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When it comes to expressing ourselves, Rhode Islanders have elevated license plates to an art form. You might not be able to get a new vanity plate — the state suspended applications in 2021 after a judge ruled a Tesla owner could keep his FKGAS plates — but you can still express your Rhody pride with one of seventeen state-approved charity plates. The program has funded ocean research, thrown parades, saved crumbling lighthouses and even provided meals for residents. About half of the $43.50 surcharge goes to the associated charity, while the other half covers the production cost.
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 7,007
Total raised: $269,530
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2009
Plates currently on road: 5,024
Total raised: $336,890
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2013
Plates currently on road: 2,102
Funds raised: $32,080
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2016
Plates currently on road: 1,616
Funds raised: $50,450
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2002
Plates currently on road: 765
Funds raised since 2021: $11,060*
*Prior to 2021, customers ordered plates directly through the food bank, and total revenue numbers are not available.
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2009
Plates currently on road: 1,472
Funds raised: $136,740
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay
Year first approved: 2006
Plates currently on road: 1,132
Funds raised: $61,380 for each organization (proceeds split evenly)
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2014
Plates currently on road: 1,125
Funds raised: $36,880
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2023
Plates currently on road: 1,105
Funds raised: $37,610
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2011
Plates currently on road: 1,104
Funds raised: $17,640
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2011
Plates currently on road: 860
Funds raised: $88,620
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2012
Plates currently on road: 1,510
Funds raised: $33,360
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Providence College Angel Fund
Year first approved: 2016
Plates currently on road: 693
Funds raised: $23,220
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 383
Funds raised: $10,640
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 257
Funds raised: $7,580
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License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Year first APPROVED: 2018
Plates currently on road: 132
Funds raised: $3,190
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will release on Wednesday findings from a multiyear investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
According to the attorney general’s office, the report will detail the diocese’s handling of clergy abuse over decades.
While the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island is home to the country’s largest Catholic population per capita, with nearly 40% of the state identifying as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.
Neronha first launched the investigation in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found more than 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s. The 2018 report is considered one of the broadest inquiries into child sexual abuse in U.S. history.
Neronha’s investigation involved entering into an agreement with the Diocese of Providence to gain access to all complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy dating back to 1950. Neronha’s office said in 2019 that the goal of the report was to determine how the diocese responded to past reports of child sexual abuse, identify any prosecutable cases, and ensure that no credibly accused clergy were in active ministry.
Rhode Island State Police also helped with the investigation.
Rhode Islanders who plan to join in the global celebration of Irish culture can choose from big and small events, including a parade in Providence.
The March 17 holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, and many big events will be held the weekend of March 14-15. Originally a modest, religious feast day honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day today is a vibrant, boisterous holiday observed by millions of people regardless of their heritage.
The Providence parade is March 21.
We’ve rounded up 10 more events to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But first, are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!
Here’s your guide to St. Patrick’s Day fun in Rhode Island:
Local News
A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.
Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.
Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.
At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.
The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said.
Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.
Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.
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