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Rhode Island
Dating stories from RI as a survey places one city among the worst for singles in US
I have bad news for single people in Warwick.
It’s supposedly one of the worst places for dating in America.
Out of 182 American cities surveyed by WalletHub, Warwick ranked in the bottom eight.
It’s below Grand Prairie, Texas – wherever that is – as well as Yonkers, New York, and Jackson, Mississippi.
Providence isn’t so great, either. It ranks 109th.
WalletHub based this on percentage of singles, the cost of a meal for two, online dating “opportunities” and a few other metrics.
It got me thinking about dating in Rhode Island in general.
Not long ago, I did a story about Mary Hardy, 66, an X-ray and ER assistant from Smithfield who told me she’d been in the dating wars here for years.
I asked how it was going.
“Oh gosh,” she said, “frustrating, time-consuming. Basically, a full-time job if you really want to find somebody. But usually a big waste of time.”
She’d been on tons of apps – Bumble, Zoosk, Silver Seniors.
“I’m pretty much breaking my wrist swiping left,” she said.
At her age, the “supply” in Rhode Island isn’t perfect.
“Now, I’m not all that and a bag of chips,” Mary said, “but I know what lane I’m in. I’m not in the high-speed lane. But some of these dudes are in the breakdown lane.”
I have experience in this area, having dated in Rhode Island for years before I got married in 1988, and years after I got divorced in 2010.
There was more pressure the first go-around, since I was approaching my mid-30s while still never married. My Jewish mother would start phone calls with the same question.
“Anything new to report?”
Since that was before dating apps, there were probably more office romances – always a dicey gambit in a fishbowl.
Then again, all of Rhode Island sometimes feels the same. I was once on Thayer Street with a woman and walked right by someone else I’d been taking out. This led to a call later from the someone else, asking how I could be such a cad. I pointed out that we’d never talked about being exclusive, but it turns out there’s often an assumption that if you’ve dated 3.2 times, or even 2.3 times, you’re an item.
My brother “The Douglas” was much better at dating than I, being quite the schemer. For example, he always sent flowers to a woman at her place of work. That way, he said, the other women in the office will rush over and ask, “Who’s the great guy?”
A few times, he even sent flowers to a woman’s mother for having such an amazing daughter. That’s playing dirty, but it worked.
Once, he almost got into trouble when he brought a date home and suddenly, someone called on his answering machine. He had no doubt it was one of the other women he was dating, her voice about to sound on the machine’s speaker.
I asked what he did.
“I bearhugged the girl I was with around the ears and loudly said I was sooo glad to be with her.” Crisis averted. “She thought I was being really affectionate.”
Douglas frequently visited Rhode Island from Chicago for business and took up with a side-woman here. One night, I got a call from his hometown girlfriend who’d found a letter from his Providence paramour. The Chicago girlfriend wanted me to explain what was going on.
I had to weasel out of it on Douglas’s behalf, explaining that the Providence woman was, um, let me think – projecting a relationship that didn’t exist? Amazingly, she bought it. Forty years later, Douglas still owes me for that one.
We should give poor Warwick a break, because unsuccessful dating can happen anywhere in the state.
After being divorced, I had a date at what you’d think would be the ultimate Rhode Island locale for things to go smoothly – the restaurant at the Ocean House in Watch Hill. It was roughly halfway for both myself and a woman who was an ad hotshot at ESPN outside Hartford.
I think I blew it when I saw CNN notable John King – a Rhode Island guy – at another table. I excused myself to go chat with him, for probably too long, and the temperature at my own table had cooled when I returned.
Afterward outside, as she climbed into her car, I was about to ask through the window if she wanted to get together again, but before I got the question out, she peeled away, spraying a bit of gravel at my shins. I took that as a maybe.
In closing, I’d love to hear from any Warwick folks about the dating scene there. Is it better than what WalletHub says?
Or are you breaking your wrists swiping left?
mpatinki@providencejournal.com
Why is the flag at half staff? These are possible reasons
The flag of the United States of America is flown at half-staff on several occasions, generally marking that the country is in mourning
On Friday, May 15, flags will be flown at half-staff across the United States to commemorate Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Recognized each year since 1962 as part of May’s National Police Week, the national observance pays tribute to United States law enforcement officials who gave their lives in the line of duty, whether at the local, state or federal level.
