(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 JOHN PERIK The early morning fire last June damaged part of the building “I ended up getting a call early in the morning I thought it was more of a joke and it was actually for real,” said Jan Lugo the general manager of TwoTen Oyster Bar and Grill especially all of those who have been working here for so many years.” I showed up the next day with a handful of cash to give to the owner so they could give it to people that were supposed to work that day,” said Melissa McCarthy of South Kingstown Lugo said that he anticipates a busy summer The restaurant underwent an extensive renovation following the fire and now includes an indoor and outdoor bar as well as an expanded dinning room they’ve done an amazing job renovating the place,” said McCarthy “They’ve opened up the bar area inside outside Below you will find the nominations for The Providence Journal's Student of the Week initiative and it's time for you to pick the best of the best High schools across the state have been asked to submit nominations and a new round of nominees and voting will be made available every Monday and close the following Thursday Participating Rhode Island high school principals teachers and guidance counselors nominated students they say have shown outstanding academic and school achievement and community service We will announce a winner on providencejournal.com on Friday and in print in the Providence Sunday Journal Take a look at this week's nominees and cast your ballot below The Mathematics & Business Department proudly nominates Bonnie Moore for ProJo Student of the Week Bonnie is a senior at South Kingstown High School and a standout mathematician Bonnie has taken on both AP Calculus and AP Statistics She excels in both classes and stands out for her keen ability to solve problems and think both abstractly and quantitatively Bonnie is also a dedicated varsity tennis player demonstrating leadership and teamwork on the court as well as in her math classes William Davies Career and Technical High School hard-working and inquisitive young man who consistently strives for excellence in all areas of his life he has maintained stellar grades and earned numerous accolades including membership in the National Honor Society maintaining high honors throughout his high school career and earning Davies PBIS Academic Excellence awards Aidan is deeply passionate about mathematics and enjoys applying his problem-solving skills to robotics and coding projects competing on the Davies cross country and boys' volleyball teams His involvement also extends to community service including internships with the Boys and Girls Club the annual Davies Talent Show set construction and strong character make him an exceptional student and role model 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 Roads will be overlaid and/or reclaimed with asphalt pavement during May and June 2025 This press release was produced by the Town of South Kingstown The views expressed here are the author’s own Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. (WLNE) — South Kingstown police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing Massachusetts man whose car was towed in the town eight days before he was reported missing was reported missing to the Mansfield Police Department on April 18 and his car was towed after being found illegally parked on Ocean Road in South Kingstown on April 10 The South Kingstown Police Department is asking Ocean Road residents who may have surveillance or doorbell video footage relevant to the case to contact the department brown eyes and a large pirate ship tattoo on his left shoulder Anyone with information as to his location is asked to contact South Kingstown police at 401-284-1702 or police@southkingstownri.gov (WJAR) — On this edition of Ask Alison, an NBC 10 viewer asks about the repaving of Route 108 in South Kingstown. Pamela from South Kingstown wrote in:" thrilled to hear that RT there's a road in South Kingstown that's so much worse and it's been that way for years It's RT 108 near the Peace Dale Library.” Alison Bologna found some good news for Pamela The Rhode Island Department of Transportation told Bologna that sections of Route 108 will be repaved by the end of the year It includes sections in Pace Dale and Wakefield The project includes from Dam Street to South County Bike Path crossing and from Pace Dale Library to Old Mountain Field Do you have a story you want Ask Alison to investigate? You can call 401-455-9123 or email a question to AskAlison@WJAR.com Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. South Kingstown senior Nolan Urian takes on new role for Rebels by NICOLE MENNER South Kingstown senior Nolan Urian had to step into a new role on the baseball diamond this season The Rebels one-time ace is now the team's designated hitter "I started a game and it was like six pitches in "The whole summer it was the suspense of do I have to rehab this or get the surgery?" thinking his high school baseball career had been cut short "I was pretty much writing off my senior season," he said While he couldn't return to the mound becoming the Rebels full-time designated hitter I told Coach (Keith) Vellone the next day," Urian said "We're extremely excited that we at least got him to do that," said Rebels