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Rhode Island school thrives after last-ditch purchase from diocese

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Rhode Island school thrives after last-ditch purchase from diocese


“There are so many miracles that happened in those three days and over the three months while the decision was made,” Casey said, “but we became owners of three acres with a church that seats 400 people, a school that can accommodate 160 students and a rectory [at which] we are housing our teachers.”

“It has been a crazy ride, but we believe God and Our Lady are at the helm,” Casey said. 

Volunteers help install a sign at Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope. Credit: Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope

Following the school’s acquisition of the property, volunteers and engineers both pitched in to help prepare it for opening. Workers “did quite a bit in a short time to get the buildings to code to move in,” Casey said. “We spent about $55,000 to open it and during the first year we needed about $20,000 in repairs that showed up as we started using the property again.”

He admitted that those investments were financially “draining” but that the school is engaging in fundraising as it grows into a four-year institution, after which “the financials look pretty good.” The school currently hosts about 20 students; the St. Francis property can accommodate a total of 160.

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Casey said the school is well supported as it launches. Benefactors “are starting to get behind the mission and vision to help the school get to the next level,” he said, while volunteers “have been incredible, sharing their gifts in areas such as painting, construction, and much sweat equity.”

Students in the classroom at Chesterton Academy. Credit: COLE DeSANTIS/Rhode Island Catholic
Students in the classroom at Chesterton Academy. Credit: COLE DeSANTIS/Rhode Island Catholic

Casey said the experience with the school shows that lay Catholics looking to help the Church need to “step up and help instead of hoping someone else does it.”

“Catholic laypeople must become part of the solution for the Church’s future,” he said. “We need to support our diocese and priests.” The diocese, Casey added, has been “so supportive” of the school, with a different priest visiting the school “every day” to celebrate its daily Mass. 

“Priests visit us from all over Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, and the students have an opportunity to see how each priest has a different journey in faith,” he said. “They sometimes share lunch with the students. Priests or deacons help us every month for our First Friday Holy Hours. Both bishops and a few monsignors have celebrated Mass with us.”

Casey said the school aspires to “bring spiritual life back to the Warwick and greater Rhode Island community and help families committed to raising their children to be the next generation of saints.”

(Story continues below)

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“Many Chesterton schools do not start this way with buying at the start,” he said, “but we believe with Our Lady of Hope guiding us, that we will be able to fill the school and help bring more souls to Christ.”





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Rhode Island State Police, DEA agents seize 141,000 Fetanyl pills | ABC6

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Rhode Island State Police, DEA agents seize 141,000 Fetanyl pills | ABC6


An operation by Rhode Island State Police, the DEA, and Massachusetts State Police seized 141,000 Fentanyl pills. (Rhode Island State Police)

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island State Police said that a joint operation with the DEA Providence District Office and the Massachusetts State Police in Johnston, Warwick, and Massachusetts resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of 141,000 Fentanyl pills.

Yhoan A Carmona German, Josue Carmona German, Angel F. Pena Rodriguez, and Debhani Garza were all arrested as part of the operation.

State police said the operation took place in September and October and was the result of an investigation into a Dominican Drug Trafficking Organization.

Some the charges the suspects face include possession with the intent to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

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Rhode Island public school charges mother $117K for records request about teacher who called Charlie Kirk ‘garbage’

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Rhode Island public school charges mother 7K for records request about teacher who called Charlie Kirk ‘garbage’


A Rhode Island public school district reportedly charged a mother roughly $117,000 for records pertaining to a high school teacher who was placed on paid leave after calling slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk a “piece of garbage.”

Benjamin Fillo, a social studies teacher at Barrington High School, was ousted in September shortly after posting a rant on TikTok branding Kirk a “piece of garbage” who “hated” the LGBTQ community, women’s rights, and democracy.

Benjamin Fillo, a social studies teacher at Barrington High School, was placed on paid leave after posting a rant about Charlie Kirk on TikTok. @whawazat18/TikTok

One irate mother submitted a public records request for information related to Fillo’s school email and course materials — but the district pushed back with a steep fee, according to a letter from the law firm representing Barrington Public Schools.

Nicole Solas sought to obtain any emails Fillo sent from Sept. 1 2024 onward referencing “Trump” and a secondary request for more email correspondences sent since Jan 1. 2016 also flagging “Trump.”

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Solas additionally asked for all of Fillo’s “curriculum materials” he used “to teach the young and impressionable minds of other people’s children who are entitled to an education free from indoctrination,” according to the letter.

Nicole Solas, a parent who doesn’t have children in the Barrington School District, sought to obtain Fillo’s curriculum and emails.

The law firm wrote that Solas clarified she was looking for all material Fillo used since he started teaching at the school in 2010, which came out to thousands of documents from 157 courses stored in three different learning management systems, according to the letter.

The records request flagged a staggering 789 emails Fillo sent containing the word “Trump” since Sept. 1 2024, according to the letter.

Solas’ request, though, wasn’t cheap.

If she wanted to obtain all the requested materials, she would have to fork over $117,130.50 — with the 15-year curriculum alone costing roughly $116,000, according to the letter.

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Fillo called Kirk a “piece of garbage” who “hated” democracy. AP

“This estimate that we received is exorbitant, completely unreasonable, just to get the curriculum materials,” Solas told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday.

Solas told the outlet that she insisted on reviewing the curriculum materials in full because that is “the only way that you can see what kids are [doing] in public schools.”

Solas noted that she does not live in the Barrington School District and sent her children to private school.

She’s now pushing the school to release the materials free of charge.

“I just don’t see how this can stand if we file a lawsuit on it,” Solas said.

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Parents and students went to a school board meeting pushing for Fillo to be permanently removed from the school in September. Barrington Public Schools

Shortly after Fillo was placed on leave, a group of outraged students and parents stormed into a school board meeting to push for Fillo’s permanent removal.

“No matter what anyone says to me, I will never stand for violence, especially of a man who was publicly murdered in front of his wife, one of his children and thousands of students and other bystanders,” Jakari, one of Fillo’s students, said during the meeting.

Kirk was assassinated during a stop on his Turning Point USA American Comeback tour at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. His alleged gunman, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.



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RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Oct. 29, 2025

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 29, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

04-24-49-60-65, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

03-04-33-36-43, Lucky Ball: 02

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

Midday: 3-2-7-5

Evening: 4-7-2-4

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

09-10-14-20-25, Extra: 08

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Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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