☕ Coyote Crosswalks?

Friday, March 27, 2026 | Edition #20

GOOD MORNING, WARWICK. To my most loyal subscribers - congrats. You’ve officially made it through 20 editions of this thing. That's twenty Mondays and Fridays you chose to read this instead of literally anything else — a book, the back of a shampoo bottle, staring at a wall. That’s either commitment… or questionable decision-making.

Either way, thanks for sticking with me. Happy Friday!

⏱️Sunset Time: 7:06PM

🌔 Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

⛽ Avg. Gas Price: $3.78 (Gas Tracker)

🧥 Jacket needed?: Light jacket or a hoodie if you’re participating in “Dress Down Friday”

A departing flight at TF Green had an unexpected runway guest Tuesday morning - a coyote, who apparently did not check the departures board before making his move. Passengers heard a loud "thud" during takeoff, the plane circled back, and everyone landed safely with a story they'll be telling at Thanksgiving for the next 30 years. No human injuries were reported, and wildlife officials were called to the scene, presumably to explain to the rest of the local coyote population that the runway is not a crosswalk. Tough scene. You can dodge traffic on Bald Hill Road, survive a Walmart parking lot on a Sunday, even make it through a rotary unscathed - but runway traffic? That's a different animal. Full story - WPRI.

That police drone program we told you about a few weeks back? It's officially coming in at about $150,000 - fully funded through a federal grant - so Warwick taxpayers, you can exhale. The drone launches from HQ, streams live video to officers, and is expected to beat cruisers to calls about 75% of the time. Basically, it's the world's most expensive hall monitor with wings.

It's not in the air just yet, but officials say it should be up and running by this summer once everything's set up. Translation: by July, Warwick PD will have eyes on a scene before the suspect even begins their getaway jog. More details - WJAR.

AAA wanted to tear down the condemned Caleb Greene House on Post Road - a Civil War-era landmark in Apponaug - but the Historic District Commission said not so fast, unanimously. Too historically significant, not enough of a case. AAA has 90 days to come back with a better plan. The house lives to fight another quarter.

Not far away on the commission's agenda, a rare approval: the long-debated mixed-use project at the old Hunter's Garage site in Pawtuxet Village (9 Post Rd.) finally got the green light after multiple rounds of scaling back. Some neighbors still aren't thrilled with the size, but after all those revisions - the commission made its call. One building gets a lifeline, another gets a go-ahead. Busy week for old Warwick real estate.

💸 Nobody Voted, But the Bill's Still Coming. The Warwick School Committee held a special meeting Tuesday to review a five-year deficit repayment plan totaling $7.9 million - and after two hours of discussion, left without casting a vote. The plan, developed by the School Budget Commission, now goes to the state auditor general, who has the authority to impose it regardless. Officials say cuts are likely coming in the years ahead. In summary: a lot of meetings, a lot of numbers, and a decision that may end up making itself. Check out the full read in The Warwick Beacon.

⚖️ McKee wants to scrap Social Security taxes for early retirees - a move he says will help seniors stay in Rhode Island instead of fleeing to Florida (or, worse, Connecticut). (Full Story - WJAR)

🪖 The U.S. Army just raised its enlistment age from 35 to 42 and is easing rules for recruits with minor marijuana-related convictions - all part of a push to widen the recruiting pool. Translation: if you thought your chance to enlist passed you by… the Army just reopened the group chat - and it’s a little more forgiving about your college-era decisions. (Full Story - WPRI)

👀 Rhode Island is turning 250 years of Revolutionary War history into a statewide scavenger hunt, and yes, there's an app for that. Per WPRI, The RI 250 Quest sends participants across eight Rhode Island towns through May, June, and July, with GPS-driven clues, trivia, and video challenges unlocked through the MooveGo app. The competition kicks off May 3 at the Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry and runs through July 11, with stops at spots like the Varnum House in East Greenwich and historic Newport. Team fees run $250 for up to four players, or $25 for a single hunt which, considering the Gaspee was burned right here in Pawtuxet, Warwick readers have a legitimate home field advantage. Sign up here.

🩺 Bad News for Your Next Appointment. A new WalletHub study ranked Rhode Island 50th out of 51 for physicians - second worst in the country, edging out only Hawaii. Low wages, sky-high job competition, and a rough malpractice environment are sending doctors looking elsewhere, and honestly, can you blame them? Montana and Indiana are apparently living their best lives while we're out here making it nearly impossible to keep the people who keep us alive. So next time your doctor tells you they're moving, just know - it's not you, it's Rhode Island. Check out this fascinating deep dive here.

🏀 Gator-Bound. Just two days after leading the Rams to their first NCAA Tournament in 30 years, URI women's basketball coach Tammi Reiss is heading to the University of Florida. She went 138-73 in seven seasons in Kingston, won three A-10 Coach of the Year awards, and tripled the program's average attendance - then the SEC came calling with a bigger budget and a bigger stage. Can't really blame her. URI gave her the keys to a fixer-upper; Florida's handing her a mansion. Best of luck, Coach. Kingston won't forget what you built. (Full Release - ESPN)

🧠Three truths & a lie - local headline style.
One of these headlines didn’t happen. Can you guess which one?

Answer below.

Sonder (n.) — The sudden realization that every random passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Used in a sentence: Hit with a wave of sonder in Post Road traffic, wondering if the guy in the F-150 cutting you off to yank a left into the Gregg’s parking lot also has a full inbox and a dentist appointment he's been dodging since October.

✅Three truths and a lie answer: D) I made you a little nervous though, don’t lie…😉

🚀 Own a local business?
You can advertise in The Warwick Wake Up and reach hundreds of readers across the city every week.

If you'd like to put your business in front of Warwick's most well-informed (and well-caffeinated) residents, just reply to this email and we’ll get you the details.

That's it for today. Have a tip or a story suggestion? Send it over - I promise to pretend I already knew about it.

Many thanks,

— Chris

☕ The Warwick Wake Up | Keeping Warwick in the know in 10 minutes or less.