagni began Tuesday's cross-examination showing an example of the spreadsheet Thomas would fill out during the testing process The sheet includes spots for measurements of various body parts including the neck Calcagni asked the former student if he remembered Thomas measuring each body part and recording the measurements in the spreadsheet "Coach Thomas never placed his hands on your genitals?" Calcagni asked the former student-athlete was asked to stand up and show the jury exactly where Thomas pressed on his upper thigh near his groin during the testing process Calcagni also asked the student to confirm that each of the tests were voluntary and could have been opted out of It was pointed out that the former student is one of several seeking damages in a civil case "My life's been ripped apart as a result of this process," the witness said "I felt that I was speaking out on something that was wrong and something that with a more mature perspective had ruined my life." the former student cried while recounting his experiences on the stand Calcagni instructed him to "pull it together" so he could answer more questions The former student is the first of several the prosecution is expected to call to the stand during the trial that could last several weeks (WJAR) — Several former North Kingstown High School student-athletes said they didn't fill out permission slips for former coach Aaron Thomas' 'fat testing' program Three students testified they felt pressured to participate in the tests and take off their underwear during the fifth day of the former coach's trial Thomas has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault "There is an implied trust with your educators and coaches that what they’re doing is right so I think while it made me uncomfortable and embarrassed it was something I felt I had to do," one former student testified He said he felt listening to the coach's instructions would make him a 'good teammate.' Judge Melanie Wilk Thunberg has requested no former students who testify be publicly identified The students testifying Friday all shared similar experiences of the 'fat testing' program They described how Thomas would ask if they were 'shy or not shy' before 'not shy' students had to take their boxers off for a fat test on their upper thigh near the groin One student said he responded 'not shy' but he still had to take his underwear off "Based on my response of 'yes I’m shy' it still meant the boxers came off but I was covering up," he said explaining how he would then hold the boxers over his genitals Another student said he wanted to respond 'shy' but felt he couldn't "Shyness was weakness," the student testified "I didn’t want to disappoint him." One of the students said he felt obligated to contact police after seeing initial reports stating students signed permission slips for the program He said he confirmed with his dad that no permission slip was signed Thomas was asked about the 'shy or not shy' question during his 2021 interview with North Kingstown Police Christopher Mulligan testified Thomas 'acted confused' by the question A video of that 2021 interview was played in court on Thursday and Friday In it Thomas repeatedly told officers students did not take their clothes off during 'fat tests' conducted in his office Thomas said he didn't know why students would think the 'fat testing' process was inappropriate 'No way' he replied said at one point when asked about students being naked or in their underwear for testing "Is there any possibility you touched someone's genitals?," officers asked "No never," Thomas told police in 2021 Thomas' team contends while his actions may not have been appropriate by SAM READ (WJAR) — A North Kingstown teen who has a love for helping dogs is an 8th grader at Wickford Middle School she took up sewing shortly after she got her first pet “We got our first dog when I was like five and I started sewing when I was about seven or eight," said Clark Clark said she learned how to sew at 'The-Sew-Op' in town One of their projects was to create something meaningful "I wanted to create something for my dogs like a jacket or a sweater but that was too hard so I learned how to sew a collar," said Clark “At first I was making them for my family members and they weren’t really good I started making them better and better and started selling them around 2021." Having converted an upstairs room into a sewing room There’s some over there and in that drawer and I’ve gone through a ton of sewing machines.” After selling and gifting the dog collars to family and friends She received lots of support from her school community and beyond “There’s all different sizes and each ribbon is a different style and I can make one of each like a ton of them," she said it's sort of like a routine for me making them so it’s very calming for me now.” she declared her efforts 'Senna's Collars for a Cause.' At $20 a collar Clark said to date she's sold about 500 of them “It’s a lot more than I thought I would’ve sold by now," she said Profits from each collar are donated to the North Kingstown Animal Shelter “I go to the animal shelter and I see that the animals need this kind of stuff and that the money is helping them," she said “It makes me feel really happy that I’m able to help.” in an effort to extend her efforts and sales volume Clark approached the owner of the 'YES the closer to home the better," she said “We have a lot of local Rhode Island artists that we love to feature their work whether it’s blown glass Beebe said after speaking with Clark about her collars “The fact that she was such a young girl and so talented just blew my mind so I was happy to sell her collars," said Beebe She somehow finds the coolest ribbons with all different themes My dog at home is wearing a collar that has Starbucks drinks all over it." Right when customers walk into the YES!Gallery there's a display of Senna's Collars with an explanation of their purpose and who they came from Beebe even took her support further by transforming her store window in 'Senna's Workshop' featuring a display of her sewing room and