“United in gratitude, we recommit ourselves to supporting those who keep the peace in our neighborhoods, and we offer our heartfelt appreciation for the service they render to community and country,” reads a proclamation from President Trump. “Their steady presence brings calm to our streets, their dedication preserves the order that allows our Nation to flourish, and their unwavering vigilance is the reason families across America can rest under the promise of a safer tomorrow.”
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, the flag of the United States at all public buildings and grounds across the country and its territories – including in Rhode Island – will fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, May 15.
Why are flags flown at half-staff?
According to the official website of the U.S. General Services Administration, flags typically fly at half-staff when the country or specific state is in mourning. Observances include national tragedies, days of remembrance and deaths of government or military personnel.
The president, the state governor or the mayor of Washington, D.C., can order flags to fly at half-staff.
Half-staff vs. half-mast
While half-staff refers to lowered flags on land, half-mast refers to those at sea. Both refer to a flag being flown beneath the top of its staff as a sign of respect.
RI’s Verdi Productions films ‘Bad News On The Doorstep’ in Providence
Verdi Productions wrapped filming of Tom DeNucci’s “Bad News On The Doorstep” early on May 23 in Providence.
Verdi Productions’ secret horror movie, “My Boyfriend is a Demon,” now filming in Rhode Island, is no longer a secret as Chad A. Verdi, the East Greenwich production company’s president, has announced the cast and given an outline of the movie’s plot.
The ensemble cast comprises veteran actors and rising young talents. The story follows Mary, a lonely, small-town girl who creates a fake Instagram account that pretends to be boyfriend, a guy too perfect to be real. Mary puts so much effort into making him “real” that he shows up at her door one day.
The cast includes:
- Mattias Ferrell, son of comic actor Will Ferrell and known for “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
- Coco Arquette, daughter of Courteney Cox and David Arquette and known for “Cougar Town.”
- David Arquette, known for his work in the “Scream” film franchise.
- Rosanna Arquette, David’s sister and Coco’s aunt, known for “The Moment.”
- Bailey Sloan, known for “Ragamuffin.”
- Jack Champion, known for “Avatar.”
- Ever Anderson, known for “Peter Pan & Wendy.”
- Vinnie Hacker, known for “Euphoria.”
- Josephine Reitman, known for “Juno.”
- Savannah Lee Smith, kown for “Tunsel Town.”
- Lisa Yamada, known for “Elle.”
- Ty Law, known for “Friday Night Lights.”
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is written and directed by first-time director mishka.
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is filming in Providence
The movie began filming in Rhode Island in April and has rented Providence’s Cranston Street Armory for the month of May to use as a studio.
The producing team for Verdi Productions includes Chad A. Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba, Michelle Verdi and Sera Verdi. Executive producers include Ketchup Entertainment and Kinolime.
Good morning! Happy Thursday! Today will be pretty unsettled with the chance for showers and t’storms. Friday will still be damp with showers and drizzle, but the weekend still looks amazing!
The one good thing with the rain, for allergy sufferers at least, the pollen levels will be lower. In fact, both today and tomorrow, the tree pollen counts will be low locally. Do expect a spike in the pollen count for Saturday and Sunday with the dry weather.
INTERACTIVE RADAR: Live Pinpoint Weather 12 Radar »
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” FLIGHT TRACKER
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” POWER OUTAGES
TODAY
Hour-by-hour forecast for today…
We’ll have some showers around during the morning commute today, but the greatest chance for showers and t’storms will be after 9AM and before 5PM.
Showers and thunderstorms could slow travel around mid-day. Rain could fall heavily at times.
A line of showers and t’storms will be sweeping across the area through the afternoon as a slow-moving weather systems moves through the region.
Highs today will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s with southeast to east winds of 5-15mph.
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” BEACH AND BOATING FORECASTS
TONIGHT
Showers are still possible this evening; although they won’t be as numerous.
TOMORROW
That low center will be nearby Friday morning, and we’ll be stuck with a damp, cool windflow. Expect drizzle and showers in the morning and possibly some lingering showers in the afternoon.
Highs Friday will only be in the 50s. The average high this time of year is in the upper 60s.
LOOKING AHEAD
Then…there’s the weekend. Saturday looks amazing with lots of sunshine and dry weather. It’ll be warmer, too, with highs in the 70s.
-Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo
T.J. Del Santo (tdelsanto@wpri.com) is the weekday morning and noon meteorologist for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Threads and BlueSky.
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