Stories,photos,videos,specialsections,printissues,eeditions,packages,magazines,maps,polls,charts,premium

TRUCKED OUT: First responders used a large body dump truck to evacuate residents from Belfield Drive several months ago, during severe storms.

More than $5 million committed to Belfield Drive buyout program

Johnston Mayor Joseph M. Polisena Jr.’s office announced more than $5 million in funding for home buyouts on Belfield Drive, the site of “persistent flooding issues.” Now … more

By RORY SCHULER | 4/22/24

20 hit songs you may not know were written by music icons

Stacker compiled 20 hit songs between 1960 and today that were written by someone other than the singer, using various sources. more

Zuri White-Gibson | 4/19/24

Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence

In the wake of North America’s recent solar eclipse, another historic natural event is on the horizon. From late April through June 2024, the largest brood of 13-year cicadas, known as Brood XIX, will co-emerge with a midwestern brood of 17-year cicadas, Brood XIII. more

John Cooley, University of Connecticut and Chris Simon, University of Connecticut, The Conversation | 4/18/24

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

Removing PFAS from public water will cost billions and take time – here are ways to filter out some harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home

Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. … more

Kyle Doudrick, University of Notre Dame, The Conversation | 4/17/24

Gold vs. stocks: As both hit record highs, which is performing better for investors?

Money helps shed light on which is a better investment: gold or stocks. more

Pete Grieve | 4/17/24

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

Taylor Swift’s homage to Clara Bow

One track on Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” honors a long-celebrated, oft-miscast heroine of American feminism: actress Clara Bow. As historians of the 1920s, we’ve studied Bow’s fame and her cultural legacy. more

Deirdre Clemente, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Annie Delgado, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, The Conversation | 4/15/24

10 of the best places in the US to see the northern lights in 2024

Astronomers say 2024 will be a great year to see the northern lights. Stacker used various sources to list 10 places in the U.S. to view them. more

Sheeka Sanahori | 4/15/24

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

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

How to turn your passion for pets into action

(BPT) - Are you passionate about pets? Whether you have a beloved animal of your own or simply appreciate all the joy pets bring to our lives, there are many ways you can turn that passion into … more

4/13/24

This Year's Design Trend Report

(BPT) - “Style and design surround us — impacting how we feel, the personality of a room or the energy of a space,” said Laura Grilli, director of product design for Daltile. … more

4/12/24

Workplace fatalities on the rise: These are the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America

FVF Law Firm examined data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics's 2022 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries to identify the 10 occupations with the highest rates of fatal injury. more

Sean McGoey | 4/11/24

Why young adults need to be empowered to advocate for their own healthcare choices

(BPT) - Sponsored by SanofiFor many people, young adulthood is a time filled with newfound independence and responsibility. Reality begins to set in, with “adulting” tasks becoming part … more

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

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

For some Christians, a solar eclipse signals the second coming of Christ

Does the upcoming solar eclipse signal the second coming of Jesus? In all likelihood, no, but that hasn’t stopped people from speculating that it does. … more

Eric Vanden Eykel, Ferrum College, The Conversation | 4/4/24

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

April 23, 2024