Rhode Island
A NASA space grant is helping students learn about Rhode Island’s infamous history of trash – The Boston Globe
The National Park Service website said that the restoration of the river has been “remarkable” but “fish consumption” is not advised. The stream is good for canoeing and kayaking but swimming is not recommended.
“I found out that this was one of the most polluted rivers in America,” senior Clover Burke said. “It used to be one of the top 10. And that you should only eat one fish max per year from this river because of the amount of heavy metals. Or else it’s really bad for you.”
In 1971, Audubon magazine said the river was “one of America’s most polluted rivers.” In 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency said the river held “toxic sediments” left by textile and metal industries during the second half of the 19th century, leaving communities to deal with environmental issues.
“It’s awful,” Burke said. “It’s insane that a river that should be for everyone, including all the animals, you can’t even eat from.”
According to the park service, non-point pollution (runoff dispersed from many sources) is now a major threat to the river, including “reckless excavation practices, uncontrolled stormwater runoff, and certain landscaping.”
The NPS said runoff carries nutrients into the cola-colored river, causing harmful algal blooms that muddle the ecosystem. This affects surface and groundwater quality.
Frequent downpours have led to historic flooding in December and January, and recent heavy rains nearly led to the cancellation of the field trip, AP environmental science and biology teacher Amy O’Donnell said.
The trip was funded by the NASA Rhode Island Space Grant, funds that the space agency distributes to every state to engage students in STEM.
Brown University distributes the funds to K-12 schools around the state.
Ralph Milliken, associate professor of Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences at Brown, said O’Donnell’s application was picked because the university felt it was a trip that would leave a lasting impression on the students.
Milliken said that in addition to flinging rockets into space, NASA has a big Earth science program.
“We want to get students outside the classroom beyond the textbooks and internet articles they read about” he said. “So they can understand the interplay on human society and the natural environment.”
In addition to supporting local schools, Brown has offered internships for students at NASA centers, hosted students at on campus for the April total solar eclipse, and partnered with WaterFire for a program on the sea-level rise.
Brown receives $860,000 each year for the statewide program but that number is expected to be cut to $800,000, Milliken said.
Milliken said schools can apply for science education funding by contacting the university with their ideas.
“Now and then we learn about climate change — we’re looking at evidence of climate change here,” O’Donnell said standing on several feet of sand deposited by recent floods. It will make it more difficult for native species to grow.
When the river swells, it also uncovers evidence of the land’s previous use as a dump.
“All this is pretty worrisome, especially being able to go out and see it firsthand,” junior Preston Brown said. “It’s a big issue because we’re going to be the ones that are dealing with it.”
Brown learned about the presence of an invasive plant called Japanese knotweed that also grows in the woods behind his house.
“I want to be able to enjoy the forest, so I’m taking this class to learn how to save it,” he said.
Junior Taejo Chung-Brcak said “mountains of trash” pile up near his yard from street-level pollution after a deluge. Science isn’t his favorite subject, but the field trip was eye-opening for him.
“My teacher makes it interesting and makes nature seem like something worth fighting for,” Chung-Brcak said.
O’Donnell and Diane Siliezar-Shields, teacher and science department chairperson at Barrington High School, modeled the class after environmental activist Rachel Carson, whose 1962 book “Silent Spring” showed the world the danger of forever chemicals — extremely persistent chemicals that last thousands of years — found in the water, and the blood of nearly 97 percent of Americans, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Carson’s work led to a ban on DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and is credited for the creation of the EPA.
O’Donnell said she is teaching her students to be “problem solvers” who invest in their local environment before they graduate.
“We have a curriculum that is really heavy duty,” she said. “We want to show our young people there is hope. If you leverage your understanding and activate yourself, you build a community around yourself, which I think is perfect. There’s so much time spent on computers now, I wanted them to really be able to see this firsthand.”
O’Donnell said staff at Friends of the Blackstone showed the students how bioremediation can be used to fight pollution naturally.
“We planted willows to be able to clean up the soil,” she said.
John Marsland, president and founder of Friends of the Blackstone, said the willows work to absorb heavy metals in the soil. The willows can also thrive despite the sandy silt left on shore by floodwaters.
“We planted the native willows to re-establish native trees on the flood plain instead of knotweed,” Marsland said. “We mow the knotweed three times a year and plant grass but there’s so much sand from the flooding, it’s almost a foot deep. I don’t think grass will grow. Willow can.”
Students hammered posts 2 feet into the soil and planted rows of willow tree branches.
Burke said she is going to study forestry and environmental science after high school. She wants to help fix the problems caused by people.
“I get to go home and tell my parents random facts and they think I’m so smart,” Burke joked. “But this is, I feel, a class everyone needs to take to know the basics about our environment.”
Junior Sofia Buchanan has been working on a project on microplastic awareness. Sophomore Iris Yang said the class has taught her to be aware of the nature around her. Sophomore Claudia Leonard said she’s learned how to decrease pollution in the environment.
“I see the plastic as kind of a warning of what will persist in the ecosystem 50 years later if we currently don’t come up with solutions because right now we’re already seeing plastic in the rivers. And, we’re seeing the health effects of pollution on the ecosystem and ourselves.
“I think that this is a warning for what pollution could do to humans in the future and other animals.”
