Rhode Island
Frostbitten lizard found in Rhode Island is healing
While shoveling his driveway during yet another winter storm, a man in Providence, Rhode Island found something rather unexpectedāa very cold giant lizard. Fortunately, the animal rehabilitation experts at the New England Wildlife Center found that besides being very dehydrated and having frostbite on its tongue and toes, the female tegu named Frankie was doing okay.Ā
Tegus are large South American reptiles, so how did Frankie end up in the middle of a snowstorm in New England? Tess Gannaway, a veterinarian at the wildlife center who treated Frankie, tells Popular Science that she was probably someoneās pet.Ā
āGiven their size they often roam folkās homes like dogs or cats and there is a chance that in warmer months Frankie escaped and was surviving on her own outside until the weather got too cold for her to manage,ā Gannaway explains. Thereās also the more unfortunate possibility that the lizard was recently abandoned.
Either way, Frankie was likely unable to pull her tongue back into her mouth at the start of the storm, which caused the frostbite on both her tongue and her toes. The tongue frostbite is particularly notable because known cases of animals with mucus membrane related frostbite are exceedingly unusual. Because of the frostbite, Frankie no longer has the iconic reptilian V-shape in her tongue.Ā
In fact, veterinary medicine as a whole didnāt have any published accounts of such an affliction. As such, Gannaway and her veterinary student turned to human medical literature to decide on Frankieās best treatment option, and ultimately identified what they were looking for.Ā
This āis really cool and an example of something in veterinary medicine and other fields we call one health, so the intersection between human and animal health,ā Gannaway explained in a New England Wildlife Center video.Ā
In the human report, a portion of a patientās tongue had unintentionally frozen because of a medical intervention in the mouth. Doctors then removed the dead external tissue a number of times, healing the injury within three weeks.Ā
Similarly, the team at the New England Wildlife Center aims to remove part of Frankieās dead tongue tissue every two or three weeks. Hopefully, the tongue will heal on its own, but the good news is that tongues are rapid healers.Ā
Gannaway says that the team is ācautiously optimisticā about Frankieās future.Ā
āShe did great during her first debridement [the tissue removal] and has moved on from liquid to solid food. New England Wildlife Centersā Veterinarians will keep checking her tongue every 2 weeks to see if she needs further sedation to remove more superficial tissue,ā she adds.āUntil then she is on pain medications and an antibiotic. Tegus can live normal lives with only part of their tongue so as long as we can get her tongue to stabilize she should be ready to live a warmer although slightly less adventurous life.āĀ
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2025 PopSci Best of Whatās New
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Another famous face is joining the cast of “Rubber Hut” filming throughout Rhode Island.
As we previously reported, Grace Van Patten is starring in the feature film debut for director Hannah Gray Organschi about the infamous “condom hut” business from the early 90s.
The short-lived Fotomat kiosk turned drive-thru condom store garnered local notoriety as well as national attention in 1992 and is now the subject of a movie with several A-list stars attached.
READ MORE: Michael Imperioli, Emmy Rossum Join RI ‘Condom Hut’ Film
ScenesĀ wereĀ filmed for several days at a custom-made “condom hut” on West Shore Road in Warwick. On Thursday, June 11, Beach Avenue was closed down to shoot a parade scene. Now, film crews have moved to Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston for scenes along a residential street.
Who Was Behind the Original Condom Hut?
The home is believed to represent the residenceĀ of Emanuella DelVecchio, the former flight attendant who had the brilliant idea to open a condom kioskĀ in response toĀ the AIDS epidemic.
Instead of support, however, DelVecchio received the condemnation of theĀ Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and was plagued with vandalism before shuttering her business within a year.
READ MORE: New Bedford’s Gone But Not Forgotten Closed-Down Bars
Who Has Joined the āCondom Hutā Movie Cast So Far
Photos of parade scenes for the film show Michael Imperioli portraying a priest in the movie and now DeadlineĀ has reported that stage actor, Will Harrison,Ā is attached to the project as DelVecchio’s husband. Other actors’ specific roles remain unknown.
Filming is expected to continue in Rhode Island until the end of June with a theatrical release likely in 2027.
See the Stars Who Own Homes in Rhode Island
There are plenty of celebrities who once called Rhode Island home, but how many still do? Here’s the list of stars who own homes across the Ocean State.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
All The Famous Faces That Have Been to Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Home
Here are all the celebrities we know have made an appearance at Holiday House over the years.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Two Rhode Island residents were charged after the Justice Department announced a $6.5 billion healthcare fraud crackdown.
The department said 455 defendants were charged, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes.
Mareli Arias Batista, 57, of Providence, was charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, false statement in application for a passport, use of a false passport and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
Officials said Batista fraudulently obtained approximately $28,236.42 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Balni Pimental Lara, 59, of Providence, was also charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
According to officials, Lara fraudulently obtained approximately $24,018.86 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Bhamin Chhatrapati, 40, of Stoughton, Mass., was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with over $5.1 million fraudulently billed to Medicare, of which over $2.6 million was paid.
Approximately 1,079 medical providers were suspended and billing privileges were revoked for 1,403 providers.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) ā Former Rhode Island House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi loses an attempt to stop an ethics complaint against his bid for a seat on the state Supreme Court.
The state Ethics Commission voted Tuesday to deny Shekarchiās motion to dismiss the complaint filed in May.
The Ethics Commission voted June 2 to further investigate the complaint.
The question is whether Shekarchiās attempt for a lifetime spot on the bench violates Rhode Island’s anti-corruption revolving door law.
The law prevents sitting lawmakers from taking most other state jobs for at least a year after leaving office.
Shekarchi resigned as House Speaker on May 8 to seek nomination to the Supreme Court.
He kept his House seat.
That same day, Roger Williams University law professor Michael Yelnosky filed an ethics complaint.
Shekarchi argues a Supreme Court seat is an exemption from the revolving door law, like other constitutional offices including governor.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (4)
The Ethics Commissionās prosecutor argues the high court seat is not exempt.
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