Rhode Island

Which teams are dominating the RI softball scene? Let Eric Rueb’s midseason ranks tell you

Published

2 years ago

April 29, 2024

Which teams are dominating the RI softball scene? Let Eric Rueb’s midseason ranks tell you

The biggest surprise of the season took place Friday afternoon at the Brayton Avenue Sports Complex.

I was running late to get to the Tiverton-Cranston East game. I’m not an excuse guy, but my early afternoon range session took longer than expected and I miscalculated how long the drive was. I wasn’t worried, because I felt like there was a zero percent chance the Tigers were going to be able to get over the bridge and to Cranston East for the game to start remotely close to on time.

Boy was I wrong.

Kudos to Tiverton – which looked like it was in a small white school bus emblazoned with the school name vs. the traditional large yellow bus – for arriving on time. Games starting late due to busing issues or bridge traffic is an almost daily occurrence and this has been on my mind for a while because I don’t understand it.

Not to be old man screaming “when I was young,” but when I was young I remember being excused early so my teams could get to games on time. That was the fun part of being on an athletic team – if you had a long road trip, or a tough drive through a busy part of the state, the team got to leave school early to ensure they’d be on time.

Has this practice stopped? Because it’s absurd that schools don’t do this anymore.

While I prefer the 4:30-5:30 starts – golden hour light makes for delicious photos – all outdoor sports should be starting at 3:30. If that means kids have to hop on a bus before final bell, so be it. There’s no education lost in the final 30 minutes of the day – ask my 10-year old daughter, who leads the Foster/Glocester school district in her early dismissals for “cultural learning experiences.”

Let’s get back to this. Let the athletes out of school early and, who knows, maybe that will entice more students to play sports.

I’m hoping calling out coaches who didn’t report scores will entice more to avoid earning that social media scarlet letter. Division I has been terrific with getting scores in (minus a certain undefeated team at a school students don’t pay to attend), but getting results from Division II, III and IV has been like pulling teeth.

We can’t be at every game, but we can do daily writeups that appear online that give players a chance to see their name published somewhere on a regular basis. This is also how we figure out who are Player of the Week nominees are going to be.

The responsibility falls on the home team coaches and those who fail to report will continue to be pointed out. If a team wins on the road wants to report scores and stats so their players can earn accolades, we’re all for it.

Reporting scores and stats is easy. You can call us (401-277-7340) or email us (PJSports@ProvidenceJournal.com) with the following information – final score, three big performers from the winning team, one from the losing team and any other information that is pertinent to the game. That could be a game-winning hit, big inning, whatever.

Coaches who use GameChanger can also make this easy by directly emailing us the postgame report.

We need this information by 10 p.m.. Not 10:30 p.m. Not 6 a.m. the next morning. Not three days later, along with the other games you didn’t report. Most games are over by 7, the email takes all of four seconds to second. So let’s make it happen.

Now, after a wild week of softball, let’s get on to this week’s ranks.

Journal Softball Power Rankings – Division I

1. La Salle (9-0 Division I-B)

What is it going to take to beat the Rams? Good pitching, timely hitting and no mistakes – and even that might be enough. The Rams wrapped up the week with a win over undefeated Prout on Sunday, starting its toughest stretch of the season. This week’s games see La Salle hosting Cumberland and traveling to take on Cranston West, part of a two-week span that’s going to feel very much like the postseason.

2. Coventry (9-0 Division I-A)

Last week was a busy one for the Oakers, who got through four games with four wins – two thanks in part to the pitching of Sage Soares and two from the bats showing up huge. All eyes might be on next week’s matchup with La Salle, but Coventry has work to tend do this week at Moses Brown on Tuesday before hosting Pilgrim on Thursday. If the Oakers take care of business, then the fun can start.

3. Prout (7-1 Division I-B)

Sunday’s loss ended the Crusaders’ perfect season, but it hardly changed a thing. Prout made mistakes at the worst time on Sunday, which is something one can do against some teams but not against the defending champs. The Crusaders will learn and move on and with their talent, remain a title contender. Prout will look to start a new win streak Tuesday when it hosts Bay View before traveling to take on Cumberland Thursday.

4. Cumberland (6-2 Division I-A)

A sure sign we’re at midseason is the Clippers are starting to put things together and win games in bunches. Three games this week led to three wins, giving Cumberland four straight and an appearance in the top five. Can the Clippers do more? This week will be a tremendous test, as they travel to take on La Salle Tuesday and host Prout on Thursday.

5. Cranston West (6-2 Division I-B)

The Falcons started the week by bouncing back from their first loss of the season with a blowout win over Smithfield, but then something strange happened. The walk-off loss to winless East Providence raised more than a few eyebrows and while West grabbed a win over Moses Brown Friday, that loss to EP may loom large when it comes to seeding. The Falcons need to continue to build momentum Monday when they travel to play Pilgrim before welcoming La Salle to Brayton Ave. on Thursday.

