Pawtucket Cop Shoots Man + Tolman Tennis Star Shines

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:

• Thursday: Clear. High of 78 and low of 59.
• Friday: Overcast. High of 77 and low of 67.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy. High of 82 and low of 71.

Late-breaking:

• An off-duty Pawtucket police officer reportedly shot and injured an 18-year-old man in West Greenwich. (WJAR)

• Flames, Smoke Pour From Vacant Pawtucket-Central Falls Train Station (WPRI)

Here are five top stories from Pawtucket today:

1. Tolman Grad Jeremy Clark will be playing NCAA Division I tennis in the fall with a scholarship and a coveted place on the Holy Cross men’s team. Read about Clark’s unlikely journey at yurview.com. As a child, Clark's mom would drop him off at the Slater Park Summer Youth Tennis Camp. His natural talent soon caught everybody’s attention. Clark is now giving a shout-out to Project Change, a Rhode Island non-profit that brings underprivileged and multicultural kids into the tennis world. Project Change works with the East Providence-based R.I. Tennis Academy.

2. A Pawtucket man has been indicted in connection with a June 10 burglary and shooting in the town of Johnston. Deven Guernon, 24, a frequent flyer in the criminal justice system, faces a litany of charges. Police say a man was shot that day following a fight in the area of Atwood Avenue and Rotary Drive. (Patch)

3. The Pawtucket Police Department has won re-accreditation. The Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission plans a recognition ceremony on June 30 at Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick. Several other police departments will also be recognized. (News Release)

4. If you need a primer about the Pawtucket Tunnel (and who doesn’t) — check out EcoRI’s explainer on Phase III of the mammoth water-pollution control project. It’s been three decades since the Narragansett Bay Commission began its journey: “The (combined sewer overflow) project began with the 1993 approval of the three “deep-rock” tunnels and seven underground storage facilities at a cost of nearly $470 million.”

5. The Rhode Island Senate just approved legislation to protect "environmental justice focus areas." Now the House is set to hear its own version: Rep. Karen Alzate, D-Pawtucket, filed the Environmental Justice Act (H6383). Among other things, the bill would require public health impact assessments for certain developments. “The measure aims to protect low-income residents and people of color who frequently bear the burden of infrastructure changes,” reports EcoRI.

EVENTS, Thursday, June 24:

• The Pawtucket Purchasing Board meets at 4 p.m. Among the agenda items: A mini-excavator, an RFP for Slater Park Tennis Court construction, and HVAC for City Council Chambers and the Mayor's Suite.

• Gov. Dan McKee will host an online "community conversation" about the Blue Economy. That's seafood, port infrastructure, vessels, offshore energy, and the military. A couple of interesting panel discussions are planned. Tune in at 5:30 p.m. on Facebook.

• The Coalition for Safer Rhodes plans a news conference outside the State House where the Immigrant Coalition of Rhode Island will present legislation (H 5305 & S 190) that supports "Driver's Licenses for All." 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., 82 Smith Street, Providence.

• Looking for a place to go watch Copa America 2021 Game 3? Head over to the Shark Lounge, 25 Pawtucket Ave., at 4 p.m. It's Peru vs. Ecuador.

That's it. You're all caught up. If you like this newsletter, sign up and tell your friends. It's simple, but it keeps us rolling. Let me know about your community events. Have a good day out there. -Mary

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.