(WJAR) — A car accident that involved an electrical pole resulted in a temporary power outage in West Warwick An NBC 10 photographer reported seeing a car flipped over on Coit Avenue in West Warwick with crews actively investigating the crash nearly 200 people are in the area of the outage It is unknown if there were any injuries in this accident More information has come in and an updated story by NBC 10's Erin Coogan has been published SCITUATE – Getting ready to face Anthony Burt and actually facing Anthony Burt are two different things Scituate’s Paul Zolkos found that out in the first inning and after missing late with a swing he walked back to the dugout and offered a quick observation to his teammates on what he saw There aren’t many pitchers in Rhode Island who can bring the heat like Burt – and there are fewer who’ve made the meteoric leap the junior has 3 but after a year of working on his craft Burt has become a bona fide ace and has already committed to play at St “It’s been wild,” said Burt after the Wizards' 11-1 win over Scituate “Just putting in the work and putting myself out there Fun is not the word you’d use to describe facing Burt as the Spartans found out on the afternoon of April 24 Burt arrived at Manning Field 45 minutes before the game’s scheduled 4:30 p.m start to begin the pre-game stretch routine he does before every outing Burt relied on the notes app on his phone to remember what exercise came next West Warwick put up seven runs in the top half of the first inning Burt struck out three of the first four batters he faced hitting Scituate’s Travis Howman with a pitch someone from the Scituate dugout screamed “wear it like a shirt.” Easier said than done someone from the West Warwick program had a pocket radar gun that measured Burt’s fastball He got stronger as the game went on and topped out at 91 popping catch Nick Andruchow’s glove with a sound that hasn’t been heard at Manning Field since Scituate’s Haley Venturini was throwing at the softball field right behind the baseball diamond “It’s been a big adjustment from last year,” Andruchow said but this is the first time I’ve caught 90-plus It just feels great having him strike every …  a lot of guys out.” but that’s not the only thing that gets noticed by college coaches at the Division I level but he’s working to be a pitcher and not just a thrower Burt doesn’t need to be told where he needs work He had minor command issues on Thursday – as Howman can attest to – and while he located his fastball when he wanted Burt is trying to improve on throwing off-speed pitches for strikes with more consistency giving up just two earned runs and eight hits while striking out 35 with one walk getting balls over the plate and making sure my off-speed is dialed in.” No one’s had a better view of the improvement than Andruchow who’s caught every game and bullpen sessions Burt throws The senior worked out with a pitching machine to prepare for the velocity Burt brings but has grown accustomed to the pop and doesn’t think much about it anymore “I kind of black out when I play,” Andruchow said So far what’s going on this season for West Warwick is good The Wizards lost to Rogers in last spring’s Division III championship series and realignment bumped the program to Division II West Warwick front-loaded its schedule with a smattering of Division III opponents trying to build confidence for its young roster The Wizards have done that – but they’ve also beat some pretty good teams along the way Burt pitched West Warwick to a 2-1 win over Division I Coventry on April 10 which played in D-I last spring before dropping to D-II West Warwick pulled out a dramatic win over East Greenwich which has played in the last two Division II Championship series West Warwick has plenty of confidence as midseason draws near “We can get a championship out of this division,” Andruchow said I just think we’re a hard team and we grind seven innings “It’s seven innings of hard-nosed baseball and we just like to fight.” And when you have the biggest gun in the division Burt knows there’s a lot riding on his right arm every time he steps on the field But after all the work he’s put in and individual attention he’s received he’s excited to go out and perform for his team “I just treat every game the same way,” Burt said “I don’t really put pressure on myself because I know my guys are here we pick each other up and stay motivated.” Just don’t expect the Wizards to be down much with Burt on the mound WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — Concerned parents gathered at West Warwick High School for Wednesday’s school committee meeting, sharing their opinions how the school department handled threatening social media posts in March “What has happened over the last week is absolutely disgusting,” parent Katie St the West Warwick Police Department said in collaboration with the West Warwick High School that the social media rumors of a threat of violence to the high school were not credible the mother of a 17-year-old at the high school She also felt that there could have been more transparency with the information given to parents I want our kids protected,” Timpson said “I do think a lot of this could have been prevented with a lot more truth and a lot more intel to the parents.” school superintendent Karen Tarasevich addressed the situation and said she wanted to ensure parents that “our first and foremost priority is and always will be the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff.” Tarasevich said all the “concerning statements” were thoroughly investigated by West Warwick police and that the school is offering resources for the student during this time student assemblies to provide information and support and meetings with the principal for students “seeking to connect.” School committee member Luis Colon said the student involved with the social media posts was not in school Wednesday or the day before The committee also confirmed the student will not be coming back to the school “With the permission of the family of the student involved we can share that the student in question in this circumstance will not be returning to school or participating in any school activities,” Tarasevich said parents were given the chance to share how they feel regarding the threatening incident said the school “gaslit” parents you sent us an email telling us it was a rumor when we had screenshots So when do we start holding you accountable for our children’s safety?” The school committee will hold an informational session when students come back from vacation which is another opportunity to share thoughts on the situation West Warwick High School will have an increased police presence Timpson believes this should continue for the children’s safety but what happens when they’re going on vacation is everyone just going to forget about it at that point?” by JOHN PERIK police and administrators said the threats were not credible Superintendent Karen Tarasevich addressed the issue during a regularly scheduled school committee meeting Wednesday night Tarasevich read a statement during the meeting where she said: “In navigating these sensitive situations we are committed to upholding student privacy in accordance with federal law with the permission of the family involved we can share that the student in question will not be returning to school or participating in any school activities.” This comes after a noticeable police presence at the school on Tuesday Students told NBC 10 that hundreds of students did not attend school this week police officers surrounded the school inside and outside of the library The posts have caused increased concern and anxiety for parents and students multiple parents expressed their opinions on the situation we’re fed up with the West Warwick school system,” said parent Kayla Jaycox “They tried to make parents feel better by telling us that he’s not going to be here anymore but that’s not going to stop him from coming back.” The school committee announced plans to hold an information session later this spring to discuss school safety with parents Students are off next week for April break SOUTH KINGSTOWN — West Warwick’s cheerleading banner hung in plain view The Wizards were draped directly behind the judges and centered perfectly on the Ryan Center floor There was no doubt who owned the RIIL State Cheerleading Competition It was the Wizards' show again this winter West Warwick won the state’s crown with a 93.0 score also took that title for the seventh consecutive season by topping St Sunday’s double-dip championship are the Wizards 15th and 16th overall titles which broke a tie with La Salle for the most in the state I was just so proud of my team,” West Warwick’s Mya Silvestre said “The feeling is unreal,” Kyanna Molavi said “Every single time we hear our name called for state champions and our family — we put the work in year after year.” The front-row seating behind the judges was dominated by a sea of orange and black Those fans matched West Warwick’s energy and that’s an almost impossible challenge “It feels incredible,” West Warwick’s Hannah Brennan said we've really had a lot of ups and downs and we have put in the work to get to where we are today “I just saw my parents in the front row and I knew that I could push through," Silvestre said Achievement First finished runner-up for the overall state crown It’s quite the end to the season for the Division IV program The Falcons won their divisional crown with an 86.5 finish — it’s the first cheerleading championship for the Providence school it's been a struggle,” Achievement’s Kaylee Cabrera said for the Division I title for the Rams’ 15th overall championship Barrington’s 72.6 routine topped North Providence by less than a point for the Division II title And Ponaganset snagged the Division III crown with a 78.9 routine “Everybody has each other’s back,” Cabrera said The afternoon was capped by a performance from Special Olympics Rhode Island The Ryan Center wasn’t louder than in those final minutes of the day Each of the 26 teams competing Sunday watched and cheered along I loved hearing the crowd cheer for them,” Cabrera said “They were the true winners,” Silvestre said One of their coaches is our tumbling coach (WLNE) — The West Warwick Fire Department said it battled a house fire on East Greenwich