News | Johnston Sun Rise

FEDERAL FUNDS: U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner visited Johnston last week to deliver a $485,000 federal grant to Johnston’s Police Department.

Feds deliver $485K for public safety in Johnston

Johnston’s Police Department received $485,000 in federal funding last Monday that will be used for emergency services equipment. This funding comes from one of U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner’s … more

By RAYMOND BACCARI/Special to the Sun Rise | 4/18/24

From WRWC: Looking for a fun way to give back in the sun this Earth Day? Join us for the JOHNSTON EARTH MONTH CLEAN DAY on Saturday, from 10 AM - 2 PM. Free to participate! Just need to pre-register and sign the Liability Waiver and you're in!

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council hosts Earth Day cleanup

Earth Day this year is scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2024. The annual celebration, which first began in 1970 on April 22, has been going strong year to year, with people all over the globe doing … more

By RAYMOND BACCARI/Special to the Sun Rise | 4/17/24

POLITICAL ACCESS: On March 17, of last year, Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. announced on Twitter that he had toured the Amazon construction site with US Sen. Jack Reed. He released four photos from the tour. (Photos courtesy Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr.)

Amazon’s first ‘help wanted’ signs in Johnston

Can you operate with “significant autonomy and discretion,” “work all shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays” and “some overnight shifts as necessary”? … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/17/24

FORMER OR LADDER: Johnston spent a little over $1.1 million on its new Spartan Fire and Emergency Apparatus aerial ladder truck. (Photos courtesy JFD)

Johnston Fire Department adds new $1.1M ladder truck to its apparatus arsenal

Have you seen the Johnston Fire Department’s newest investment? A new Ladder 1 started responding to calls in town last month. more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/15/24

Déjà 42: Kelsey Coletta, Dennis Cardillo Jr., and state Rep. Edward Cardillo Jr. are competing in the Democratic primary rematch this September. They also ran against each other in 2022 (Ed Cardillo narrowly won that race).

Déjà 42: District 42 Democratic primary is repeat performance

Voters in Rhode Island House District 42, which contains parts of Johnston and Cranston, will likely see a 2022 Democratic primary rematch this September. All three candidates who ran last election, … more

By RAYMOND BACCARI | 4/10/24

DARK SIDE OF THE MOON: Backyard astronomer Steve Massarone helped library-goers view the rare eclipse through a telescope and a pair of special glasses. Immaculate Conception students Arseni, 13, and Aaron Aguilar, 8, stopped by to take a look.

We all got mooned

Sun-gazers gathered at the Marion J. Mohr Public Library and Johnston Senior Center Monday afternoon to cover their eyes with cardboard and stare at a slowly shrinking orange sphere. Backyard … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/15/24

Planet Fitness gets three bomb threats in three weeks

The Planet Fitness on Warwick Ave. has been the target of three bomb threats in three weeks, with the location having to evacuate on March 28, April 4 and April 9. According to Warwick Police … more

By ADAM ZANGARI | 4/11/24

PACKAGE DELAYED: These images of the Amazon construction site in Johnston, after sunset, were captured by a drone piloted by Trevor Bryan, an FAA Licensed and insured drone pilot, the owner and operator of New England Aerial Services, on Sept. 21, 2022. The illuminated project has been taking shape on the Hartford Avenue hill overlooking Johnston, but its opening date has now been pushed to late 2024.

Amazon renegotiates tax deal with Johnston

Since Amazon has not yet opened for business in Johnston, the mega-retailer has invoked a costly construction clause in its contract with the town. Over the past few months, the company … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/10/24

Helena Moronta from BayCoast Bank and Brian McCrae took home the Judge’s Choice award. Helena raised $2,363.00.

Sweet 17

4/10/24

Johnston School Building Committee awards $40M+ in construction contracts for new elementary

The Johnston School Building Committee has so far awarded more than $40 million in contracts to Rhode Island firms for the construction the town’s new elementary center. “This … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/5/24

JUST THE FACTS: Led by Johnston native Christopher B. Frenier, Probation & Parole Supervisor for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (DOC), the FACT (Fostering Alternative Choices and Thinking) program has been going strong for close to a decade. They spoke to Johnston eight-graders two weeks ago, and Cranston West high schoolers last week.

