Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

RIPTA TO PROVIDE FREE SERVICE TO VETERANS 

PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION STAND DOWN RI WEEKEND 

 

 RIPTA Will Be Providing Complimentary Service This Friday and Saturday Between Kennedy Plaza and Johnston War Memorial Park 

 

 Providence, Rhode Island, September 17, 2020 -- The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will be providing free service to veterans participating in Operation Stand Down Rhode Island’s (OSDRI) annual service weekend on Friday, September 18, 2020 and Saturday, September 19, 2020.  This year’s event has been relocated to the Johnston War Memorial Park at 1583 Hartford Avenue in order to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. RIPTA will be providing free transportation to participants with trips running to and from Kennedy Plaza in Providence, from 8 am to 4:30 pm on both Friday and Saturday.  The trips will run at two-hour intervals using Bus Stop Y at Kennedy Plaza.

 

Since its inception in 1993, the annual event has provided thousands of veterans with access to important services including healthcare, dental care, employment services, legal services, social welfare benefits, housing assistance, and clothing.  This year the event will be scaled back and feature a modified version of services to include medical health screenings, flu and pneumonia shots, legal consultations, housing and employment services, and distribution of food and personal hygiene care packages.  For more details on the event and COVID-19 screening for participants, please visit https://osdri.org/event/osdri-stand-down-weekend/. 

 

“As in the past, we are proud to be one of the community partners supporting our veterans and this event, said Scott Avedisian, RIPTA’s Chief Executive Officer.  “We know how important it is that veterans have access to this event and the many services it offers. They have served their country and it is our honor to serve them.”

  

Erik Wallin, Esq., Executive Director of Operation Stand Down RI, said the organization felt it was important to continue with the annual event even though some modifications were necessary due to COVID-19. “We believe the event to be such a staple in the veteran community and far too important for our struggling veterans to cancel in light of the global pandemic so we have chosen to scale it back and modify the event to ensure veterans are still able to access the most essential services available,” Wallin said.  

 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only VA eligible veterans (not their dependents) will be permitted to attend this year’s Stand Down Weekend. Face coverings are required on the bus and will be provided if a participating veteran does not have one.

 

 Additionally, OSDRI is unable to provide overnight accommodations, however, veterans experiencing immediate homelessness will be placed into emergency housing.  Current and former service members wishing to attend must present a valid government issued ID-Card (including a VA Healthcare enrollment card) or document such as a DD-214 as proof of military service to be admitted to the grounds.  Former service members without such documentation are encouraged to contact OSDRI prior to the event and request information or assistance in obtaining such a document. 

For more information on RIPTA’s programs and services, visit RIPTA.com.

 

Details of David Pecker's Involvement in Donald Trump's alleged hush money trial came to light in court Thursday. Pecker took the stand for his third day of testimony, and revealed conversations between himself, the former President, and Associate Michael Cohen. Pecker says he arranged to buy the story surrounding Trump's alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal for $150,000, but backed out of the deal after consulting with election lawyers, believing the payment may break the law.        Students at Columbia University are filing a federal civil rights lawsuit against the school. They filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights on Thursday, demanding an investigation into the school's actions against pro-Palestinian students. The lawsuit alleges Columbia has mistreated students utilizing their first amendment rights.        The Food and Drug Administration says remnants of the bird flu were found in one in five pasteurized milk samples. Earlier this week, the FDA found fragments of the bird flu in commercially sold milk but said it's still safe to drink, as the pasteurization process kills the virus and only leaves small traces behind. On Thursday officials revealed about 20-percent of their milk samples contained remnants of the virus.        Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is having his conviction for sex crimes in New York overturned. The New York Court of Appeals ruled Weinstein did not receive a fair trial. The court found the judge in his trial made an error allowing women to testify about alleged sexual assaults committed by Weinstein that were not part of the charges against him. Weinstein was also sentenced in Los Angeles in February of last year to 16 years in prison after he was convicted of rape and that conviction still stands.        Buying a home is now more expensive than ever. A new report from Redfin found the median home price in the United States is now over 383-thousand-dollars, a record high. The economic research lead with Redfin says prices may drop slightly in the coming months, but buyers should accept that "housing costs are likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future." The median down payment is also up 24-percent compared to last year, at around 56-thousand-dollars.        Soulja Boy says he wants to help save TikTok. Congress passed a bill on Wednesday that requires TikTok's Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance to sell the app or else it will be banned in the United States. Soulja Boy has offered up a solution, posting "How much yall want for TikTok? I'll buy it." The rapper tagged the social media company in the post.       

Old News Archives