Connect with us

Rhode Island

Cat saved after days stuck in a tree following the blizzard that blanketed Rhode Island

Published

on

Cat saved after days stuck in a tree following the blizzard that blanketed Rhode Island


Local News

Matt Lyons said he climbed 40 to 50 feet to save Pixie, who was stuck up in a tree during Rhode Island’s record snowstorm.

Matt Lyons kept Pixie in his sweatshirt on the climb down. Courtesy of Heather MacKinnon

Pixie, a white and gray cat, weathered Rhode Island’s historic blizzard — stuck 50 feet up in the tree for nearly two full days. But, with three feet of snow on the ground, a local man climbed up and brought her back down to safety.

“She wanted to be safe. She was just petrified, overall freezing. Couldn’t stop shaking,” Matthew Lyons told Boston.com about the rescue. “For about half the climb down, I put her in my sweatshirt and let her head peek out so she could breathe.”

Advertisement

Heather MacKinnon, of East Providence, first noticed her neighbor’s cat Pixie high up in a tree in the shared backyard on Monday evening, as the hurricane-like winds blew and the snow piled quickly. The cat’s owner had been trying to get Pixie to come down from the tree since Sunday evening.

“This went on for hours. We tried everything that we could,” MacKinnon said, adding that they tried to help the cat with a two-by-four, stacking plastic chairs, and rolling over old tires left in the backyard.

Ultimately, the neighbors went to sleep Monday evening without getting the cat down, MacKinnon said. Police, fire, and animal control all said they couldn’t help, she said, advising the neighbors to instead reach out to tree services.

“I’m admitting defeat around like 10 o’clock that night, and everyone went back inside, and I’m just like, oh my god, what am I gonna do?” MacKinnon recalled. She called her aunt, who suggested sharing the situation on the Nextdoor app, a hyperlocal social media app that connects neighbors.

Lyons, a member of Ironworkers Local 37, and his sister saw the post on Tuesday.

Advertisement

“We were actually out shoveling and just decided to go see what we could do about it,” Lyons said. His sister saw the post on Nextdoor, and “if she can go out and help a person or an animal, she will,” Lyons said. 

With loaders working to clear unplowed roads, it was difficult to get to the cat, Lyons said, but eventually they got to the tree, buried in snow. Using a nearby chicken wire fence, Lyons said he got to the low limbs nearly 10 feet off the ground.

“I’m confident with free climbing and all that stuff, and climbing that tree was really nothing,” Lyons said about what he estimated was 40 to 50 feet.

Once he got to the top, he put Pixie in his sweatshirt to begin his descent. When he was closer to the bottom, the neighbors congregating threw him a backpack to put Pixie in for him to safely climb down.

“It was crazy to watch,” MacKinnon said. “It was really incredible.”

Advertisement

Lyons said the neighbors almost seemed in shock, including the owner. Pixie is now back with her owner and doing well, MacKinnon said.

“They were very happy and relieved that the cat was down,” Lyons said. “They almost couldn’t believe it.”

Watch: Cat high up in the tree the night of the storm

Profile image for Molly Farrar

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.

Sign up for the Today newsletter

Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.

Advertisement





Source link

Rhode Island

Jamestown Swarm Chaser has unique talent for catching, moving bees

Published

on

Jamestown Swarm Chaser has unique talent for catching, moving bees


It was just a normal day at a home on Sloop Street in Jamestown until Stephen Santoro happened to glance up.

“I looked up at the peak and saw a very large nest of bees,” Santoro said.

Thousands of them.

“Well, I don’t mind honeybees, but just not that many,” he said.

Advertisement

That’s when he knew he had to call the Jamestown Swarm Chaser, Jim Turenne.

NBC 10’s Patrice Wood reports on the unique talents of the Jamestown Swarm Chaser.

Turenne is a beekeeper and member of the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association.

Advertisement

You can often find Turenne collecting honey at the Godena Farm, Conanicut Island Land Trust.

“They’ve actually been considered to be the most important species on the planet. They pollinate about one-third of the food we eat,” Turenne said.

But when someone needs help, the Swarm Chaser jumps into action, climbing up the side of the house on Sloop Street.

“The swarm basically had moved into the person’s house here,” Turenne said.

Turenne removed those on the outside and another beekeeper cut into the house to get the rest.

Advertisement

“That was one of the biggest clusters I’ve ever seen. That had probably 20,000 to 30,000 bees,” he said.

The homeowner was relieved.

“Oh, I’m extremely grateful,” Santoro said.

Swarm-catching is a unique talent.

Turenne has had 14 swarm rescues so far this year, all volunteer.

Advertisement

Nominate someone in your community volunteering to make our community better by filling out the short nomination form for “Community Treasures”



Source link

Continue Reading

Rhode Island

Providence mayor, City Council dispute over RENT fund program

Published

on

Providence mayor, City Council dispute over RENT fund program


Providence Mayor Brett Smiley called on city councilors to take action so the city can launch the RENT fund program.

According to city officials, Rental and Essential Needs Transition (RENT) would provide one-time grants of up to $3,000 per household to prevent eviction during times of financial crisis.

At a Wednesday press conference, Smiley called on the Providence City Council to approve the ordinance before its summer recess so the program can launch in July.

“I am incredibly disappointed that the city council is blocking the final approval to launch the RENT fund. Providence families are struggling to stay in their homes. They need help now more than they need delays,” Smiley said. “This act by the council can’t be viewed as anything other than a baseless political ploy aimed at obstructing progress during an election year, while our neighbors are the ones that have to pay a price for it.”

Advertisement

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley called on city councilors to take action so the city can launch the RENT fund program. (WJAR)

In a statement, City Council members said they have not yet approved the RENT fund ordinance because it does not include enough protections for tenants.

“The Council supports direct rental assistance—we already approved $1 million to fund it. But after vetoing rent stabilization, Mayor Smiley wants us to pass a program that sends public money directly to landlords without requiring them to limit rent increases or halt evictions. A landlord could take a $3,000 check from the City on Friday and raise the rent or evict the tenant on Monday. We are not going to be pressured into yet another Brett Smiley landlord giveaway. The Council will take the time necessary to put real tenant protections into this ordinance so that taxpayer dollars actually provide stability for neighbors in crisis,” Councilor Miguel Sanchez said.

Council members also said that they will continue working through the recess to strengthen the proposal.

Mayor Smiley disputed that claim, saying the organization selected to run the program, Community Action Partnership of Providence (CAP), would help protect tenants.

Advertisement

According to Smiley, the agreement with CAP includes tenant protections, such as ensuring tenants remain housed after receiving assistance and requiring landlords to fulfill their lease obligations.

Smiley also said the city would take action if a landlord violated those obligations.

“If they had an issue with the ordinance, they’ve had multiple opportunities to fix this. This has been in their hands for months. We got a letter flagging these concerns last night,” Smiley said. “We believe these concerns have already been addressed in the agreement with CAP, and if they had these concerns, they should’ve asked in the last four months.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Numbers Midday winning numbers for July 14, 2026

Published

on


The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing

02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Advertisement

Winning Numbers numbers from July 14 drawing

Midday: 2-0-6-9

Evening: 4-2-7-2

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from July 14 drawing

12-28-29-32-33, Extra: 25

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Advertisement

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 14 drawing

12-13-15-16-41, Bonus: 02

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.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending