Providence Journal video/ Frieda Squires

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. -- More than 100 prospective lifeguards turned out in the cold Thursday to test their skills in the surf off Scarborough State Beach.

The prospective lifeguards practiced mock rescues as the Rhode Island Department of Parks and Recreation hosted its surf testing.

Carrying surfboards under their arms, they dashed across the beach and into the dark water to practice board rescues. And they worked together hauling lines across the sand as they would to pull a struggling swimmer from the water.

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (AP) -- Portsmouth officials have asked a federal judge to stop the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority from installing a toll system on the new Sakonnet River Bridge.

WJAR-TV reports town officials requested a restraining order Thursday.

Many local residents oppose tolls on the Route 24 bridge between Portsmouth and Tiverton. But the toll project has already begun and officials expect to start charging motorists in about a month.

The all-electronic system will read E-ZPass transponders or record license plates and bill the vehicle owners. There won't be any toll booths.

The toll will be 75 cents per trip for Rhode Islanders with E-ZPass, but they'll only have to pay for one round trip per day. Non-residents with E-ZPass will pay $3.75 per crossing. Those without transponders will pay $5.25.

Robert Whitcomb

PROVIDENCE, RI -- Robert B. Whitcomb, vice president and editorial pages editor for The Providence Journal, is retiring at the end of this month.

Whitcomb, 65, has been a vice president at the newspaper since 1997 and in charge of its editorial pages since 1992.

While his name will disappear from the newspaper's masthead, it will show up routinely on the pages Whitcomb has overseen -- as a bi-weekly columnist commenting, he said, on "a wide range of topics representing my existential angst."

Whitcomb first joined The Journal in 1976 after writing and editing stints at the Boston Herald American, the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal and The Wall Street Journal, in New York. He left The Providence Journal at the end of 1982 to become an editor for the International Herald Tribune, based in Paris, and returned to The Journal in 1987, serving as acting Sunday managing editor before moving upstairs in 1989 to begin writing editorials.

"Bob Whitcomb has had a stellar 43-year career in journalism," said Howard G. Sutton, publisher, president and chief executive officer of The Providence Journal Company. "For the last 21 years he has produced some of the finest editorial pages in the country for The Providence Journal.

"He leaves behind a sterling record of service to the newspaper and to Southern New England, as an advocate for better government, a fan of alternative energy, a strong supporter for economic development and a skeptic of big business."

Whitcomb, a 1970 Dartmouth College graduate who co-authored a book in 2008 about the various interests surrounding a Cape Cod wind farm project. Whitcomb said he will pursue several interests, including one or two writing projects.

Summer Guide cover illustration by Tom Murphy

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence Journal's Summer Guide -- a 96-page day-by-day look at all the highlights of summer, from music to beaches, theater to parades, festivals to Rhode Island's iconic WaterFire series -- is in today's newspaper and online at providencejournal.com.

Looking for a clam shack? A place to paddle? Top spots to get ice cream? Things to do with the kids? It's all here.

So take a few minutes to look through Rhode Island's best summer guide -- and return to it again and again all summer long.

-- Alan Rosenberg, Journal Features Editor

photo courtesy RIHPHC

The City of East Providence will receive a $7,500 grant to prepare a historic structures report for the long-vacant Shingle-style Oddfellows Hall built in 1889 in the Watchemoket Square neighborhood.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Eight grants totaling about $54,500 is going to five local historic preservation programs, the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission announced Friday.

Bristol, Cranston, East Providence, Providence, and Warwick will get money for a variety of preservation activities such as a smartphone app for historic neighborhood walking tours in Bristol, a mapping study of early colonial settlements in Warwick, architectural assessments of several historic buildings, including the Oddfellows Hall in East Providence, survey and documentation of a National Register district in Edgewood, a planning study of a historic industrial plant in Bristol, and revisions to the design review program for downtown Providence.

Passengers have begun paying more for their Block Island ferry tickets, as of Friday at the outset of Memorial Day weekend.

The adult one-way ticket rose from $11.25 to $12.35; adult round-trip tickets increased from $18.30 to $22.60. A child's one-way ticket rose from $5.70 to $6.25; a child's round-trip ticket rose from $9.10 to $11.30.

Commuter round-trip tickets rose from $10.50 to $16.

The cost of bringing non-commuter cars or vehicles has decreased. The car rate has dropped from $49.80 to $38.95 one way; for pickups and SUVs, from $60.10 to $47.90.