Avenue Monday night the flames started in a dryer in the rear bedroom-bathroom area Firefighters were able to put out the flames quickly (WJAR) — Online threats re-circulating around West Warwick High School are stirring up fear among families and students several of whom decided to stay home from school this week Police and administrators say the threats aren't credible But NBC 10 spoke exclusively with two high school seniors who want their voices to be heard Police officers were noticeably present at West Warwick High School on Wednesday as promised by the police department following the online threats two West Warwick High School students who NBC 10 chose not to identify said other students were noticeably absent Some of our classes are still pretty empty," said one student Their school community is feeling concern and anxiety this week stemming from threatening social media posts the superintendent in a letter says were made by a high school student “Almost 700 kids did not come to school yesterday because of this to the point where they had to excuse the absences because of how many there were and they are not taking any of those kids seriously," said another student Superintendent Karen Tarasevich said in her letter Tuesday night student absences for today will be excused we believe it is an appropriate response in light of the situation.” These students chose not to go to school on Tuesday “For the sake of my safety just not to take chances and I think most of the seniors felt that way," said the first student They said they know the student who allegedly made the threats They said they were once good friends with him and they really aren’t listening to what we are saying and nobody is really taking that credibility that we have seriously so that’s what’s really frightening is that no one really hears us," said one student The West Warwick Police Department said it has investigated these threats since March and it remains confident that there is no viable or credible threat to the school community Officers will stay on school grounds until the end of the week and the district has not confirmed if the student who made the threats is still allowed to attend school (WJAR) — A warning tonight from a local arborist after tragedy strikes in West Warwick Neighbors say a man trying to help a friend was killed by a falling tree while trying to cut it down Friday night after officers received calls of the man pinned under the tree “Even being a certified arborist there really are no guarantees,” said Dustin Wagoner He says this type of accident is one he fears himself “You know we tell customers all the time there isn't a more dangerous job to do on your property than cutting down a tree," Wagner continued Clyde Street neighbors tell NBC10 the victim was neither the homeowner nor a contracted arborist but rather a friend doing a favor “It's an extremely dangerous game,” Wagoner concluded “And I have no problem saying a certified arborist should be on every job site.” West Warwick fire crews say they used high pressure pneumatic bags to lift the tree enough off the ground to remove the trapped man An NBC 10 News crew observed a large scene in a backyard of a home on Clyde Street A man died after a large tree fell on him in West Warwick Friday afternoon authorities responded to a call at a home on Clyde Street for reports of a man trapped under a tree West Warwick's Deputy Assistant Fire Chief told NBC 10 the man was trying to cut the tree when it fell down on top of him First responders freed the man's body His body was taken to the Medical Examiner's office Authorities have not revealed the identity of the man (WJAR) — First responders are giving more insight about a weekend carbon monoxide scare at a multifamily home in West Warwick A family was rushed to Kent Hospital Saturday morning and their building was condemned where first responders found the source of the problem it hadn't been inspected," said Medeiros they decided that the unit should be put out of service They capped the gas in the apartment and they checked the rest of the building." Medeiros confirmed that the situation started as an emergency call for a man with back pain at the East Greenwich Avenue home "The rescue while they were evaluating him noticed he had some high CO levels in his blood and relayed that to the lieutenant on scene," said Medeiros "They proceeded to go with a meter and check out that apartment and find high readings." was rushed to Kent Hospital for high levels of carbon monoxide Medeiros said carbon monoxide is a silent killer not well flu-like symptoms," said Medeiros NBC 10 News asked Medeiros how often the West Warwick Fire Department answer calls like this all we have to do is set up a fan and push out the carbon monoxide until we get zero and most people are good," said Medeiros Medeiros said there were no readings of carbon monoxide on the first floor and that levels on the third floor were below alarm levels The blue building owned by Rex Real Estate Tenants are not allowed back inside the building until certain issues are addressed Medeiros said they do not believe any carbon monoxide detectors in the building went off Medeiros reminds everyone to check detectors on a monthly basis "It's very important to have those detectors in place because they really do save lives if that gentleman didn't have back pain we could be having a different conversation right now," said Medeiros NBC 10 News has been trying to get in touch with Rex Real Estate since Monday They have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help as they try to figure out where they will go next. West Warwick police announced they will be increasing their presence at the high school for the remainder of the week. Officials said the decision was made after becoming aware of rumors of a threat online. Police have not released any other details about their investigation into the online threat. It's not clear if it was made by a student or someone outside of the district. We are also waiting to hear back from district leaders. The department said it has been investigating the threat since it was first reported in March. Officials said there is no viable or credible threat. President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHWest Warwick family secures housing after carbon monoxide exposure The blue three-story building on East Greenwich Avenue was condemned two weeks ago the same day the family was rushed to the hospital (WJAR) — A West Warwick family exposed to carbon monoxide plans to sue the landlord NBC 10 first spoke with Alexandra Dowding and her family in a motel on Feb.17, a few days after they were exposed to carbon monoxide. They were rushed to Kent Hospital on Saturday morning Dowding and her sister were allowed to grab a few belongings from their second-floor apartment all the things a baby needs to survive," she said Dowding said Rex Investments LLC./ Rex Real Estate managed the property giving little-to-no information about the status of the now-condemned building The family said they’re frustrated with the lack of communication from the landlord-- and want answers Dowding believes the leak came from an "old" heating system in the living room They are still trying to get all of their belongings and answers from the property manager "We're trying to get a U-Haul so we can empty out the whole apartment," said Dowding "But have to ask again permission to come back on a different date when we can do so." NBC 10 went over to West Warwick Town Hall to find that Rex Investments LLC was taken to court last month for failure to comply with inspection notices There is now a lien against this property and the owner was issued fines including one for $12,600 Dowding said they are grateful to now have another place to stay we've been paying out of pocket for the hotel that Red Cross had put us in and we're working with Crossroads Rhode Island for funding for a new apartment that we have recently just obtained," said Dowding so we will be moving I think the 15th into our new home." Dowding said they are taking legal action against the property management NBC 10 have tried to contact Rex Investments and still have not heard back (WJAR) — The West Warwick School Committee will hold a meeting on Wednesday This comes after a noticeable police presence at the high school on Tuesday Police have been investigating social media posts about threats of violence at the school NBC 10 got "screen shots" from several parents We're told the posts were made last month and started spreading again recently Police maintain there is no evidence of a legitimate threat against the school According to police, witnesses reported that two vehicles were drag racing on Coit Avenue when one of the vehicles crashed into a utility pole. This caused a power outage. Rhode Island Energy said on Saturday that power to 261 customers went out for several hours as a result of the crash. West Warwick police said the driver of the rolled over vehicle fled the scene on foot. The other vehicle and operator also fled the scene, officials said. Authorities said no one has been taken into custody or charged with a crime as of Monday morning, and that they are continuing to investigate the identity of those involved. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — A car crashed into a house in West Warwick on Wednesday. A fire official said two cars crashed in an intersection and that one veered into the porch of a home on Wakefield Street. Three people in the cars were hurt, but only one went to the hospital. The officials described the injuries as minor. A building official was called to the scene to check the porch, but the house itself was believed to be OK. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. 1 dead after fire in West Warwick residential complexby NBC 10 NEWS Fire officials said a woman has died after a fire broke out at a residence in West Warwick on Monday. