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Timeline of the Washington Bridge closure: Here’s how it all happened

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Timeline of the Washington Bridge closure: Here’s how it all happened


If you’ve tried to get in and out of the East Bay the past two months, you’ve probably noticed – while in traffic – there’s a problem with the westbound span of the Washington Bridge, which takes Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River.

Understanding what went wrong with the bridge is challenging – the state has an army of engineers and consultants working on that now.

How did it happen? And how has it played out? Here’s a timeline:

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Friday Dec. 8: An engineer and a ‘critical finding’

Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, 1:40 p.m.: Andrew Prezioso, a structural engineer and team leader for bridge design contractor VHB, emails Rhode Island Department of Transportation officials with a “critical finding” on the bridge. At least two of the anchor rods securing the concrete spans cantilevered over the river have failed. Another two have narrowed significantly, a sign of stress.

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This video led to the shutdown of the Washington Bridge

This video, filmed by an engineer inspecting the bridge, shows the bouncing that led to RIDOT closing the westbound lanes of the Washington Bridge.

2:42 p.m.: RIDOT Managing Engineer Keith Gaulin responds in a group email: “Based on our phone conversation, it seems there are no immediate actions to be taken right at this moment as we try to determine other short and long-term solutions.”

He says it is unclear whether the damage is old or new and asks to set up a meeting Monday to discuss it further.

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Monday, Dec. 11: Shutdown of the bridge

Monday, Dec. 11, 11:30 a.m. – noon: Engineers from RIDOT and VHB are invited to a “Washington Bridge Critical Finding Discussion” virtual meeting. Prezioso shares a video of bridge beams “bouncing.” At some point on Monday afternoon RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. is briefed on the bridge and agrees with “the recommendation from the engineers that the bridge should be closed,” according to RIDOT spokesman Charles St. Martin.

2:52 p.m.: Alviti calls Gov. Dan McKee to tell him there is a problem with the bridge’s westbound span. “The director contacted the governor shortly after deciding to close the bridge,” St. Martin has said.

4:40 p.m.: An email alert is sent to Rhode Island news outlets saying Alviti “will host a press conference to discuss the closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge due to the finding of a critical failure of some original bridge components from the 1960s.”

5 p.m.: At the news conference, at RIDOT headquarters on Capitol Hill, Alviti, the only senior official present, tells reporters the potential failure of old parts of the bridge are “such that it could potentially be the cause of a catastrophic failure” and that I-195 West is closed to traffic.

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5:30 p.m.: McKee makes previously scheduled visit to Hope High School basketball practice in Providence.

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Why Rhode Island closed half of the Washington Bridge

Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr. explains why the state shut down half of the primary link between eastern and western Rhode Island.

Tuesday, Dec. 12: Catastrophic traffic

Tuesday, Dec, 12, 4:20 a.m.: Cheyenne Cazeault, policy advisor in McKee’s office, alerts state officials to conference call with municipal leaders that morning about the bridge. Morning commute times double, triple or more with the highway only open heading east.

11:30 a.m.: McKee joins Alviti and other officials for a news conference about the bridge closure. McKee calls it “an event that cannot be avoided and cannot be predicted.” Alviti says “we averted a major catastrophe.” Repairs are estimated to take three months.

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4 p.m. – 8 p.m.: The evening commute is worse than the morning, with drivers who crossed the river quickly in the morning now marooned going the other way as East Providence side streets gridlock with motorists trying to get to the Henderson Bridge as an alternative. Some guess it might be faster to drive north to I-95 in Pawtucket; others head south to the Pell Bridge in Newport.

Dec. 13–21: Emergency lanes open

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 5:56 p.m.: Pregnant women are advised not to try to cross the Seekonk to get to the hospital by car and instead to call an ambulance.

Friday Dec. 15, Before dawn: An emergency bypass allows two lanes of westbound traffic to use two lanes of the eastbound span, easing some the worst congestion and spreading it out more evenly to both directions.

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Watch reporters race to downtown Providence during bridge closure

Two reporters race to downtown Providence from East Providence City Hall to see what the best commuting option is.

Monday, Dec. 18: RIDOT tasks bridge consultant Michael Baker and its subcontractors to conduct a “forensic analysis” of the bridge’s condition and how it may have deteriorated. Separately, the Department of Administration hires another firm, McNary Bergeron, to review the forensic analysis and come to its own conclusion.

Thursday, Dec. 21, 6 a.m.: Ferry service from Bristol to Providence begins. Ridership is low.

Jan. 20–28: A federal investigation opens

Wednesday, Jan. 20.: Ferry service ends.

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Monday, Jan. 22: Alviti says engineers are still trying decide how best to repair the bridge and tearing it down can’t be ruled out.

Friday, Jan. 26, 10:20 a.m.: The U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island informs RIDOT it is investigating allegations of false claims for payment on the Washington Bridge and demands documents going back to January 2015. McKee’s office publicly announces the investigation at 6 p.m. and says he will be receiving direct updates from engineers on the repairs.

More: Feds probe alleged ‘false claims’ of work, inspections on Washington Bridge. What we know.

Earlier that morning, Alviti had told East Bay lawmakers that engineers might not have a plan to repair the bridge until the end of February, early March.

Monday, Jan. 28: McKee announces that he has dispatched top aide Joseph Almond to monitor the DOT’s response to the bridge closure.

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Washington

Oregon State vs. Washington State channel, time, schedule, live stream to watch Saturday college football game | Sporting News

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Oregon State vs. Washington State channel, time, schedule, live stream to watch Saturday college football game | Sporting News


The stakes couldn’t be higher as Washington State and Oregon State clash on Saturday with the Pac-12 Championship on the line.

The Beavers are licking their wounds after suffering their first shutout loss in nearly a decade, while the Cougars are reeling from a shocking 38-35 defeat at New Mexico. That loss not only dashed Washington State’s College Football Playoff dreams but also overshadowed an incredible outing by quarterback John Mateer.

Washington State holds the upper hand historically, leading the series 57-48-3. In last year’s matchup, the Cougars fended off a wild fourth-quarter comeback by OSU to secure a 38-35 win in Pullman.

Here is everything you need to know about Oregon State vs. Washington State, including TV and streaming options for the game.

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Where to watch Oregon State vs. Washington State today: TV channel, live stream

  • TV channel: The CW 
  • Live stream: Fubo

Oregon State vs. Washington State will air nationally on The CW, with Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Ryan Leaf (analyst) on the call.

Viewers can stream the game on Fubo, which offers a free trial to first-time users. 

For a limited time, Fubo is offering the first month for as low as $59.99, a $20 savings. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Oregon State vs. Washington State start time

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 23
  • Time: 7 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. MT | 4 p.m. PT

Oregon State vs. Washington State will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 23. The game will be played at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.

Oregon State football schedule 2024

Date Game Time (ET)
Aug. 31 Oregon State 38, Idaho State 15
Sept. 7 Oregon State 21, SDSU 0
Sept. 14 Oregon State 15,  Oregon 49
Sept. 21 Oregon State 38, Purdue 21
Oct. 5 Oregon State 39, Colorado State 31
Oct. 12 Nevada 42, Oregon State 37
Oct. 19 Oregon State 25, UNLV 33
Oct. 26 Cal 44, Oregon State 7
Nov. 9 Oregon State 13, San Jose State 24
Nov. 16 Air Force 28, Oregon State 0
Nov. 23 vs. Washington State 7 p.m.
Nov. 29 at Boise State 12 p.m. 

Washington State football schedule 2024

Date Game Time (ET)
Aug. 31 Washington State 70, Portland State 30
Sept. 7 Washington State 37, Texas Tech 16
Sept. 14 Washington State 24, Washington 19
Sept. 20 Washington State 54, San Jose State 52
Sept. 28 Boise State 45, Washington State 24
Oct. 12 Fresno State 17, Washington State 25
Oct. 19 Washington State 42, Hawaii 10
Oct. 26 San Diego State 26, Washington State 29
Nov. 9 Washington State 49, Utah State 28
Nov. 16 New Mexico 38, Washington State 35
Nov. 23 at Oregon State 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 30 vs. Wyoming 6:30 p.m.

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Suspect arrested in $400K gold bar scam

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Suspect arrested in 0K gold bar scam


Police arrested a man suspected of taking a Bethesda, Maryland, couple for $400,000 in a gold bar scam.

A text message reading “Contact us about an unauthorized charge on your Apple account” led the couple down a scam rabbit hole, police said. They were led to believe they were talking by phone to real Apple employees and eventually, according to police, they spoke with 23-year-old Yongxian Huang, who allegedly pretended to be an employee of the Federal Trade Commission. 

The couple was told their money had been compromised by criminals and needed to be converted to gold and put into government safekeeping to keep it from being used to make child pornography and purchase missiles for Russia, police said. 

They were convinced to give two purchases of gold bars worth more than $367,000, as well as a wire transfer of more than $41,000, investigators said.

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“If you get these messages, you are not required to answer the phone,” Montgomery County Police Detective Sean Petty said. “You aren’t required to click that message and give your information away.”

With the victims’ help, detectives coordinated a final drop of $81,000 in gold bars on Nov. 14. Huang accepted the package from a detective pretending to be the female victim, police said.

Investigators followed him up Interstate 95 to his home in Brooklyn, New York, where New York Police Department detectives arrested him.

He awaits extradition to Maryland, as does 26-year-old Yash Shah, arrested this week in Baldwin, New York.

Shah’s accused of scamming an 88-year-old Montgomery County woman and her 61-year-old daughter out of $2.3 million in a similar scheme in 2023.

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Recovery is almost impossible.

The fact this keeps happening despite extensive news coverage means families should consider it a table topic when they get together for the holidays, Petty said.

“This can easily be a 5, 10-minute conversation just checking in with your loved ones, your aging individuals, making sure that they’re not getting these phone calls, these text messages, and responding positively to them,” he said.

Montgomery County police worked with the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI on this case.



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“Sunset Road:” New rom-com feature focuses the lens on Washington’s Red Mountain wine country – Northwest Public Broadcasting

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“Sunset Road:” New rom-com feature focuses the lens on Washington’s Red Mountain wine country – Northwest Public Broadcasting


Sunset Road is the name of a slice of pavement that cuts up the flank of Red Mountain, in southeast Washington wine country. It’s also where a new queer rom-com, also called “Sunset Road,” was shot.

In the first scene, Etta Campbell, played by the film’s director, Janet Krupin, is found on the roadside talking to a friend working in New York.  

Sam Work Bestie: “Remind me where are you now?” 

Etta Campbell: “Washington.”

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Sam Work Bestie: “D.C.?”

Etta Campbell: “State.”

Sam Work Bestie: “Oh, Seattle?” 

Etta Campbell: “Nope. Three and half hours southeast. It’s Washington wine country I guess?”

This queer rom-com is available on Amazon Prime Video. (Courtesy: Janet Krupin)

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The film is based on the plot of “Romeo and Juliet.” 

Instead of the Capulets and Montagues, the warring families are upset with wine and what to top it with – corks or screw tops. They have it out at a popular Richland restaurant, called Fiction

Papa Campbell: “Maybe one of you could tell me why you prefer screw tops over natural cork? I’ve always wondered what in the world you’d …”

Oryn Montgomery: “How about them Mariners?” 

Mama Montgomery: “Screwtops are wonderful; they’re the wave of the future.” 

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Spoiler alert: No one dies in this rom-com.  

Director Krupin was raised in the Tri-Cities, and moved to New York City.

She was on Broadway, and side-hustled hosting gigs. 

“Like, I was loving it,” Krupin said. “Doing the acting thing.” 

But, then came the pandemic.

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“I think it was Friday the 13th, I will never forget it,” Krupin said. “They shut down Broadway and then they shut down the restaurants, and those were my two forms of income.” 

She moved back home to the Tri-Cities. She worked at Hightower Cellars during the pandemic. 

And her comedy was born. 

Krupin plays the Juliet-inspired character who falls in love with the warring family’s daughter. Under the string lights of her real-life parents’ house, the pair sip a rosé called “Any Other Name.” 

Oryn Montgomery: “Great body.”

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Etta Campbell: “Why, thank you.”

Oryn Montgomery: “[laugh] The wine.” 

Etta Campbell: “Well, maybe you can tell me what a wine having body even means?”

Oryn Montgomery: “Body is how heavy or thin it feels in the mouth. Uh, this has a silky but substantial mouth feel.” 

This “queer romp” is set amid conservative agriculture, east of the Cascades. 

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Traci Gillig is an assistant professor at Washington State University. She studies gender, health and media.

 Traci Gillig is an assistant professor at Washington State University. She studies gender, health and media. (Courtesy: Traci Gillig)

Traci Gillig is an assistant professor at Washington State University. She studies gender and media. She said this film doesn’t spotlight hardships for queer people – a rarity. 

“And I think also that a lot of what was seen in the past was sort of struggles,” Gillig said, “not that we need necessarily more media representations of those, that sort of space people are living in now.” 

The film cast many local actors and business people. Kelly Hightower co-owns a winery featured in the film. She said unlike the warring families in the new film, they use both cork and screw tops.

“When I first saw the movie it made me laugh out loud … It was just so funny,” Hightower said. “I mean actual quotes that actually happened here at the winery.” 

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Tim and Kelly Hightower sit with Janet Krupin at Hightower Cellars on Red Mountain, which was featured in “Sunset Road.”

Tim and Kelly Hightower sit with Janet Krupin at Hightower Cellars on Red Mountain, which was featured in “Sunset Road.” (Credit: Anna King / NWPB)

The music from the film is recorded by Krupin’s sister, Halley Greg. “Sunset Road” is now on Amazon Prime Video.

* Kyle Norris contributed to this report. 



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