This Just In: Violence upended the weekend in Providence; RI in 'high' COVID transmission

Also, analysts weigh in on Elorza's WaterFire outburst. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Monday, August 2 [Maj. David Lapatin speaks to reporters at the Providence Public Safety Complex on Monday.]( [Violence upended the weekend in Providence; RI in 'high' COVID...]( Also, analysts weigh in on Elorza's WaterFire outburst. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. Today's Aug. 2; on this date in 1975, the temperature at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick hit 104 degrees, which remains the hottest on record. So enjoy today's comfortable upper-70s highs. Providence police say a 24-year-old Warwick woman had just been finishing a night out with friends [when she was killed by a drive-by shooter]( early Sunday morning. They do not believe the victim, who had just recently earned a graduate degree from Northeastern University, was intentionally targeted. Separately, five people were wounded by gunfire outside a fast-food restaurant, and two people were seriously injured in stabbings. All four incidents occurred within less than four hours early Sunday morning in the capital city.  Rhode Island [now has "high" transmission of coronavirus]( the Department of Health reports. The Health Department reported 451 additional cases over the last three days, to go along with 10,190 negative tests, for a 4.2% positive rate. However there were no new COVID deaths – there has been just one since July 15 – and the number of coronavirus patients in Rhode Island hospitals fell, to 27 at last count, down from 31 reported Friday. Mayor Jorge Elorza's dust-up with Gov. Dan McKee at WaterFire last week generated plenty of attention, and some scorn, but might it actually help him if he takes on McKee in the 2022 primary? [We asked some experts]( Some close observers [see missed opportunities]( in the contract agreement that McKee's administration negotiated with the Providence Teachers Union. A 27-year-old Coventry woman [will serve four years in prison]( for a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Exeter in 2017. Members of a youth basketball team from Newport are back home and safe after [a harrowing event at a tournament in Pennsylvania](. The team was in the middle of a game when a fight nearby led to what people thought were gunshots, and then hundreds ran for the exits. A local Army veteran, who once helped guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, [is the driving force]( behind the new "Never Forget" garden in North Kingstown. Congratulations to Ben Tuff, [who successfully completed his 19-mile fundraising swim]( from Block Island to Jamestown without any shark encounters. The Red Sox are in the midst of their longest losing streak of the season, and they've fallen out of first place. So [what's the latest with the rehabbing Chris Sale?Â]( Have a great night. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please [encourage a friend to sign up]( [Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.]( [click here]( Problem viewing email? [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( • [Manage Newsletters]( • [Terms of Service]( • [Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights]( • [Privacy Notice]( • [Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy]( • [Feedback]( © 2021 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902