Follow us on social media:
Rhode Island
Rhode Island earns Eastern Conference title with win in Charleston
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Goals either side of halftime by Zach Herivaux and Noah Fuson sent Rhode Island FC to a 2-1 victory against the Charleston Battery before a sellout crowd of 5,087 at Patriots Point in the Eastern Conference Final of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix as RIFC became only the third team to reach the USL Championship Final in its expansion season in the league.
Rhode Island earned its third road victory of the playoffs, ending the Battery’s reign as Eastern Conference title holders. RIFC will now visit Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weider Field next Saturday in the Championship Final at 12 p.m. ET.
The Battery had an early chance on a counterattack down the left that saw Aaron Molloy’s cross find Jackson Conway, whose finish went wide of the right post, while Juan David Torres flashed a shot wide from distance in the 17th minute. Rhode Island, meanwhile, had its first good chance three minutes later when the visitors got out in transition to set up Albert Dikwa for a shot that slid wide of the left post.
RIFC threatened again 10 minutes before halftime when Clay Holstad’s long throw-in from the right was flicked on at the near post by JJ Williams, forcing a scrambling one-handed save by Battery goalkeeper Adam Grinwis, who was able to palm the ball off a Rhode Island player and behind for a goal kick.
The Battery also went close from a set piece soon after as a short corner between Torres and Aaron Molloy created space for the Colombian on the left for a back-post cross that Nick Markanich fired into the outside of the side-netting.
The visitors went close again off a corner from the right which was headed on target by JJ Williams, forcing Grinwis into a diving save, but off a subsequent throw-in from the left, Holstad’s delivery got all the way through to Karifa Yao, whose header just outside the six-yard area was turned in at close range by Herivaux to put Rhode Island ahead.
Rhode Island believed it had doubled its lead six minutes into the second half when Dikwa fired home a volley off a header by Frank Nodarse off another recycled set piece, only for Nodarse to be ruled to have committed a foul in winning the header. Two minutes later, however, the visitors struck again as Fuson found space in the left channel and roofed home a finish from eight yards.
The Battery got back into the game just past the hour-mark when Torres curled home a free kick from 35 yards that deceived RIFC goalkeeper Koke Vegas and clipped the underside of the crossbar before finding the back of the net. The visitors almost responded immediately as Yao shot wide off a cutback cross from Marc Ybarra, while Markanich shot off target for the Battery with 20 minutes to go.
As the Battery tried to press late for an equalizer to send the game to extra time, however, Rhode Island’s back line held firm. The visitors, in fact, almost added a third with two minutes to play as Fuson was denied by Grinwis, but it proved academic as RIFC’s defense kept Charleston from a clean look at goal in stoppage time to see out the result.
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island State Police are investigating a crash that happened on I-295 North in Cumberland Tuesday night.
The crash happened in the right lane near Exit 22 just before 9 p.m.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
12 News has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for more information but has not heard back.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Scandals shake up Capitol Hill ahead of midterm elections
Congressional reporter Zachary Schermele dives into the latest scandals on Capitol Hill and how they’re shaking up politics ahead of midterms.
Rhode Island’s Democrat and Republican primary elections will officially be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 this year, instead of the usual Tuesday election day.
Lawmakers passed the bill at the urging of state and local officials, who were concerned that an election day falling the day after Labor Day would not give them enough time to set up polls for the arrival of voters.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the bill on April 20, officially moving the primary day for 2026.
Which races will be on the ballot? The Republican and Democrat nominees for a swath of local offices – most notably governor but also lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Why was RI’s primary day moved?
At a hearing on the bill earlier this year, Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns explained the “significant logistical and financial challenges” municipalities otherwise would have faced having an election the day after Labor Day.
“Beyond cost, municipalities face serious logistical challenges accessing and setting up more than 430 polling locations on a major federal holiday, a process that often requires many hours and access to facilities that are typically closed and unstaffed on Labor Day,” he said.
“Compounding these challenges, many municipalities conduct early voting in city or town halls that must also serve as primary day polling locations,” Rossi noted.
Without changes to current law, he said, “municipalities would be required to conduct early voting and primary day polling simultaneously, often in the same limited space and with the same poll workers, requiring additional staffing and facilities.”
By the time this legislative hearing took place in January, other states facing similar issues, including Massachusetts, had already adjusted their primary dates, “and Rhode Island itself has demonstrated that alternative scheduling can be successful, as occurred during the statewide Wednesday primary in 2018,” Rossi said.
EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — If you’re looking to satisfy you’re sweet tooth, look no further than Division Street.
Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its first Rhode Island bakery in East Greenwich earlier this month. The new bakery is situated within East Greenwich Square, which is also home to the Ocean State’s first Crumbl.
The bakery is known for its handcrafted specialty Bundt cakes, as well as smaller “Bundtlets,” and bite-sized “Bundtinis,” that come in a variety of flavors.
“There’s a strong sense of local pride, creativity, and community here that aligns perfectly with our values,” said Jake Williams, who owns the East Greenwich bakery. “We were drawn to the area’s vibrant small business culture and the opportunity to contribute something special.”
Nothing Bundt Cakes is also expected to open another bakery at Chapel View in Cranston later this year.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Follow us on social media:
-
Wisconsin3 minutes agoWisconsin’s Mr. Basketball Announces Highly Anticipated Commitment Decision
-
West Virginia9 minutes agoChemical emergency at Kanawha County plant – WV MetroNews
-
Wyoming15 minutes agoWyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system
-
Crypto21 minutes agoCurrent price of Ethereum for April 22, 2026 | Fortune
-
Finance27 minutes agoGerman finance minister wants to scrap spousal tax splitting
-
Fitness33 minutes agoPut the fun back in your fitness routine with this 10-minute follow-along workout from The Curvy Girl Trainer Lacee Green
-
Movie Reviews45 minutes agoMiyamoto says he was surprised Mario Galaxy Movie reviews were even harsher than the first | VGC
-
World57 minutes agoNaomi Watts to Star as Ballerina Margot Fonteyn in Romantic Drama ‘Margot & Rudi,’ With WestEnd Films Selling in Cannes