ongoing efforts everything about her and her collars just touches my heart," said Beebe Clark received the news that she has officially been declared a non-profit She has no plans of stopping her mission any time soon and said staff at the North Kingstown Animal Shelter have been very supportive and kind too they’ve written me so many notes and have shared how grateful they are with the money that I donate," she said Clark is hoping to expand her efforts with a website that's coming soon Other orders can be placed on her Instagram page, or in an email to Sennaedenclark@gmail.com The trial of a former North Kingstown basketball coach accused of performing so-called fat tests on students A new lawsuit was filed against Aaron Thomas in September claiming he allegedly put his hands down a student's shorts for "growth plate exams." The trial is set to start Tuesday with jury selection Thomas pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault PORTSMOUTH — The close of this busy Division I baseball week had North Kingstown ready for a showdown with an archrival Walking off on Moses Brown and extending that momentum into the following afternoon was perfect preparation The Skippers were relentless at the plate to make it a short day against Portsmouth at windswept Crudup Field Five North Kingstown hitters reached safely at least twice a group approach that fueled a 13-1 victory in five innings Chris Ciarniello’s two-run single and Nick Martucci’s two-run double broke things open in the top of the third turning a 2-1 game into a potential cruise Ben Davis was sharp on the mound and helped his own cause with two singles “The fact that we have one through nine makes our lineup so much deeper and so much better,” North Kingstown leadoff man Brandon Venditto said “We don’t have to wait for the one and the two to get up.” The Skippers suffered a 6-3 surprise against Pilgrim on Monday and looked headed for consecutive defeats through six innings on Thursday They came alive in the bottom of the seventh against Quakers ace Will Haggerty It’s now back-to-back wins going into a Tuesday battle with returning state runner-up South Kingstown “Good to bounce back against Moses Brown and then just keep it rolling against Portsmouth.” Here are three takeaways from Friday’s action North Kingstown pressured the PatriotsMartucci’s sacrifice fly to center and a balk that brought home Tucker Lamond in the top of the second was just the start Ciarniello grounded one through the right side to make it 4-1 and Martucci one-hopped the fence in left with a liner that made it a five-run advantage “It feels like every game someone else is stepping up with that big hit,” Davis said “I know it takes the load off the top four or five hitters when we can go one through nine.” Venditto and Bodie Forsell each doubled to left in the fourth and Venditto’s two-run single to right center in the fifth had the Skippers on the doorstep Ciarniello beat out a double-play ball to shortstop for a fielder’s choice RBI and Davis followed by dropping a run-scoring single into center “I’m just trying to be a leader,” Venditto said Whatever I can do to impact the game and win Emmett Greenwood reached on a bad-hop single to short and Damon Owen shot a double down the line in left to put two Portsmouth baserunners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the first A wild pitch chased home Greenwood and handed the Patriots a 1-0 lead as Davis retired the next 11 men he faced and worked around a leadoff error in the bottom of the fifth Two of the right-hander’s six strikeouts limited the early damage and two more stranded a man at third in what turned out to be the final inning Davis allowed just one ball out of the infield over his last 15 hitters with Avery Amaio flying to right for the second out in the bottom of the fourth “I was just trying to get ahead and start with strike one,” Davis said “Then from there just let my defense make the plays.” North Kingstown (6-1) will visit the Rebels at Old Mountain Field The Patriots (2-6) have an extended break before traveling to Pilgrim on Thursday Portsmouth used a pair of freshman pitchers against the Skippers in Tyler Doucet and Brady Fanning The Patriots are retooling after graduating the likes of All-State talents John Mass and Nick Spaner and steady veteran Oliver Rey They lost three straight to open the season before going 2-2 in their next four Portsmouth will have at least one game circled on its calendar over the next couple of weeks The Patriots host island rival Middletown on May 2 and the Islanders are off to a 3-3 start in Division II heading into a Monday game against Central NORTH KINGSTOWN – A North Kingstown company is bracing to see most of its business vanish as Donald Trump and Elon Musk dismantle the United States Agency for International Development Edesia makes PlumpyNut a peanut-butter-like product used to treat malnutrition in children the Trump administration was not reliable in paying its bills "We've been trying to get paid for three months," founder and chief executive Navyn Salem told The Providence Journal Monday On Friday, the company received $16 million for food shipped last year, which it had paid by dipping into its savings to pay its workers and suppliers. And, Salem said, it is owed another $20 million which it has to try to collect as USAID is shutting down including the layoff on April 20 of a key employee in the processing of payments to Edesia That includes $11 million in bills already submitted and $9 million it will try to get in as the agency shuts down "There will be no new orders this year from USAID," Salem said in a company newsletter published Monday "We're not sure what's coming next," she Salem Congress is considering a bill to rescind funding for the program that includes Edesia's source of income some are concerned Trump will simply not spend the money That leaves Edesia few alternatives to keep its business going: Salem said there is hope in the second option "Edesia has a lot of ideas on how to do things more efficiently," which she said is the stated goal