5 Stories You May Have Missed This Weekend - December 10, 2018

Worcester Firefighter Killed

Tragedy hit just up 146 in Worcester. Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy passed away after becoming trapped inside a building while battling a five-alarm fire in Worcester on Sunday morning.

Roy was rescued from the building, but died of his injuries at the hospital.

“This is a difficult day for the Worcester Fire Department and particularly painful as this is the week we remember and mourn the passing of Worcester Firefighter Jon Davies and the six who perished in the Cold Storage Warehouse fire,” said Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie.

Roy, 36, was assigned to Ladder 4, Group 3 at the Webster Square Fire Station. He had served on the Worcester Fire Department for 2 ½ years.

He leaves behind a 9-year old daughter, his parents who are Worcester residents, and a brother. He was a Shrewsbury resident.

“This is a sad day for the Worcester Fire Department and the City of Worcester. Firefighter Roy died fighting a fire at 7 Lowell Street. The fire was first reported at 3:58 a.m. Initial reports were for a fire in the basement of the 3-story, 6-unit building. Ultimately the fire went to five alarms. Conditions deteriorated rapidly with heavy fire forcing several firefighters on the second floor to evacuate. With the assistance of other crews and the Rapid Intervention Team, five firefighters escaped over ladders,” said Mayor Joseph Petty.

3 RI Soccer Players Win Major League Soccer Championship

Three Rhode Island soccer stars were starters on the Atlanta United team that won Major League Soccer's championship over the  Portland Timbers Saturday night in Atlanta.

The three players are Cranston’s Michael Parkhurst, PC alum Julian Gressel and Brown alum Jeff Larentowicz, who were all major contributors in the 2-0 win.

Death of Grande Dame Oatsie Charles

The leading American socialite has passed. GoLocalProv learned leading up to the weekend that Bailey’s Beach Club — the Sprouting Rock Beach Association —  notified its members that Marion “Oatsie” Charles has died.

Charles’ friends included Doris Duke, Washington Post owner Katharine Graham, author Ian Fleming and Presidents from John F. Kennedy to George H.W. Bush.

A 2008 Vanity Fair featured Charles and her history and influence as an America socialite.

“Last week I had the opportunity to talk with legendary Washington, D.C., hostess and Newport society fixture Oatsie Charles. At 88 years old, she stands almost entirely alone as a representative of the Protestant establishment of her time. Oatsie’s sociable personality prevents her from mourning the passing years and the end of her stately aristocratic way of life,” wrote Jamie Johnson in a Vanity Fair feature about Charles in 2008.

Pats Exploit Miami’s Special Teams — Miami Coach is Ex-URI Coach

The Patriots blocked two punts on the first half of the game on Sunday.  Sadly, it was not enough for the Pats. The Patriots were humiliated at the end of the game by a last play lateral play.

Rizzi, Miami's special teams coach, played tight end at Rhode Island, where he first walked on in 1988. He went on to tally 160 receptions for 2,426 yards (15.2 avg.) and 15 touchdowns in his collegiate career and was a consensus All-American in 1992. Following his time at Rhode Island, Rizzi was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles prior to beginning his coaching career.

UNFI Losses Millions

United Natural Foods Inc. is reporting that it lost millions in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 — the company says:

Restructuring, acquisition, and integration related expenses in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 were $68.0 million.  This was primarily driven by $33.8 million of expenses related to change-in-control payments made to satisfy outstanding equity awards and severance as well as acquisition and integration costs of approximately $31.9 million.

Operating (loss) income was $(18.8) million in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and included restructuring, acquisition, and integration related expenses of $68.0 million and a $1.8 million inventory fair value adjustment charge associated with the purchase of SUPERVALU. 

The company claims that it grew its legacy sales by nearly 8%.