baseball coach Keith Vellone "I was skeptical back in December that he's probably not going to be able to help at all offensively contributing and that helps him mentally to get through a lot of it." With the new role came a change in Urian's mentality "It's a different mental approach," he said "I try to just go up there and have fun six hitter and he's doing very well," Vellone said He doesn't play with any reservations." Urian has been throwing again as he prepares to play in Kingston next year He described the last ten months as an emotional roller coaster but also a learning experience as he embraces the new role during his final season don't take advantage of what you have because I can't pitch my senior year," Urian said But I'm having fun hitting with the team 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 was reported missing in Mansfield last Friday (WJAR) — South Kingstown Police Department is seeking information about a 31-year-old man reported missing out of Massachusetts Police said Eric Wein was reported missing in Mansfield last Friday Wein's vehicle was illegally parked on Ocean Avenue in South Kingstown and was towed Police describe Wein as 5 foot 7 inches tall with light brown hair brown eyes and a pirate ship tattoo on his left shoulder South Kingstown police said they are seeking surveillance or doorbell footage from Ocean Road Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at (401) 284-1702 or email police@southkingstownri.gov SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The state baseball runner-up last season has no intention of dropping its standards South Kingstown expects to be back at Rhode Island College in June and the Rebels have played like it in the early going That includes a Monday cruise past Cranston East on a beautiful spring afternoon in Division I at Old Mountain Field Jonah Monnes enjoyed plenty of early offensive support and handed things over to his bullpen South Kingstown did all of its scoring in the first two innings while downing the Thunderbolts in a game that was shortened to five frames by the 10-run mercy rule Jordan Chaloux’s two-run single in the top of the first and three walks that forced runs home in the top of the second set up a short day for an ace Connor Wokoske and Nick Vellone combined on a one-hit shutout and struck out nine against no walks “Looking to get back to the place we were last year.” The Rebels had Bishop Hendricken on the ropes in Game 1 of their best-of-3 series before losing in walkoff fashion last year. The Hawks controlled Game 2 to complete a perfect season and deny South Kingstown a first championship since 2018 Monnes is one of several key returners with a program that is off to a 6-0 start this spring “They know what it takes to get there,” South Kingstown manager Keith Vellone said “And they know that nothing is acceptable except for getting there They’ve known that since they started in the gym with pitchers and catchers “It’s tough to replace some of those kids from last year but so far it seems like it’s working out.” Poor recent weather and resulting field conditions forced a change of venue with Cranston East (1-4) operating as the home team on the road That allowed the Rebels to set the tone early with Jack Noonan’s infield single driving in a run and Chaloux’s liner over shortstop scoring two more It was a 5-0 lead before Monnes took the mound South Kingstown batted around in the first inning and sent 12 more men to the plate in the second Brayden Rosen and Michael DiGioia each collected a second run scored as the Rebels added to their cushion Monnes worked around a leadoff double to right by Harrison Fisher in the second inducing a grounder back to the mound and fanning the next two men he faced “We’re starting to get our pitching staff set,” Keith Vellone said “And if we have to use a freshman to pitch We’ve got a couple of kids who can throw strikes.” South Kingstown's staff will be without right-hander Nolan Urian a University of Rhode Island commit who is recovering from offseason Tommy John surgery He’s been cleared to contribute at the plate and serves as the designated hitter in the middle of the order Quinn Matos and Mark Hutchins have earned spots in the rotation with Hutchins firing a six-inning no-hitter in a Friday win at Fitch (Conn.) “Playing summer ball kind of got our minds off it a little bit,” Monnes said “Coming into the season we have high hopes again South Kingstown already has a win over Cumberland which played to a 4-4 tie with Bishop Hendricken through 10 innings on Monday something that wouldn’t be an issue for the Rebels under their lights This was the first of what should be a challenging four-game homestand Moses Brown and rival North Kingstown still to come “We’re starting to play some real tough teams coming up,” Keith Vellone said But credit the guys right now — they’re swinging the bat and hitting the ball.” (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 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 (WJAR) — Several residents were displaced after a fire ripped through a home in South Kingstown Sunday afternoon crews responded to a fire on Kingstown Road According to Union Fire District Chief Lance Whaley There were residents home at the time of the fire The house sustained significant damage to the second