of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency "It will directly result in more children reached for less dollars." "The best-case scenario is that it's just a very long delay," she said "I do have a lot of hope that this will be resolved and we can get through the pain and come out on the other side stronger." when Salem laid off 10 percent of her workforce brought the company down from 150 people last year to 130 this week Salem also made the pitch that her company is good for America and not only because it can save children's lives She said that 100% of the supplies Edesia buys are from American companies and farmers After an eight-week course of three servings of PlumpyNut a day children are considered cured of malnutrition the company made enough to treat 2.5 million children will be hurt the most by the tumultuous restructuring of the Trump administration "The children can't wait for these political battles," she said "They don't have time when they're battling for their own life." (WLNE) — A North Kingstown man who was reported missing Monday has been located and reunited with his family Brian Walker had last been seen at his Potter Road residence Monday morning (WJAR) — The doors have reopened at the Salvation Army Thrift Store in North Kingstown and shoppers appear to be happy told NBC 10 News she found that perfect piece of clothing "I've wanted this kind of a coat since I was a little girl," as she modeled it for the camera Early Saturday morning bargain-hunters began braving the cold as the store reopened after being closed for remodeling The store was jam-packed with everything from shoes to shirts and household items and the line of shoppers stretched around the store According to Salvation Army spokesperson Rachell Croteau funds from sales at the thrift store support their rehab center "where men and women find hope and health." town leaders have been studiously at work to build a new middle school The town commissioned environmental and feasibility studies to explore where it could be built. One site didn’t work because of wetlands. Another option got shot down by voters who rejected an ambitious $167 million bond that tried to tack on a safety complex to school projects North Kingstown’s school officials pointed out the town could get up to 35% – plus a potential additional 5% – back significantly lowering the cost of building a school RIDE’s School Building Authority sent an email to North Kingstown Supt Kenneth Duva warning him the project’s cost was “significantly higher” than what regulations allowed Middle school projects allow up to $592 per square foot, according to SBA regulations The plan for Wickford Middle School indicated a project cost of $928 per square foot The SBA warned that the difference could amount to $26 million of the project cost not being eligible for a 35% reimbursement The SBA also raised concerns over North Kingstown’s expenditure on the application process for new construction which is about $1.6 million and higher than usual On April 7, the building subcommittee of North Kingstown’s school district held a public meeting with RIDE officials It stretched for nearly three hours as residents voiced concerns over the project’s cost and transparency in the process Duva explained the project is technically not over budget The new Wickford Middle School is still within the $77 million budget proposed in the bond voters approved the cost per square foot is higher than SBA regulations is because the project includes more than the school building The school is also designed with geothermal wells and solar panels making it the first completely net-zero school in the state As for the $1.6 million cost of the application process, North Kingstown’s school district explained in a letter that it was higher than usual because it included work and feasibility studies from previous attempts to pass a school bond Duva said the school district has gone back to the drawing board to redesign the building to align with SBA regulations and maximize reimbursements from RIDE One is adding a third floor to the building to increase the footprint Another is increasing enrollment by moving pre-school classrooms or moving a fifth grade to Wickford Middle School would increase eligibility for reimbursement the district has increased enrollment at Wickford Middle School from 400 to 525 students The boost lowered the $26 million not eligible for reimbursement to about $15 million Duva did not respond to a follow-up request for clarification Redistricting schools in North Kingstown has been an unpopular idea among residents Enrollment in the district is also below even the lowest projection RIDE has requested North Kingstown to provide updated enrollment projections as well as respond to other queries on the district’s application for new construction by early May (WJAR) — Neighbors living off Annaquatucket Road in North Kingstown said they had a rather surprising wakeup call early Monday morning and he just thought something had fallen or a dog or the cat had knocked something over," said Patricia Sullivan of North Kingstown I went on Facebook and saw there were some other incidents in the neighborhood so I pulled up my Ring camera and was able to see one of the individuals come to the door and bang on it and run to the neighbor's yard but I saw a number of neighbors did but there was nothing they could really do because you can't identify the individuals." Patricia's house wasn't the only one She found out through Facebook that two other houses with Ring cameras were also hit The cameras caught men with masks on running up to the door Word then started to spread in the neighborhood "It was kind of scary because you think you live in a safe neighborhood and then you have kids doing something like this which is not funny at all," said Jill Booth who lives right across from Patricia in the same neighborhood and I hope they get caught if it's the same kids doing it." Neighbors said they believe inspiration came from TikTok where challenges like this seem to spread through the app quickly They went to a couple houses on the same night