Monday, May 11, 2026 | Edition #33
GOOD MORNING, WARWICK. I hope this note finds your muhthah hugged, your grass freshly cut, and your cup of coffee filled with exactly the right amount of almond milk.
If you didn’t realize that yesterday was Mother’s Day, I’ll start praying for you now. But for those who nailed the Mother’s Day gift giving without an Amazon panic-order or a CVS rendezvous with your siblings before brunch, I’m impressed.
Shoutout to all the Moms out there (especially mine!). Warwick couldn’t possibly wake up without you.
Here’s what’s goin ahn in your city.
TODAY’S SNAPSHOT
⏱️ Sunset Time: 7:56PM
🌘 Moon Phase: Waning Crescent
⛽ Avg. Gas Price: $4.47 (click here to find the cheapest gas near you)
💧 Chance of Rain: 10% (AM only)
WHAT’S GOIN’ AHN
🏫 The Warwick Schools Financial Tightrope
Superintendent William McCaffrey unveiled a $223.9 million budget proposal for FY27 last week, built around what he called "tough decisions" and a series of assumptions that all need to go right or the district lands back in deficit territory. Think of it like trying to merge onto I-295 from the Centerville Road I-95 on-ramp. Everything has to line up exactly right, or you're heading straight towards a Cranston traffic backup.
Rising transportation costs, special education tuition, employee benefits, and salary obligations are the main drivers. The district is asking the city for a 2.68% funding increase, slightly more than originally planned, after healthcare costs and federal funding changes piled on over a million dollars in unexpected pressure. Nobody in the room seemed thrilled about it. Cost-saving ideas on the table include restructuring bus routes, delaying a $500,000 student device refresh, and hoping teacher retirements free up some payroll room.
The Warwick Early Learning Center drew the most concern, with parents raising questions about staffing for students with intensive behavioral needs. Officials said no special education services are being eliminated and that staffing plans would stay "fluid," which is a word that tends to make parents nervous.
But hey, Warwick is just like a lot of Americans: living paycheck to paycheck. We cut back on the Chipotle, ask Grandma for a few bail-outs, and try our best to keep the money coming in. We figure it out. Slowly, with our blinker on, hoping the guy in the left lane lets us in.
🛴 Electric Shock
Rhode Island's e-bike problem is getting harder to ignore. Newly released video of close calls involving e-bikes and scooters on local roads and paths has police and lawmakers pushing for tougher rules, and honestly the footage is doing a lot of the arguing for them.
A woman from Chepachet had both of her ankles broken at Rocky Point State Park last summer after a motorized skateboard hit her from behind. She never saw it coming. Rhode Island already passed legislation classifying e-bikes and setting some ground rules for where they can operate, but enforcement is a different story entirely. If you've spent any time on local roads or bike paths recently, you already know. These things move fast, they're quiet, and the guy riding one at full speed through a crosswalk is too busy TikToking & driving to yield to you or your loved ones. Lawmakers want stricter rules. Pedestrians want to make it to the parking lot in one piece. Seems like a reasonable thing to agree on.
🍸 An Even Later Last Call
The Rhode Island Senate approved legislation that would allow bars and restaurants to stay open until 4 a.m., with alcohol service until 3 a.m., during the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11 through July 3). Cities and towns would still need to opt in locally, and businesses would have to apply at least two weeks in advance. The bill now heads to a negotiation with the House, which already passed a similar version, before landing on Governor McKee's desk. Opponents flagged concerns about noise, public safety, and late-night enforcement. Supporters say it's a rare shot to capture serious tourism revenue during one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.
To the Warwick establishments out there, keep an eye on what the city decides. And to the Warwick bar flies looking for a 3 a.m. round of Irish Car bombs (you know who you are), easy does it.
WEATHAH THIS WEEK
Still stuck in spring purgatory
QUICK HITTERS
⚖️ The State House Shuffle | Link | Warwick's own House Speaker Joe Shekarchi stepped down last week to pursue a seat on the Rhode Island Supreme Court, triggering a full State House reshuffling. A Roger Williams law professor filed an ethics complaint the same afternoon arguing it violates the state's revolving door law. Shekarchi says he did his own legal analysis and disagrees. He's also got $4.7 million in campaign cash he can no longer touch.