Ex-prisoners deliver strong dose of reality to Johnston eighth-graders

Alex Snow loomed large in the prison yard. On a recent Friday morning, he looked even bigger in the Johnston High School auditorium. In prison, Snow cultivated the friends he needed to watch his … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/4/24

CONGRATULATIONS PETE: In this 2017 file photo, Pete Fontaine was presented with a special commendation by Town Councilman Robert Civetti. He was recognized for doing a “great job for the Town of Johnston and the athletes of the town at all levels,” he was honored for his coverage of events of all kinds. That same year, Fontaine was inducted into the Johnston High School Hall of Fame.

PETE FONTAINE (1946-2024) Ink in his veins, heart on his sleeve

Pete Fontaine died an hour after deadline last week. Although he had submitted his final byline several weeks earlier, the Johnston Sun Rise’s faithful freelancer held on until the last pages of the paper were on the presses. The man had ink in his veins. more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/4/24

CHARGED: Scott Avedisian, Warwick’s longest-serving mayor, entered a not-guilty plea Wednesday morning at Kent County Court to charges he left the scene of a car crash.

Ex-Warwick Mayor Avedisian pleads not guilty to leaving scene of fast food fender-bender

Scott Avedisian, Warwick’s longest-serving mayor, entered a not-guilty plea Wednesday morning at Kent County Court to charges he left the scene of a car crash. The fender-bender occurred … more

By ADAM ZANGARI | 4/3/24

SOLAR ECLIPSED: Residents gathered for January's Johnston Zoning Board meeting delivered a standing ovation to the board once it voted to deny Cranston-based Green Development’s application to build a solar farm. After the vote, and residents lined up to shake the board members’ hands.

LETTER: Why should solar company get more time?

Dear Fellow Johnston Residents and Neighbors, On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the Johnston Planning Board will consider extending the timeline on their decision from March 3, 2022, relative to … more

Stop Johnston Solar (SJS) | 4/1/24

LOST TOO SOON: David Viens visits the site of a future memorial to his son Dillon and other Johnston youngsters lost too young at Johnston’s Memorial Park. Two years ago, Dillon lost his life when he was accidentally shot with an improperly stored gun belonging to the relative of a friend. David Viens hopes legislation passes the Rhode Island House and eventually reaches the governor’s desk. One day, he also hopes the bill, once adopted, may be named for his son.

Gun bill step closer to becoming RI law

Rhode Island is one step closer to enacting a safe storage law. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Pam Lauria, cleared the Rhode Island Senate 28-7 on Tuesday, March 19. It now heads to the House, … more

By RAYMOND BACCARI | 3/28/24

Longtime Beacon Communications freelancer Pete Fontaine dead at 77

Sad news to report. Our longtime freelancer Pete Fontaine died Wednesday afternoon. For decades, you've been reading his upbeat stories highlighting community giving. His bylines have regularly … more

3/29/24

KINGS OF THE MAT: The Johnston Youth Wrestling program. (Photos by Alex Sponseller)

Johnston Youth Wrestling puts on show at King of the Mat

Johnston Youth Wrestling traveled to New Hampshire to participate in the annual King of the Mat youth tournament, which features some of the best grapplers in New England, and would put on a show as … more

By ALEX SPONSELLER | 3/27/24

ON THE SCENE: Around 8:24 a.m., Thursday, March 21, Warwick Police responded to 71 Frawley St. for a reported domestic disturbance. According to a department press release, they “discovered the deceased body of a small child as well as an adult male who was also deceased; having suffered from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

Child shot and killed in Warwick

UPDATED: Warwick Police have identified the victim in Thursday's tragic shooting. more

By RORY SCHULER | 3/21/24

THE PLANS: Market Basket’s hired engineering consultant, James R. Lamp said spring-time is still the target for road improvements outside the Johnston store. RIDOT confirmed receipt of the plans, and said they’re currently under state review.

RIDOT confirms receipt of Johnston Market Basket traffic improvement plan

The residents got sick of all the road rage and head-on collision close-calls. So they got together and started attending Johnston Town Council meetings. Then their local newspaper finally wrote … more

By RORY SCHULER | 3/21/24

FALCON FLYING ABOVE JOHNSTON: The town purchased three Flock Safety Falcon Flex cameras, like this one, and they were installed in October of last year. Since, they’ve helped police make at least four arrests, and detect nearly 200,000 vehicles on Johnston’s roadways each month.

Traffic ‘safety cameras’ recorded 162,180 plates in Johnston over the past 30 days

Have you driven on Hartford Avenue recently? If so, your license plate was likely one of 162,180 vehicles detected in the last 30 days by one of three Flock Safety cameras monitoring traffic in … more

By RORY SCHULER | 3/21/24

April 19, 2024