What’s in…

1. Hurricane Dorian is on its way to the east coast of Florida.  Say it isn’t so, Auntie Em!  As residents prepare for a possible category 3 hurricane making its way to the Sunshine State, Puerto Rico breathes a sigh of relief as it dodges the worst of the storm.

Residents in Florida are busy boarding up their properties and preparing for the worse. It was only a few years ago, Hurricane Maria devastated the west coast, making landfall on Marco Island, Florida. We all await the weekend forecast, as Hurricane Dorian is expected to make landfall on Saturday or Sunday.

Meanwhile Rhode Islanders have been warned of possible rip tides and strong ocean currents. Please be safe and avoid going near the high tides and rocks because it could be dangerous. We all love to watch the big waves, but let’s be careful out there!

2. EEE.  A Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 57-year-old woman has died this week, reportedly from Eastern Equine Encephalitis.  As a result, Massachusetts is spraying all areas that have tested positive for mosquitoes carrying this deadly disease.  Rhode Island mosquitoes have tested positive in Central Falls, but RI is not spraying, saying that only a few samples showed positive for EEE.  This makes no sense to me. 

Every year we go through this late-summer terror, and every year Massachusetts sprays and we do not.  This time of year, our children are most vulnerable because they are back to school and participating in outdoor sports and events.  Precautions are being made in Massachusetts to postpone outdoor sports events, as well.  There is no cure for EEE, and it has a high death rate.  So, why isn’t Rhode Island spraying?  We need to lead in being preventative and not wait for something to happen.  As usual, Massachusetts is ahead of the risk.

3. Backpack giveaway.  There will be a free backpack giveaway at three local schools this week in Providence and Warwick. The Studmire Leadership Club will be at the following school locations giving out free backpacks to school children on Tuesday, September 3, 2019:

• William D’Bate Elementary School.  60 Kossuth St. in Providence at 9:00 a.m.
• DelSesto Middle School.  152 Springfield St. in Providence at 10:00 a.m.
• Lippitt Elementary School.  30 Almy St. in Warwick at 11:00 AM

What’s out…

1. Providence schools.  Will Providence schools be ready to open? With less than a week left, the Providence school administration is saying they will be ready. Meanwhile, volunteers have swarmed some of the schools to clean outside and prepare for the opening of the schools. Approximately 27,000 school children will be going to school next week, and parents are concerned… and should be.  The conditions of the schools have been widely publicized as being unsafe and filthy.  As of a week ago, RI State Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green has said she was not satisfied with results.  All eyes are on Providence’s schools, and the nation awaits the results.  This story has drawn national attention, something RI is not proud of.  Stay tuned as we await the results.

2. Providence clubs to stay open.  Two Providence clubs will be able to open despite being locations where violence occurred after patrons visited them. The Rooftop at Providence G and the Noah Lounge have been given the okay to stay open by the Providence Board of  Licenses. What are the solutions to the ongoing violence at these clubs?  Owners and police have to set some stronger guidelines for these clubs.  Possible earlier closing hours or limiting of patrons could be considered.  Additional police details are needed at the clubs.  Locations for clubs should be duly vetted before approved by the city.  Residential neighborhoods and the business community have felt the ill effects of all this violence.  Time to make some serious changes.

 

Featured image by Dave Amadio.