Cranston Chatter

By MERI R. KENNEDY
Posted 2/26/20

By MERI R. KENNEDY Citizens Police Academy Cranston residents interested in law enforcement and public safety are encouraged to apply for the city's Citizens Police Academy, a 10-week program that will begin in April. Registration will be open until

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Citizens Police Academy

Cranston residents interested in law enforcement and public safety are encouraged to apply for the city’s Citizens Police Academy, a 10-week program that will begin in April. Registration will be open until March 31.

The free program will meet on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m., starting April 7. All applicants must be at least 18 years old.

The hands-on curriculum will include classroom presentations and demonstrations of “real-life” police scenarios. Through the program, the department hopes to offer a better understanding of the world of law enforcement to the general public.

Topics covered will include patrol functions, detectives, BCI, guns and weapons, K-9 officers and more.

Applications can be submitted on the Cranston Police Department’s website, cranstonpoliceri.com. For more information, contact Officer Glenn Cipalone at gcipalone@cranstonpoliceri.com or call 477-5153.

Citizenship information event at Hall Library

The Cranston Public Library will join the RI Family Literacy Initiative and the Citizenship Consortium in hosting a citizenship information event at the William Hall Library on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Representatives from Citizenship Consortium partners and USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) will be on hand to speak and answer questions.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Bulky waste pickup in March

During the month of March, the city’s Department of Public Works offers residents an opportunity to have bulky waste items picked up free of charge, with certain restrictions.

Residents must call Waste Management at 800-972-4545 to schedule a free bulky waste pickup. Pickups are limited to one scheduled trip with up to three items per residential unit. Bulky waste does not include mattresses, construction debris, TVs or electronic goods, white goods or any household trash/garbage bags that would fit into a city-provided 65-gallon trash cart or overflow bags.

For more information, visit the city’s website, cranstonri.com.

CHSE Indoor Percussion and Color Guard Competition

Enjoy the sights and sounds of more than 20 indoor percussion and color guard groups as Cranston High School East hosts a New England Scholastic Band Association competition for the fourth consecutive year. The event will be held in the Cranston East gymnasium on Saturday, March 16.

Doors open at 3 p.m. Color guard performances begin at 4 p.m. and percussion performances start at 6:30 p.m. There will be an intermission between the performances, and raffles and a full concession stand will be available.

Admission costs $10 for adult and $8 for seniors and students. Children age 5 and under will be admitted free of cost. For more information, visit the “CHSE Indoor Percussion & Color Guard Competition” event page on Facebook.

Dinner and pie-eating contest for Team Maddie

Team Maddie, Gel’s Kitchen and Be the Change will host a pasta and meatball dinner/pie-eating contest on Wednesday, March 4, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Shriners Imperial Room, located at 1 Rhodes Place in Cranston. The event will support Maddie and her family as she undergoes continued medical treatment.

Dinner donated by Two Hearts will be served at 7 p.m., followed by the pie-eating contest with first-, second- and third-place trophies starting at 7:30 p.m. The evening will also include a raffle drawing, dessert and dancing. Characters in costume will provide entertainment courtesy of Ashley Medeiros, the RI Riddle Room and Invisible Heroes of Tomorrow, while DJ Steve Malason will provide music and karaoke.

Tickets for the event cost $20 and can be purchased at Gel’s Kitchen (1745 Main St. in West Warwick or 3003 West Shore Road in Warwick) during regular business hours or by calling Melissa at 302-5978 or Gel at 654-8549.

Notable Works fundraiser

In celebration of the arts, a fundraising night for the Cranston-based nonprofit Notable Works will be held at the Texas Roadhouse, located at 99 Garfield Ave. in Cranston, from 4-10 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. Diners who present the invitation to the event will have 10 percent of their total purchase donated to support Notable Works’ upcoming charitable events. The event will additionally feature raffles, baskets and country music.

St. Patrick’s Day Dance Party

A St. Patrick’s Day Dance Party will be held Friday, March 13, at One Bay Avenue Events, located at 2 Bay Ave. in Warwick. Tickets cost $25, and the 21-plus event will include a dinner buffet and prizes. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit stpatricksdanceparty.eventbrite.com.

Statewide Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours

On Thursday, March 26, the Statewide Chamber of Commerce will host a Business After Hours event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Place, Cranston.

