Latest news with #SouthKingstown
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Push to help Matunuck Oyster Bar reopen advances at State House
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — While flames may have destroyed the inside, a bill that could allow Matunuck Oyster Bar to serve customers outside is one step closer to becoming law. Nearly a month after fire devastated the beloved South Kingstown restaurant, the community is continuing to rally behind it in hopes of reopening in time for the busy summer season. 'Like a bad dream': Rhode Islanders distraught by fire at beloved oyster bar State Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Susan Sosnowski are helping lead the charge with the 'Outdoor Dining Act,' which would allow restaurants damaged by natural disasters — such as fire or flooding — to operate with outdoor seating and a mobile kitchen. The legislation advanced Tuesday night in both the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government. Matunuck Oyster Bar owner Perry Raso stressed how important this step is to him and his staff. 'It will allow us to maintain and do some level of business and sell seafood which is what we do and keep our staff going and hopefully generate some revenue at the same time until we can rebuild,' Raso said. On Monday, the South Kingstown Town Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the legislation. Town manager James Manni explained how the restaurant is a critical thread in the fabric of their local economy and community. 'How many of us have been there for graduation, anniversaries, mothers day, fathers day so on and so forth?,' Manni said Tuesday night. The current proposal includes a sunset clause that would expire in June 2027, but both Hagan McEntee and Sosnowski said they expect to revisit the timeline. 'There may be other restaurants that may be effected and we should look at it and make it a permanent law rather than just a temporary one,' Sosnowski said. Votes on the bill are expected in the full House and Senate on Thursday. Smiley: Providence in 'very preliminary' talks with Matunuck Oyster Bar Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Special Olympics RI Summer Games continue Saturday
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — The Special Olympics Rhode Island Summer Games continued on Saturday at URI's Kingston campus. Today's events include bowling, powerlifting, track & field, and soccer. On Friday morning, bowling and track & field events were held, before the Torch Run ceremony was held at the R.I. State House and followed by the Opening Ceremony at Meade Stadium. On Sunday, the games continue at St. George's School in Middletown with swimming events. SCHEDULE: Special Olympics RI 2025 Summer Games This is Special Olympics Rhode Island's biggest sporting event of the year. WPRI 12 is a proud sponsor of Special Olympics Rhode Island. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Fire damages a popular Rhode Island restaurant known for its 'pond-to-table' menu
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — One of Rhode Island's most famous restaurants has been damaged after a fire broke out early Tuesday morning. Union Fire District Steve Pinch says firefighters arrived at 3:45 a.m. to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but the state fire marshal is investigating. No injuries have been reported.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
What's Happening: Kinney Azalea Gardens in full bloom
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — Take mom on a stroll through the Kinney Azalea Gardens in South Kingstown, now in full bloom! The Kinney Faella Gardens are the result of four generations of horticulturists, educators, and nature enthusiasts of the Kinney and Faella families. Today there are over 1,000 cultivars and species of rhododendrons, azaleas, native and exotic trees, shrubs, and wildflowers which can be enjoyed by walking along natural paths throughout the 16 acre gardens. On Saturday, enjoy their 'Fancy Hat Garden Stroll'. Take a walk through the grounds while it is in full bloom, with live music, artist demos, and plant and art sales. Don't forget to wear your fanciest garden hat! In the attached clip, Ashley Erling gets a preview! Each weekend, Ashley brings you around Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts for a look at what's happening as part of our all-new, expanded 12 News This Morning. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Testimony ends in ‘naked fat test' trial of Aaron Thomas
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — Witness testimony concluded Friday in the so-called 'naked fat test' trial, with closing statements and jury deliberations expected to begin next week. Aaron Thomas, who coached boys' basketball at North Kingstown High School for nearly 30 years, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault. More than two dozen witnesses have taken the stand to testify since the trial began on April 7. Prosecutors called two final witnesses on Friday, including body composition expert Laurie Milliken, who picked apart Thomas' 'naked fat test' program. More than 600 high school boys went through the program beginning in the early 1990s, and Thomas estimated about 80% of them got completely naked for the tests. Milliken said the body fat percentage measurements Thomas used for the tests were either miscalculated, involved the wrong body part, or were designed for adult men rather than boys. 