PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — New Shoreham police are looking for a 65-year-old woman who hasn't been seen since noon Thursday. Patrice Hennessy is known to frequent Broad Street in Providence near Crossroads Rhode Island. Hennessy is described as a white woman with gray hair and brown eyes. Police said she might also go by Casey, which is her middle name. Anyone with information on Hennessy's whereabouts is urged to contact the New Shoreham Police Department by calling (401) 466-3220. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW ..read more

WAKEFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) — The disaster recovery center that opened earlier this month in Wakefield will be shut down at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Friday. The center, located at Curtis Corner Middle School, was one of four opened by FEMA to help people impacted by the storms and flooding in late 2023 and early 2024. The centers at Coventry Town Hall, Cumberland Public Library, and William Windsor Elementary School in Greenville will remain open through Wednesday, April 24, according to FEMA. FEMA opens flood recovery centers in Coventry, Wakefie ..read more

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Investigators believe a lithium-ion battery was the cause of a fire Thursday night at an apartment complex in Fall River. The fire broke out just after 7 p.m. at a three-story building on North Main Street. Deputy Fire Chief Neil Furtado told 12 News that "a battery exploded while it was being charged." "It's heavy metals, it's different metals, different components," he explained. "Once that thermal runaway happens, it's almost impossible to stop it. So when it does burn, it burns at a hotter temp." Furtado said crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from the sec ..read more

WARREN, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is looking to repave the sidewalk along one side of Main Street in Warren. That's because RIDOT is planning on removing several mature trees along the sidewalk, many of which have been there for decades. But the trees are part of the safety concerns, according to Warren resident Christopher Staton. "Safety is paramount," Staton told 12 News. "People complain to me about the sidewalk ... they're not safe here. Sometimes, people walk in the street to avoid being on the sidewalk, and that's not safe either." RIDOT is plan ..read more

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A Massachusetts man was sentenced to seven years at the ACI for possession of a ghost gun, a large-capacity magazine, and cocaine, Rhode Island's Office of the Attorney General said in a release. David Stuart, 33, pleaded no contest this month to multiple charges, including possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a ghost gun and large-capacity magazine by a fugitive from justice. "This case is a perfect example of gun safety laws working as they should," said Attorney General Peter Neronha. Stuart was arrested in March 2023, after "violent fu ..read more

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — To Damon Hareld, being Toll Gate High School's safety coordinator is more than just a job. "These kids are my heart and my everything," Hareld said. "It doesn't matter if I know your kid or not. I'm old school — it takes a village to raise a child and I believe it. Your kid is my kid." "I know what can happen to a kid that goes down the wrong road," he continued. Hareld, who grew up in Providence, knows what its like to go down that road. "What was really missing in my life was my dad," Hareld explained. "My dad left when I was young. It really affected me." Hareld told ..read more

BOSTON (WPRI) — The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature an Original Six matchup as the Boston Bruins square off with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a best-of-seven series. The Bruins, who are playing their centennial season, may not be the record-setting team they were last year, but they still finished second in the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers, who knocked them out of last year's playoffs in the first round. Boston swept the season series with Toronto, winning all four of their matchups. But that becomes irrelevant in the postseason as both teams look to eliminate the other f ..read more

New Bedford, Mass. (WPRI) -- New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said Friday he expects trains to begin moving passengers from his city to Boston by the fall. But he's not holding his breath. "My understanding is the fall, whenever that is," Mitchell said on a taping of WPRI 12's Newsmakers. "I don’t know if that means Labor Day or when the leaves start to turn." The oft-delayed project was dealt another set-back earlier this month when MBTA officials informed people at a Fall River community meeting that the summer deadline would likely not be met. "The explanation is they have to work out the kin ..read more

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — A man was taken to the hospital Friday after he was stabbed during a fight in Fall River. City police tell 12 News they were called to the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) bus terminal on 4th Street just after 3 p.m. and arrived to find the victim suffering from "at least one serious stab wound." One of the men involved was said to be armed with a large knife, according to police. The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Rama Burch, was arrested a short time later, police said. The incident remains under investigation. Man taken to the hospital after be ..read more

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Despite concerns from within city government, the Providence City Council overwhelmingly passed a new law they say will incentivize low-income housing development. The law defines low-income housing and clarifies how tax incentives will be applied to those properties. According to the ordinance, low-income housing is restricted to tenants earning 80% or less of the area median income (AMI), and the rent is limited to 30% of their income. The ordinance, introduced by Council President Rachel Miller, was passed for a final time on a vote of 13 to 2 at Thursday night's ..read more