almost at the same time so someone had thought that out ahead of time," said Stanley Spink who lives in North Kingstown but many still question why their quiet and small community was chosen for this prank "I figured it's probably a TikTok trend It didn't seem like they were damaging anything It just seemed like they came to bang on the door and run," Sullivan said by KEVIN MOORE (WJAR) — Dave Giorgi needs no introduction in North Kingstown that's why he was a no-brainer choice when North Kingstown needed a new manager after Bill Brew who managed the last two seasons took a leave of absence for a family obligation Sport's Team 10's Kevin Moore has the story on Giorgi stepping up for the community he loves RI (WJAR) — Crews worked to remove a van that fell into the water in North Kingstown on Monday North Kingstown police said they were called to 125 Steamboat Ave which caused the van to roll into the harbor NBC 10's Molly Levine captured the moments as the van was pulled out of the water Officials said a small gas spill occurred because of the crash Police reported minor damage to the surrounding docks North Kingstown police said the crash was accidental and no criminal charges will be filed from this incident RI (WJAR) — The North Kingstown girls' basketball team is not only over-the-moon with how their season has gone thus far but they’re also extremely grateful for a key player who has helped them get there For as long as head coach Bob Simeone can remember Jake Jones has been in the high school basketball picture Simeone has been with North Kingstown High School since the early 2000s when his daughter played on the team The former college basketball player has a passion for the sport Jones’ held assistant coaching titles at other schools in Rhode Island “I’ve known Bob for years and he has said in the past if I ever wanted to come down I was more than welcome so I reached out,” said Jones When Simeone offered him the assistant coaching job “I think I’m better on this side of things I did play recreationally but I never really progressed as a player I did try out for my middle school and high school teams there but never made the cut,” said Jones Jones has been with the North Kingstown varsity and junior varsity team since before the start of the 2024-25 season “I don’t have that many friends personally in my personal life so it gives me a sense of self something to do during the week,” said Jones “I don’t have many skills I could bring to the table in a job environment and I know a lot about the game of basketball for being around it forever.” he never once questions about the dedication and time it takes here,” said Simeone “He’s here an hour before practice setting the whole gym up for them For my student athletes to see the energy he puts in I think it’s great for them- to want to do their best for him.” Players on the team can attest to his impact supporting us during practice and I think he just brings such positivity that we definitely needed on this team,” said Erin Hanrahan “I’ve never had a coach like coach Jake he I so into the sport and welcomed us all in and he’s such a leader on our team.” we try to learn each other on and off the court and I think with coach Jake he really brought us together,” added Jaelyn Holmes Besides attending practices and games seven days a week but he finds out and makes them handmade cards You’re not even employed and he just finds a way to show how appreciative he is of being a part of this team,” said Simeone “To find someone like him is a diamond in the rough.” Jones made every one a handmade Christmas card Then he did the same again on Valentine’s Day adds doodles and it just brightens our day it definitely is nice,” said Hanrahan “He has brought so much good energy to our team that we kind of just fueled off of.” “I like helping people doing nice things for people making them feel good,” said Jones “I like doing it I like doing things for people.” The North Kingstown girls basketball team will play in the Division 1 semi-finals on Friday against Westerly at Rhode Island College Though there are still some games to be played but I think Coach Jake just went the extra mile and for all of us because I think he thinks we’re his family (WJAR) — A car crashed into a convenience store in North Kingstown late Thursday night An NBC 10 News crew observed some damage to the outside of the building The owner told NBC 10 News that the store will likely be closed until after the holidays North Kingstown senior Takara Clayborne has been wrestling for five years "It's nerve-racking," she said "I just have to have that kind of mindset that I'm here to wrestle." The state tournament is the only all-girls wrestling invite in Rhode Island Clayborne finished in second place at states and she wanted to give more girls the opportunity With the help of Skippers wrestling coach Dave Petrucci Clayborne put together her own all-girls invitational I was just thinking this is the first time having an all-girls tournament with actual brackets and not just being round-robin," Clayborne said Clayborne created the "TK Girls Wrestling Tournament," which took place at North Kingstown High School last Saturday The event was open to girls in Rhode Island "It helps build the popularity of it when you have things like team trophies and most outstanding wrestler and best finals matches," said Petrucci "That's stuff the kids and parents and coaches look forward to." Clayborne's goal is to put girls wrestling on the map in Rhode Island "It's all about experience," she said "I want more women to get into the sport of wrestling and try it out." "We have three female wrestlers on our team," said Petrucci "We don't have enough to feed our own team no one really does in Rhode Island yet and I'm hoping events like this cause that to happen." Clayborne and Petrucci are hoping this will become an annual tournament Petrucci said ideally it will be open to girls across all of New England and serve as a lead up to the state tournament The ultimate goal is to see girls wrestling sanctioned as an official sport in the state but with girls like