Woonsocket Coronavirus Test Site Closes + Pride Protest

Up and at 'em, Woonsocket! Let's get this Tuesday, June 29 started. In today's Daily, we will share information about the closure of a COVID-19 test site in Woonsocket, a Pride protest, the Boys and Girls Club of Rhode Island expanding, a police chase that led to a crash in Cranston, and the state's latest COVID-19 statistics.

First, today's weather: Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High: 95, low: 73.

Here are the top stories today in Woonsocket:

1. The state-run COVID-19 test site in Woonsocket closed for good this weekend following a final day of testing on Saturday. The site, which was located in Walnut Hill Plaza at 1500 Diamond Hill Road, is one of 14 test sites and two mass vaccination sites that were shut down over the weekend due to a decrease in the demand for testing in Rhode Island. (Patch)

2. Organizers of a Pride celebration in Woonsocket planned a protest Monday night after they said Mayor Lisa Baldelli Hunt deliberately scheduled a conflicting event at River Island Park. The group was told they could not use the location due to construction, but claim the mayor scheduled a last minute car show for the date they requested. (GoLocalProv)

3. The Boys and Girls Club of Rhode Island is getting ready to expand by opening its new location in Woonsocket this fall. The organization helps kids of all ages stay busy and discover their passions. ((WJAR)

4. A Fall River man is facing charges after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, throwing her baby to the ground in North Smithfield, and leading police on a chase through six Rhode Island communities before crashing his car in Cranston. Elijah Laferriere, 25, was arraigned in Third District Court Monday. (Patch)

5. Rhode Island health officials reported 44 new COVID-19 cases and zero deaths on Monday. Of the new cases, 21 were recorded Friday, 15 on Saturday, and 8 on Sunday. The total number of confirmed cases in the state is now 152,567. (NBC 10 News)

Today's Woonsocket Daily is brought to you by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Woonsocket!

Today in Woonsocket

• Dungeons and Dragons Returns (3 p.m.)

Woonsocket Patch Notebook

• Woonsocket Parks & Recreation: "Music tonight by "All About Mary." Food trucks and beautiful cars - come enjoy a nice summer night at Market Square." (Facebook)
• Woonsocket Cat Sanctuary, Inc.: "ADOPTED! Althena went to her forever home this weekend. We hope she is enjoying her new life and family. Wishing ever..." (Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday! I'll be in your inbox in the morning with a new update.

— Annie Sandoli

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woonsocket Daily? Email all inquiries to me at annie.sandoli@patch.com.

About me: I grew up in Central Massachusetts and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harvard University. I have lived, worked, and studied in Boston for the last five years and cover stories in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I am passionate about music and the arts, creative writing and literature, and topics of social and political justice.