Chamber members and non-members are invited to attend. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to network with hundreds of business professionals from throughout the state.

The event will feature more than 120 display tables, and attendees can enjoy food provided by Russell Morin Fine Catering while making business connections that will last. Display tables are available for Chamber members only.

For more information, contact your local Chamber of Commerce.

Zoo to hold Youth Art Contest

Roger William Park Zoo’s third annual Youth Art Contest on Endangered Species opens March 1.

In celebration of Endangered Species Day on May 15, the zoo is accepting art entries from local K-12 students and homeschoolers in the New England area depicting threatened/endangered species. Endangered Species Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats, and what can be done to help protect them.

All entries are to be submitted electronically. Students’ artwork must be original. Computer-generated and traced images will not be judged.

All artwork must depict threatened/endangered species. Each art entry must also include a short explanation as to why saving the chosen species/subject from extinction is important.

Entries must be received by April 19. Late entries will not be judged.

All artwork becomes the property of Roger Williams Park Zoo. Submission of the artwork grants the zoo a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish a student’s/child’s artwork in its editorial, educational, and promotional print and digital materials, and on social media. All published artwork will be credited “Artist’s Name.”

For additional information, visit rwpzoo.org.

Surveys for Health Equity Zone

The Cranston Health Equity Zone community surveys are now live. There is an adult survey (available in English, Spanish, and Khmer) and a teen survey. The survey will ultimately be used to inform initiatives to improve health in Cranston. Everyone who takes the survey will be entered in to win one of five raffle prizes. Results will be reported back to the community in the spring.

The adult survey can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/9SYXM3W, while the teen survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/35SB2SX.

For additional information, contact karrington@comcap.org or 714-7004.

RI Academic Decathlon seeking volunteers

Rhode Island Academic Decathlon is actively recruiting volunteers for its state competition on Sunday, March 8. Volunteers evaluate the speech and interview skills of high school students or assist with exams and event management. The competition is hosted by the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, and most volunteers serve from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Training is provided on the day of the event. Twelve teams from high schools across the state are competing.

For more information on the Academic Decathlon, visit acdec.net or email frank.lenox@acdec.net or jen.randall@acdec.net. To register as a volunteer, visit riadregistration.org/decathlon/volunteers.pl.

Urban Nature Explorers at Hall

On Thursday, March 5, the William Hall Library will feature Urban Nature Explorers from 4-5 p.m. Explore the wonders of nature that live in your own backyard. This hour-long program, offered in partnership with Roger Williams Zoo, will take place entirely outdoors (weather permitting). Through play, stories, and nature walks, children will learn all about the natural world. This program is intended for children in grades K-5 to attend with a caregiver. Registration is required and space is limited. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Diversity Commission survey

The city’s Diversity Commission has been meeting for several months to ensure that the city is effectively reaching out to its citizens regarding employment opportunities for all. It is currently asking for input from residents and participation in a three-minute community assessment survey regarding the city’s employment strategies. The survey is available in multiple languages and can be found at bit.ly/2RiYOZc.

Osteoporosis prevention program

An osteoporosis prevention exercise program based on the guidance of Dr. Miriam E. Nelson and Strong Living Program of Tufts University will be held every Monday and Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1788 Broad St.

To attend the classroom in the church, participants must be in good health to climb the stairs. Participants should bring hand and/or ankle weights specifically appropriate for their own ability, as well as water and comfortable clothes.

A donation of $5 is requested. These one-hour classes include a combination of weight bearing, balance and stretching exercises. They also include standing and sitting exercises, using hand weights and ankle weights for resistance training.

Most exercises will be seated (think “chair yoga”) with some gentle aerobic exercises.

For more information, contact the instructor, Alisson Walsh, at 451-2172 or alissonbw@gmail.com.

50th reunion for Cranston East

Cranston High School East class of 1970 will hold its 50th reunion on Aug. 8 at the Cranston Country Club. Cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner and music by Tommy Tunes. The Reunion Committee is seeking help in locating classmates. Please send information to Jim Brailsford at jimbo521@cox.net or Barbara Russo at twinn52@yahoo.com.

Call for poetry

Cranston-based nonprofit Notable Works has announced a call for poetry submissions for consideration in its next publication. The theme is “Voices of the Earth: People Helping People/Resilience.”