Clayborne trailblazing the way "I don't think it's quite there yet but this is a step in the right direction." North Kingstown native Dylan Poirier has accepted an invitation to the New York Giant’s rookie minicamp Poirier played on the offensive line for the University of New Hampshire He was the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year for NK in 2018 now elderly killer from North Kingstown is once again looking to get out on parole 72-year-old James Hughes III’s case appeared before the Rhode Island Parole Board for the ninth time Monday Hughes is asking for medical geriatric parole “Any release of such a dangerous person is just going to endanger the community,” North Kingstown Police Chief John Urban said The family of Howard ‘Zeke’ Harris showed up to Monday morning’s hearing to continue to push against the release of their grandfather’s murderer “It’s a slap in the face,” said Krista Rousseau the Harris family was told there won’t be a decision just yet and police as they relieved the horrors of 1982 good memories of him but unfortunately for us it’s always overshadowed by the way that he died and he didn’t get to choose the way that he died there was no geriatric or medical reprieve for him,” Rousseau said Hughes beat 79-year-old Harris to death with a hammer after he was caught rummaging through a desk at the furniture store Harris owned in North Kingstown Hughes ran off with just $70 after the brutal murder I can still see the whole situation from beginning to end,” Narciso said Harris lying on the ground after being severely beaten.” and her cousin said they come to every hearing to show support for their grandfather and to protect the community “I just hope that they keep him in prison,” Rousseau said then everyone will be safe,” said Rousseau’s sister Bethanie Sherman Harris’ family was told a decision will not be made Monday afternoon after finding out Hughes was not available The hearing is now postponed until March 10 medical or geriatric parole allows those convicted to be released from prison due to medical issues and to alleviate expenses that come along with aging Customers and workers evacuated the Walmart in North Kingstown Friday night for a gas odor Firefighters entered the store at 5:30 p.m Crews determined the bakery and meat section was the area of concern Officials said the source of the odor was in the HVAC system The system was secured and Walmart technicians responded to make repairs (WJAR) — A fire in North Kingstown left four people without a home Thursday night Firefighters said they responded to a mobile home on Krzak Road at 6:30 p.m Crews on scene were able to knock the fire down in about a half hour Officials said the Red Cross is assisting the family One cat was removed from the home and given oxygen jury selection is set to begin in his trial this week Prosecutors have said Thomas, a head basketball coach for 24 years, subjected teenage athletes to what he called body composition tests while they were naked and alone with him. The so-called “naked fat tests” included touching them near their genitals Thomas allegedly continued doing the tests even after school officials told him to stop and purchased a body composition machine in 2018 that eliminated the need for him to touch the students Thomas performed “fat tests” on student athletes for decades but for athletes' individual improvement performances He noted that court documents contained interviews with more than 20 former athletes who participated in the testing program which confirmed “that the testing was completely devoid of anything sexual in nature.” But MacDonald conceded that Thomas lied to North Kingstown police when he told investigators that he never tested the athletes who were naked and alone with him in confined quarters MacDonald said that some of Thomas’ judgments were “clearly questionable there are multiple incidents of touching that allegedly occurred to a naked student or students in a closed office by a person in a position of trust and authority,” she wrote “The touching was neither momentary nor isolated.” “The totality of the circumstances," the judge wrote "demonstrates sufficient probable cause to believe a crime has been committed by the defendant.” Healy said during the hearing on the dismissal motion that much of the case comes down to “what was the defendant’s intent.” Healy said Thomas conducted his naked fat testing for decades without ever divulging to students’ parents faculty or school administrators that underage students were naked and alone with him Not only did Thomas lie to the police about performing naked testing but he also lied about the common refrain he used with students prior to conducting the test: were they “shy or not shy?” Some 30 former students told police that if they answered "not shy," the expectation was they would get naked But Healy said Thomas told police the question pertained to them taking off only their undershirts Healy said the two complainants in the criminal case also describe Thomas inexplicably performing a so-called hernia test and "a puberty test" where he touched around their genitals At least one medical expert has said there is “no medical reason for doing such a [puberty] test,” Healy said The scandal led to the departure of several school department officials two independent town investigations that found Thomas had acted inappropriately and a civil rights investigation by the U.S That federal investigation concluded that the school district’s “deficient responses to Thomas’ conduct were endemic of a broader failure to ensure that its schools implement the district’s harassment and reporting policies and procedures with fidelity.” Lawyers Healy and MacDonald told The Journal on Monday that a pool of jury applicants would be filling out questionnaires Tuesday with a seated jury likely selected by week's end Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com and we will hire you back when its over,” he testified An expert in body-composition testing told the jury earlier in the trial that there was no valid reason to test near someone’s groin and