'Completely inappropriate': Expert witness says students should never be naked for fat tests 'There was nothing useful that came from those measurements,' Milliken said, specifically referencing a body fat measurement Thomas would take of students' upper inner thighs near their genitals. 'From a body composition standpoint, there's nothing there that's useful.' Thomas' attorney, John MacDonald, pushed back, highlighting among other things that Thomas was just a coach and not a trained professional like Milliken. MacDonald also suggested that the formulas used to measure body fat percentage are confusing. 'Is it fair to say that you come from a very different background and perspective than Aaron Thomas?' MacDonald asked. 'That's correct,' responded Milliken. The UMass Boston professor sat in the gallery taking notes through all five days of Thomas' testimony, which ended Thursday, after she testified earlier in the trial as a state's witness. Prosecutors called her back to rebut the validity of Thomas' testimony. Prosecutors also called to the stand Shawn Petrucci, who currently works as the athletic trainer at North Kingstown High School. He told the jury there's no reason to press into someone's muscle to test for an injury unless the person complains of pain. 'Is that something you would do proactively?' Assistant Attorney General Tim Healey asked. 'No,' Petrucci said. 'I would never do that.' Petrucci's testimony cast doubt on an explanation Thomas gave earlier in the week as to why he would press — or 'palpate' — former students' upper inner thighs near their groin for so-called 'trigger point' tests. Thomas told the jury he started the tests, which also included using a caliper to measure body fat in that area, after a string of players on his basketball team suffered groin injuries around the turn of the century. He said the tests could help him determine whether a player might be at risk of getting hurt, even if they weren't complaining of any pain. (It was unclear from Thomas' testimony where the idea came from and why he thought it would help prevent injury. Milliken said she'd never heard of any such test throughout her nearly four decades in the field, adding there's no valid reason to measure fat that high on the thigh.) Healey asked Petrucci if he was aware of any reason why someone would need to palpate any area of the body if a student was 'not experiencing an acute injury.' 'No,' Petrucci said. Petrucci was the last person to take the stand in the trial, where prosecutors called 20 witnesses and the defense called five. Attorneys on both sides are expected to give closing arguments on Monday before the judge hands the case over to the 12-member jury for deliberation. Newsmakers 5/9/25: Key moments from Aaron Thomas trial After the jury was dismissed Friday, Judge Melanie Wilk Thunberg considered a motion for acquittal from the defense, handing Thomas a small victory. Neither charge against the former coach was dismissed outright, but Thunberg ruled the jury could only consider a narrowed scope of the second-degree sexual assault offense. Prosecutors had charged Thomas with two separate elements under the law, including one that alleges sexual assault by 'force and coercion,' and another that alleges sexual assault under the guise of 'medical treatment or examination.' 'I saw what I saw': Witness defends memory of 'naked fat test' in Aaron Thomas trial MacDonald argued that Thomas 'never held himself out as a medical doctor, nurse or provider,' and that because the law isn't well-defined, that element should be eliminated from jury consideration. 'Without much guidance from the General Assembly on this definition, it should be strictly construed, not given the broadest definition that the state wants to give,' MacDonald said. Special Assistant Attorney General Meagan Thomson disagreed, saying Thomas himself referred to the trigger point testing as a medical procedure, and multiple students testified that Thomas performed hernia and puberty tests. (Thomas denied ever conducting those tests.) Thomson also provided case law from courts in other states where judges turned to dictionaries to define 'medical treatment,' which doesn't necessarily have to be performed by a trained provider. 'Aaron Thomas was still performing medical treatments, or diagnoses, as it was provided under the law and how you take that definition,' Thomson said. Thunberg ultimately sided with MacDonald, saying that because a clear definition isn't included in the law, it shouldn't be left up to the jury to subjectively decide what the term means. 'The court agrees that the statute has to be strictly construed,' Thunberg said. The penalty for second-degree sexual assault carries a mandatory minimum of three years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, according to state law. For a second-degree child molestation conviction, the mandatory minimum is six years and the maximum is 30 years in prison. Closing statements are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Monday. COMPLETE COVERAGE: North Kingstown School Scandal Eli Sherman (esherman@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook. Tim White (twhite@ is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
