Friday, May 22, 2026 | Edition #36
GOOD MORNING, WARWICK. Happy Memorial Day Weekend. If you're a Pawtuxet Village dweller like me, this is your official summer welcome party.
A quick nod to why we're here. Memorial Day traces its roots back to the years following the Civil War, when communities began setting aside a day to honor the soldiers who gave their lives in service to this country. It has since grown into a national day of remembrance for all who died wearing the uniform. Take a moment this weekend to honor that.
Now, the weather. We had 96 degrees on Tuesday. Ninety-six. A 30-degree swing in less than 24 hours and somehow we land at mid-60s and overcast for the one weekend everybody's been looking forward to. The irony is utterly comical. But Warwick doesn't flinch. Tarps off the grills regardless of the forecast. Arts and crafts will be purchased on the parkway. And when you're done with your laps around the village, swing by today's presenting sponsor, O'Rourke's Bar and Grill for a meal and a pint. You deserve It.
One more quick note to my subscribers: you are reading this at a 75% open rate, which is unheard of in the newsletter world. That is entirely on you. Thank you for showing up every Monday and Friday. It means everything.
TODAY’S SNAPSHOT
⏱️ Sunset Time: 8:06PM 🤩
🌒 Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
⛽ Avg. Gas Price: $4.50 (click here to find the cheapest gas near you)
💧 Chance of Rain: 10%
WHAT’S GOIN’ AHN
🛬 Runway Rehab
Rhode Island's congressional delegation, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, secured $20.3 million in federal funding for airport upgrades across the state, with the money flowing through the FAA's Airport Improvement Program and authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The bulk of it, $12.6 million, goes toward a brand new 42,000-square-yard overnight apron at T.F. Green to accommodate more aircraft operations, meaning more planes can park here instead of heading elsewhere. This is part of a broader push to grow PVD into a more capable regional hub.
The remaining funds get spread across the state's smaller airports: Westerly State Airport picks up $5.4 million to rehabilitate more than 4,000 feet of runway, Newport State Airport gets nearly $2 million for runway rehab, Quonset gets $254,000 to clear FAA-flagged vegetation, and North Central in Smithfield gets $178,000 to do the same. Under FAA guidelines, these grants cover up to 95% of project costs, with the rest coming from airport revenues, so the state isn't footing much of the bill. Your flight to Charlotte will still board 45 minutes late, get pushed to a different gate, and taxi for another 20 minutes before takeoff, but at least the tarmac will look great while all of that happens.
🌞🫠 Record Heat, Sticky Desks
Warwick was among the cities across New England that shattered daily heat records on Tuesday, as temperatures soared into the mid-90s and a heat advisory went into effect for Kent and Providence counties, with heat index values making it feel as hot as 96 degrees. The previous record had stood for 76 years before getting blown past. Students and teachers across the state weren't loving the non-air-conditioned classrooms. It was days like Tuesday when I'd get stuck with the extra sticky desk in Pre-Calc. You know the one. You had to peel your forearms off the pine just to raise your hand. The good old days. Praying for the youngins that the new high schools have AC.
Wednesday brought more of the same, with highs around 90 inland and a heat advisory still in effect, before showers and thunderstorms rolled through in the late afternoon and evening. By Thursday, temperatures had finally dropped back to the mid-60s. This is exactly what May In Rhode Island is like. Ninety-something degrees two days in a row. A 30-degree temperature swing in less than 24 hours. New England weather at its finest.
🙏🏼 Supporting the Seekell Family
On Monday, May 18, just after noon, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk went down in a field near Westerly State Airport while attempting an emergency landing on approach. The pilot, 21-year-old Isaac Seekell of Charlestown, was rushed to Westerly Hospital, where he later died. He was the only person on board. Seekell was a certified flight instructor attending a local flight school, a Chariho High School alum who had also attended Word of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York, where he played goalkeeper on the soccer team. Those who knew him remember his faith, his warmth, and a passion for flying he pursued with everything he had.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. The Charlestown Ambulance Rescue Service has set up a GoFundMe to support his family during this incredibly difficult time.
😯 The City of Safety?
A new SmartAsset study ranking America's safest midsize cities placed Warwick at number three in the country, factoring in violent crime rates, property crime, auto fatalities, and natural disaster risk. The study looked at hundreds of cities across the country and Warwick landed near the very top, trailing only Broomfield, CO and State College, PA (which is literally just Penn State College). This comes on the heels of WalletHub ranking Warwick the single safest city in the entire country last year. Two different studies. Two top-three finishes. Not bad for a city that witnesses rotary madness on the daily.
Mayor Picozzi credits years of consistent policing, economic development, and strategic use of federal funding to upgrade police vehicles and fire equipment during the pandemic. Whatever they're doing, it's working. Meanwhile Providence came in at 61st. Just saying.
WEATHAH THIS WEEKEND
QUICK HITTERS
🏖️😓 Beaches, Heat, and Bad Decisions | Link | Three people were stabbed at Narragansett Town Beach Tuesday as hundreds of teens skipped school and descended on the shore during record heat, prompting a full evacuation and mutual aid response. Over at Second Beach in Middletown, 1,200 more showed up, refused to leave, and police deployed pepper spray and arrested nine. Chemistry class really couldn’t have been that bad after all.
☕ Cafe Namaste is Back | Link | If you live in or around the Hoxsie area, you know the carousel this building has run through - convenience stores, puppy groomers, cafes, you name it. The latest chapter at 425 West Shore Road is a good one. Cafe Namaste is officially reopening with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, May 30 at 10AM. My friends and I used to keep the old convenience store in this building alive for years, buying soda, chips, candy, and a knock-off version of Del's lemonade. Now the new owners are selling chai, baked goods, and breakfast sandwiches. Time to fire up the group chat. We're going back.
