Monday, January 26th, 2026 | Edition 03
GOOD MORNING, WARWICK. Hope you’ve got a snow blower (or at least a kickass shovel) and nowhere to be — because Mother Nature just reminded us what a real New England winter looks like. We were also reminded of just how magical the New England Patriots can be in the month of January… the Pats are officially Super Bowl bound for the twelfth time in franchise history, and New Englanders were reportedly mumbling “Drake Maye” and “MVP-MVP” in their sleep last night. As Tommy always says, LFG!
Here's what's happening (and not happening) in your city today.
What to Know About the Snow
Buried.
If you looked outside yesterday and thought, "this seems like a lot," you were right. Rhode Island got slammed with 12 to 18 inches of snow — the biggest storm in years — and the state is essentially shut down today. Do yourself a favor and don’t let your Pomeranian outside until you’ve cleared a path… you’ll lose sight of them pretty quickly!
Governor McKee declared a truck ban on state highways starting at noon Sunday, and RIDOT had 500 plows and hundreds of tons of salt working around the clock. But with snow falling at 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, even the plows couldn't keep up.
Warwick got absolutely dumped on last night. Now we dig out!
Parking ban: Still in effect until 7:00am on Tuesday. Don't be ‘that guy’ that gets slapped with a ticket or gets his souped-up hooptie towed away… by the way, ‘that guy’ is the same ‘guy’ who hasn’t paid his Centreville Road school zone speeding tickets yet.
Trash Collection: Not happening on Monday
Pro tip: Check on your neighbors — especially the elderly ones. This is the kind of storm that makes communities matter.
Snowy Police Cruiser Crash
In the midst of yesterday’s snowpocalypse, a rogue vehicle decided to go full demolition derby on Wakefield Street around 1:30 p.m., sliding head-on into a West Warwick police cruiser like it was auditioning for a bad action flick. The two officers inside? Banged up with minor injuries but expected to bounce back—probably with epic war stories.
What else is Going on?
Goddard Park Investigation
A woman was found dead at Goddard Memorial State Park last Wednesday. Warwick Police and the RI Department of Environmental Management spent several hours investigating near the beach area. Police said there is no threat to the public but have not released further details. The investigation is ongoing.
RISPCA's Litter-ary Revenge: Name Your Ex and Let the Cats Do the Dirty Work
Single and salty this Valentine's? The Rhode Island SPCA's serving up sweet, stinky payback with their fundraiser: Drop $10, and they'll Sharpie your ex's name (or any grudge-holder, like "bad bosses" or "that ghoster") on a paper heart before chucking it into a litter box for the shelter cats to... critique. Up the ante to $14 for two names—double the doodoo drama. Every penny powers animal care, turning your heartbreak into heroics for homeless pets. Snag it on their site by Feb. 14—because nothing heals like feline-approved pettiness.
Your ex stinks.
Warwick PD Can Now Summon a Therapist in 10 Seconds
Warwick PD just got 14 tablets that let officers video-call a mental health clinician almost instantly when responding to someone in crisis. No more calling a hotline, waiting on hold, and listening to smooth jazz while someone's having a breakdown.
The MyCare program — funded through a grant from Thrive Behavioral Health — cuts response time from "eventually" to about 10 seconds. "This system is going to be a huge help," said Sgt. Josh Myer, which is police-speak for "why didn't we have this years ago?"
The tablets join Thrive case manager Francesca Mercurio, who already responds to mental health calls with officers. But as she put it: "There's only one of me." Now there's backup.
Ya Gotta be Quicker than that…
If you're going to run from the cops, maybe don't do it on a flat tire. And definitely don't do it near someone willing to stick out a leg.
Police on scene from last Thursday where the suspect was eventually taken into custody
Roberto Lopez, 45, allegedly led Warwick police on a high-speed chase last Thursday after an officer suspected he was driving drunk. According to prosecutors, Lopez ran stop signs, veered into oncoming traffic, and eventually hopped onto I-95 North — still driving on that flat tire.
The tire eventually gave up on life and fell off entirely. Lopez kept going on the rim because, sure, why not at this point.
When his car finally quit near Wellington Ave in Cranston, Lopez bailed, hopped a fence, and made a run for it. That's when a good Samaritan — a true Rhode Island hero — tripped him. Police caught up shortly after.
In court Friday, Lopez showed up wearing his towing company jacket and reportedly apologized, saying he ran because he was "scared." (Understandable, honestly.)
Witnesses were less sympathetic. "He could've taken us out," said one man who'd been walking from a doctor's appointment. "If he would've lost control, we were done."
Lopez is also wanted on a weapons charge in Maine. Bail was set at $20,000.
The identity of the tripper remains unknown. Whoever you are: drinks are on us.
QUICK HITS
☃️ Temps this week: Cold. Wind chills could drop to -3°F tonight. Expect single digit real temp lows all week long…Bundle up buttercup.
🍽️ Providence Restaurant Weeks: Runs Jan 25 - Feb 7 with 90+ restaurants participating. Warwick spots on the list: The Brook Kitchen (Loom Hotel), Crow's Nest, Elizabeth's of Portofino, Iron Works, and Tavolo Wine Bar. Prix fixe menus, fancy feelings, reasonable prices.
🐟 Good News for Anglers: Black sea bass regulations may be loosened by 20% this year. The fish are thriving — spawning stock is at 284% of target levels. DEM is taking public input through February.
That's it for today. Got a tip, a snow day photo, or just want to complain about your driveway? Hit reply. See you Friday — assuming we've all thawed out by then.
Stay warm, Warwick ☕
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