Carlos Muñoz can be reached at carlos.munoz@globe.com. Follow him @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.
Bravo cameras will be rolling in Rhode Island once again this summer.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island has officially been renewed for season two—and honestly, it’s no surprise. The newest addition to the Housewives franchise quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to strong ratings and early award buzz.
READ MORE: RHORI Earned Two Critics’ Choice Award Nominations
Still, not everyone may be celebrating this news.
It didn’t take long for viewers to get hooked on the Ocean State edition, especially with the intense drama that unfolded just a few episodes in.
The Infidelity Allegations That Drove the Season
At the center of it all? The allegations of infidelity involving Rulla Nehme Pontarelli’s husband, Brian—a storyline that quickly became the season’s biggest talking point.
The situation even left Rulla questioning her future on the show, saying she would have to “think very long and hard about” returning for another season.
Will Rulla Return for Season 2?
Now that season two is officially happening, the big question is: will Rulla be back?
Fans certainly hope so. Rulla has been one of the most talked-about cast members on social media, and her storyline has driven much of the conversation around the show.
READ MORE: Fans React to First Look at Real Housewives of Rhode Island Cast
As of now, Rulla is expected to return alongside Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.
Bravo via Facebook
When and Where Filming Will Begin
If production follows last year’s schedule, filming will likely kick off in mid-June and run through mid-September—once again showcasing Rhode Island at its summer best.
For now, fans seem thrilled. The announcement sparked more than 100 excited comments on Facebook, with viewers eager for more drama, more glamour, and more Ocean State moments.
So don’t be surprised if you spot Bravo cameras popping up around Rhode Island again very soon.
40 Photos Of Real Housewives Of Dallas Stars Home For Sale
Built & owned by actress, celebrity chef & Real Housewife, D’Andra Simmons-this stylish & stunning award winning two story,5 bedroom modern is on a corner lot in prestigious Highland Park and its on sale for $5.2 Million.
Gallery Credit: Christine McKenny, Agent/ Allie Beth Allman & Associates
A Real Housewives Star Just Made $7.7M On Her Ridiculous Colorado Home
Kyle Richards, from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, just sold this ridiculously gorgeous home in Aspen, Colorado, for $7.7 Million. You’ve gotta see these pix…
Gallery Credit: Aspen MLS
The Gorga’s of The Real Housewives of New Jersey Put Their Jersey House Up For Sale
It has 7 bedrooms 5 bathrooms and a pool but really it will be better if we show you this celebrity home that is up for sale in the Jersey Shore.
Gallery Credit: EeE
A new era for State Troopers in southern RI
Closing the State Police barracks facilities in Wyoming and Wickford marks the end of an era in community policing
Republican candidate for lieutenant governor John Loughlin wants the office to become the Rhode Island inspector general his party has been seeking in vain for years.
Loughlin, a former state representative, said on May 11 that, if elected, he would staff the underutilized office with people who would help him expose “fraud, waste, abuse, and government corruption.”
“Rhode Islanders are sick and tired of watching their tax dollars disappear into a black hole of inefficiency, cronyism, and outright corruption while the General Assembly talks a big game but delivers nothing − year after year after year,” Loughlin said in a news release. “For more than two decades, the legislature has failed to create a true Inspector General with real investigative power. Enough is enough. If they won’t do it, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will − starting on day one.”
Why turn the lieutenant governor into an inspector general?
The Rhode Island Constitution gives the lieutenant governor little to no authority beyond being available in case the governor is unable to finish their term. That’s prompted some to call it a “do nothing” office and others to propose abolishing it.
“Frankly, the current workload of the office leaves ample time and resources to do far more for taxpayers than ceremonial appearances and ribbon-cuttings,” Loughlin said in his news release. “Rhode Islanders deserve a Lieutenant Governor’s Office that works every day to protect their money and hold government accountable.”
The lieutenant governor’s office has a budget of $1.4 million, which Loughlin said is enough to staff and run an effective investigative team made up of “certified auditors, investigators, and compliance professionals” to review state agency spending and contracts.
He acknowledged that the lieutenant governor does not have subpoena power, but believes that investigations can be completed utilizing public records requests and gathering publicly-available data.
Loughlin, who ended his talk radio show earlier this year when he announced his campaign for governor, said he would communicate his findings through “RI Report” publications, news briefings and podcasts.
He said he would also make the office’s resources available to city and town leaders.
Republicans have been fighting for an inspector general
Rhode Island Republicans have for years promised to lower state spending by rooting out government waste, fraud and abuse. The last GOP Rhode Island governor, Donald Carcieri, launched a “Fiscal Fitness” program that aimed to save money and find efficiencies.
Democrats criticized Carcieri’s tenure for featuring exorbitant privatization and outsourcing.
Since Carcieri, the idea of creating an independent inspector general similar to those in other states has become a holy grail for Rhode Island Republicans, but the Democratic General Assembly has had little interest in it.
“If our office saves just 1% from Rhode Island’s bloated state budget, the savings would return more than ten times the entire cost of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to taxpayers – and that’s only the beginning,” Loughlin said in the news release.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Numbers numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 9-9-9-0
Evening: 5-5-0-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from May 10 drawing
01-13-14-16-32, Extra: 02
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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