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Childcare workers another critical part of RI’s infrastructure | Opinion

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Childcare workers another critical part of RI’s infrastructure | Opinion


Rep. Susan R. Donovan (D-District 69, Bristol, Portsmouth) is chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. Sen. Sandra Cano (D-District 8, Pawtucket) is chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee.

In a recent commentary, early education advocates Lisa Hildebrand and Khadija Lewis Khan drew a very appropriate comparison between Rhode Island’s child care resources and the Washington Bridge, noting that both are critical infrastructure whose challenges create serious obstacles to working Rhode Islanders.

More: Education advocacy group unveils legislative agenda for 2024. Here’s what’s in it

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We couldn’t agree more, and are just as committed to strengthening early education programs in our state as we are to ensuring a safe and swift solution to the bridge fiasco. But unlike the problems that led to the failure of the bridge, the causes and solutions to our child care problems are quite clear.

Simply put, it’s funding. It’s virtually impossible to provide the high-quality child care that working families need at a price they can afford. The result is a tug-of-war that no one is winning – families cannot afford child care and early educators cannot afford to live on their income, which is generally lower than entry-level fast food wages.

That is why we are making the Rhode Island Early Educator Compensation Stabilization Act (H7251, S2038) one of our highest priorities this legislative session. Our bill would sustain and strengthen existing workforce development and compensation programs for educators working in licensed child care and early learning programs statewide, funding the continuation of workforce development and retention bonuses for our state’s dedicated, valuable, yet incredibly underpaid early educators.

More: Everyone wants something from Rhode Island’s part-time lawmakers. Here’s the list.

The bill would continue the Child Care WAGE$ salary supplement program, as well as a pandemic-era quarterly retention bonus of $750 for the lowest wage early educators who work directly with children and have been consistently employed in the same program.

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These programs have helped retain early education staff since the pandemic. Our state will face a child care crisis if funding ends this year.

We have been working to bolster support from our legislative colleagues and our chambers’ leadership for this important measure to help ensure that the devoted staff members of child care and early learning programs can afford to keep the jobs they love. If they can’t afford to work, neither can the families who depend on them.



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Rhode Island 18-year-old arrested in beach stabbing as hundreds of teens packed area

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Rhode Island 18-year-old arrested in beach stabbing as hundreds of teens packed area


A Rhode Island teenager who was out on bail for a gun charge was charged Friday in connection with the stabbing of three people as hundreds of teens crowded the beach

Willy Medina, 18, was identified as a suspect in the stabbing that broke out at Narragansett Town Beach just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Narragansett Police Department.

Medina is accused of slashing three beachgoers as the rowdy crowd went into a frenzy, according to video obtained by WJAR.

The three victims were hospitalized with minor stab wounds.

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Willy Medina, 18, a resident of Pawtucket, was taken into custody by the Rhode Island State Police on May 22, 2026.

The Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Medina in his hometown of Pawtucket and charged him on one count of felony assault, Chief Kyle Rekas said.

Medina was arraigned Friday in the 4th District Court and held on a bail violator. He was also ordered to have no contact with minors, WPRI reported.

Officials did not release a motive in the stabbing, as the investigation is ongoing.

Medina was out on bail at the time for a shooting in Pawtucket back in April.

Police allege Medina and another 18-year-old were part of a larger crowd when a disturbance broke out and a gunshot was fired off, striking a parked car, according to WJAR.

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Police search the Narragansett Town Beach after a stabbing on May 19, 2026. WPRI/YouTube

Medina was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, firing in a compact area, vandalism and disorderly conduct.

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s stabbings, Narragansett Police arrested two men in the public beach’s parking lot on charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.

Hours before the stabbing, 20 miles away in Middletown, RI, approximately 1,200 teens overran Second Beach on the Sachuest Bay, the Middletown police said.

Several people between the ages of 17 and 19 were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer.

Ronan Pinkham, an 18-year-old from Massachusetts, was arrested after he allegedly struck a Newport police officer with his car in the parking lot as he attempted to flee.

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A fight broke out as hundreds of teens swarmed the Narragansett Town Beach in Rhode Island, on May 19, 2026. NBC 10 WJAR/YouTube

Pinkman admitted to driving under the influence before he was arrested and charged with felony assault and DUI.

Illegal teen takeovers have plagued popular shopping centers and beaches in several states in the weeks leading up to Memorial Day Weekend.

Several hundred teens and young adults illegally took over a popular boardwalk in Long Branch, New Jersey, on Tuesday, leading to several arrests of out-of-towners.

Police in Delaware arrested four Delaware State University students for leading a booze-fueled takeover of Rehoboth Beach that prompted a heavy police presence in the popular Atlantic town.

Xander Nicholl, 19, Angelin Clauvil, 21, Eric Barnett, 21, and 22-year-old Keyon Scott are all facing charges relating to facilitating a riot, as well as conspiracy in the second degree.

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Remains identified as World War II pilot from Rhode Island

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Remains identified as World War II pilot from Rhode Island


The Defense of POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on Friday that a U.S. Army Air Force pilot from Rhode Island killed in World War II was located.

The agency said 2nd Lt. Robert J. Barrat, 20, of Woonsocket, was accounted for on April 30.

According to the organization, Barrat piloted a B-17G “Flying Fortress” bomber in 1945.

On Feb. 9,1945, witnesses reported seeing his aircraft collide with another aircraft during a bombing mission to Lutzkendorf, Germany.

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The aircraft was then seen hitting the ground, killing eight of the 9 crew members onboard.

After the end of World War II, the American Graves Registrations Command began working to recover missing American personnel in Europe.

In 1947, members recovered eight sets of remains from marked burials in the Eisenberg Civilian Cemetery.

The remains were transferred to the Central Processing Point at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium for analysis.

Members identified two sets of remains. The remaining six were identified as the collective remains of Barrat and five of his crew members.

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The remains were then buried at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

In Oct. 1991, a German citizen reported finding the crash site and recovered debris from the aircraft, including two inscribed rings.

The debris was turned over to the U.S. Army Memorial Affairs Activity Europe in Landstuhl, Germany and then to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii.

In 2024, the remains were re-examined for further analysis.

Scientists said they used anthropological analysis and mitochondrial DNA analysis to identify Barrat’s remains.

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According to the University of Rhode Island, he attended Rhode Island State College (RISC) in Sept. 1941 with the class of 1945.

Barrat left college during his second year and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in Nov. 1942.

He was posthumously cited for Gallantry in Action and Bravery and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Barrat will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 27.



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17-year-old sent to hospital after pedestrian crash in Woonsocket

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17-year-old sent to hospital after pedestrian crash in Woonsocket


The Woonsocket Police Department said a 17-year-old was sent to the hospital after a pedestrian crash on Park Avenue.

The department said the juvenile’s injuries were non-life-threatening.

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The vehicle involved in the crash fled the scene but was later located and brought to the department for processing, and an individual was being detained.



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