Poetry submissions may be emailed to noreeninglesi@cox.net or mailed to Notable Works Publication and Distribution Co. Inc., PO Box 8122, Cranston, RI 02920. Those whose work is selected for publication will receive a complimentary copy of the book upon its release.

The deadline for submissions is May 1. For more information, visit notableworks.org.

Tax assistance at library

The Cranston Public Library will host an AARP tax aide at the Central Library every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 9. Each taxpayer must bring a Social Security card, photo ID and last year’s tax return, with no exceptions. There are no appointments and assistance is provided on a first come, first served basis. For more information, call AARP at 1-888-687-2277.

Winter story times at Hall Library

The William Hall Library will offer winter story times each week. The library will be offering Discovery Storytime on Monday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3-5, and Babies in the Hall on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for ages 0-2. No registration or tickets will be required. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Craft Bash at Artists’ Exchange

The Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston, invites families to take part in free Crash Bash events on the last Saturday of every month. The expressive arts can work as a tool for strengthening students’ skills in all disciplines by offering alternative ways to think about core subjects.

Craft Bash is free and open to all ages and abilities. For more information, call 490-9475 or visit artists-exchange.org.

Family health services at CCAP

Tired of ineffective yet expensive medical care? Check out Family Health Services at the Comprehensive Community Action Program. CCAP offers affordable, 24/7, professional family health and dentistry services. The experienced staff includes physicians, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who are caring, compassionate and highly skilled. New patients are welcome. For more information, call 384-6007.

Pickleball schedule

The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department is offering Pickleball at the Pastore Youth Center, located at 155 Gansett Ave. It will be held on Sundays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. through March 21. Monday and Wednesday times of noon to 2:15 p.m. will remain unchanged through the winter.

The fee is $3 per person per day. The program is open to Cranston residents and nonresidents. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com.

Cranston High School class of 1960 reunion

Cranston High School’s class of 1960 plans to hold its 60th reunion on Sept. 12, 2020, at the Cranston Country Club. The cost will be $50 per person. For more information, contact Joan Farmanian Fratterelli at 349-3922.

Toys and Tunes

Drop by Oak Lawn Branch Library, 230 Wilbur Ave., on Friday mornings from 10-11:30 a.m. this fall for Toys and Tunes, a play time program with music and stories. The program is open to ages 0-5 with a parent/caregiver. Registration is not required. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Cookbook Club at the library

The Cranston Public Library’s Cookbook Club is a new book club for adults with a tasty twist. In this club, participants will read a different cookbook each month and come together to share the tasty recipes that lie inside their pages.

For more information or to sign up, contact Corrie at 943-9080, ext. 129, or calves@cranstonlibrary.org.

Delivery of library books

The Cranston Public Library will deliver any item that has a three-week loan period. Patrons never pay a late fee or fine because the library picks up all the materials within that three-week time frame.

Volunteers deliver books in regular or large print, as well as audiobooks, magazines, music CDs and documentary DVDs, to any homebound Cranston resident living in their own home. Due to concerns about chain of custody, the library is unable to deliver to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. To register or to become a volunteer driver, contact Karen McGrath at 781-6116 or karenmcgrath@cranstonlibrary.org.

Caregiver volunteers needed

Volunteers are being sought to provide respite services for home bound seniors. Services include providing companionship, running errands and providing transportation to medical appointments.

If you are interested in becoming an RSVP caregiver volunteer, contact Karen at 780-6159 for an interview. Volunteers must be 55 years of age or older and a BCI check is required. A mileage reimbursement is provided to cover the cost to travel.

St. David’s hall rentals

St. David’s on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, located at 200 Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston, offers affordable rates to rent its upper and lower halls for events of all kinds. For more information, visit stdavidsonthehill.net/hall-rental or contact the church office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 942-4368.

Did you know?

Mardi Gras is the annual Carnival celebration in Mobile, Alabama. It is the oldest annual Carnival celebration in the United States, started by Frenchman Nicholas Langlois in 1703 when Mobile was the capital of Louisiana.

To submit your news from the community, email Meri R. Kennedy at CranstonChatter@aol.com. Photos in jpg format are accepted and news can include community events, promotions, academic news and nonprofit events. Email today and see your news in our column in the Cranston Herald. Please include a daytime telephone number in case we require any further information. Be sure to check out our website at cranstononline.com.

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