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — Fire officials said a woman has died after a fire broke out at a residence in West Warwick on Monday. The fire was reported on Scenic Drive in the Green Ridge community, which has apartments and condos. A woman was taken to Kent Hospital where she was pronounced dead, fire crews said. According to officials, the cause of the woman's death is under investigation. There was no visible fire damage to the outside of the unit, but a window screen appeared to be torn. A fire engine's ladder extended to the roof. Fire officials said a dog died and that some cats were rescued from a neighboring unit. The fire damage was contained to a single unit, but apartments on either side had smoke damage. Neighbors who live in the building where the fire happened tell NBC 10, they are shocked. “It was just horrible, horrible,” said Peggy Bianco, who is a neighbor. “I didn’t know if our house was going to blow up.” Peggy and Mike Bianco live in the corner apartment in the 900 building of the Green Ridge Community. “The holidays are coming and to be displaced like that, to go through that kind of loss around the holiday’s, is hard,” said Mike. Multiple other neighbors tell NBC 10 they have been displaced from the fire. Rhode Island Energy was on-scene Monday night trying to restore power. The only units that had powered as of Monday night were the end corner units. “It’s really surreal to see that there’s lights on in our unit,” said Mike. NBC 10's John Perik contributed to this report. WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — A West Warwick teacher who's the head of a teachers’ union is accused of assaulting a student during an altercation. Sean Doyle faces a simple assault charge in Kent County District Court. Court documents say an altercation between Doyle and an 11-year-old Deering Middle School student was caught on camera. Witnesses said the student left a different classroom after becoming upset and was standing with Doyle in the hallway. Police allege that as the victim tried to walk away, Doyle wrapped his arms around the student before taking him to the floor. The altercation lasted several moments, as the two got up, leading to a hurt ankle. Documents go on to say that Deering's principal reviewed the footage saying, "physical intervention was not necessary." In a statement, the district said to NBC 10 News that it "conducted an independent investigation into this matter, and it was fully addressed by both the district and the school committee back in May 2024.” The superintendent didn't respond to questions about if any disciplinary had been taken against Doyle. He is listed on the high school's website as the industrial technology chair. Residents who have been part of the town's school system are reacting to the incident. His trial date was set for April 30, according to electronic court records. READ MOREFamily says they almost died after carbon monoxide scare in West Warwickby TEMI-TOPE ADELEYE (WJAR) — A family said they almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning in their West Warwick home Saturday morning 7-month-old daughter and two dogs almost died Saturday morning inside their West Warwick home on East Greenwich Avenue "We were exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning and it wasn't working," said Dowding it was caught because my fiancée was having some back pain that morning.. and we don't have our own transportation...so we decided alright we'll call the rescue and they did some tests and I'm glad they did." Dowding said first responders rushed the family to Kent Hospital in individual rescue vehicles "We all ended up in the same room but all I could hear was both of them crying and I couldn't get to them I couldn't do anything," said Dowding Dowding and her family were homeless before she moved into the blue West Warwick apartment which is reportedly managed by the Rex Real Estate team The family is staying in a motel at the moment while trying to figure out where they will go next paying for a hotel out of pocket now because he's not giving us answers on if he's going to help or not," said Dowding "We're looking for legal assistance because we don't know which road to take and didn't expect to be in this position." Dowding said it's a stressful situation especially for a woman who is a little more than four months pregnant "The only thing now is to wait it out until baby girl is born and to find out if she has any brain damage at that point," said a tear-eyed Dowding "We're trying to stay positive." A Rex Real Estate team member was on-site Monday afternoon by the name "Rex," would get back with us Dowding said the Red Cross stepped in to help them on Monday but they still do not know the source of the carbon monoxide issue or when they can get back inside (WJAR) — West Warwick will begin enforcement of a ban on homeless encampments beginning next week West Warwick Fire Chief and EMA Director Jeffrey Varone said the enforcement date begins next Monday but they will not conduct clean sweeps of the sites that day We don't believe it's going to be next Monday or Tuesday but we are going to be at some point in the future," said Varone "So I think the best thing to do is to try to get them the support that they need to find somewhere.” Varone leads the town's specialized response team created months ago to assist with the homeless encampment matter “We've been going around every other week with our community partners trying to provide what we can to the encampments Varone said there are an estimated 11 encampments and almost 40 people living in them as of last Thursday He met with a few response team members Tuesday afternoon to form a solid and detailed plan for addressing the enforcement as they plan to revisit sites this Thursday Town manager Mark Knott said there is not an official shelter in West Warwick only a few veterans' homes for transitional housing " We'd hope most [unhoused people] would qualify for and accept any housing that arise in West Warwick or nearby however those that need an established shelter with services it does not exist in West Warwick at this time." Unhoused people at current encampments will likely have to leave town for a warm place to stay a man living in one of the town encampments We have situations that we can't control," said Reynolds saying that there are barely any beds available that make them feel like "prison." We just can't afford $1600—$2000 for one two bedroom," said Reynolds "We can't afford the electricity The food and everything else where they're raising the prices and raising the prices Tripp McCreery with THRIVE Behavioral Health's Homeless Outreach Team is disappointed with West Warwick's decision to ban encampments from town property They're people and they identify this particular region as home," said McCreery He is also a community partner with West Warwick's specialized response team NBC 10 asked id there are any available beds in West Warwick for people forced to leave the encampments We are exploring options in the general West Bay area and honestly speaking we need to explore realistic options beyond them," said McCreery "This is a statewide issue but right now in terms of my role we need to focus on this centralized population between West Warwick Knott said they received some funding from the Department of Housing last year for emergency shelters in the event of adverse weather conditions "I think it's been successful; however It's just a temporary emergency measure," said Knott I think provided us a little over $100,000 last year to stand up our shelter which we did for eight nights They have since re-applied again for that same funding still waiting to hear for the final numbers Varone said they are doing the best they can with the resources they have but they still have to follow the ordinance "Some of them may need a more resources and I would hope that everyone would have the compassion to want to see them taken care of," said Varone NBC 10 asked McCreery if he wants to see the state do more to support "There is an extreme shortage of shelter availability versus adequate resources that are respectfully available in terms of what these unique circumstances reflect," said McCreery "That being said...while the point-in-time count numbers returned on a regular annual basis we have not seen an increase in shelter beds." McCreery said he has not heard anything about the state having a winter plan for the unhoused population Knott said West Warwick faces challenges like having "no town-owned land" available for affordable housing infrastructure There is affordable housing coming to West Warwick "We do have several developers that are in a process of building affordable housing I believe the former Lippitt Mill...I know we provided a tax stabilization agreement for Marathon Corporation," said Knott "I believe they close on the property tomorrow and I think they are looking to have at least 55 affordable housing units up within a year and then they have a phase two project that's a few years down the road." Knott said they have about three to four other smaller developments that are either in process of or looking to be proposed over the next 30 to 60 days He said the town hopes to "partner with Thrive and other community partners to establish a Navigation Center to facilitate longer lasting you are asked to check in with the coordinated entry system which will help in securing a place to stay (WLNE) — The West Warwick Police Department said the social media rumors of a threat of violence to the high school are not credible multiple social media posts were uploaded in March “concerning rumors of a threat of violence at/to the West Warwick High School” to happen on April 8 the department said it conducted a complete investigation and “remain confident that there is no viable or credible threat to any of our West Warwick schools To help ease the minds of students and staff there will be an increased police presence in and around the schools for the rest of the week The department asks anyone who sees anything suspicious to report it to West Warwick police The department can be reached at 401-821-4323 (WLNE) — The West Warwick Police Department said that an officer jumped into the water of the Pawtuxet River to save a 12-year-old who had fallen through the ice Officers responded to the Crompton Fishing and Boat Launch around 4:30 p.m 26 to find a juvenile male who was “partially submerged” in the water and clinging to ice Multiple officers grabbed ropes and life rings to assist with the rescue while Officer Bond Sauer jumped into the water to grab the boy Officers were able to pull both Sauer and the boy to shore and both were transported to the hospital for evaluation and