Sauteing: East Greenwich (4-4 Division I)

Journal Softball Power Rankings – Division II

1. Ponaganset (6-0 Division II)

One loss was all it took to drop Johnston from No. 1 and give the Chieftains the top spot – on a by no less – one they might not relinquish for the rest of the season. Ponaganset hasn’t played since April 17, so there may be a question about rust. The Chieftains will answer those questions quickly with a game Monday at West Warwick before hosting Middletown on Wednesday.

2. Westerly (7-0 Division II)

The Bulldogs didn’t just win four games last week – they dominated, outscoring their opposition 51-5. Westerly has the arms, the offense is alive and the energy couldn’t be better. Now it’s time to get ready to go into overdrive and the Bulldogs will have two games to start the second half – at LNP on Monday and home against BNS on Wednesday.

3. Scituate (4-1 Division II)

After four straight wins to start the year, the Spartans were handed their first L by Westerly and will now have to show what kind of team they are and how they handle adversity. Scituate will start Monday against an angry Johnston team, then make a long road trip to South Kingstown Wednesday before ending the week at LNP on Thursday.

4. West Warwick (6-2 Division II)

While the Wizards had wins early, they didn’t have any against the top teams in D-II. That changed with last week’s win over Johnston, which should give West Warwick confidence that it can play with anyone in D-II. West Warwick will try to knock another team from the unbeaten ranks Monday when it hosts Ponaganset and its only other game this week is at Mt. Hope on Wednesday.

5. Johnston (4-1 Division II)

What happens next for the Panthers will define their season. Johnston dominated their first four games before falling to West Warwick, so this week is all about showing they can respond to the loss in a positive manner. It certainly won’t be easy, as the Panthers travel to take on Scituate Monday, followed by back-to-back home games against LNP Wednesday and Middletown Thusday.

Sauteing: LNP (3-2 Division II)

Journal Softball Power Rankings – Division III

1. Cranston East (7-0 Division III)

Friday’s win over Tiverton confirmed what should have already been known – the Thunderbolts are your favorites to win D-III. Cranston East is playing a different brand of softball than the rest of Division III and considering where it once was, it’s pretty impressive. The Thunderbolts can’t let success get to their head. They need to keep pushing and will, hosting defending D-III champ Mount St. Charles Monday and hosting Central Friday. The real game to watch might come Wednesday, when the Thunderbolts scrimmage Cranston West.

2. Tiverton (4-2 Division III)

After losing to Cranston East Friday, the Tigers should understand what they need to do if they want to win D-III – the defense needs to improve and the bats need more consistency. Tiverton will look to rebound from its loss with an interesting game Tuesday at home against Davies before traveling to play Exeter-West Greenwich Thursday.

3. Pawtucket (4-3 Division III)

Sholman threw everything at Cranston East Wednesday in a 2-0 loss, so it made sense why ace Janayah Gordon wasn’t out there in a 19-8 loss to Mount on Thursday. I’ll excuse the loss because with Gordon in the circle, Pawtucket is a title contender. Sholman will continue to work on shoring up its defense and search for help from the back of the order when it plays at Davies Monday with a rematch against MSC on Thursday.

4. Davies (4-3 Division III)

The Patriots are in a spot where they’ve beaten all the teams not on the list, but haven’t beaten anyone ranked higher than they are. If Davies wants to be a title contender, it needs to come up with a big win and getting one at home against Pawtucket Monday would certainly be that. If the Patriots could follow it with a win over Tiverton Tuesday, next week’s top four will look decidedly different.

Sauteing: Mount St. Charles (1-1 Division III)

Division IV Update

Central Falls still looking like the class of D-IV at 5-0, with Classical behind the Warriors at 4-0-1 after beating the Providence co-op last week. The Purple have three huge games this week, traveling to take on CF on Monday, playing Providence on Wednesday before playing host to CF on Friday.

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Rhode Island

Think you’re middle class in Rhode Island? Here’s the income range

Published

1 hour ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Think you’re middle class in Rhode Island? Here’s the income range

Your household can earn more than $160,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Rhode Island, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

Rhode Island is the state with the 17th-highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.

According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”

Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Rhode Island.

How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in RI?

In Rhode Island, households would need to earn between $55,669 and $167,008 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Ocean State has the 17th-highest income range in the country for middle-class households.

The state’s median household income is $83,504.

How do other New England states compare?

Rhode Island has the fourth-highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:

Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442

Which state has the highest middle-class income range?

Massachusetts ranks as the state with the highest income range to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually. The state’s median household income is $104,828.

Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?

Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.