The rate increases are the result of an April settlement agreement between Interstate Navigation, which operates the ferry, and the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers.

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. -- Coast Guard Station Block Island opened Friday for the summer boating season, U.S. Coast Guard officials announced in a news release Friday.

Station Block Island, under the parent command of Station Point Judith in Narragansett, will have a boat and crew ready to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

The station will cover Rhode Island Sound, Block Island Sound and offshore waters up to 50 miles south of Rhode Island. During the winter, the low mariner traffic is handled by Coast Guard Station Point Judith.

To report maritime emergencies within Block Island Sound, use VHF-FM radio channel 16 or call (508) 457-3211.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A man convicted of drug dealing and gun crimes was arrested in South Providence Wednesday night after he was allegedly caught with a loaded gun.

Officers called about men with guns at Sayles and Cahill streets saw Fernando Santana, 26, suddenly run away, according to a police report.

Santana stuffed a Taurus .357 revolver into a stack of mattresses outside 260 Sayles St. and jumped over the fence -- where he was caught by police, the report said.

This was the 34th gun seized this year, said Detective Capt. Michael E. Correia.

Santana was arraigned Friday on two felony gun charges.

He'd served time in federal prison for dealing cocaine, and in state prison for dealing crack cocaine and carrying a gun.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Members of Brown University's governing body have asked the school to develop a "robust response" to climate change but taken no action on a recommendation that it divest from coal companies.

The Corporation discussed divestment during its commencement weekend meeting, held Thursday and Friday.

Student representatives of the Brown Divest Coal Campaign were invited to attend and answer questions. The group has pushed the Corporation to support divestment.

An advisory committee on corporate responsibility has recommended that the university divest from the largest coal companies. Members of the Corporation said they want the school to take more leadership on greenhouse gases, but that the divestment issue is complex and merits further discussion.

Brown President Christina Paxson has appointed a committee of Corporation members to review the recommendation.

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Items taken from two house breaks were recovered after a young man, 17, was arrested Thursday, officials from the East Providence Police Department said in a news release.

Two counts of breaking and entering; and two counts of larceny over $1,500 were lodged against the youth.

Both breaks occurred during the day. The first house was May 14, on Roslyn Avenue. Jewelry and money were stolen.

The second was Thursday on Cole Street. A laptop, camera, jewelry, and money were stolen.

Shortly after the second break, East Providence Detective Cpl. Michael Petow saw a male who fit the description walking on a nearby street. A subsequent investigation led to the youth's arrest.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The board responsible with deciding the fate of state Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist will continue its discussions in June.

A growing number of Gist critics have spoken at recent state Board of Education meetings. They aren't happy with, among other issues, new teacher evaluations and policies as well as the new graduation requirement. About 130 people packed Thursday's meeting at URI's Ryan Center.

The board is scheduled for a 4 p.m. work session on June 3, but Clark Greene, Gist's chief of staff says the board typically doesn't vote at these sessions.

He said their next voting meeting is June 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Community College of Rhode Island's Warwick campus.

Her current contract expires June 7.

CRANSTON, R.I. -- Three adults were referred to the Red Cross after a fire in a three-story house at 506 Wellington Ave., where a ceiling fire on the third floor spread to the attic.

Firefighters are checking for hot spots, but the fire is out, officials reported. Police had blocked off that block of Wellington Avenue while firefighters worked.

An earlier version of this report was published at 5:30 p.m.

EAST GREENWICH,R.I. -- Police are investigating a bank robbery Friday afternoon at the Coastway Community Bank, 5750 Post Road.

East Greenwich Police Department photo

A man entered the bank around1:30 p.m., informed a teller that he had a weapon and ran off with an undisclosed amount of money, Detective Jon Chirnside said.

Police described the man as thin, about 30 years old and about five and a half feet tall. He had a light-colored goatee and wore a white long-sleeved thermal-style shirt and light blue jeans. He also wore sunglasses and a black Nike baseball cap with the logo on the front, and carried a "messenger style" bag over one shoulder.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident or the identity of the suspect is asked to call East Greenwich Police at (401) 884-2244 or email TIPS@EASTGREENWICHRI.COM.

An earlier version of this report was posted at 2:56 p.m.

This weekend's history mystery at our Time Lapse blog is perhaps our strangest photo -- a scene that seems to involve a camp wife and a scallop-roofed cottage at Gettysburg: For Memorial Day, a rare Civil War photo from our archives

See a large photo and help figure this one out in comments at that second link, then come back Sunday for more.

