Central Falls Toddler + Federal COVID Cash + School Renovations

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: Rain in the morning. Temps: High 71, low 55.
• Sunday: Partly cloudy throughout the day. Temps: High 79, low 59.
• Monday: Rain off and on. Temps: High 75, low 59.

Here are the top five stories from Pawtucket:

1. The Department of Children Youth and Families announced that a Central Falls toddler nearly died from neglect. An investigation is underway. (WJAR)

2. The head of commercial lending at Pawtucket Credit Union has left for a job in Massachusetts. Joseph Silva joined Fidelity Bank in Leominster as senior vice president and chief commercial banking officer. (Patch)

3. Mayor Donald Grebien continues to tout the success of school renovation projects in the city. “In 2018 a $220 million bond for school projects was approved by the voters to complete all necessary upgrades at Pawtucket’s 17 schools,” Grebien writes in the New England Real Estate Journal.

4. The CDC awarded Rhode Island nearly $20 million to address COVID-related health disparities, and the core urban areas of Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket and Woonsocket are expected to benefit. The money is part of a national $2.25 billion program billed as the “largest investment to date to improve health equity in the United States.” (The Providence Journal)

5. The Pawtucket Police Department said Friday they are looking for Michael Chartier, a 51-year-old man who hasn't been seen since June 1. (WJAR)

Events:

• The News Cafe is hosting an Art & Flea Market on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. A DJ will be on hand to provide musical entertainment, and 27 vendors will be selling their wares. Head down to the parking lot at 43 Broad Street on Sunday afternoon.

• The Feast of Saint Anthony is on for this weekend in nearby North Providence. It will be a celebration — last year the festivities were cancelled due to COVID. (Patch)

• Central Falls is hosting a free family fun event at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday with music, ice cream, and vaccines for children 12 and older. That’s from noon to 2 p.m. Mayor Maria Rivera says all kids and families are welcome.

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. I still like paper maps. I can be reached at mary.serreze@patch.com.