floor The cause of the fire is under investigation (WJAR) — South Kingstown fire officials said a fire broke out at a Rhode Island Energy substation on Friday evening they observed some flames when they arrived at the scene Fire crews said the Old Tower Hill Road and Kingstown Road intersection was blocked off Rhode Island Energy is diverting energy before officials can go inside to investigate "Fortunately we were able to re-route the power to customers so we don’t have any customers affected at this time We expect to have the substation back online this evening," a Rhode Island Energy spokesperson said according to South Kingstown fire officials 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 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 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. "It's impossible to miss ... it was thrown in my face." 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, the windowless room behind a closed door. 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, hernia tests, and puberty 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. It's his program over time, 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. "His judgment, you may find, was off. His methods, you may find, were inappropriate. 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. (AP) — A rash of mail theft in South Kingstown has made police believe it is connected to recent fraudulent credit card charges. The South Kingstown Police Department is asking for public’s help. The police chief told NBC 10 that it appears some criminals have been reaching into mailboxes at homes. These recent thefts have been from residential mailboxes, not the blue ones in town or outside the post office. South Kingstown chief Matthew Moynihan says there have been a handful of reports of stolen mail caught on camera happening throughout town. It's believed those criminals are using certain mail to commit credit card fraud. The chief says this started happening about a week and a half ago and the department wants people to be aware. "Members of our community may have captured some suspicious activity on their home surveillance we have a secure link that we can provide them to upload that video and it may just be that missing piece that we need to solve a crime,” says Moynihan. Police say they are investigating and so far don't have any suspects. President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHLarge house fire in South Kingstown displaces three families according to Union Fire District Chief Steven Pinch The fire was reported at approximately 12:58 p.m Crews arrived within minutes to find heavy flames pouring from the home’s third floor “All the occupants escaped on their own before the crews arrived,” Pinch said in a news release to NBC10 bringing additional resources from nearby departments Union Fire District firefighters aggressively attacked the flames and venting the roof to knock down the fire a neighbor who has lived in the area for more than 30 years we saw the fire engines flames were coming out of the roof and out of the corner of the house said she was terrified as she watched the flames shoot through the roof “You just hope no one’s inside of there,” Hunt said One firefighter suffered burns to his legs and was taken to a local hospital The fire displaced three families, leaving them without homes just days before the holidays. In less than 24 hours, a GoFundMe raised more than $3,500 to support those affected “We found out about the GoFundMe and contributed to it right away,” Drew said “We’re happy that we can do something." and we just have to be extra vigilant,” Hunt said The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Union Fire District Fire Marshal’s Office and the Office of the State Fire Marshal (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) — A South Kingstown teen with a love of Christmas is doing all he can to lift people's spirits in memory of a classmate taken too soon Sixteen-year-old Jeffrey Hill's yard at the corner of Erin Drive in Wakefield there's huge blow-ups or Christmas lights “About two years ago we had a few inflatables and I got really into the Christmas spirit and kept wanting more," he said “It was a hard time in my life because a lot of my family had passed away so I wanted to have something that would make me happy and this was it." A few inflatables turned into more than 60 turned into one that people in the community began looking forward to his classmates and members of South Kingstown High School's Honor Society pitched in to help as part of a leadership project “This year it took about eight-and-a-half-ish hours to put it all up and how I started this year was kind of laying them out where they are and figuring out the wiring after and the lights last," said Hill tough work and their dedication it made me feel really good that they wanted to do it and that it’s something that not just me wants to do.” The driving force behind the whole display was an unfortunate loss “It was kind of a really big shock because it happened in the summer so it was a bigger shock especially because she was so young," said Hill Hill's display, which he calls 'Lights for Lily', has been collecting donations for it “Her (Lily's) mom came to help last year and this year she loves the idea cause it’s something