treatment of exposure The department added that no ice is safe at this time WEST WARWICK — Sitting in her hotel room with sister Lisa on their official visit to the University of Georgia Xenia Raye had made up her mind about where she was going to college sending texts to coaches at the University of Southern California asking about committing she knew it was time to finalize her decision it was gradual but it was a little stressful at times,” Xenia Raye said “I wanted to make this decision now because I knew this is the college I wanted to go to,” Lisa Raye said They were the best choice for me and the best option.” More: After a spectacular freshman season, Lisa Raye's plan for an encore is simple — run faster The Rayes were recruited by every major track program in the country and went on a whirlwind of recruiting visits getting the same treatment as a high-profile recruit in football or basketball would they agreed on one thing: they didn’t need to end up in the same school compete with and against one another and even both signed an NIL deal with ON Shoes together — making them the first Rhode Island high school athletes with a shoe deal — it didn’t mean they’d spend college together “We weren’t the biggest fans of going to the same school.” More: Here's how sisters Lisa and Xenia Raye are blazing a new path for West Warwick track As sprinters, it could be debated that the Rayes are the highest-profile college recruits in the history of the state, regardless of sport. Hendricken’s Xavier Truss — also from West Warwick — would certainly be high on the list and there have been a handful of other athletes who you could make a case for, but the Rayes would lead the discussion. It made for a busy start to the school year. The girls would leave on Thursday to travel to whichever school they were visiting that weekend, spend Friday and Saturday getting Hollywood treatment, then head back on Sunday so they could return to their lives as every-day students at West Warwick High School. On Nov. 26, Xenia Raye took to Instagram and posted her final six schools — the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, the University of Miami, Vanderbilt, Georgia and USC — with her choice to be announced in a signing ceremony set for Friday, Dec. 6. On Tuesday, Lisa posted a similar graphic with her final six schools — the same six as her sister, plus the University of Texas. Friday was all about Xenia Raye. The school packed the gym and put on a show and when Xenia Raye was called to come to the table set up at the front of the gym, she walked out with a smile on her face and some laughs. While both sisters have become superstars in the track world, neither has particularly sought the spotlight. “I pictured it before even getting here,” Xenia Raye said. "I’m going to be so outgoing and social but then everyone started getting here and I was like ‘oh, this is overwhelming.’ ” There was a speaking portion to the ceremony — which included Xenia giving away a pair of ON sneakers — before Xenia made her announcement, trying on hats until one fit. When Georgia was the pick, the crowd exploded. While Xenia didn’t think she’d end up a Bulldog, her visit changed everything. “When I got to Georgia, when I met coach Caryl [Smith Gilbert], it was like we knew each other forever,” Xenia Raye said. “I was immediately comfortable with her and fell in love.” After Xenia’s announcement, there was one more to be made. Lisa, who sat in the front row of her sister’s announcement wearing black leggings and a baggy baby blue hoodie, removed her sweatshirt and told the crowd she would be joining her sister after she graduates. “It definitely takes a lot of pressure off of me, especially since I can go into my senior year and not worry about what college I’m going to,” Lisa Raye said. “It’s all said and done. I can just focus on my races and performing my best.” While the dual announcement made it seem like the Rayes were, in fact, always going to the same school, both were adamant that wasn’t the case. Both wanted the same thing — to be comfortable with the decision that they made. “We both went to Georgia and fell in love with it,” Xenia Raye said. “And it would be foolish to ask the other to give it up.” With Xenia Raye signing her letter of intent — with a pen that had a pink poof on the end of it — her future is signed and sealed. The world of college recruiting is a funny place and in the NIL era, things can change in a hurry. Lisa Raye is the best sprinter in the country in her class and while she could be enticed by offers until she officially signs, it doesn’t sound like anyone could change her mind. “I’m done after this,” Lisa Raye said. “I’m settled.” The girls will continue to run for West Warwick High School, mixing in dual meets with national meets and their training. They want to help the Wizards defend their indoor state championship, then try to chase a third straight outdoor title. After Friday’s announcements, there’s one less thing on their plate to help them do just that. “I’m just a little tired but I’m really excited, too,” Lisa Raye said. “This venue [at West Warwick High School] has been great and fun and I was able to see my friends and family who came out to support us.” “I still have to go out there and battle in every race,” Xenia Raye said. “School-wise, I’m really happy.” Hazardous substance prompts evacuation of Hong Kong restaurant in West Warwickby KATIE BENOIT (WJAR) — A Chinese restaurant in West Warwick had to be evacuated on Wednesday night West Warwick firefighters responded the Hong Kong restaurant for a smoke alarm Some of them had to be taken to the hospital after they got sick but Cranston firefighters were also called in to help Firefighters said there was some type of fumigation going on inside the restaurant the Cranston fire hazmat team was called in Firefighters were dressed in suits and masks while they tested samples from inside Hong Kong using special machines Coventry fire was also called in case anything went wrong Cranston Battalion Chief Jeffrey Rinfrette said there were some language barriers during the response He told NBC 10 News that the foreign substance found was not harmful They are going to do sampling in the morning to truly evaluate it There are a lot of Chinese products that come in that we don't necessarily have in the United States They have a much better tool to analyze it and get more specific on the ingredients," Rinfrette said It's unclear if the restaurant will be open Thursday or if police will get involved with the investigation All firefighters were released from the hospital PROVIDENCE — Otis Crosby made a name for himself this season by knocking down 3-pointers and scoring points in bunches. In the biggest game of Moses Brown’s season Crosby chased around West Warwick’s Greg Benton for four quarters expending every ounce of energy on preventing the Wizards’ star from scoring But he still had enough in the tank to hit the game’s two biggest shots Crosby’s 3-pointer with 1:30 left to play was huge and his two free throws in the final seconds proved to be the game-winner as Moses Brown came through with a 48-46 victory over West Warwick to win the 2025 RIIL Division II boys basketball title “My team and I have been working hard all offseason and it paid off,” Crosby said referencing winning a title on the Friars’ home court “And just to be on the floor and win a championship and be there for my brothers Moses Brown jumped out to an early lead before West Warwick came racing back and nearly pulled off a comeback win it seemed inevitable that Thursday’s final would head in the same direction It didn’t take long to realize buckets were going to be hard to come by West Warwick used its physicality in the perimeter to make every trip to the rim a tough one and limit MB’s second-chance opportunities block shots and make snipers adjust on the fly spending most of the night covering Greg Benton quickest and shiftiest players in Division II but Crosby did a terrific job using his size and footwork to make life difficult “I’ve had to face-guard a couple of players this season but then I kind of got in the flow and was able to recognize his patterns.” Moses Brown’s communication on the defensive side was impeccable and it never let West Warwick go on a big run in the second half “Sometimes [the defense] gets overshined by offense,” Mburu said the Wizards managed to knock down a couple of big 3-pointers to get the offense going With Crosby and 6-foot-7 Donovan Clement being hounded by West Warwick’s D the Moses Brown offense was stuck in place who scored seven big points during a run that helped the Quakers take the lead before heading to the locker room tied at 21 “I have to know when my time is and play my role,” said Mburu “When the ball is going through our two main guys I just have to be there and wait for my time “We started slow but we knew it was going to happen Clement hit three free throws late in the third quarter to put Moses Brown up by six but West Warwick quickly found an offensive spark with some impressive sharing of the basketball going on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 38 on an Owen Stearns 3-pointer with 3:37 left to play Mburu put the Quakers up by one with a free throw and Crosby — still chasing Benton everywhere on defense — finally got the look he was waiting for Crosby launched a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 42-38 with 1:21 left As a shooter you’ve just got to think about the next shot and you can’t worry about the shots you took before,” Crosby said “That was my first 3 all night and it happened to be the biggest one but Moses Brown was strong at the free-throw line Crosby made a pair with three seconds left that put the Quakers up Those ended up being the game-winning points after West Warwick’s Jayden Hall hit a shot from beyond halfcourt at the buzzer The shot caused a brief moment of confusion as some MB players checked the scoreboard to make sure they were The season didn’t end on Thursday for either team West Warwick was seeded 11th in the state power rankings before the game and remained there afterward setting it up with a first-round matchup against D-II foe North Providence in the 2025 RIIL Open State Tournament Not only did Moses Brown earn some hardware with the win but it also moved up in the state power rankings