Pawtucket Business Owner Gives Back + ACLU Decries City's ALPRs

Good morning, neighbors! Dan Hampton here with the latest issue of the Pawtucket Daily.

Today you'll read how a Pawtucket business owner is giving back to the community by helping kids fill their backpacks. Plus, you'll read about the owner of a Pawtucket salon who died over the weekend, and see why the ACLU wants officials to order local police to stop using certain automatic license plate readers.

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First, today's weather:

Possible light rain overnight. High: 81o, low: 70.

Here are the top stories in Pawtucket today:

1. Sarah Doiron and Mike Montecalvo of WPRI-TV report that the owner of Support is Key in Pawtucket gave back to the community over the weekend by donating more than 100 backpacks filled with school supplies. The owner, Joe DeBarros, said he's made it his life's mission to help those who need it. (WPRI)
2. GoLocalProv reports the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, of Rhode Island urged officials in Pawtucket and other cities to order their police departments to stop using automatic license plate readers leased from Flock Safety. The organization cited privacy issues and said such systems were implemented without public notice or feedback. (GoLocalProv)
3. Carl Sisson of WPRI-TV reports police were searching for the driver of a pickup truck who hit a 41-year-old man who was walking in Pawtucket over the weekend and then drove off without stopping. The victim was taken to a hospital with head and leg injuries. (WPRI)
4. An obituary posted by GoLocalProv says Jasmine Goncalves, owner of Flawless Obsessions Beauty Bar in Pawtucket, died over the weekend. She was 32. (GoLocalProv)
5. Rachel Nunes of Patch reports that nearly half of Rhode Island's 75 representatives called for Gov. Dan McKee to change the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers to allow those without a vaccine to keep their jobs. The lawmakers criticized the policy, which requires all health care workers at state-licensed facilities to get a vaccine or valid exemption by Oct. 1. (Patch)

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Today in Pawtucket:

• Toddler Story Class - Pawtucket Public Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• Tennis: Girls Varsity League East Providence High School Athletics Slater Park - Pawtucket, Rhode Island. (3:30 p.m.)
• Focus Groups for Youth - Pawtucket Public Library. (5:30 p.m.)

Pawtucket Patch Notebook

• The Pawtucket Police Department said the Pawtucket Animal Shelter will host a rabies clinic on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 18. (Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll see you around. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors on board. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Dan Hampton

About me: Hi! My name is Dan Hampton and I'm the program manager for Patch's Community Publisher Initiative. Formerly a local editor on Long Island covering Port Washington, Wantagh-Seaford, Levittown, Glen Cove, Plainview, Syosset, New Hyde Park, Hicksville, Great Neck, Oyster Bay and Mineola. I am the former wire editor on Patch's national team and a former news associate at The Associated Press. I graduated with a journalism degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. Send tips and/or photos of your dog to dan.hampton@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Pawtucket Daily? Reach out anytime to dan.hampton@patch.com.