👷🏼♂️ Don't Get Scammed This Summer: Hire a Licensed Contractor | Link | With home improvement season in full swing, state officials are reminding Rhode Islanders to verify that any contractor they hire is licensed and insured before handing over a deposit. One Warwick homeowner learned that lesson the hard way after a contractor took his money and never showed up. You can look up any contractor through Rhode Island's Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board at crb.ri.gov before signing anything.
🏫 Your New High Schools Are on the Way | Link | Pictured below is an updated look at the progress being made at each high school development site. Toll Gate is on track to open fall 2027 and Pilgrim is targeting January 2028, both rising from the ground on their existing properties. Warwick voters rejected a $50M supplemental bond in February to cover a budget shortfall, so the plans are being revised, but construction keeps moving. Sixty-year-old schools out, new ones in.
Photos were taken a few weeks ago and posted to social media by Warwick School Committee member David Testa.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE PARKWAY 🍀Presented by O’Rourke’s Bar and Grill
🎵 Live Music All Weekend at O'Rourke's | 1776 Narragansett Pkwy, Pawtuxet Village
O'Rourke's is loaded up with live music all weekend long. Booze Rooster kicks things off tonight, Friday, May 22 from 6-9PM. Gold Hoax takes the stage Saturday, May 23 from 6-9PM. Sunday, May 24 is a doubleheader with Two Showed Up from 1-4PM and Paul Petite & Just Cuz from 5-8PM. Cap off the long weekend Monday, May 25 with Three Days Ago from 12-3PM. Good food, great people, cold drinks, live music, and the patio of all patios. If you're a towny like me, that's where you should be all weekend and all summer long. No place I'd rather be.
Tonight, Friday, May 22: 🎸 Gaspee Days Block Party | Aspray Boathouse, Pawtuxet Park | 6PM-11PM | $5 admission, 21+
Salter's Groove kicks things off from 6-7:30PM, followed by Rhode Island Music Hall of Famers Neal & The Vipers from 8-11PM. Beer, wine, and local craft brews on the ticket. IDs checked at the gate. A proper start to the long weekend.
Friday, May 22 - Monday, May 25: 🎨 Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival | Pawtuxet Park, Narragansett Parkway, Pawtuxet Village | 10AM-5PM daily (4:30PM close on Monday) | Free admission
One of the best Memorial Day Weekend traditions in the state is right in our backyard. The Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival takes over Pawtuxet Park with more than 100 juried artisans, local makers, fair food, live music, and kids' amusements along Narragansett Parkway with the bay breeze at your back. Over 60,000 people are expected this weekend, so arrive early for parking. Admission is free, cash helps at smaller vendors, and bring sunscreen.
Saturday, May 23: 🐴 Petting Zoo and Pony Rides | Pawtuxet Baptist Church, 2157 Broad St., Cranston | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Support Pawtuxet Village’s local church and let your kid ride a pony. They don’t want to look at eclectic wind chimes. They want to pet a pig and ride a pony. See you there.
LOOKING AHEAD
Beginning Saturday, June 6: 🥬Conimicut Village Community Market | Info Link | 9AM-12PM. Free admission. Doesn’t get more local than this.
Saturday, June 13: 🏃🏼➡️Gaspee Days 5K | Sign Up Here | One of Warwick's most iconic events is just 3 weeks away. The streets will be decked out in red, white, and blue. My friends will be trying to keep pace with my dad. I better see you there.
RETAIL
This week, the package that showed up on our front steps was for both of us. A health and wellness staple I've been using for years. My wife observed my daily routine with the energy of a scientist watching an experiment she didn't sign up for. Then she did her own research, which took approximately one podcast episode and three Instagram posts to complete. Now she's in. I have been waiting years for this moment and I celebrated privately and alone because that is the married man way.
BRAIN FOOD
🧠 Where in Warwick
Where in Warwick was this photo taken? Answer shown at the end.
📖 The Warwick Word of the Day
Ultracrepidarian (ul-tra-krep-ih-DAIR-ee-un) | Adjective | Noting or pertaining to a person who gives opinions and advice on matters outside of their knowledge or competence.
Every local Facebook group has at least 73 ultracrepidarians willing to weigh in on zoning laws, school budgets, and the proper way to navigate a 4-way stop intersection. We appreciate the passion, but stay in your lane.
Thanks to Jason V. for submitting today’s word of the day! 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: Promenade Avenue, Old Buttonwoods
That view along Promenade Avenue has been turning heads for more than 150 years.
Old Buttonwoods got its start in 1871 when members of the Buttonwoods Beach Association purchased roughly 90 acres along Greenwich Bay to establish a summer colony for the Cranston Street Baptist Church, inspired by Reverend Moses Bixby’s vision of creating something like Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard right here in Warwick.
Victorian-era cottages soon lined the shoreline. A chapel and social casino followed, and before long, Old Buttonwoods had become one of Rhode Island’s most charming seaside communities. The neighborhood was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The cottages, the tree-lined streets, and that view off Promenade Avenue still feel frozen in time. Some spots in Warwick just refuse to age.
Thanks again to 🍀O'Rourke's Bar and Grill for sponsoring today's edition of The Warwick Wake Up. If you'd like to join our growing group of local sponsors and get your brand or business in front of Warwick’s most caffeinated consumers, just hit reply.
That's it for today. Share it. Forward it. Text it to your group chat. Post a noble "caught off guard" selfie of you reading this on your Tinder profile to seem like a local “in-the-know” type of guy or gal. Or don't. Either way, have a great Memorial Day Weekend, Warwick.
Thanks for reading. Keep smiling!
