One person is dead and a second person was injured in a fire in Warwick, Rhode Island, early Wednesday morning.

According to WJAR, firefighters responded shortly after midnight to a report of two people trapped in a burning home on Holt Street. A man was found dead in the home, and a woman was removed from the house and taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation.

The identity of the man who died has not been released.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, fire officials said.

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island awarded a local community member for his efforts which have collected almost 4,000 pounds in clothes and linens for the organization.

Barrington resident Richard Staples was awarded the Bonney B. Sevellon Award for Creative Impact, which honors those who introduce new ideas that assist BBBSRI.

Staples has held neighborhood clothing drives since 2022, which was inspired when he spotted a cardboard donation box at BBBSRI’s office.

“Why not bring my neighbors together to fill one at our house?” Staples said.

Since then, he has collected dozens of donations on the front lawn of his home.

According to BBBSRI, his efforts have raised funds for youth mentorship, improved sustainability, and allowed for the community to both “declutter” their homes and support children in the area.

“Folks like Richard, who rally their communities behind BBBSRI, are essential to our mission,” BBBSRI CFO Jack Blatchford said. “Richard’s leadership and commitment not only raise crucial funds for mentoring but also foster a culture of sustainability and giving back. His work shows how one person’s vision can make Rhode Island a stronger, more supportive community.”

BBBSRI asks Rhode Island residents to drop donations off at any of the 150 green bins across the state or at one of five donation centers, as well as offers free scheduled pick-ups from homes for those who are not able to drop off.

Additionally, BBBSRI encourages men to consider becoming a mentor for the over 350 boys on the waitlist.

For more information, visit BBBSRI’s website.

The silver lining of inflation: Rhode Island’s tourism economy benefited from $5.6 billion in visitor spending in 2023, according to new research by a state commissioned consultant.

A presentation by international firm Tourism Economics for Rhode Island Commerce Corporation showed visitor spending grew more than twice as fast as the increase in the number of visitors in 2023. The 28.4 million people who traveled to the Ocean State in 2023 is 2.2% higher than the prior year, but their total spending on travel, food, lodging and entertainment grew 4.6% year-over-year.

That’s driven by demand growth as well as price hikes for commodities and services, according to the research.

More than one-quarter of the direct spending, 26%, stemmed from food and beverage sales. Lodging, including hotels, second houses and short-term rentals, was the second-highest expense, contributing $1.2 billion. 

Air transportation saw the biggest annual increase, up 10.2%, to $328 million in 2023. Rhode Island Airport Corporation, the quasi-public entity that manages the state’s airports, gets a share of revenue from passengers on flights, as well as fees for the airlines to land, use hangar space, and other related services.

In March 2023, Breeze Airways opened a permanent base at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, with plans to invest $160 million and hire up to 250 employees over the next five years. Commerce awarded the Utah-based airline $2.9 million in tax credits tied to the job creation plans.

Commerce has also experimented with various destination marketing ploys, from giant, traveling stuffed quahogs to the $2.2 million “All That” ad campaign rolled out in February of this year. 

“The economic activity generated from the travel sector represents a critical component of the state’s current and future growth,” Anika Kimble-Huntley, Commerce’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “The Commerce team will continue to work with our great partners, statewide, to support the upward trajectory of tourism and record-breaking visitation.”

Visitor count and direct spending in 2023 broke prior state records, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers. However, the number of jobs tied to the state’s tourism economy remains slightly below its 2019 peak.

The 38,329 jobs directly tied to the tourism economy in 2023 remains about 1,000 jobs, or 2.5%, below 2019 levels. Including jobs that indirectly benefited from tourism, 2023 activity helped to sustain 86,612 jobs, while generating $935 million in state and local tax revenues, according to the research.

“Tourism plays a vital role in Rhode Island’s economy by creating jobs, supporting our local businesses, and showcasing everything that makes our state a premier destination,” Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner said in a statement. “I applaud the dedicated efforts of the tourism team at Rhode Island Commerce and all others in the industry that helped reach this accomplishment.”

Including direct spending, jobs and tax revenue, the visitor economy totaled $8.3 billion in 2023, a 4.5% increase over the prior year.

The research reflects federal labor and jobs statistics, state and local tax revenues, short-term rental information and information from market research group Longwoods International.