Washington Bridge crisis; Hasbro layoffs; Maven's Delicatessen: Top stories of the week
Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of Dec. 10, supported by your subscriptions.
The Providence Police Department has a new weapon in solving crimes: a special unit devoted exclusively to uncovering digital evidence from cellphones, computer hard drives, surveillance video, social media and more. Find out how their work led to speedy arrests in a double homicide in October.
Children with parents in prison face extra challenges in life, putting them at greater risk of poverty, unemployment, addiction and abuse. The nonprofit Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education is marking its 25th year of success in breaking that cycle through private-school scholarships and intensive mentoring.
Make Christmas cookies, or buy them? Why not do both? If you want to supplement your homemade treats with some favorites from local bakeries, we have nine recommendations from food editor Gail Ciampa.
With conference play on the horizon, can anyone unseat the big dog of the Big East, UConn? Read about that and other college and high school sports news at providencejournal.com/sports.
Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com:
Washington Bridge closure update: Westbound lanes reopen
When cellphones buzzed late Monday afternoon with an alert about the emergency closure of the Washington Bridge's westbound span, life in and around Rhode Island was thrown into chaos. One of the main arteries connecting the state's eastern and western halves was severed after a young engineer discovered decay in crucial bridge supports that could have led to a catastrophic failure.
The effect was immediate and far-reaching. Commuters were plunged into traffic hell on Interstate 195 and a circuitous detour through East Providence, with many missing school or work. Businesses lost customers in the critical holiday shopping season. State leaders scrambled to explain why the structural problems were not caught earlier, and how long the repairs would take, as Rhode Island's congressional delegation pushed for federal assistance and some state lawmakers called for oversight hearings. High school sports teams in East Bay faced a daunting new opponent: gridlock.
Journal reporters have fielded readers' questions and delivered answers, including: Is the eastbound span of the Washington Bridge safe? Is ferry service from East Bay an option? Should Gov. Dan McKee declare a state of emergency? How can pregnant women who live in East Bay get to the hospital safely if they're in labor?
And we've even tried to make you smile through the pain, with a collection of bridge memes on social media, advice on where to grab a bite or a drink if you're stranded in East Providence, and a car vs. bike race from East Providence to The Journal's downtown office by reporters Wheeler Cowperthwaite and Antonia Noori Farzan. Place your bets.
An emergency two-lane bypass for I-195 westbound traffic that opened early Friday morning should bring some relief. But before you leave home, check the road conditions on the state's live traffic cameras.
Local news: Washington Bridge closure update: Westbound lanes reopen
Hasbro to close Providence office, lay off 1,100 people in the next year. What comes next.
PROVIDENCE — The international toy company Hasbro is vacating its Providence office and cutting its staff by 1,100 people, according to a memorandum sent to staff on Monday.
CEO Chris Cocks made the announcement, noting that the layoffs are "especially difficult during the holiday season." This layoff is in addition to 800 jobs cut in January.
Though the announcement sounds like more bad news for the state's economy, some experts say the blow may be more psychological than anything else.
Business: Hasbro to close Providence office, lay off 1,100 people in the next year. What comes next.
'A good problem': Maven's Delicatessen regroups, adds staff as popularity leads to pause
A week after opening its doors as the newest Jewish deli in Rhode Island, Maven's Delicatessen in Pawtucket took a three-day pause to regroup. It might sound trite to say Maven's was a victim of its success, but that is exactly what happened.
From the moment in January when owner Jason Sugarman announced Maven's would open, anticipation only grew. When the crowds descended, starting with 50 people in line before the Dec. 3 opening, it was just the beginning, Sugarman said. "The lines got bigger the next day and the next."
"It’s a good problem," Sugarman added. "If no one was interested, I’d be really depressed."
Dining: 'A good problem': Maven's Delicatessen regroups, adds staff as popularity leads to pause
Will donors to beach-access fundraiser be deposed by fire district? Why the ACLU is objecting.
WESTERLY – Shoreline-access advocates who contributed to an online fundraiser have been alerted that they are considered potential witnesses in an ongoing legal fight and may be deposed by attorneys for the Weekpaug Fire District, prompting a strong rebuke from the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The GoFundMe page, titled "Restore our Spring Avenue Right-of-Way," has raised more than $16,000 for the ongoing fight to open up public access to Quonochontaug Barrier Beach.
The Weekapaug Fire District, which doesn't fight fires and functions more like a homeowners association, controls the only pathways onto the 1.7-mile beach and uses security guards to bar the public in summer.
The notices could end up "chilling the exercise of free-speech and freedom-of association-rights of people interested in shoreline access issues," Rhode Island ACLU executive director Steven Brown wrote in a letter to the fire district.
Local news: Will donors to beach-access fundraiser be deposed by fire district? The ACLU is objecting.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Journal top stories: Washington Bridge closes; Hasbro layoff
