'Moors' Hit With RI Charges + Woonsocket Seeks APRA Input

Get on up, Woonsocket! Let's get you started this Wednesday with everything you need to know going on in town today.

First, today's weather: Possible light rain overnight. High: 84, low: 68.

Here are the top stories in Woonsocket today:

1. Two 'Rise Of The Moors' members face new charges in Rhode Island.
   Attorney General Peter Neronha announced arrest warrants for two Rhode Island men affiliated with "Rise of the Moors." Jahmal Talib Abdulla Bey, who grew up in Pawtucket, and Quinn Cumberlander, a Pawtucket resident, are already incarcerated in Massachusetts following an armed standoff with police. Bey is the self-styled leader of a group of "Moorish Nationals." Its members claim that state and federal laws don't apply to them. (Pawtucket Patch)
2. Two men work to preserve memory of ‘Little Rose Ferron’.
   "A religious woman who died in Woonsocket nearly a century ago is still having an impact on people in Rhode Island and around the world." One of the men says he does his art work for free, "which might make one question why he would spend 629 hours carving this woman he didn’t know." (WPRI)
3. Former Central Falls Mayor James Diossa to be honored at the White House.
   You heard that right. "Through hard work and the development of strategic partnerships, James turned Central Falls around, stabilizing the city's finances and raising its long-term bond rating to investment grade..." Diossa has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve on the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation. (WhiteHouse.Gov)
4. A retired Woonsocket firefighter who got COVID-19 now advocates for the vaccine.
   Normand Beauregard said he didn't want to get the shot, but finally did at his wife's insistence. However, it was too little too late, and he became extremely sick with the virus. "I was shown that I was wrong. I wasn't a big fan of the vaccine, but I'd like to advocate for the vaccine now." (WJAR)
5. The City of Woonsocket seeks public input on APRA spending.
   Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt said the city is seeking feedback via a short survey from residents, businesses, and community organizations regarding ideas and priorities for utilization of approximately $36.4 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). (City of Woonsocket)

From our sponsor:

Today's Woonsocket Daily is brought to you by our friends at GoodRx — the best way to save money on your prescriptions. GoodRx helps you locate the lowest prices for medications at local pharmacies, so you're not overpaying. Works for pet medications too! To see how much you can save, go to GoodRx.com.

Today in Woonsocket

• Drop in and Paint Pottery or Register for Summer Art Camp (9 a.m.)
• Bingo! (6:30 p.m.)

Woonsocket Patch Notebook

• Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park: "Our great facilities team was hard at work today installing our new park signs at Slater Mill." (Facebook)
• Woonsocket Cat Sanctuary, Inc.: "Good morning. We had another adoption over the weekend and it was a double with these two lucky siblings." (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Drop in and Paint Pottery or Register for Summer Art Camp (July 14)

Job listings:

• Part Time and Full Time Cleaning Positions Available (Details)

You're all caught up for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woonsocket Daily? Reach out anytime to Woonsocket@Patch.com.