ABC6 2024 Year in Review: From the Washington Bridge to Travis Kelce’s stolen watch

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — With 2025 set to begin at midnight, we take a look back at the top local stories of 2024.

The Washington Bridge closes

The closure of the Washington Bridge dominated headlines throughout 2024.

On January 22nd, Governor Dan McKee and RIDOT Director Peter Alviti announced the bridge was in even worse shape than expected, and a complete rebuild could be necessary.

On January 26th the U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island announced an investigation of false claims for payment.

On February 5th, federal officials toured the bridge and vowed funding for repairs, and on October 16th, $220.98 million in federal funding was awarded.

Now two companies are competing for the rebuild contract.

A final award to one design-build team will happen on July 15th.

The removal of the bridge’s old structure is expected to begin by February 21 and to be completed by the end of 2025.

New RIPTA Providence Transit Center rejected by public

In October, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority dropped its plans for the future Providence Transit Center following negative feedback from the public.

The new center was supposed to be at the intersections of South Water, South Main and Wickenden Streets.

The Kennedy Plaza Transit Center is still set to be replaced.

A new location will be proposed and RIPTA will hold another round of public input opportunities.

The journey of the Independent Man

And just last month, the Independent Man returned to the top of the State House after the statue was taken down in late 2023.

Delays in the marble needed for its repairs were delayed due to Hurricane Helene.

He officially returned to the top of the state house on December 18th and the scaffolding around him has also been removed.

Bill Belichick leaves the Patriots

On January 11th, legendary head coach Bill Belichick confirmed he was leaving the New England Patriots after 24 seasons.

During his tenure on the sidelines, the franchise won six Super Bowl titles.

Standing next to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Belichick said the two of them had mutually agreed to part ways.

Now Belichick has a five-year deal with the University of North Carolina, replacing their coach Mack Brown.

Travis Kelce’s stolen watch turns up in Providence

In November, authorities investigating ongoing burglaries at the homes of professional athletes recovered a watch belonging to Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.

The watch was reportedly found in Providence.

Kelce’s home was burglarized in Kansas, and thieves reportedly stole $20,000 in cash and caused $1,000 in damage to his back door.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Rhode Island victim of two cyberattacks

The state of Rhode Island was hit by two cyberattacks this year.

More recently, a cyberattack of the RIBridges system was publicly announced on December 13, with personal data of roughly 650,000 Rhode Islanders now at risk.

Governor Dan McKee confirmed some of the RIBridges files have been released to a site on the dark web by cybercriminals.

IT experts are still working to find what exact information has been released.

Impacted residents are expected to receive a letter by next month with free credit monitoring services.

The Providence Public School District also announced a data breach in mid-September.

Weeks later, PPSD contacted students, parents and staff to let them know student information was compromised, including vaccination records and drivers licenses.

Families impacted were notified in letters sent home.

Additional safeguards have since been implemented to improve network security for the district.

The Closing of 360 High School

Students and parents continued the fight against the closure of 360 High School.

Students held walkouts, rallies and community meetings to protest the decision.

A spokesperson for PPSD said the change was prompted by 360 High being an underperforming school.

360 is still set to close at the end of this school year and merge with Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex.

Students will be offered space at the new school, but teachers must re-apply for their jobs.

Hasbro on the move?

Back in September, a report from the Boston Business Journal revealed the Hasbro toy company might move its headquarters from Rhode Island to Boston.

The headquarters is currently located on Newport Avenue in Pawtucket.

The announcement came after Hasbro announced its plans to cut 20 percent of its workforce by 2025.

ABC6 spoke to one of the company’s former employees.

“I think we were all kind of blindsided, what was really hard about it I think was that we all kind of love our company.”

Back in November,”195 Redevelopment District” offered Hasbro exclusive rights to buy “Parcel 42” for one dollar.

Parcel 42 is a plot of land on the Dyer Street side of the pedestrian bridge.

Hasbro has not yet publicly responded to the offer.

Johnson’s Pond changes hands

Back in June, Coventry seized ownership of Johnson’s Pond through eminent domain, restoring public access.

The over 900-acre pond and surrounding dam and land were initially owned by a private corporation.

Coventry officials are working to restore its water levels which have been reported lower than usual.

Soscia Holdings still has access to 69 acres of land and received more than $150,000 in compensation.

Embattled local business catches fire twice

In July, Rhode Island recycled metals was temporarily shut down following two fires at the Allens Avenue scrapyard in the span of three months.

But additional fires had also happened prior to 2024.

This contributed to the already nearly decade long legal fight between the business and the state.

Recently in December, a superior court judge expanded the powers of a special master overseeing the ongoing cleanup of the scrapyard.

Cranston Applebee’s a total loss after massive fire

You may remember the video of the massive fire at the Applebee’s in Cranston back in October.

It happened in the early hours of the morning at the Garden City Center.

The state fire marshal confirmed last month the fire was caused by a gas leak making contact with a pilot burner during cleaning.

The building was a total loss.

Five other nearby businesses also sustained damaged.

Karen Read free – for now

In July, Karen Read’s three month murder case ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.

Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe back in 2022.

A second trial is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2025 after a judge agreed to delay the start.

Missing woman’s remains discovered, man charged with murder

And just in November the remains of a Rhode Island woman who disappeared in 2022 were found in Exeter.

The man long suspected to be responsible, Mark Perkins, was arrested outside a convenience store in Warwick.

Perkins is now charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail.

Severe stretch of weather

What also made headlines this year was severe weather locally.

A round of severe storms rolled through between January 9 and 13.

Heavy rains swelled Rhode Island’s rivers and streams, flooding homes and businesses.

President Joe Biden approved major disaster declarations for the state.