📞The 401 Area Code Isn't Going Anywhere | Link | Rhode Island has had the 401 area code since January 1947, making it one of the original 86 area codes ever assigned in the country. According to a recent report, the state has enough numbers to hold onto it until at least 2051, which is good news because half of Rhode Island has it tattooed somewhere on their body.
🐶 CCRI's New Best Student | Link | CCRI welcomed CeCe, a two-month-old golden retriever, as the college's official campus comfort dog last week. Her job description is literally "to make people happy," which makes her the most straightforwardly employed living thing on campus. She'll be hitting all four CCRI locations during finals week, which, honestly, is probably more effective than any study guide.
⛱️ Summah Jobs | Link | The City of Warwick is hiring for several summer positions including beach fee collectors, lifeguards, beach litter crew, and general laborers. Instead of racking up your screen time, rack up some coin so you can take your girlfriend to Vanda this summer. Get the Focaccia, it’s to die for.🤌🏼
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, May 12: 🐉Dungeons & Dragons with Derrick | Apponaug Brewing | Info Link | 6-9 PM. Grab a pint and roll some dice.
Wednesday, May 13: 🏌🏼♀️Ladies' Night at Par & Tackle | Harbor Lights | Info Link | 5-9 PM. Ladies get 20% off their bill with a food purchase, plus rotating weekly specials. A solid midweek excuse to get out of the house.
Friday, May 15: 🍅Goddard Park Farmers Market | Info Link | 9 AM - 1 PM. Fresh local produce and vendors.
Saturday, May 16: 🥬Conimicut Village Farmers Market | Info Link | 9 AM - 12 PM. Free admission. Doesn’t get more local than this.
Sunday, May 17: 🥇Bingo Night | Greenwood Fire Co & Museum | Info Link | Doors 5 PM, Bingo 6 PM. $20 to play, cash prizes, and a 50/50 - reservations required, space is limited, and no alcohol allowed, so bring your lucky dauber and your full focus.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, June 13: 🏃🏼➡️Gaspee Days 5K | Sign Up Here | One of Warwick's most iconic events is nearly one month away. The streets will be decked out in red, white, and blue. I better see you there.
RETAIL
For any new kids on the Warwick Wake Up block, this is a section where I document what shows up at my house each week without warning or explanation. Think of it as investigative journalism, except the only mystery is why we need it and the answer is always "it was on sale."
I'm one delivery away from adding the Amazon driver to the family group chat. He deserves to know what's coming next. Frankly, so do I.
BRAIN FOOD
🧠 Where in Warwick
Where in Warwick is a quick challenge tucked into every edition. I post a photo of somewhere in the city and you see if you can place it. Longtime locals tend to get it fast. Everyone else is just doing their best.
Where was this photo taken? Answer shown at the end.
📖 The Warwick Word of the Day
Jamoke (n.) An Italian-American slang term for a fool, idiot, or clueless person.
The word traces back to Southern Italian immigrant communities that settled across the Northeast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, carrying their dialects, their Sunday gravy recipes, and apparently their insults right along with them.
Thanks to Chris B. (aka Blacky, and my dad) for submitting today's word. He can be found around Warwick dropping "Jamoke," "Stunad," and several other Italian words that would make your grandmother blush.
You can submit a word of the day yourself, here. I’ll be sure to include it in the next edition!
ONE LAST SIP
✅ Where in Warwick Answer: That photo was taken at the enchanting, Warwick City Park Beach. If you’re like me, you probably had your 10th birthday party posted up on a blanket just steps away from this view. Cheetos, a boom box, and an underrated view. That’s all we needed. Simpler times.
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That's it for today. If you liked today’s edition, share this with a friend. If you didn’t like it, pretend it never happened… Thanks for reading! Keep smiling!
