KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island Rowing won its 10th Atlantic 10 Championship in program history on Saturday in thrilling fashion, with racing coming down to the final event on the Cooper River. 

The Varsity 8+ crew of coxswain Lily Stasaitis, Catie Castle, Bethany Nordstrom, Nicole Jones, Samantha Gumprecht, Cait Reardon, Emma Barnhart, Sarah Pecoraro and Bella Bruno sprinted past George Washington in the final 1000m of its race for a first-place finish (6:45.2) that lifted URI to the team title. 

Rhode Island finished with 51 points, followed by Massachusetts (46 points) and George Washington (45 points). 

The Second Varsity 8+ joined the aforementioned boat by finishing first in its event. Coxswain Ellie McGee, Jessica Tosi, Olivia Kowalski, Hailey Pardi, Sammie Gorecki, Eryn Wale, Amanda Cubit, Maia Hembruff and Emma Larsh bested second-place UMass by half a length to pick up what was the team’s first gold medals of the day. 

Rhody’s Varsity 4+ crew of coxswain Evelyn Tabor, Emily Olin, Emma Brookins, Jasmyn Hayes and Alexis Moore began the competition amongst the scoring boats with a fourth-place finish (7:55.0). The Third Varsity 8+ just missed the podium as well, crossing the line fourth (7:31.6). 

URI’s Second Varsity 4+ crew of coxswain Sawyer McNish, Irma Accius, Anna Kann, Abby Galayda and Brigid McShea placed third in its final with a time of 8:16.7 

Castle, Jones and Nordstrom earned spots on the All-Atlantic 10 First Team while Barnhart received a Second Team nod. Head coach Shelagh Donohoe won A10 Coach of the Year for the ninth time in her career.

Rhode Island has secured the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, which is being held on East Fork/Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio from May 31 through June 2. The Rams will learn of their seeding in the selection show, which is at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21. It will stream live on NCAA.com.  

Team Standings
1. Rhode Island – 51
2. Massachusetts – 46
3. George Washington – 45
4. Fordham – 33
5. La Salle – 29
6. Saint Joseph’s – 26
7. Duqeusne – 21
8. George Mason – 11
9. Dayton – 7

Rhode Island Finals Results
Second Varsity 4+ – Grand Final
1. Massachusetts – 8:04.7
2. George Washington – 8:12.1
3. Rhode Island – 8:16.7
4. Fordham – 8:57.2
5. George Mason – 9:09.2
 
Third Varsity 8+ – Grand Final
1. Massachusetts – 7:22.8
2. George Washington – 7:25.7
3. Duquesne – 7:28.8
4. Rhode Island – 7:31.6
5. Fordham – 7:55.4
 
Varsity 4+ – Grand Final
1. Massachusetts – 7:39.6
2. Saint Joseph’s – 7:44.4
3. George Washington – 7:53.1
4. Rhode Island – 7:55.0
5. Fordham – 8:09.9
6. Duquesne – 8:19.3
 
Second Varsity 8+ – Grand Final
1. Rhode Island – 6:55.6
2. Massachusetts – 6:59.7
3. George Washington – 7:02.3
4. LaSalle – 7:09.1
5. Fordham – 7:14.6
6. Duquesne – 7:18.6
 
Varsity 8+ – Grand Final
1. Rhode Island – 6:45.2
2. George Washington – 6:49.5
3. Massachusetts – 7:00.1
4. Fordham – 7:01.8
5. LaSalle – 7:05.2
6. Saint Joseph’s – 7:12.5

Here are some of The Providence Journal’s most-read stories for the week of May 12, supported by your subscriptions.

Here are the week’s top reads on providencejournal.com:

Rhode Island has violated the federal civil rights of hundreds of children with mental-health or developmental disabilities by “routinely and unnecessarily segregating” them at Bradley Hospital, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha said Monday.

Rather than placing children with such disabilities in intensive in-home or community-based programs, Cunha said the state’s Department of Children, Youth & Families has over-relied on hospitalizing them at Bradley, leaving them there for weeks, months and, in a few cases, more than a year.

“Rhode Island has failed, miserably and repeatedly, to meet its legal obligations to children with mental-health and developmental disabilities,” he said. 

What comes next for DCYF after U.S. Attorney’s scathing accusations?

Mental health care: ‘Appalling’: Feds accuse RI DCYF of ‘warehousing’ children at Bradley Hospital. What to know.

Gov. Dan McKee has quietly asked lawmakers to approve a tax relief-and-spending package for Citizens Bank that includes the proposed state purchase of a Citizens-owned building on Tripps Lane in East Providence for more than twice its current $16.9 million assessed value.

A second of two unannounced budget amendments has Democrat McKee asking lawmakers to allow a tweak in the state’s “financial institutions tax” that could potentially cost the state millions in revenue.

Within the State House, it is believed to be a targeted effort to assist Citizens for unstated reasons, though it does not specifically name the company.

Read on to find out what we know about the Citizens Bank deal – and what we don’t.

Business: Inside McKee’s 11th hour pitch to keep Citizens Bank – and its jobs – in RI. Here’s the deal.

Spread too thin as owner/chef, and with two other businesses, Ben Lloyd will close his Salted Slate this month. The Wayland Square restaurant has had a 10-year run serving lunch, brunch and dinner in Providence. The last day of service is May 31.

News of that closing was compounded by a Facebook notice that a second Wayland Square institution, Minerva’s Pizza at 20 South Angell St., has also shuttered. Kabalan and Kaylin Habchi bought the restaurant in 2002 and have run the pizzeria since.  

Did the traffic disruptions of the Washington Bridge closure play a role? Journal food editor Gail Ciampa talks with Lloyd about the stresses that led to his difficult decision.

Dining: Two restaurant closures stun Wayland Square. How much is the Washington Bridge to blame?

Byron Valle and Douglas Leon were in a crowd of about 2,000 soccer fans gathered at Merino Park when they were shot to death in 1987.

Thirty-seven years later, police are still trying to find the man who pulled the trigger. The accused killer is Julio Merida, and he’s among a small group of fugitives identified as “Rhode Island’s Most Wanted.”

Featured on a webpage maintained by the Rhode Island State Fusion Center at state police headquarters, each of the most-wanted fugitives has a story. Read on to learn more about Merida and seven other men on the most-wanted list, as well as instructions from the state police about what to do if you have any information that could aid in apprehending them.

Crime: Have you seen these men? Here’s the list of Rhode Island’s most wanted fugitives

The end of this month could see Providence College already well down the road with respect to building its next men’s basketball recruiting class. 

The Friars already hold a commitment from a 2025 prospect and could see two more before the calendar flips to June. The first could come as soon as Sunday afternoon. 

Jamier Jones will announce his decision live on Instagram, and he was scheduled to start a final visit to Providence over the weekend. Jaylen Harrell is set to pledge May 27, and the Friars are also among his last six schools under consideration. Journal sportswriter Bill Koch explains the impact they could have on PC’s basketball program.

College sports: Two more top prospects might commit to Providence basketball this month. Who are they?

To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — The Boston Police Department said it is looking for a missing 17-year-old who could possibly be with family in Providence.

Jaize Shabazz-Fealy of Dorchester was last seen around 2 p.m. on May 5 in the area of Warren Avenue.

He is described as a light-skinned black male, about 5-foot-7-inches, approximately 170 pounds, and with a short afro.

He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a Spider-Man graphic on it, black sweatpants with white lettering, and a gray/black backpack.

Police added that he suffers from mental health issues.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is advised to contact 911 or detectives at 617-343-4712.