and picked up a home game 9 Tolman in their first-round game on Saturday giving them little time to enjoy the fruits of their labor “We’ll celebrate tonight and enjoy the win and then [Friday] we’ll be back at practice,” Crosby said “We’ve got to put our heads down and forget about this and go take a shot at the state tournament.” Aiden Mobray 1-1 0-0 3; TOTALS 14-49 4-17 48 WEST WARWICK (46): Trevone Chase 3-7 3-4 9 Caden LaPierre 1-2 2-2 4; TOTALS 17-44 7-16 46 (WLNE) — The West Warwick Police Department is asking the public for assistance in the search for a trailer that was stolen from the Christian Hills Community Church on Tiogue Avenue The 2006 “Shadow Master” trailer was stolen on March 20 Police said security footage showed a dark colored Dodge Ram pickup truck backing up to the trailer and a person hooking the trailer to the vehicle before driving away Anyone with information on the trailer or its whereabouts is asked to call 401-827-9044 JOHNSTON — The rankings are meaningless in the Division II boys basketball tournament The lower seeds have been out to spoil every bracket this year 8 Burrillville rained in 16 3-pointers in search of a second straight upset 10 East Greenwich was within a point of turning back another top program The parity-rich tournament continued its chaos on Friday night in Johnston but the Final Four showed why Division II has been the best tournament West Warwick’s Gregory Benton lifted the fourth-ranked Wizards over the Broncos on a last-second layup And the Moses Brown duo of Donovan Clement and Ra'Jhon Jones held off the Avengers 3 Moses Brown’s 61-53 win were classics in a tournament that’s already seen plenty “It’s an amazing feeling,” Benton said of the winner And it’s different [from other game-winning shots] when it’s a game like this.” “We've been preparing for the last seven months,” said Jones West Warwick and Moses Brown will meet to decide the tournament’s winner at 8 p.m West Warwick wins at the hornWith 14 seconds left West Warwick was only going to one place — and it was the rim Benton took possession on the left wing and the senior crossed over right before getting into the paint Benton’s two dribbles in the lane were plenty for the guard to raise off his right foot for a runner that was true with five seconds left Burrillville’s midcourt look didn’t have the distance as West Warwick survived Benton finished with 13 points and Owen Stearns scored 22 “We really tried to stay on the defensive end and not let up any 3s,” Stearns said so we just knew to stay together and play as a team The fourth quarter alone had four lead changes and was tied with 14.4 seconds left With every inside basket that West Warwick found Down by five with under three minutes to play Burrillville’s Jack Dichiaro canned a triple from the key West Warwick responded with Trevone Chase’s inside finish Stearns read Burrillville’s third 3-point look in a row and blocked the go-ahead shot from the key The Broncos sent Chase to the line where the sophomore pushed the advantage to 67-65 with 34.2 seconds left Logan Gelinas tracked down an offensive rebound and Burrillville found Jordan Furtado for a floater that rolled in to tie the game before Benton played hero “I knew he was going to come up with it,” Stearns said of Benton “I told him all year that it’s me and him.” Gelinas finished with 22 points and Sean Zanella added 17 Moses Brown’s 3-point shot wasn’t falling in the first half and the Quakers led by 4 at 26-22 at the break Facing the same fate that South Kingstown met in the quarterfinals the offensive looks changed in the second half for MB Almost everything for Moses Brown over the final 16 minutes came in the paint The Quakers ended the third quarter on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 38 The decisive run spread EG out and got the Avengers in foul trouble in the fourth quarter just two of the Quakers’ three makes from beyond the arc in the second half for a 47-43 lead with less than five minutes left Clement checked back in and the 6-foot-7-inch forward immediately went to the rack for a 3-point play Clement soared from the perimeter for a put-back score that had the Quakers up five “I wasn't doing it that much in the first half so I really tried to crash the boards more in the second half,” said Clement because [East Greenwich] was in foul trouble too The Avengers got to within one point twice on a Rees Maccarone long jumper and a pair of free throws from the senior But Moses Brown held East Greenwich scoreless over the final 1:39 as Clement clinched the game at the line “We tried to keep them off the 3-point line,” Jones said “I think we did a good job and we just tried to make them go 1-on-1 with us.” Maccarone put on a performance in the loss and finished with a game-high 28 points (WJAR) — West Warwick police said a child fell through ice in West Warwick on Wednesday afternoon Authorities said the officer and the child were taken to a hospital for an evaluation West Warwick police are asking the public for help finding a man accused of robbing a store Police said the robbery happened at the Cumberland Farms on Washington Street around 5:15 p.m Officials said the man demanded cash and showed the gun to the clerk The man then fled from the store and ran across the street to a second man Anyone with information is asked to contact police (WLNE) — A West Warwick family is heartbroken after losing their beloved dog but security footage at a nearby store may help bring him home The Beltrans said they welcomed a Shih Tzu that was the first Christmas present that I gave to my wife,” Jairo Beltran said “He usually goes upstairs when he doesn’t want to be around people,” Jairo said “So when it was time for the kids to go to bed “That’s when I realized that he somehow snuck out of the house,” he added went to the animal shelters,” Leticia Beltran said The last place Hercules was seen was at a corner store on West Warwick Avenue It was there that surveillance video captured two young women picking the dog up and taking him away The clerk’s brother told ABC6 the women said they were looking to give Hercules a place to stay before returning him to his rightful owner “A lot of people that don’t know him they think he’s a puppy,” Leticia said noting Hercules is on a special medication The family said they’re not assuming any bad intent; they just want Hercules home “I don’t wanna get anyone in trouble I just want my dog back,” Leticia said The family said the West Warwick Police Department is investigating the case They added that Hercules did not have his collar on when he disappeared saying he had just gotten back from the groomer Police did not get back to ABC6 on Thursday but the Beltrans said anyone who has information can call police or reach out to the family directly (401-332-1144) UPDATE 3/14: Hercules returned home Friday morning after his owners connected with the women who found him. Read the latest here (WJAR) — A water main break in West Warwick prompted a road closure on Thursday morning NBC 10 News crew observed water gushing out on the street Officials did not immediately say what caused the break (WLNE) — Missing dog Hercules has been reunited with his owners in West Warwick Leticia Beltran, Hercules’ owner, said the women that found Hercules at a local convenience store reached out to her Friday after being alerted to Thursday’s ABC6 News report Hercules went missing Monday after sneaking out of the house during a party Surveillance video captured two women picking him up at a corner store on West Warwick Avenue a couple blocks away Beltran said her son’s birthday party is Saturday and she is looking forward to reuniting him with Hercules when he gets home from school ahead of the celebration “It will be the best birthday ever!” she said WATCH: Leticia Beltran shared her son’s reaction to finding out Hercules is back home at the end of his school day. Read more: https://t.co/IToKmd2HXP pic.twitter.com/HNN6XIvBfD — ABC6 News Desk (@ABC6) March 14, 2025 WEST WARWICK – An elderly man was pronounced dead on Friday after firefighters removed a tree that had fallen on him, according to the West Warwick Fire Department The man had been trying to cut the tree down near Clyde Street before it fell on top of him Firefighters went to the scene at 4:14 p.m The Office of the State Medical Examiners was summoned to the scene West Warwick police are investigating the death Truss was a valuable and versatile piece during his six seasons in Athens. He started 42 career games for Georgia at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard. Truss started every game at right tackle for Georgia during the 2024 season. During his time in Athens, Truss earned praise for his toughness. “They’re both kind of what we want our program to represent in terms of toughness and discipline, and nowhere is that more needed than this week,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Truss and outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss. “And that’s probably why they’re in front of you guys, because they carry the water in terms of discipline and toughness.” Xavier Truss: 3 things to know about the Georgia offensive lineman for the 2025 NFL DraftTruss is from West Warwick and is the highest-rated recruit to ever come out of Rhode Island He signed with Georgia as a 4-star prospect during the 2019 recruiting cycle Georgia had three offensive linemen taken in the 2025 NFL Draft It marked the sixth consecutive season the Bulldogs had multiple offensive linemen drafted Tate Ratledge went to the Detroit Lions with the No Dylan Fairchild was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No 81 selection and Jared Wilson came off the board with the No Georgia had 13 players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft clock iconclock icon3 hours agoBREAKING: Jared Curtis, the nation’s No. 1 QB prospect, commits to … clock iconclock icon10 hours agoQB transfer Jaden Rashada comments on his time at Georgia clock iconclock icon9 hours agoGeorgia baseball takes No. 1 spot in two national polls, full SEC … clock iconclock icon4 hours agoSentell’s Intel: The 5-star decision day for QB Jared Curtis is here … Grateful! 