This Just In: Nor'easter packed a punch; the future of RI's ethnic clubs

Also, RI Airport Corporation hit with $46 million judgment over carbon monoxide poisoning incident. [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Wednesday, October 27 [High winds and rain caused power outages and downed trees across the State as shown by this tree across power lines on Rt. 138 in Kingston near URI. ]( [Nor'easter packed a punch; the future of RI's ethnic clubs]( Also, RI Airport Corporation hit with $46 million judgment over carbon monoxide poisoning incident. Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. Today is Oct. 27, on this date in 2004, the Red Sox broke their 86-year World Series drought. They've won a few more since then, but not this year. Some storms [aren't all they're cracked up to be]( but the nor'easter that passed through southern New England this morning was the real deal. The storm left nearly 100,000 National Grid customers in Rhode Island without power (that number was down to about 55,000 by 4 p.m.), and it could be days before all are [back on the grid](. And while the rainfall totals fell short of the most dire forecasts, wind gusts [exceeded 70 mph]( in parts of the state. For decades, they have helped foster a sense of community for newcomers to Rhode Island: whether Italian, Portuguese, French-Canadian, Irish, German, or Eastern European. Today Rhode Island is still home to dozens of ethnic social clubs. But at a time of changing demographics, when clubs of all kinds have had a harder time attracting new members, what is the future of these establishments? Antonia Noori Farzan [explores that question]( The Rhode Island Department of Health reported one more coronavirus-related death and 261 additional cases of COVID-19, along with 23,762 negative tests, for a 1.1% positive rate. There were 91 COVID-positive patients in Rhode Island hospitals at last count, down from 95 reported yesterday, with 13 in intensive care. The state has reported an average of 200 new cases a day over the last seven days, down 19% from a week ago and down 24% from two weeks ago. Many people reinvented themselves during the pandemic. One of them is Harry Adler, the longtime co-owner of Adler's Hardware in Providence. Adler found that taking photos during his morning jogs of the everyday beauty in his neighborhood helped relieve stress. He began sharing some of his work in hopes of spreading that sense of well-being. Now, improbably, Adler's hobby [has turned in to something much bigger]( a gallery show that will benefit a local nonprofit. A staffing agency [has been unable to find replacements]( for unvaccinated health-care workers at the state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital and Rhode Island Veterans Home. As a deadline looms for all health-care facilities to be in compliance with the state's vaccine mandate, Gov. Dan McKee says he may call in the National Guard. The state's first "test-to-stay" program – which allows asymptomatic students who are close contacts of a person with COVID-19 to stay in school with daily testing  – [has launched in Westerly.](  And now a trifecta of stories from Katie Mulvaney: -The Rhode Island Airport Corporation [has been ordered to pay $26 million]( – $46 million with interest – to two former TSA employees who suffered permanent injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2015. -The land in South Kingstown that was the site of the Great Swamp Massacre in 1675 [has been returned to the Narragansett Indian Tribe]( -A federal appeals court panel [has upheld a settlement]( between Brown University and a group of former female athletes in a landmark gender-equity case. A group of current Brown athletes had urged the court to reject the deal on their behalf. The University of Rhode Island women's basketball team could be in for a special season. Coach Tammi Reiss's Rams [are picked to finish second]( in the Atlantic 10 (which, in a typical example of modern college sports math, has 14 teams) in a poll of the conference's coaches. David Cox's men, meanwhile, [are picked to finish a middling seventh]( Finally, if you'd like to read about grace and elegance on this messy, dreary day, take a few minutes to check out [Gail Ciampa's look inside Bellini]( the new restaurant in The Beatrice hotel. 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