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Rhode Island

AARP report highlights scale and value of unpaid caregiving in Rhode Island

Published

13 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

AARP report highlights scale and value of unpaid caregiving in Rhode Island

“Nationally there are 59 million Americans who are providing care for a loved one and that is 49.5 billion hours of care annually. It’s valued at a trillion dollars,” said Catherine Taylor, the director of AARP Rhode Island; AARP, the nation’s largest non- profit, dedicated to empowering people 50 and older.

In Rhode Island, the report shows 155,000 people serve as caregivers, providing 111 million hours of care.

Barbara Morse reports on unpaid caregivers. (WJAR)

“The total impact is $2.8 billion a year,” said Taylor.

It’s not just babysitting a loved one.

Catherine Taylor, the director of AARP Rhode Island, spoke with NBC 10’s Barbara Morse about the value of caregiving. (WJAR)

“People are doing a lot more nursing tasks, you know–wound care, injections and things like that and they’re doing a lot more intensive daily care, like bathing, and dressing and feeding than we used to,” she said.

Its latest report–“Valuing the Invaluable.”

“The whole point of this report is to draw attention to how many family care givers there are and what the magnitude of what the need is for their support,” said Taylor.

That includes financial support and respite care.

AARP wants you to know this:

An older man using equipment in a gym. (FILE)

In Rhode Island, temporary caregiver insurance or TCI is available to folks who qualify, for up to eight weeks.

There are federal tax credits you may qualify for. There is help.

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“All you have to do is call 211 and say you’re a family caregiver and they will connect you to all of AARP’S trusted information, including a Rhode Island specific guide on resources for caregivers,” she said.

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Rhode Island

A new safety role at Rhode Island College comes into sharper focus after Brown shooting – The Boston Globe

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

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A new safety role at Rhode Island College comes into sharper focus after Brown shooting – The Boston Globe

Lawrence was recently named RIC’s first emergency management director, a role college leaders had been planning before the December mass shooting across town at Brown University, but which took on new urgency after the tragedy.

Few resumes are better suited to the job.

A 20-year career in the New York Police Department. Commanding officer of the NYPD’s Employee Assistance Unit. A master’s degree from Harvard.

Lawrence got to Rhode Island the way a lot of people do: through someone who grew up here and never really left, at least not in spirit. Her husband, Brooke Lawrence, grew up in West Greenwich, and is director of the town’s emergency management agency.

“I couldn’t imagine retiring in my 40s,” Lawrence told me. “And I couldn’t imagine not giving back to my community.”

Public service has been part of Lawrence’s life for as long as she can remember. A New Jersey native, she dreamed of following in the footsteps of her mentor, a longtime FBI agent. She graduated from Monmouth University and earned a master’s degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College in 2001, shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks.

There was high demand for police in New York at the time, so Lawrence raised her hand to serve. She worked her way up the ranks from patrol to lieutenant, eventually taking charge of the department’s Employee Assistance Unit, a peer support program that helps rank-and-file officers navigate the most traumatic parts of the job. She later earned a second master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School.

“It’s making sure our officers are getting through their career in the same mental capacity as they came on the job,” Lawrence said.

There’s a version of Lawrence’s new job that feels routine, especially at a quiet commuter campus like Rhode Island College. And when Lawrence was initially hired part-time last fall, it probably was.

Then the shooting at Brown University changed the stakes almost overnight.

On Dec. 13, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese national and one-time student at Brown, opened fire inside the Barus and Holley building, killing two students and injuring nine others. Neves Valente also killed an MIT professor before he was found dead in a New Hampshire storage unit of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In eerie videos recorded in the storage unit, Neves Valente admitted that he stalked the Brown campus for weeks prior to his attack. He largely went unnoticed by campus security, which led the university’s police chief to be placed on leave and essentially replaced by former Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh Clements.

Lawrence assisted with the response at Brown. She leads the trauma response team for the Rhode Island Behavioral Health Medical Reserve Corps, which staffed the family reunification center in the hours after the shooting.

RIC’s campus is more enclosed than Brown’s — there are only two major entryways to the college — but there are unique challenges.

For one, it’s technically located in both Providence and North Providence, which requires coordination between multiple public safety departments in both communities.

More specifically, Lawrence noted that every building on campus has the same address, which can present a challenge in an emergency. Lawrence has worked with RIC leadership and local public safety to assign an address to each building.

Lawrence stressed that she doesn’t want RIC to overreact to the tragedy at Brown, and she said campus leaders are committed to keeping the tight-knit community intact.

But she admits that the shooting remains top of mind.

“Every campus community sees what happened at Brown and says ‘please don’t let that happen to us,’” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said everyone at RIC feels a deep sense of responsibility to keep students safe during their time on campus.

And she already feels right at home.

“I want to come home from work every day and feel like I made a difference,” she said.

Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.

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