SATURDAY-MONDAY

Fall River. Battleship Cove, 5 Water St. Free admission to all active duty, retired and reserve personnel who show proof of service. (800) 533-3194; www.battleshipcove.org

Warwick. Avenue of Flags, Pawtuxet Memorial Park, 100 Harrison Ave., Warwick (between Warwick Avenue and Fair Street). 781-4600. 9 am-5 pm, weather permitting. More than 300 American flags (5 feet by 9 feet) displayed along the streets that line the park. 9 am-5 pm. Free.

SUNDAY

Charlestown. Parade, Park Lane. Noon-2 pm.

SUNDAY-MONDAY

Exeter. Sun. Parade steps off at 2 pm from Sunderland Road, travels west on Route 102 ending at the Exeter Town Hall, 61 Ten Rod Rd.
Mon. Ceremony, USMC Monument, Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, 301 South County Trail (Route 2). 268-3088. 1 pm.

Warren. Sun. Memorial Recognition Program, Vietnam Memorial, Route 136 and Market Street. 9 am.
Mon. Naval Honors Ceremony, Town Wharf, 7:45 am. Military Honors Cermony, Town Commons, 8:15 pm. Parade steps off at 8:30 am from the Town Commons and ends at the South Burial Ground for a speaking program.

MONDAY

Barrington. Parade steps off at 9 am from Barrington High School, 220 Lincoln Ave., proceeds to the Barrington Town Hall, 283 County Rd., for a ceremony at around 11 am.

Coventry. Parade steps off at 10 am from MacArthur Boulevard and travels to the VFW Lodge, South Main Street.

East Greenwich. Parade, steps off from Academy Field at 10 a.m., travels onto First Avenue for a wreath laying at the World War II Memorial on corner of Cliff Street, continues north on Main Street, for closing ceremonies on the steps of the Town Hall. Special appearance by the Navy Band Northeast.

Fall River. Parade steps off at 2 pm from Kennedy Park, travels down South Main Street to North Main Street and concludes at the Municipal Veterans Memorial building, 72 Banks St. Closing ceremonies and refreshments.

Battleship Cove, 5 Water St. Traditional military observance with the lowering and raising of the American flag from half-staff, wreath laying and a gun salute from the USS Massachusetts guns, noon. Author G. Wayne Miller will sign copies of his book, "Fore River Shipyard," 1 pm. (800) 533-3194; www.battleshipcove.org

Foster. Parade, with wreath laying, starts at 8:45 from North and Foster Center roads and proceeds to the memorial at the Ben Eddy building, South Killingly Road, Foster Center. Short speaking program immediately follows the parade.

Lincoln. Ceremony and wreath laying at Dow Square, Walker and Chapels streets, directly in front of Saylesville Fire Station at 10 am. Parade steps off at 11 am from Smithfield and Reservoir avenues at the Lincoln/Pawtucket line, and travels north on Smithfield Avenue to Walker Street, to Industrial Circle into the Saylesville Mill Yard, where there will be a special dedication, free concert and refreshments. 333-1100; www.lincolnri.org

Newport. Ceremony in front of Newport City Hall, 43 Broadway. Noon.

North Kingstown. Wreath laying at Civil War Memorial, North Kingstown Town Hall grounds, 80 Boston Neck Rd., and at memorials at Veterans Memorial Park, Boston Neck Road, at 9 am. Parade steps off at around 10 am from Wilson Park, West Main Street (Route 1A south), and follows West Main Street, Brown and Phillips streets through Wickford Village then onto Tower Hill Road (Route 1A south) to the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial on the grounds of Elm Grove Cemetery for concluding ceremonies at around 11 am. Hot dog roast after parade at First Baptist Church, 1135 Tower Hill Rd.

North Providence. Parade steps off at 1 pm from North Providence High School, 1828 Mineral Spring Ave., marching eastward on Mineral Spring Avenue, turning onto Douglas Avenue and ending at Governor John A. Notte Jr. Park, 1810 Mineral Spring Ave., for a celebration that includes music, entertainment and a food court. (401) 349-5625.

Pawtucket. Pawtucket Veterans' Council Wreath laying at 9 am at the shell at Slater Park, Armistice Boulevard entrance; 9:15 am at the hiker monument; 9:30 am at the Korean War Monument, Park Place, and 10 am at the Mineral Spring Avenue Cemetery, Mineral Spring Avenue and Conant Street. Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park, