Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

Governor McKee Outlines Rhode Island’s Preparations for Snowfall and Extreme Cold
 

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today outlined the resources and health guidance available to help keep residents safe during snowfall expected Sunday and extreme cold anticipated to start on Monday.  

 

The following emergency winter hubs, activated through the Department of Housing’s Municipal Homelessness Support Initiative, will provide additional overnight capacity to help keep Rhode Islanders safe. No referral through the Coordinated Entry System is needed to enter the hubs.
 

·     West Warwick: West Warwick Civic Center, 100 Factory Street – Open Monday, January 20 at 4:30 p.m. through Thursday, January 23 at 10 a.m. 

·     Westerly: WARM Center, 56 Spruce Street – Open 24/7 

·     Woonsocket: 356 Clinton Street – Open Monday, January 20 at 5:00 p.m.
 
 

The following overnight drop-in shelters are available 24/7. Drop-in shelters are extensions of typical shelter operations but do not require a referral from the Coordinated Entry System.
 
 

·     Pawtucket: OpenDoors: 1139 Main Street  

·     Providence: Crossroads Rhode Island: 160 Broad Street 

·     Providence: Emmanuel House: 239 Public Street 

·     South Kingstown (Peace Dale): Welcome House of South County: 8 North Road
 
 

On Saturday morning, Governor McKee and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) Director Marc Pappas convened municipal emergency management leaders from across the state to discuss cold weather preparations. RIEMA maintains a listing of municipal warming centers that cities and towns will be updating throughout the weekend. Learn more, here.

 

In preparation for the snowfall, forecasted to begin Sunday night, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has crews on standby with 145 plows ready and an additional 220 vendors on call. RIDOT has 50,000 tons of salt ready to treat roads.  Plows, trucks, and sanders will be out throughout the state, augmented by strategically placed tow trucks along major routes and areas where the state has seen incidents previously. If drivers must be on the road, they are urged to use extreme caution.

 

The Office of Energy Resources is in close communication with Rhode Island Energy (RIE) as they continue to prepare for the upcoming cold. RIE’s gas team continues to be ready for the drop in temperatures, with the LNG facilities on standby and staffed to vaporize as needed. RIE has additionally secured incremental electric resources and has additional crews available as needed.

 

If a member of the public is experiencing a heating crisis, their local Community Action Agency can assist with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Good Neighbor Energy Fund, and heating systems calls. Visit the following site to identify your local agency: www.ricommunityaction.org. You can also access more information specifically about LIHEAP crisis assistance on the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website. 

 

The Rhode Island Department of Health is reminding Rhode Islanders that during periods of extreme cold, people should dress in layers and cover exposed skin when they are outdoors; they should also limit their time outside and watch for frostbite or hypothermia. Inside, they should take precautions to avoid freezing pipes, including leaving water taps dripping and opening cabinets beneath sinks to let warm air near water pipes. Lastly, they warn the public to keep space heaters three feet away from anything that may catch fire.

 

Rhode Islanders in need of assistance or additional support are encouraged to call 2-1-1 to find available options. For additional information, visit RIDOH’s page on Winter Health Tips or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) page on Extreme Cold. 
 
 
At least 42 people have been killed in severe storms that struck parts of the South and Midwest over the weekend. Many states woke up this morning to damage left behind by wildfires, rain, tornadoes and dust storms. The National Weather Service says at least 34 of the storms seen on Saturday were tornadoes with states like Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana all being impacted.        President Trump is saying some of the pardons issued by former President Biden are invalid. In a Truth Social post early Monday, Trump said he was declaring Biden's pardons for members of the January 6th House select committee "void, vacant, and of no further force or effect, because of the fact that they were done by autopen." He also alleged Biden had no knowledge about the pardons.        Federal authorities say the Rhode Island doctor who was deported to Lebanon had what are described as "sympathetic" photos of Iran's supreme leader on her phone. Doctor Rasha Alawieh was initially detained Thursday when she arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston after a two-week visit with her family in Lebanon. A federal court hearing on her status scheduled for this morning was continued until next week to give her attorney additional time to prepare.        The White House is dyeing the North Lawn fountain green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The fountain could be seen with its bright emerald green water on Monday. The tradition began in 2009 by the Obamas.        New evidence in the death of Gene Hackman is changing the timeline of the actor and his wife's final days. The pair died of natural causes and were discovered February 26th. New cell phone records show Betsy Hackman made several calls to a medical center on February 12th, pushing her estimated deceased date forward.        Rory Mcllroy [[ mack-el-roy ]] is the winner of The Players Championship in Florida. Mcllroy defeated JJ Spaun this morning in a three-hole playoff to win his second Players title. Spaun was able to tie Mcllroy yesterday during the final round at 12-under-par to force the playoff today.       

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