100% Committed. See y’all in Athens! pic.twitter.com/l72TjrFr7D I been told y’all, ELITE WANNA PLAY WITH ELITE type of summer‼️ LETS GET IT‼️ #GoDawgs 🐶 #CommittedToTheG ‼️ pic.twitter.com/mnxNA2ubZv And we just getting started 🤫 https://t.co/dBgiKPzRQ0 Change The Game !! Go Dawgs 🐶‼️#CTG Congratulations 🤝 @Jaredcurtis37 https://t.co/IzJyLpgXKZ Kirby after Lanning tried to swoop in and grab the nation’s top QB recruit… pic.twitter.com/UigdkdVgud #GoDawgs 😎 pic.twitter.com/Iw5JbUFyTK Next couple weeks gonna get real interesting for Dawgs fans 😏 pic.twitter.com/lNw5QOextY Jared Welcome to The Club my man! Looking forward to seeing ya in Athens. #GoDawgs 🐶 pic.twitter.com/VGnXz3BBBc JARED CURTIS IS A DAWG 🐶 pic.twitter.com/EAd7GpbjOj He’s baaaaack https://t.co/I20dxEaLvE pic.twitter.com/9NHehU7k75 Jared Curtis to the Dawgs.UGA kept it real from Day 1—and it paid off. Loyalty still matters. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/srgIFLN9ln https://t.co/fggrbte4OC pic.twitter.com/HG5F4KlCZU View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hayes Fawcett (@hayesfawcett3) Exclusive: After meeting with former Alabama coach Nick Saban, President Trump is considering an executive order that could increase scrutiny of the explosion in payments to college athletes since 2021 https://t.co/W7AGFqFvXc WILL THE REAL SLIM SLATEY PLEASE STAND UP‼️#GoDawgs | @SlateAlford pic.twitter.com/RM2y3Efyss Feel the Burn 🔥@RobbieBurnett25 puts the Dawgs on the board and gives Georgia the lead by plating a pair of runs off a double up the middle. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/7TNHysmpW3 A West Warwick fire station damaged over nine months ago when a fire engine crashed through the station is once again ready to answer the call of duty A hydraulically-powered hatch on the side of the truck popped open as it was responding to a call in March That post had supported a structurally important beam The overhead garage door also crashed down on the truck but officials said it suffered little damage West Warwick Fire Chief Jeffrey Varone told NBC 10 News he was surprised at how long repairs took but added that structural upgrades were needed to preserve the integrity of building which dates back to around the turn of the 20th Century Chief Varone noted that the overhead door was made about two feet wider and a foot-and-a-half taller to provide more room for fire apparatus to enter and leave safely people can no longer camp on public property in the town of West Warwick Town leaders are defining camping on public property as using any means to provide shelter on town-owned property which includes tents Any person who violates the ordinance must attend a non-criminal court hearing and will be issued a no-trespass warning for a first offense the person would be required to attend a court hearing and pay a $100 fine officers can remove any unattended personal items on public property public public safety officers must give a 72-hour notice at or near the location of personal items before removing them if any of the personal items pose as a threat to the health or safety of the public then a public safety officer can immediately throw it away or use it as evidence Although the ordinance applies to everyone the encampment ban would disproportionately impact people experiencing homelessness According to the latest point in time count more than 24,000 are experiencing homelessness in the Ocean State which is an increase of 35% in the past year Other municipalities such as Cranston and Fall River have also passed homeless encampment bans where police are removing encampments and offering temporary shelter and social services to those in need Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the date when the West Warwick coach was placed on leave The West Warwick School Department has placed the high school’s head cheerleading coach on administrative leave after a complaint was received alleging misconduct West Warwick emailed a letter on Monday informing parents that an anonymous complaint was received about the coach and the coach was placed on leave “on Friday while the matter is thoroughly investigated.” West Warwick Superintendent of Schools Karen Taresevich would not confirm the name of the coach “We understand the seriousness of this situation,” she wrote in a statement “and are committed to ensuring a fair and comprehensive investigation.” WPRI-TV reported that cheerleading coach Taylor Gargano's attorney issued this statement: “Ms Gargano takes the allegations of misconduct very seriously it is important to note that there has been no allegation of any physical misconduct with any of her cheerleaders or students.” “She is confident that the school department’s investigation will exonerate her and she looks forward to returning to her coaching role in short order.” Taresevich’s statement to The Journal and the email to parents say Andrew Henneous an attorney with Henneous Carroll Lombardo will lead a Title IX investigation into the allegations Taresevich writes “to maintain the integrity of the process the district will not provide further comment until the investigation has concluded.” In the email to parents Taresevich asked parents to reach out to her office with any questions or concerns “We understand that situations like this can be concerning and we want to reassure you that we are handling the matter with the utmost seriousness and care,” Taresevich wrote “The safety and the well-being of our students are our top priorities and we are committed to maintaining a supportive work environment throughout this process “If your child should need the support of a guidance counselor school psychologist or administrator throughout this process The Journal attempted to reach the coach via email but an address used last year was no longer valid PROVIDENCE — The Moses Brown boys basketball team is built different the Quakers aren’t looking to slow the game down and dominate in the paint play tough on defense and make life miserable for the opposition Thursday's game was another step in the right direction for a top Division II team With 6-foot-7 Donovan Clement and 6-foot-4 Otis Crosby showing off their shooting touch Moses Brown pounced on West Warwick in the first half and fought off a Wizards’ second-half comeback attempt to pull out a 66-60 victory especially in the second half,” said Crosby “But I’m glad we got it together in the end.” “We’re just trying to win game by game and take it slow and easy and win every game possible.” More: ProJo Hoops Wrap: St. Ray's outlasts Narragansett in OT, and the rest of Thursday's games there could be a lot more winning going on this winter What makes Clement stand out isn’t his height you expect — despite being listed at 150 pounds — him to live in the lane and get buckets at the rim His game is clearly built for the next level Clement plays like a shooting guard or swing three and can spot up from anywhere “I didn’t know I was going to be this tall,” Clement said Since I was 6 … from there I just got shots up every single day I always knew I wasn’t going to be the biggest and I had to develop my game in another way Clement showed off his shooting touch in the first half Moses Brown used defensive pressure to take West Warwick out of rhythm creating turnovers or transition opportunities The Quakers aren’t shy about shooting 3-pointers and Clement hit two in the first quarter — helping MB jump out 18-11 — and two more before halftime He wasn’t the only one sniping shots from the outside Crosby hit one in the first half before knocking down two in the final minute of the second quarter “A lot of reps,” said Crosby of the Quakers’ shooting talents “Me and Donovan were in the gym all preseason However it’s the complementary roster that makes Moses Brown dangerous Michael Shih and Collin Mburu are unafraid to get in the mix in the post and each was instrumental in the Quakers’ win on Thursday Jones and Shih were menaces on defense and Mburu was clutch from the line at the end of the game but these are the players that help make MB go “I think we’re a very dangerous team because we’re an inside-out team and I think we’re really hard to stop.” West Warwick came out of the locker room incensed at its play in the first half and used its physicality to get back into the game In the third quarter the Quakers looked nothing like they did in the first half and the Wizards had the deficit down to six before Carpionato came up with an offensive putback on a missed free throw and a transition bucket from Mburu “We were just making dumb mistakes,” West Warwick’s Owen Stearns said “We’ll just give it to their home-court advantage — we were letting the crowd get to us a little bit and throwing bad passes [in the first half] “[After halftime,] we found out what their weaknesses were and we tried to run them off the line.” West Warwick continued to scratch and claw its way through the fourth quarter In the final minute the Wizards made their biggest push when Stearns hit a 3-pointer that made it 64-58 which was followed by an MB turnover caused by the West Warwick press The Wizards got an offensive putback from Greg Benton to make it 64-60 with 28 seconds left but Mburu’s two free throws with 19 seconds left and a missed 3-pointer ended the comeback “We were sleepwalking through the whole first half … but we can really compete with anyone in Rhode Island That was a great game and they have a lot of shooters but I think if we came out harder in the beginning I think we could have come out on top “I’ll give them their respect — they’re a good team.” The Wizards drop to 8-2 with the loss and while they’re currently seventh in the RPI they feel a game like Thursday’s is only going to help their cause as the season rolls on We’ll get back in the gym and keep playing.” Moses Brown has felt it has the makings of a championship team Thursday’s win did nothing to change those thoughts The Quakers are 13-1 and second to North Providence in the D-II RPI Moses Brown won’t play North Providence in the regular season thinking about North Providence now isn’t going to help them get there tighten up on D and don’t get flustered,” Crosby said We actually have to want it,” Clement said “I feel a lot of kids on this team really want to win a state championship I know we have to keep working hard to stay locked in.” He was the loving husband of 70 years to the late June G Tom proudly served his country during the Korean War as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force He then worked for many years as a Lace Weaver and was also the manager of the former Evelyn’s Villa in West Warwick Tom was a dedicated volunteer at the West Warwick Food Pantry where he served his community for nearly a decade.  