that like keeps her going it still gives her a purpose now," said Hill “Just seeing it up and seeing all the happy people especially Mrs “I wanted to to keep the happiness going honestly just for Lilly for me for everything the whole town RI — A Lincoln man was arrested in South Kingstown after police said he was caught riding his motorcycle at a speed of 101 mph was arrested Thursday and was charged with reckless driving a South Kingstown officer on patrol saw Monteiro riding his motorcycle south on Route 1 at a high rate of speed the officer recorded Monteiro traveling at 101 mph abandoned his motorcycle at the Oliver Stedman Government Center With the help of a Rhode Island Capitol officer and several eyewitnesses officers positively identified Monteiro and arrested him in the parking lot Monteiro has a prior conviction for reckless driving He was arraigned in Washington County District Court and held on a $5,000 surety bond "I want to thank our officers for their great work today and share our appreciation to the members of the public who helped to identify Mr Pereira Monteiro," Police Chief Matthew Moynihan said "We always ask the public to 'see something and say something,' and we are grateful that today they helped to get a dangerous driver off the road." but they lost a lot of their possessions due to smoke and water damage told NBC 10 that while the fire was still burning people were calling the Elks Lodge to ask about how they could support Annie the South Kingstown Elks Lodge will hold a fundraiser on Saturday and they expect to sell 300 tickets to the event If anyone would want to donate any goods or drop off cash or checks to support Annie they could stop by the Elks Lodge on 60 Belmont Avenue in Wakefield SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Ruby Sigman Gunning was 10 years old the first time she stepped on the stage of Pump House Music Works a nonprofit music venue also known as “The Pump House,” and strummed her ukulele before a crowd she remembers the cold dread that washes over anyone performing for the first time but she always ended up coming back and performing “The Pump House was the first place that I could actually share my music," she added because it gave me a taste for live performing.” But Sigman Gunning’s days of performing at The Pump House could be numbered. The venue faces financial hardship after a change to its liquor liability license caused it to incur unexpected expenses that depleted its savings. It is also saddled with debt from COVID-19-era loans Daniel Collins, president of Pump House Music Works, set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise $30,000 to keep the lights – and sound speakers – on people have donated more than $14,000 and counting we depend on generous donations to help us cover our operating costs,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page “Running a small live music venue is incredibly challenging but the rewards of bringing people together through music make it all worthwhile.” A woodworker, Collins said The Pump House began as a guitar-building workshop known as Shady Lea Guitars Students wanted to showcase their handmade instruments and their musical talents so Collins started putting on open mic events Soon, he found himself looking for a bigger venue where live performances could be held. In 2016, Collins opened Pump House Music Works at The Pump House, a stone building dating back to 1888 that once served as a pumping station for the area and later became a restaurant you are as likely to hear folk music as jazz reggae and old-time Appalachian-style tunes While it no longer offers classes on guitar-making the nonprofit has ukulele workshops on Mondays and open mic nights on Wednesdays where local artists can perform for free (though donations are suggested) The venue fits 125 people and is a family-friendly space where teenagers to artists in their 70s perform The Pump House’s monthly expenses are about $15,000 Most of the revenue comes from liquor sales and partly from event tickets The nonprofit holds fundraisers twice a year It raised about $15,000 at its last fundraiser Collins said there are other music venues in South County where musicians can perform but The Pump House holds a unique spot in the local artist community “It really is sort of an incubator for the arts and people come here to make connections,” Collins said Matt Fraza said he has the serendipitous coincidence to live a stone’s throw away from The Pump House he played at the venue’s opening night and has since taken charge of the open mic nights plays an essential role in South County’s indie music scene While other venues tend to hire tribute bands The Pump House offers a space where local musicians can play original music Its closure would be a devastating blow not only for artists in South County but also for the community as a whole “We'd all lose a place where we'd go every week “We need more flesh and blood interaction and people sharing ideas and sharing each other's company and hearing brand new things that they haven't heard before and that's become rarer and rarer in this world who have spent years performing at The Pump House the venue has played an instrumental role in their musical journey “It was just such a kind of magical environment to be in as a child and I'm playing this music.’ It was just really nice I feel like it definitely was helpful with my development as a musician,” Sigman Gunning said The Pump House has survived difficult times before A fire in 2023 caused damage and pushed the venue to the brink of closing Collins and local musicians hope the community will rise to the occasion and help them keep pumping the music 2025 at 12:36 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Anyone with information on Wein’s whereabouts is asked to call the South Kingstown Police Department at 401-284-1702 or email police@southkingstownri.gov RI — South Kingstown police are working with police in Massachusetts to find a missing man was reported missing to police in Mansfield his vehicle was found illegally parked on Ocean Road in South Kingstown and was towed South Kingstown police have asked residents on Ocean Road who may have surveillance or doorbell video footage to share with the department. Anyone with information on Wein’s whereabouts is asked to call the South Kingstown Police Department at 401-284-1702 or email police@southkingstownri.gov (WJAR) — A South Kingstown business was damaged after a fire Friday afternoon The fire happened at Pitcher's Garage on Post Road shortly after 1 p.m Police said one worker was inside when the business caught on fire SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The South Kingstown boys basketball team nearly played another perfect game The Rebels have been virtually flawless all year and Tuesday wasn’t any different South Kingstown’s only mistake was letting a scrappy Pilgrim team back into late contention the Rebels found an answer in winning time He tracked down a loose ball on Pilgrim’s final chance to tie and flicked possession to Griffin Sward from midcourt made both free throws after the Patriots were forced to foul and the senior sent the Rebels home with a 72-67 final More: Which are the state's best high school sports programs? Here are our picks It was the fourth win for the Rebels that was decided by seven points or less this season “We’ve just been doing everything we can to win close games,” SK’s Jonah Monnes said “I think that's been a theme across the whole season and it wasn't our best put-away game here today We didn't make our couple of open 3s at the end but we still grinded and got the steal at the end.” South Kingstown hit a blip in league play just a few weeks ago Consecutive losses to Cranston West and Rogers tumbled the Rebels in the RPI standings currently the third-ranked Division II program was a five-point defeat at Moses Brown in Providence “We were a little too relaxed,” Wilson said of the back-to-back losses “We had a couple of mistakes during the games but we’re just working on it in practice and figuring stuff out More: Journal Hoops Wrap: Scores and recaps from all of Tuesday's basketball games - plus more The Rebels handed North Providence its only loss — a 61-36 rout— just after the New Year The Cougars are the league’s proverbial favorites to be back-to-back D-III champs They are flush with talent and have the accompanying experience to finish the year with another title “I think our defensive effort that game was outstanding and I think we look at that game as a sample of how we want to play defense the rest of the way.” Wilson had 26 points — his career high is 34 — in the win vs North Providence and Sward finished with 11 can fill it up quickly as he canned five 3s against Pilgrim His transition layup and ensuing fast-break helper to William Rosenblum built a 62-53 cushion with five minutes left in regulation “I think I was getting my shot off a lot tonight,” Wilson said “I sent some 3s and that just got a rhythm for me I was able to get to my pull-ups and then just got to the basket.” “He's probably a lot of our team on the offensive side,” Jordan Chaloux said of Wilson It’s no surprise that SK basketball has the clutch gene capped off an undefeated season in league play last fall He finished with a dozen points against Pilgrim and the team can turn to him when it needs to Jayden Ames carved out space inside for a bucket and Dylan Vale (20 points) canned a trey from the right wing to make it 64-60 and added a 3-point play the hard way with three minutes left Pilgrim got it to a deficit of 66-65 after Jack Cirelli’s make but couldn’t overcome South Kingstown’s defense but we've always been able to pull them out jrousseau@providencejournal.com On X: @ByJacobRousseau (WJAR) — Guy Stanton says restoring the Brown Chapel Cemetery is a personal cause for him because of its heritage Many of those buried there are of Native American and African American descent Stanton told NBC 10 News he visits the site most weekends and has begun cleaning it up He's currently gathering volunteers to join him with the goal of beginning a major effort next week which he hopes will have the graveyard ship-shape by spring (WJAR) — A pedestrian was struck and seriously injured in South Kingstown on Wednesday morning The South Kingstown Police Department responded to the pedestrian collision in the area 116 Main St Police temporarily closed the road between Columbia and Oak The pedestrian was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries Police said they believe weather played a factor in the crash 2025 at 1:03 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}South