Bank Robber Sentenced + Lawyer Up For Judgeship + Free Transit

Welcome to the Pawtucket Patch Daily — your quickest way to get caught up on the city’s top news stories. I'm your host, Mary Serreze. I can be reached at mary.serreze@patch.com. Feel free to send me your news tips, thoughts, and ideas.

First, the weather:

• Saturday: Partly cloudy throughout the day. Temps: High of 88° & low of 68°.
• Sunday: Clear throughout the day. Temps: High of 93° & low of 66°.
• Monday: Clear throughout the day. Temps: High of 90° & low of 69°.

Here are the top five stories in Pawtucket:

1. A Massachusetts man who used misspelled notes to rob banks in Pawtucket and East Providence has been sentenced to four years in federal prison. Read it on Patch.com.

2. Last month Sen. Meghan Kallman (D-Pawtucket) sponsored a bill (S0908) to eliminate all fares on RIPTA buses. Kallman said free transit supports a mesh of societal and environmental goals. But what does it all mean? EcoRINews breaks it down and says It’s More Complicated Than Simply Ending Fares.

3. Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera is supporting legislation that would let low-income undocumented children qualify for health insurance under the state’s Medicaid program. “As a state, we should protect the lives of all of our children," Rivera said in prepared remarks. Central Falls Patch has the story. Read more on UpriseRI.

4. Pawtucket Lawyer Monica Horan could become a Rhode Island Superior Court Judge. Horan was one of many judicial nominees presented Wednesday at a marathon public hearing before the Judicial Nominating Commission. Candidates for coveted judgeships get support from well-placed friends, writes Katie Mulvaney for the Providence Journal.

5. This from the music world: Daughters frontman Alexis Marshall will soon release his debut solo album, and the project was recorded right here in Pawtucket at the Machines with Magnets Studio. ‘House of Lull. House of When’ is set for a July 23 release through Sargent House. NME.com has the story.

Events:

• ESL Class Registration and Testing is set for Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pawtucket Public Library Dome Room.

• Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? The Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce is hosting a June 7 webinar where special guest Bill Parmentier will present tips and tricks. It’s part of the Chamber’s Lunch and Learn series.

• The Empowerment Factory is hosting an online creativity contest with the theme “What is Kindness?” The contest lasts throughout the month of June, and kids in grades K-12 are invited to upload their artwork to win games and prizes. Learn more on Facebook. The Empowerment Factory is a Pawtucket-based non-profit.

You're all caught up. Follow Pawtucket Patch on the web, and if you like what we're doing, ask your friends to sign up for our newsletter. Have a great day.

About me: Maine native, UMass Amherst Regional Planning alum. Stick-shift driver, explorer. I believe in good government and the public's right to know. Interested in just about everything. Former reporter with The Republican/MassLive. Did my time as news director at WBSM 1420 AM in New Bedford. I still like paper maps. Reach me at mary.serreze@patch.com.