Monday, April 20, 2026 | Edition #27
GOOD MORNING, WARWICK. Happy 4/20 to all those who celebrate. For those who didn’t think today was a holiday, Snoop Dogg would be disappointed in you. April 20th is the unofficial national holiday for cannabis enthusiasts.
Right here in the Ocean State, Rhode Island dispensaries pulled in over $120 million in cannabis sales last year, averaging roughly 3.4 million transactions. That’s a lot of weed. So whether you’re a daily “toker” or a sober Sally, if you step outside today and the air smells a little more herbal than usual, now you know why.
TODAY’S SNAPSHOT
⏱️Sunset Time: 7:33PM
🌒 Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
⛽ Avg. Gas Price: $3.94 (click here to find the cheapest gas near you)
💧 Chance of Rain: 25%
WHAT’S GOIN’ AHN
🏃🏼♂️➡️ Marathon Monday
Speaking of unofficial holidays, today is Marathon Monday. The one day a year where thousands of people call out of work and wake up before dawn to run 26.2 miles through the streets of Boston. Spectators follow suit, except instead of running, they can be found with a pint of beer in hand. There’s no other day quite like it.
This year, one of those runners is from right here in Warwick.
Bronson Venable, 35, a Bishop Hendricken alum, is toeing the line today for his fifth Boston Marathon and 11th marathon overall. Coming off the strongest training block of his career, logging over 100 miles per week, Venable is chasing a personal best and has his sights set on breaking the 2:20 barrier.
There's also $3,000 on the line. Venable is part of PUMA's Project3 program, which rewards sub-elite runners with a cash prize if they improve their personal best by three minutes or more. His current best is 2:26:55, set at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. He's already proven the fitness is there. Now it's just 26.2 miles between him and the money.
Go get it, Bronson. Read his full story here.
📊 Gut Punch in the Finance Office
Warwick School Director of Finance Craig Enos is leaving in June to take the same role in Cranston, and Mayor Picozzi didn't mince words, calling the departure a "gut punch." It's easy to see why. Enos has been the guy trusted to steer both the school department and the city through a five-year deficit reduction plan, a $350 million school construction bond, and a budget that has Warwick taxpayers on the hook for roughly $12 million a year in principal and interest costs for the next 26 years. That's not a role you fill with a Craigslist posting.
The timing makes it worse. State Auditor General David Bergantino just approved Warwick Public Schools' five-year plan to eliminate a $7.9 million cumulative deficit, but signed off with a clear warning that the plan only works if the school department and city are rowing in the same direction and the revenue assumptions actually hold up. A few councilmembers and the teachers union have already raised eyebrows about whether the numbers are realistic. Finding someone with Enos's institutional knowledge, mid-fiscal year, while the construction bills are actively coming in and the deficit clock is ticking, is going to be one of the city's bigger challenges of 2026. Cranston's gain is absolutely Warwick's headache.
QUICK HITTERS
🍽️ Last Call? Not Yet. | [Link] | Gloria Griffen of Warwick has been tending the bar at Sam's Inn on West Shore Road for 55 years and at 82 years old, she has no plans to stop. "How many 82-year-olds can say they're still working?" she told WPRI. Respect.
😔 Tragedy on I-95 | [Link] | Two people were killed Saturday afternoon after a two-car crash on I-95 South near Route 113. State Police say the first vehicle struck a guardrail, crossed the median, and hit a second car entering the highway. The driver of the second vehicle was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
🏘️ Fewer Neighbors Ahead | [Link] | Rhode Island's population is projected to drop from 1.1 million to just over 1 million by 2050, a decline of more than 5%, according to a new forecast from the RI Division of Statewide Planning. That's roughly 63,000 fewer Ocean Staters over the next 25 years. Whether that's a crisis or It just means more parking at Iggy’s depends on who you ask.
WEATHAH THIS WEEK
April showers might continue today. Warm weather is brewing.
Warwick's restaurant scene has been busy lately. Here's a look at a few new spots worth checking out:
The Caspian Kitchen | 1995 Post Road | Website Link | Persian cuisine just steps away from the tarmac.
Ritual Pizza & Sandwiches | 2028 Warwick Avenue | Website Link | This was previously Ritual Cafe. The doors have recently been closed and a new sign was installed this weekend pointing to an audible from breakfast and coffee to pizza & grinders. They get it.
Pat's Italian |1850 Post Road | Website Link | More Italian on Post Road. Warwick has never met a red sauce it didn't like.
Follett's Tavern | 251 New London Avenue | Website Link | Valley Country Club’s American Fare Grill. The perfect place for a beer after shooting a depressing round of golf per usual.
Mandeez Deli | 335 Jefferson Blvd | Website Link | Yemeni & Mediterranean cuisine. Massive Menu. Good eats.
The Jefferson | 1946 Post Road | Website Link | In the building that was once Bertucci’s, the Jefferson is an upscale, cocktail-forward spot with speakeasy vibes, creative plates, and just enough “dress nice” energy to make you second guess your outfit.
Know of any new restaurants or other businesses opening up soon? Reply to this email. Keep me in the know!
RETAIL
At this point, my Ring camera sees our Amazon driver more than it sees me.
This week, my wife bought something only a Cranston girl would think to buy. I’m convinced the Real Housewives of Rhode Island are using these daily. I’m also convinced that this didn’t fall under any of our budget line items this month…
BRAIN FOOD
🧠 Where in Warwick?
In case you haven’t played before, this is a photo from somewhere in Warwick. Your job is to figure out where it was taken. Some are easy. Some will make you question how thick your Warwickian blood truly is.
Image: Visit Warwick
Answer below.
📖 The Warwick Word of the Day
Dilatory. (adj.) dil·a·to·ry | ˈdi-lə-ˌtȯr-ē Slow to act, inclined to delay. From the Latin dilatorius, meaning "putting off," derived from dilator ("one who delays") and rooted in differre — to postpone, to put off.
You should see how dilatory my friends get in the group chat when I'm not orchestrating plans. They’ll admit it.
Thanks to Rick T. for submitting today’s word of the day! You can submit one yourself, here. I’ll be sure to include it in the next edition!
ONE LAST SIP
✅ Where in Warwick Answer: Gorton Pond. A stone’s throw away from the rotaries. Tranquility at its finest, until the sirens start blaring.
Interested in helping me grow this thing? Open to hanging a flyer or two in your business? Reply to this email. I’ll drop some off to you!
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That's it for today. Go Sox. First pitch today at 11:10AM. Keep smiling.
Thanks for reading!
