Daily Briefing: Tired of rain? It is helping with one potential problem

ALSO: The latest in court fight between state police and a former trooper ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Thu Apr 4 2024 Will Richmond | Managing Editor Communities & R.I. [@Will_Richmond]( Good morning, I'm Will Richmond at [The Providence Journal]( and this is the Daily Briefing. As you read this there's a good chance it's raining outside or just did or is about to. That just seems to be the way it is around Rhode Island these days. With all this rain the idea of wildfires may be far from your thoughts, but should they be? You probably recall the concerns last year when Rhode Island welcomed unseasonably warm weather April along with winds. That propelled one of the largest fires in the state in recent years to spread across Exeter, ultimately consuming 238 acres. [02_Wildfire_03262024.JPG] Pat MacMeekin Wildland Fire Supervisor leans against a pitch pine tree at the Queen River Preserve in Exeter still showing the scars from last year's 286 acres brush fire. Kris Craig/The Providence Journal [The Journal's Alex Kuffner talked with officials at the DEM to learn more about the potential risks of a large wildfire this, along with the lessons learned from last year's experience.]( One hint, the seemingly constant rain does help, but also has a drawback. • Former Rhode Island State Police Trooper Jamie Donnelly-Taylor admitted in 2014 to assault, since then he has fought the charge. The State Police are fighting a 2023 finding by Superior Court Judge Kevin F. McHugh that a denial of a disability pension to Donnelly-Taylor was arbitrary and capricious and attorneys were in the state Supreme Court making their arguments. [The Journal's Katie Mulvaney has full details from the hearing.]( • After being waylaid by a $1.6 million gap between inflated construction costs and the budget, a 44-unit project in Central Falls is set to break ground. [The Journal's Wheeler Cowperthwaite reports and how the difference was made up and when the housing units could become available.]( • The Journal's Bill Koch [looks at 10 girls outdoor track athletes to watch this spring]( and profiles [West Warwick's Raye sisters, who are burning up the track.]( • Do you love where you work? [Time is running out to nominate your workplace for Rhode Island's first top workplaces awards.]( More from The Providence Journal [Find the latest obituaries here.]( [Subscribers can read the eNewspaper here.]( WORTH A READ [🗳️]( [Trump leads Biden in six key swing states]( amid concerns of economy, job performance 🥚 Cal-Maine Foods, largest producer of eggs in US, [finds bird flu in chickens at Texas plant]( 🔋 Judge refuses to dismiss [Somerset, Mass.'s. $3.5M criminal case against Brayton Point]( RHODY RANKS Every day we receive emails ranking Rhode Island. While the work behind the ranks may be dubious, they can be fun. Each day I'll share where Rhody Ranks from one of the latest emails. The Wellness Index, by message and health experts Gayfriendly, analyzed each state against 14 health factors, grouped into five categories: food and drink, mental health, pampering and relaxation, physical health, and inclusive social wellness. Results for each category were converted into an overall score out of 100 to determine the ranking. Rhode Island topped the list as the number one wellness hotspot in the U.S., with a score of 69.54. The study revealed that Rhode Island ranked in the top 10 for every category, with three categories in the top five. [TODAY'S WEATHER]( 🌧️ Cloudy and breezy with rain tapering off; expect slow travel during the morning commute. Highs in the low 40s. TOP STORIES [How can the state help its iconic quahogs? Here are some proposals]( [Tables are set up and decorated ahead of a meeting of the legislative commission looking for answers about the state's declining quahog harvests.]( Members of a special legislative commission agree that quahogs are in trouble, and on what's causing the decline. They don't agree on what to do about it. [READ MORE]( Advertisement [RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian signs a record Wednesday morning in District Court, Warwick. Avedisian pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to stop after a motor-vehicle accident resulting in damage to a vehicle.]( [RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian faces charge of leaving accident scene]( A former Warwick mayor and current CEO for RI's transit system could lose his license after leaving the scene of a crash in a McDonalds drive-through. [READ MORE]( [Jessica Cullinan picks up trash as she recovers from her run.]( [Plogging event planned to clean up Newport road race routes. How to join]( Plogging is a Swedish-born term for those who combine jogging (or walking) with picking up trash. [READ MORE]( [Mar 14, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; Providence Friars guard Devin Carter (22) drives to the basket against Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports]( [Providence basketball's Devin Carter will enter NBA Draft]( The junior guard confirmed the news on his personal social media accounts Wednesday morning. [READ MORE]( [That's the team from Providence's Dolores restaurant with matriarch and chef Maria Meza (right) serving her Mole Coloradito at The Providence Journal's Critic's Choice in 2022.]( [Dolores chef Maria Meza named a James Beard award finalist]( RI had four restaurants and one chef as semifinalists in national categories for the 2024 awards, along with five local best chef nominations. 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