He was the brother of the late Francis Ray Grandfather of 8; great grandfather of 9.  Tom’s family would also like to extend a special thanks to the caring staff members of Beacon Hospice and Saint Elizabeth’s Memory Care Facility 2024 from 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM in the Iannotti Funeral Home Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in the Immaculate Conception Church Interment to follow at Saint Mary Cemetery in West Warwick.   Donations made in Tom’s memory to the West Warwick Food Assistance Agency Arrangements are with the Iannotti Funeral Home WESTERLY — It’s the inevitability of James Branch The anticipation of his game-breaking moment makes him even more dangerous Defending against the West Warwick star is a herculean effort over 48 minutes it might give you a chance at the final whistle Or the senior’s shining moment might ignite the Wizards The Wizards’ defense absorbed Branch’s touchdown and erased any chance at a Bulldog comeback at Sal Augeri Field on Friday night The third-seeded Wizards (7-3) advance to the D-II RIIL Football State Championships Presented by Ortho Rhode Island on Sunday vs “Last year we got disappointed in the [Division III championship] “We had a lot of momentum going into that fourth quarter,” Alex Medeiros said “We knew it was going to start eventually.” Branch finished with 225 yards on 27 carries with touchdown scores of 61 It came on the heels of a four-and-out for Westerly but we had a few mistakes that hurt us in key times and killed drives,” West Warwick coach Wes Pennington said especially with a guy like Branch in the backfield just give him some space and he can take it.” Related: Rhode Island high school football Semifinals schedules, scores and stats A solo sack from Medeiros knocked Westerly back seven yards on first down pushed the Bulldogs back another four yards on third down “You can hear [the momentum shift] from the sideline,” Medeiros said “It hypes us up a lot and it translates on the field.” West Warwick used three plays to get Branch in the endzone directs snaps to the star went for gains of one and 10 And on the second play of the ensuing Westerly drive Swanson snagged a 20-yard pick-six off the hands of Westerly receiver with 1:29 left in regulation to cap the scoring sequence it changed the whole thing,” Pennington said “They get the ball back and when Swanson got pick-six West Warwick and Westerly met just a few weeks ago with the Bulldogs winning the regular-season finale They knew they couldn’t let Westerly quarterback The Wizards pitched a shutout in the second half and the held the sophomore to 153 yards on 14-for-32 passing His 6-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Williams matched Branch’s opening score “The defense was moving great,” Medeiros said “We knew our secondary was going to have to lock in for this game But the Bulldogs couldn’t get the ball moving in the second half They finish on the cusp of a championship appearance after falling in the quarterfinals last season “We've been in every single football game,” Pennington said They've learned how to really stick together and really believe jrousseau@providencejournal.com On X: @ByJacobRousseau WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — The West Warwick Fire Department released the name of the victim in the condominium fire on Dec. 9. 72-year-old Christine Proulx died after the condominium on Scenic Drive caught fire She was found near the front door by firefighters the vandalism happened during the late night or overnight hours on Oct Investigators identified the suspect to be a 14-year-old male He was arrested on Sunday at a West Warwick residence West Warwick police said the 14-year-old is being charged with vandalism/ malicious injury to property and injury or tampering with vehicles West Warwick police are asking for help identifying two women accused of stealing from a gas station Police said the burglary happened at a gas station on Dec the women entered the store twice at different times Officials said one of the women was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and grey sweatpants The second woman was wearing a baseball hat and blue sneakers with white shoelaces (WJAR) — The West Warwick Town Council met Tuesday night to discuss a controversial ordinance that would ban homeless encampments While some are urging the council to protect public spaces others said the ordinance is targeting the town's most vulnerable community Residents and activists plead their case for and against the proposed ordinance to ban encampments on public property "They don't need a place to live where children are at play where families are trying to live," said one resident the ordinance would prohibit sleeping in public spaces "It seems like when you're helping one you're harming the other," saidMark Dennison "I didn't even have money to wash my clothes yet I was sleeping in the laundromat," said Loberto Gomez "You need someone to pick up some trash he asked for empathy and understanding for those who will be impacted by the decision the rest of them are collateral damage," said another resident Town councilors decided to table the ordinance until the next session (WJAR) — A new proposal looking to get rid of all homeless encampments in West Warwick is drawing criticism from advocates who claim it would criminalize being homeless The first reading of the proposed ordinance will be heard at Tuesday night's town council meeting "The Town of West Warwick recognizes the seriousness of the homelessness plight within its boundaries and shall attempt to assist those who find themselves in this type of homelessness predicament the Town of West Warwick also recognizes the inherent threats to the health and welfare of its citizens," the ordinance states Several encampments currently exist within the city including one behind West Warwick Manor I mean your coming up and around housing for us and all we can see is them smoking their pot and stuff like that so what else can you do but break it up hopefully," Staystork said The ordinance goes onto say encampments can create "public nuisances," and the town "shall no longer tolerate and criminal actions conduct or behavior within the homelessness community." somehow all the negative stereotypes you can think of apply to you on the very day that you become homeless," Eric Hirsch with the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project said "So you're probably a drug addict or you're too crazy to know you should come in out of the rain or snow Hirsch was one of several advocates who signed a letter to the town council opposing the ordinance "Criminalizing an involuntary activity does not make it go away and homelessness cannot and will not be solved by the callous standards embodied in this proposal." "If you're trying to help people who are homeless and that's what everyone should be doing you need to find them a path to a home that should be the first priority," he said "Clearing homeless encampments is not a solution by any means." While the ordinance references providing assistance to people living in the encampments the type and extent of assistance are unclear It also says people will be allowed to take their personal property from encampments when they leave but anything they leave behind will be destroyed by the town Hirsch believes that violates the state's Homeless Bill of Rights The ordinance would also ban sleeping on sidewalks or public ways "with or without camping equipment." If it passes both the first and second readings before the town council the ordinance would go into effect after a 20 day waiting period It would then get rid of all encampments in the town by Dec WEST WARWICK – A reconfiguration of the busiest intersection in town has some asking: was it done to improve safety or was it a land grab that flew largely under the public’s radar to help a car dealership on Route 2 Thousands of cars pass every day through the intersection of Quaker Lane (Route 2) and Cowesett Avenue on the Warwick/West Warwick border construction crews hired by The Balise Auto Group eliminated a right lane ramp that had siphoned off traffic for nearly a century onto Route 2 south It means that motorists wanting to go south on Route 2 now have to negotiate four lanes of traffic and pass through a set of traffic lights The auto company is paying the Rhode Island Department of Transportation $130,000 for just over 14,000 square feet of state-owned land to fill in the ramp and build a stone wall, where it now displays cars in front of its Genesis dealership overlooking the intersection There’s no possible way,” said Peter Calci a former longtime Town Council president and  Zoning Board member “The merging lane is much safer than creating a four-lane intersection where there was no need for it Except for one single proprietary reason,” he added I’m waiting for a major accident to happen there,” said lifelong West Warwick resident Alan Palazzo “The safety [argument] was BS to sell the project,” he added and engineers who drew up plans for the reconfiguration say the new intersection significantly reduces the chance of a collision between traffic going south on Route 2 and customers coming out of the Genesis dealership a couple of hundred feet from where the end of the ramp used to be “The primary driver of the project was safety and that high-speed [ramp],” said Steven M president of Crossman Engineering in Warwick which did a traffic study and drew up the plans for a multi-phase project to transform a series of lots for Balise going south on Route 2 The technical term for the ramp is a “slip lane.”  “They were trying to improve access to the building,” Cabral told The Hummel Report in an interview last week “So the safest option was to reconfigure that little slip lane ramp.”  