there was no reason for anyone to be naked A pediatrician also testified about the need to protect a child’s modesty during exams and having a medical professional as a chaperone His description of “puberty tests” also didn’t match the descriptions that former athletes testified that Thomas administered on them Thomas testified that he was not trained or certified in body fat or body mass training Thomas appeared to be most comfortable answering questions from John Calcagni III on his experience as a coach running the basketball program Thomas said he set up video cameras connected to a CCTV monitor in his office The cameras show video feeds of outside his door He said the VHS recorder for the monitor broke after a few years The school installed its own security system in 2017 allowing a live feed of anyone entering the area Thomas is expected to resume his testimony on Monday Four other former student-athletes testified for the defense Thursday and Friday Two said their families were friends with Thomas; a third said Thomas tried to help him when he was trying to play basketball in college Their high school careers spanned from 1997 to 2019 and their description of the “fat tests” were nearly as consistent as the 10 men who testified for the prosecution Judge Melanie Wilk Thunberg has asked the media not to identify the former student-athletes Thomas measured them in their underwear and then posed the question “Are you shy or not shy?” about removing their boxers They either stripped down or hiked up their boxers so Thomas could pinch with his hands and calipers at various places on their bodies Each testified the tests were quick and that Thomas’s demeanor was “professional,” “like a doctor’s office,” “matter-of-fact.” Each also agreed with Thomas’s lawyer John E MacDonald that Thomas didn’t touch their private parts or say or do anything sexual while they were naked were clear about why Thomas was testing near their groins Some said that they knew Thomas was analytical and cared about statistics One said that when the high school got a machine to test for body composition that he didn’t like using it because the numbers were higher than when Thomas performed the tests himself He said he didn’t know why the school had purchased the machine The jury previously heard testimony that the machine was purchased in 2018 after Thomas was seen alone with a half-dressed boy in his office and a former student told the superintendent that Thomas conducted fat tests on nude students The former student testified that he went back to being tested by Thomas he was contacted by MacDonald to testify on Thomas’s behalf “I feel like I had a good experience going through it I was obviously close with Coach Thomas in basketball I had a locker in front of him four years of high school I had a conversation with him every morning I went through a lot of different seasons with him,” the young man said He also testified that no other teacher or coach asked him to take off his clothes “You trusted him and trusted that everything he was doing was for your benefit,” asked assistant attorney general Timothy Healy Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her @AmandaMilkovits. Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information (WLNE) — The North Kingstown Fire Department said a family of four was displaced after a fire at a trailer Thursday evening The fire occurred on Krzak Road around 6:30 p.m with officials taking roughly 25 minutes to put out the flames The cause of the fire was under investigation by the state fire marshal and detectives as they believed the cause to be suspicious but the department said a cat was removed from the home and given oxygen on scene Crews remained on the scene for several hours Thursday night and did not release any further details into the nature of the investigation This is a developing story — ABC 6 will provide updates as new details are released WARWICK — The teams that met for the girls basketball Division I title last week were on different paths on Tuesday night but both moved one step closer to another championship stage D-I champ North Kingstown led throughout its RIIL Credit Union Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal and punched its ticket to the Final Four at the Ryan Center with a 58-45 victory over Narragansett at CCRI’s Vincent A Runner-up Ponaganset nearly missed out on the trip south but rallied for a 40-36 victory over La Salle The top-seeded Skippers are in the Final Four for the fourth consecutive year They’ll face Moses Brown in the semifinals for the second straight season “We’re back at The Ryan,” North Kingstown coach Bob Simeone said “It’s where I wanted to be; it’s where the girls wanted to be No. 2 Ponaganset will face Portsmouth in the other semifinal The Chieftains are at the Ryan Center for the third time in the last four years getting there this time with a young squad “It’ll be a great experience for them,” Ponaganset coach Gary Martinelli said “Every time it looks like they’re down and out North Kingstown outlasts NarragansettNorth Kingstown’s reward for earning the top seed in the tournament was a bye to the quarterfinals but then there was a matchup with the Division II champion Mariners While the Skippers figured to have an edge the Mariners certainly know how to win — they’ve won a lot this year entering the quarterfinal game with a 20-2 record the Mariners gave the top seed their best shot but the Skippers had a little bit more at every turn They built a three-point lead by the end of the first quarter led by 12 after three quarters and held tough down the stretch to close out the win “We knew they were a great team,” North Kingstown’s Brooke Faunce said Kalin hit two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to bump the lead to 16 Narragansett made a final push thanks to a pair of Grace Blessing 3-pointers the second of which made it a nine-point game with 2:27 left The Mariners came up empty on their next three possessions and the Skippers salted away the victory at the free-throw line Kalin scored a game-high 20 points a year after missing the state tournament with a knee injury “It was definitely an extra push,” Kalin said of last year but my coach is amazing and he’s been telling me all season long ‘Just keep shooting.’ I just started hitting shots tonight.”  Faunce scored 19 and Holmes joined her in double figures with 11 The loss ended a fantastic season for Narragansett which won a D-II title for the first time since 2013 and made its first-ever appearance in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament “Every time we started to break away from them They’re the Division II champ for a reason.”  The Skippers now get another shot at the Moses Brown team that ended their season at the Ryan Center last year The Quakers went on to win the state title “It’s definitely going to be a tough game,” Kalin said I’m excited to do a little bit of a rematch and see them at the Ryan Center.” Ponaganset is glad to be joining the Skippers there Last year’s Final Four is the only gap in the program’s recent resumé The Chieftains fell to Bay View in the quarterfinals last season and they couldn’t help but think about that loss on Tuesday they were sent to the same locker room they used for that season-ending defeat “It was a little nerve-racking — we actually got put into the same locker room,” senior Anna Nerney said “I was looking around and it was like déjà vu For someone like me who has played here and lost here ‘I know what it feels like to lose and I don’t want to be the senior crying here The Chieftains also had to contend with a fired-up La Salle team which used its athleticism and grit to set the tone The seventh-seeded Rams used an 8-0 run to take an 11-7 lead after one quarter They went up by eight in the second quarter before a burst by the Chieftains made it 20-17 at the break La Salle opened the second half with seven straight points and carried a six-point lead into the fourth quarter when the Chieftains finally made their move Nerney hit a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game with 6:56 left La Salle stretched the lead back to three but the Chieftains kept coming Nerney made two free throws with 2:58 left and Kaitlyn Simoneau drove for a tough layup that gave Ponaganset a 35-34 lead with 2:33 left “I think the biggest thing was just working together,” Nerney said “We kind of build off made shots a lot of the time so we needed to find a way to bring that from defense After Anna Nerney came up with a steal on La Salle’s next possession Marron Nerney hit a driving bucket with 2:07 left La Salle cut the deficit to one on its next trip but wouldn’t score again Anna Nerney hit two free throws and Marron added another to ice the win The Nerney sisters led Ponaganset with 10 points apiece La Salle was led by Elle Kershaw’s game-high 15 points “La Salle came out really aggressive defensively and we didn’t handle it as well as we would like,” Martinelli said “I think it affected our ability to finish inside because it didn’t look good there for a while.” Ponaganset’s last two trips to the Ryan Center culminated in the 2022 state title and a semifinal loss the next year “We won the state championship when I was a freshman And to be able to be there with my sister is really special.” PROVIDENCE — It was almost an identical situation to last year. The North Kingstown girls basketball team trailed by nine points with about eight minutes to play in the 2025 Rhode Island Interscholastic League girls basketball Division I championship The Skippers knew winning time had to be different than last winter And the best player on the court sensed the moment Jaelyn Holmes scored nine of her 14 points in the fourth quarter The top-seeded Skippers (19-1) held Ponaganset to just two points and finished off the comeback with a 47-38 triumph on Tuesday night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion The title is North Kingstown’s sixth overall and first since 2021 when the Skippers beat Bay View it's just my time,” Holmes said of the fourth quarter “And a lot of people can do that — Brooke Faunce Maya Bigelli — it's just an exciting feeling.” The Skippers fell in the Open State Tournament That heartbreaking experience was a learning moment for this class of seniors that leaves as two-time champions and to win it against a team that we lost to in the regular season — it's an incredible feeling,” Holmes said “There's no amount of effort that wasn't shown today Erin Hanrahan: “We've been in the same position last year We knew coming in we were going to do everything we could to get a different outcome NK opened the fourth with Faunce’s steal and easy layup and followed with Holmes’ inside finish Holmes added an offensive rebound and putback for a quick 6-0 spurt that forced a Chieftains timeout with 5:14 left in regulation And Holmes added a free throw to tie the game at 36-all with 4:17 left NK then took its first lead since halftime on Bigelli’s righty finish in the lane The score capped an 11-0 run for the Skippers with 3:43 remaining in regulation “We weren't nervous at all,” Hanrahan said of being down We knew they were going to have runs and we were going to have our runs 3 Ponaganset (18-2) responded with Marron Nerney’s inside score at the 2:45 mark of the quarter But it was the only basket the Chieftains could manage over the final eight minutes It wasn't the first time that NK intensified its defense in the fourth quarter this season the Skippers pitched a fourth-quarter shutout against D-I semifinalist Westerly to cruise to a home win but we wanted it more than them at the end of the day,” Holmes said “I think that's what showed in the fourth quarter for us.” Holmes answered the Ponaganset score by slipping backdoor for a bucket on the right block then stretched the advantage to five points Holmes and Bigelli finished off the contest at the line as NK outscored Ponaganset I know I want to score and I want to get us up I kind of just got lucky with that and-one but it feels good to just be able to score for my team.”   “We put our trust in her," Holmes said of Bigelli "I think that it showed at the end of the game The season isn’t over for either program as North Kingstown has the one seed in the Open State Tournament “We forget about this the next day,” Holmes said “It's hands washed and we're back at practice We just are preparing for the next obstacle Our end goal is to win another championship.” NORTH KINGSTOWN (47): Brooke Faunce 3-14 0-0 7 Courtney Brochu 0-0 0-0 0; TOTALS 16-49 12-19 47 PONAGANSET (38): Elena Muldowney 2-4 0-0 4 Javiana Stec 1-2 1-2 3; TOTALS 16-45 3-6 38 3-pointers – North Kingstown 3-16 (Faunce 1-7 Turnovers – North Kingstown 15 (Four with 3) (WLNE) — Senator Jack Reed will be in North Kingstown to break ground on a new manufacturing facility The new 255,000 square-foot facility will support Regent Craft in producing its flagship 12-passenger sea-glider Senator Reed has helped direct more than $600 million in federal investments to strengthen Quonset’s ability to add new jobs attract private investment and bolster its contributions to Rhode Island’s economy Monday’s groundbreaking will be at 11 a.m North Kingstown is getting a new public safety complex Voters approved close to $200 million dollars for that and upgrades to schools Just last year voters rejected a similar proposal that would have cost thousands more Town leaders said they went back to the drawing board l more than 60 percent of voters approved $60 million in borrowing for a new police and fire complex at the Quonset business park Meanwhile around 57 percent voted to approve more than $137 million for a new middle school and upgrades at other schools across the district Last year voters rejected a lumped $222 million dollar bond for fear of a tax increase Construction on both projects is expected to start in 2026 (WJAR) — North Kingstown police arrested a man who they said asked a high school student for directions while he was completely naked police said a 17-year-old girl called them about someone who approached her on Prospect Avenue in the nude was arraigned at the station before a justice of the peace and released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bail He is scheduled to be formally arraigned on Dec (WJAR) — North Kingstown firefighters battled a fire that affected a motel off Post Road Sunday morning firefighters reported to the Travel Inn to battle a reported brush fire at the motel North Kingstown firefighters told NBC some of the brush and leaves surrounding the building caught on fire but firefighters were able to put the fire out in 45 minutes One person was treated for smoke inhalation on the scene The State Fire Marshal and the North Kingstown Fire Department are actively investigating the cause of the fire PROVIDENCE — The route was nervy and downright scary but the path to dynasties aren’t meant to be easy Just three losses marked North Kingstown girls volleyball record over the last three seasons after a season that saw the Skippers race through the state But history won’t remember how the top-seeded Skippers escaped Portsmouth’s upset bid at Rhode Island College The winners write history and North Kingstown just added another crown to its trophy case North Kingstown will remember Saturday’s 3-2 (25-11 15-6) championship triumph against the Patriots however it sees fit “I just started crying when that happened,” Sardelli said “Getting an ace on the final point was awesome and it was just so great going out like that and getting one with all of my best friends but we knew what we had to do to get it done We just knew that we had to play our game and honestly A first set blitz showed how easily a frame can slip past North Kingstown’s opponents Going hit-for-hit with the Skippers is a frivolous game and with Sardelli serving North Kingstown (20-0) finished the frame on a 15-0 run More: Top returning girls volleyball players? Here are 10 to watch this fall. It looked like NK would roll to its 16th sweep this season — they only lost four sets entering the championship — but No The Patriots enjoyed their best season in program history and reaching the title match was an accomplishment all its own they traded points until a North Kingstown error and a block by Grace Galvin gave the Patriots a 23-21 advantage Portsmouth closed out the set and evened the match “The fact that we made it this far with the group of people that we had we really just built this over the season,” Portsmouth’s Caitlin Mediate said “I know we all worked so hard and the fact that we got here is a win for us.” Portsmouth again showed its late-set mettle as Sophia Champagne gained a kill for a 23-all tie in the third frame The Patriots finished off the set for a 2-1 match lead on Mila Abedon’s ace “The biggest thing that I've always wanted to do I just want to be [at the state championship] and be on that court,” Mediate said “And we did it and I'm really happy about that.” The fourth set was much like the first — Skippers’ hitters took over — and NK held a 6-0 advantage to start A pair of kills from Tessa LaFrenier made it an 18-12 lead and North was on cruise control “We were kind of freaking out a little bit,” North Kingstown’s Sydney Henson said “This was our first five set match the entire season and especially to have it on championship day is even crazier We were definitely filled with a lot of emotions But I feel like as the fourth set was winding down The fourth-frame success carried over to the fifth as North Kingstown stormed to an 11-5 lead and forced a Portsmouth timeout Kayleigh Garrepy’s strong kill in the middle made it 13-6 and then Sardelli ended it with her ace “I think we won the fourth set and came in with a lot of energy and momentum,” Garrepy said “But it's definitely nerve-racking in that fifth set.” North Kingstown’s senior class graduates after winning three championships And they went an improbable 72-4 over four seasons in South County The win was North Kingstown’s 13th championship overall “Fifth-set game in a championship game is pretty intense That definitely takes the first place right there “Celebrating with all my favorite people for the past four years that I've been with it's just a great feeling.” jrousseau@providencejournal.com On X: @ByJacobRousseau