Kingstown residents can bring unwanted medications to the town's police station at 1790 Kingstown Road Drug Enforcement Administration will once again sponsor National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 26 encouraging South Kingstown residents to safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications Collections will be held at more than 500 sites around the region from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For most Rhode Island communities, the closest site will be the local police department. Visit the DEA's website or call 800-882-9539 to find the closest site South Kingstown residents can bring unwanted medications to the town's police station at 1790 Kingstown Road police departments will have a drop box in the lobby of the station patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs syringes and other sharps and liquids will not be accepted The South Kingstown football team topped West Warwick 29-0 Sunday afternoon to win the Division II championship It marks the Rebels first football title since 2008 CRANSTON — Everyone in Cranston Stadium knew what was coming This Rebels team had that strategy every game this year and it worked — a lot Even when the opposition knew the ball was staying on the ground A win over Division I’s Portsmouth in Week 1 was an obvious sign that South Kingstown was ready to make noise this fall A close victory on the road in Week 3 against the Wizards solidified South Kingstown’s seat at the head of the D-II table After a six-point loss to D-I’s Cranston West the following week the Rebels were in feasting mode until playoffs More: Rhode Island high school football 2024 Super Bowl schedules, scores and stats The postseason didn’t alter anything; there was no overthinking how SK was going to win Behind the ground game and a controlling defensive effort top-seeded South Kingstown (8-1) rolled to a 29-0 win over West Warwick in Sunday’s D-II Ortho Rhode Island RIIL Football State Championship “We knew from the jump this was a special team,” Peno said “We knew we had a big group of guys that are talented And we proved it in-and-out of the season.” It’s the first championship for SK since 2008 and ninth overall (four Division II titles Peno earned the game’s MVP award but it could have gone to Chaloux or the entire offensive line It didn't matter in this unselfish offense South Kingstown racked up 52 carries for 219 yards and that doesn’t happen with just one player “We've been together for four years; we’re a big “We all just love one another and grinded every day.” SK’s first possession started on the Wizard 35 after Peno blocked a West Warwick punt The Rebels went nine plays from there before Chaloux scored from a yard out with 4:48 to play in the quarter South Kingstown played with a short field all afternoon and had just one possession start in its own territory 3 West Warwick (7-4) to 40 yards of total offense and when Wizards’ star James Branch was on the field “We knew that they were going to try to get Branch the ball,” SK’s Brayden Rosen said and we were able to — that’s all we talked about at practice — contain him Rosen found Rory Murray for a 12-yard touchdown pass off a play-action look with 7:09 left in the first half and Peno added the 2-point conversion for a 15-0 lead SK recovered the ensuing onside kick and Peno went 25 yards on fourth down for a 22-0 advantage “We were expecting a great game and for it to be very close,” Peno said “But we know that our players have the talent and the courage to keep on going And we opened in the first half and went from there.” East Providence’s 19 points in the semifinals were the most SK surrendered to an opponent this season Holding Branch to 28 yards on 14 carries was the best performance the Rebels’ defense had in a season full of domination “We had been working on it all week with our preparation for this game And not letting him get to where he wanted to go.” Tyler Denecour capped the day with a 25-yard touchdown rush with 5:19 left in regulation Peno finished with 19 carries for 88 yards and Chaloux added 23 attempts for 68 yards “I've wanted this since I was a little boy,” Peno said I'm so emotional right now and I just can't fathom how important this is to me.” West Warwick 0SK: Jordan Chaloux (23 carries for 68 yards West Warwick: James Branch (14 carries for 28 yards) SK - Jordan Chaloux 1 run (Kai Sorlien kick) SK - Rory Murray 12 pass from Brayden Rosen (Dante Peno 2-point) SK – Tyler Denecour 25 rush (Sorlien kick) RUSHING: South Kingstown – Jordan Chaloux 23-68 TD; Tyler Denecour 5-27; Brayden Rosen 1-3; Declan Friedt 1-3; Jack Sullivan 1-3 West Warwick - James Branch 14-28; Isaac Casarez 1-3; Karl Swanson 3–(-7); DaVont Beaulieu 2-5; Nathan Corona 1-3 PASSING: South Kingstown - Brayden Rosen 1-1-12 RECEIVING: South Kingstown - Rory Murray 1-12 TD 2024 — University of Rhode Island students from the Colleges of Pharmacy Nursing and Health Sciences imparted some health wisdom on younger students during an interactive health and wellness fair at South Kingstown High School Dec About 70 URI students helped educate high school students during an interprofessional presentation involving the departments of nutrition The students prepared interactive activities and games that tackled such topics as substance misuse The URI students conducted hearing tests to determine participants’ ear age and led a game of “injury prevention Jenga,” in which players performed the stretching exercise or physical activity listed on the piece they pulled from the tower They imparted nutritional information about caffeine intake and sports supplements The students organized games to play with their high school counterparts including a trivia game on dangerous sun exposure and cornhole while wearing glasses to simulate the effects of cannabis on coordination all with the goal of interacting with the high school students while helping them lead healthier lives The students from the three colleges worked together in the weeks leading up to the health fair to prepare their presentations often working with students from other health disciplines interdisciplinary program that helped educate the high school students “This is an interprofessional event to give students in many health disciplines the chance to work in an adolescent environment and help teach high school students about health,” said pharmacy Professor Kelly Matson Copyright © 2025 University of Rhode Island | University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA | 1.401.874.1000 URI is an equal opportunity employer committed to the principles of affirmative action. South Kingstown police: be on the lookout for suspicious mail theft behavior by NBC 10 NEWS (WJAR) — The South Kingstown Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding numerous mail theft. The department is asking residents to search their home security footage and find any suspicious behavior. Police say recent mail theft has been linked to fraudulent credit card charges. Any footage could be uploaded to police@southkingstownri.gov. Pedestrian struck in South Kingstown recovers as police continue investigation by NBC 10 NEWS (WJAR) — The pedestrian who was recently seriously injured following a collision in South Kingstown on Wednesday continues to recover at Rhode Island Hospital according to the South Kingstown Police Department Police say they will not release the name of the person who was hit for privacy reasons Police said they continue to investigate the crash no charges have been filed against the driver SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Chris Ciarniello stained his white jersey a cardinal red Brayden Rosen extended the final drive until there was nothing left for South Kingstown Ciarniello exited the first half with a deep cut on his right hand that would’ve destined most for a hospital trip before Thanksgiving dinner is served And Rosen nearly turned Wednesday night into a classic at the University of Rhode Island’s Meade Stadium Ciarniello delayed his trip to South County Hospital with a Frankenstein wrap His clubbed hand also turned red by game’s end While Rosen was forced into the shotgun and made plays he wasn’t asked to do all season until his seniors were on their last possession Playing for your teammates in their last game that’s as much a Thanksgiving Day football tradition as the match itself “It's just important to send off the seniors send them off the right way with the win and that's what we did today,” Ciarniello said Ethan Machado dashed South Kingstown’s hopes with an interception near the Skippers’ sideline and North Kingstown’s eighth straight win in the annual rivalry game “We really would’ve like to come out with a win today but we can't forget about how good of a season we had,” Rosen said but it does leave a little sour taste in your mouth.” The rivalry game was played seven times between 1946-1954 It was reignited in 2000 and NK holds a 14-10 record since the turn of the millennium “It's just the environment of playing on Thanksgiving,” NK senior we always do it and we're so used to playing Today was a little weird [with the game being moved to Wednesday] I've never felt anything like [playing at Meade].” South Kingstown forced a three-and-out with 1:10 left in regulation and needed 79 yards to win forced out of SK’s run game that led the Rebels to the top seed in their league and a 29-0 win over West Warwick in the D-II championship Rolling to his right and facing pressure on fourth-and-10 Rosen delivered a heave to Tyler Denecour for 16 yards to the 50 He raced to the line to spike with 40 seconds left and then got SK to the Skipper 41 with a completion to Declan Friedt jumped Rosen’s pass to hold off the Rebels “It means so much to us to play on Thanksgiving,” Iacuele said “To start off the season slow and finish at 7-3 and beating a Division II championship team.” Ciarniello played with one hand and Rosen would’ve suited up the next day if he had to North and South Kingstown play football on Thanksgiving Day and it needs no explanation but I think everyone was excited for the game,” Rosen said “We knew it was going to be a battle this year I think it adds a little bit to the excitement.” “I was doing everything I could to get back in there,” Ciarniello said with all the fans here and all the alumni on the sideline.” NK: Anthony Parry 73 pass from Jack Diano (kick no good) SK: Tyler Denecour 12 pass from Brayden Rosen (Kai Sorlien kick) NK: Nickolas Stafford 2 rush (Liam Kennett kick) SK: Denecour 40 pass from Rosen (Dante Peno 2-point conversion) NK: Gian Iacuele 39 pass from Diano (2-point no good)