Cabral said talk of a potential reconfiguration dates to 2013 Balise was expanding its car sales business in West Warwick at the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Route 2 (Cowesett Avenue becomes Cowesett Road as motorists continue east toward Warwick The company hired Crossman to develop a long-term master plan for several lots stretching south One of Crossman’s traffic engineers noted that Balise’s only entrance and exit at the time was a couple of hundred feet south of the slip lane from Cowesett Avenue and there were no options to move the driveway south because Balise didn’t own the land at the time It has since purchased multiple pieces of property going south including a gas station and another car dealership Cabral said Crossman’s research found that the ramp dates to the 1930s when the area was largely wooded and agricultural land He said Route 2 has been transformed with an explosion of commercial development and added traffic since the 1970s And that was a problem for customers at the Genesis dealership as the vehicles from the slip lane came at them drivers [entering Route 2] were observed to be looking over their shoulder watching for southbound traffic and not observing the movements at the [dealership] driveway,” Cabral added then-Town Planner Mark Caruolo sent a letter to Cabral saying the town had no objections to changing the intersection Balise needed approval from the DOT and the State Properties Committee to buy the land and redevelop the intersection But it took several years for the plans to come to fruition as it was a significant investment by Balise but the relocation of utilities on the previously-owned state land and changes to the intersection Cabral said there were delays because of the relocation of those utilities said he did not become aware of the proposed reconfiguration until a year ago – noting that the proposal had not gone before the Town Council and that the state representative and senator representing West Warwick did not know about it either He also takes issue with calling the slip lane “high speed,” as there was a yield sign at the end of it Calci said he began digging after a lawyer working with House Speaker K Joseph Shekarchi – a land use attorney – had come before the Zoning Board asking for permission to put up a Balise sign on state property He later withdrew the request when Calci noted the sign would be on state land Calci found the master plan Shekarchi had presented to the Planning Board on Jan 2024 that showed a reconfiguration of the intersection Shekarchi told The Hummel Report his only work on the project was presenting Balise’s proposal to the Planning Board Shekarchi acknowledged that he called the Department of Transportation before the meeting just to see what the status of the land transfer was but said that was well into the process of the state selling the land to Balise Calci said he believes if the Town Council knew about the proposed changes to the intersection “I believe the public would have beaten it back,” he said adding that he resigned from the Zoning Board last year Calci said there are multiple slip lanes along Route 2 from Division Street in East Greenwich to the Cranston lane many emptying out close to business entrances The Hummel Report counted 11 along that stretch The DOT relied on Crossman’s analysis in deciding whether to sell the land to Balise in response to a series of public records requests and questions from The Hummel Report wrote: “The old ramp created safety issues with vehicles traveling at a higher speed through the curve which ended very close to the entrance of the business” - mimicking Crossman’s argument Martin said the traffic analysis by Crossman showed an added delay of “only” between 14 and 16 seconds during the morning and afternoon peak travel times for drivers tying to get onto Route 2 south from Cowesett Avenue in the new traffic pattern The traffic congestion was exacerbated last summer and fall during construction near Balise because the Kent County Water Authority was replacing pipes along Cowesett Avenue resulting in backups of up to a quarter of a mile and multiple changes of the light to get through the new intersection Warwick police reported no accidents in 2024 under the old configuration through September; there were six accidents in October at the height of the construction then none from November through last month Calci takes issue with the town planner’s approval in 2019 saying he was relying solely on an analysis by a private company hired by Balise and not independent scrutiny from the DOT Martin said it hired another company to review Crossman’s figures and analysis but did not do any independent study of its own Martin said it is standard procedure for an applicant like Balise to hire a consultant to perform a study at its own cost After a review of the traffic signal timing “no further traffic studies were determined to be necessary,” St “RIDOT views the transaction as very positive for several reasons It corrected a safety concern for drivers on Route 2 and those entering (Balise) at no cost to the state; it provided revenue of $130,000 to the state; it supported the business needs of the property owner and it converted 14,265 square feet of state property to taxable property for the town of West Warwick." Palazzo said many town residents have no idea why the intersection was changed Motorists approaching Route 2 from Cowesett Avenue now have four lanes: two exit left and north onto to Route 2 one lane goes straight across Route 2 to Cowesett Road in Warwick and a fourth lane was created to replace the slip lane and allow traffic to turn right Calci and Palazzo each say it has created confusion and trouble for tractor-trailer trucks trying to turn right onto Route 2 often forcing them to move over into the second lane from the right to complete the turn which was previously a lane designed to go straight find themselves unexpectedly merging with a second lane of traffic if they want to go to Warwick on Cowesett Road “If you’re a large truck heading from Cowesett Avenue toward Warwick you can’t make that turn if you’re in the right-hand lane,” Palazzo said “Before you had the sweeping exit that seamlessly joined Route 2 There’s going to be a head-on collision over there Calci said there was a simple solution to the problem that could have avoided an entire reconfiguration of the intersection: replace the yield sign with a stop sign at the end of the slip lane which would have forced motorists to halt while looking left at traffic coming down Route 2 And it would have given customers from the Balise entrance an easier chance of exiting onto Route 2 “It would have cost them a couple of hundred bucks for a sign and the labor to put it up,” Calci said The Hummel Report is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies (WLNE) — Officials said a woman was killed in a condominium fire in West Warwick late Monday morning The West Warwick Fire Department said crews responded to Scenic Drive around 11:45 a.m to find a woman lying close to the front door as the home filled with smoke First responders started CPR on the woman at the complex She was brought to Kent County Hospital and pronounced dead Crews heard reports that another person may be trapped in the home but found the condo was empty after conducting a search Officials said no one else was injured in the fire (WJAR) — A Coventry man was charged in a robbery at a Dollar General store in West Warwick West Warwick police said an armed robbery was reported Tuesday night at the store at 1029 Main St Police said an employee told them that she had been robbed at gunpoint and that her assailant left with an undetermined amount of cash Investigators had a description of the assailant and a possible vehicle and worked with the town of Coventry to identify a suspect Police said the evidence pointed to Mark Montefusco of Hopkins Hill Road in Coventry Montefusco is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Warwick District Court West Warwick police said two people were arrested on drugs firearms and child endangerment charges after a months-long investigation (WJAR) — West Warwick police said two people were arrested on drugs various departments including Bureau of Alcohol Firearms and Explosives have been investigating Julio E Rivera and Cecelia Gallucci for distribution of narcotics and illegal possession of firearms West Warwick police said they obtained search warrants for their residence on 5 Remington St. The search warrant of the house was conducted on Aug Investigators also found a large amount of cash and other items used for distribution of narcotics Rivera and Gallucci’s child was in the house at the time The child was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital for a check-up and test results showed that the child had been exposed to cocaine and fentanyl West Warwick police said that the DCYF took custody of the child Rivera and Gallucci was arrested and charged with five counts of deliver distribution or manufacturing in or near school or public park or playground and child endangerment “It was quite a sight to see at four in the morning,” said Andrew Fiocchi of West Warwick there was ATF and all different types of cops there.” West Warwick residents like Fiocchi were not surprised to hear of the arrests and now we’re glad that they’re not going to be here anymore,” said Fiocchi “There was people in and out of the house at all hours of the night.” Sheri Smith of West Warwick lives across from the house where the drug bust occurred “I’m not surprised just not surprised,” said Smith “They wouldn’t talk much to the neighbors we weren’t super friendly.” Smith and many other neighbors tell us they are released to learn the news “I know that we called the police a couple of times and I’m glad that they acted on it just to make the neighborhood a little bit safer.” Officials said they also conducted a search warrant for three storage units used by Rivera on Aug Law enforcement officers found and seized distribution amounts of marijuana police said Rivera was also charged with various firearms charges and a drug charge West Warwick police said investigators also searched a rental unit and a garage in Glocester earlier this week A large landscape dump trailer that was stolen out of Massachusetts and a towable mobile home stolen out of New York was found and seized Police said Rivera is also facing two counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle from the Glosester Police Department both Rivera and Gallucci are being held without bail at the ACI NBC 10's John Perik contributed to this report.