Youth Outreach Workers + McCoy Memories + District 5 Council Race

Rise and shine, Pawtucket!

This is the debut edition of the Pawtucket Daily — the quickest way to get caught up on the biggest news and events happening in town. I'm your host, Mary Serreze. I've lived and worked in Boston and Western Massachusetts, and now have the honor of covering local stories in Rhode Island, with Pawtucket at the top of the list. I hope you'll become a fan of our morning newsletter where we highlight the best local reporting about the city from a variety of new sources.

I can always be reached at mary.serreze@patch.com. Send me your news tips, thoughts, ideas, and event announcements.

In today's Daily, we consider the problem of youth violence, take a peek at the District 5 special City Council race, reminisce about McCoy Stadium, and wonder about the mysterious light outages at the Pawtucket River Bridge.

First, today's weather:

Bring an umbrella. Scattered showers, high of 65, wind gusts up to 11 mph.

Here are the top five stories in Pawtucket today:

1. A spate of recent gun violence has the region on edge. Now Mayor Don Grebien and Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera are ramping up their commitment to at-risk youth. The mayors appeared yesterday alongside Cedric Huntley, director of the Nonviolence Institute. Street-level outreach workers said preventing youth violence is all about building trust and relationships. Everyone said kids need more better opportunities. Read all about it on Patch.

2. Both Democrats in a special City Council race are getting their message out to as many residents in District 5 as they can, reports Ethan Shorey at The Valley Breeze. Clovis Gregor is going with the slogan “A Trusted Leader for Woodlawn,” and Ana Soares is promoting “Community First.” In-person voting is ongoing at City Hall, and on primary day, June 8, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

3. In 2020, the Pawtucket Red Sox and their fans were supposed to celebrate the team’s 50th and final season at McCoy Stadium. Because of the pandemic, that never happened. That’s not stopping WPRI from leading fans on a trip down memory lane. The news outlet is asking readers to submit their very own “memories of McCoy.” Check out the great photos of McCoy Stadium through the years.

4. Four people, including a Pawtucket woman, are facing charges after a lengthy investigation into an armed home invasion and robbery in Bridgewater in February. Melanie DaSilva at WPRI has the details.

5. What’s with the light outages at the Pawtucket River Bridge? Five years ago, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation told The Valley Breeze that the situation had been resolved. But issues with the $81 million bridge’s elaborate light system have cropped up again. Ethan Shorey has the story.

Around town:

• Let the summer begin. It's the last day of school for seniors at William E. Tolman High School.

• If you want to pop over to Cumberland today at noon, Governor Dan McKee, Senator Jack Reed and Mayor Jeffrey Mutter will be on hand for a pizza shop ribbon cutting and to launch the first robotic waitstaff assistant in Rhode Island. That's at Angelo's Palace Pizza at 133 Mendon Rd. The event is sponsored by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

• Speaking of pizza, it's Friday All-You-Can-Eat Pizza Skate at United Skates of America in nearby East Providence. That's 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 75 New Road. The venue promises tons of family fun.

You're all caught up on what's happening today in Pawtucket. We'll see you in your inbox tomorrow - have a great day!

-Mary

About me: Maine native, UMass Amherst Regional Planning alum. Stick-shift driver, explorer. I still believe in good government and the public’s right to know. Interested in just about everything. I still like paper maps. Talk to me! mary.serreze@patch.com.