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Rhode Island
Firefighters in R.I. called to help camel stand up
Local News
The camel weighs about 2,000 pounds, according to its owner.
Rhode Island firefighters responded to quite an unusual call on Sunday.
Henry Cabrera, owner of Lavender Waves Farm, called to report that his Arabian camel, Harley, was having trouble standing up.
Cabrera said he noticed that Harley, who was lying on an incline, looked unwell, so he tried to help him stand up, but to no avail. Harley weighs about 2,000 pounds.
“I think it was pure mechanics and physics because his hump was on the downward side of the hill, so his legs were kind of facing up the hill,” Cabrera, who owns five of the six privately held camels in all of Rhode Island, told Boston.com. “It was just mechanically impossible for him to get his 2,000 pound body up.”
It quickly became apparent to Cabrera that he was going to need to call for help. He tried calling some of his crafty friends for ideas, but none of them seemed to know what to do.
That’s when he called the fire department.
“He made me repeat myself several times,” Cabrera said of his phone call with the Union Fire District of South Kingston. “It took him a couple minutes to sort of believe me, but ultimately they did.”
Soon after, Cabrera said several firefighters arrived with four different vehicles.
“Lo and behold. Now they believed me,” he said. “The camel was down.”
Cabrera said it took over an hour for him and the firefighters to figure out how to lift Harley. Finally, the group put a strap around the camel’s hump to sit him up.
“He was kind of wobbly at first,” Cabrera said. “He got up and he was fine after that.”
After Harvey was back on his feet, Cabrera gave the firefighters a tour of his farm. Lavender Waves Farm has over 4,000 lavender plants and a luxury Airbnb farm suite, according to its website. In addition to camels, Cabrera’s farm has alpacas, llamas, chickens, ducks, guinea hens, geese, and white peacocks.
For the fire department, the incident was “one of their top five calls,” but for Cabrera, not so much.
“It was clearly a call that they enjoyed,” Cabrera said. “I wasn’t too happy about the whole thing. I was a little bit embarrassed, but I didn’t know who else to call.”
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…
Hour by Hour // A close look at the upcoming conditions »
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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The Rhode Island Department of Health issued an overdose spike alert for Johnston and North Providence.
Health officials said over the past week, five Johnston and North Providence residents received medical care for a drug overdose.
According to RIDOH, these municipalities have historically lower overdose rates than the statewide average.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Residents can visit Prevent Overdose RI connect with community harm reduction organizations and find treatment.
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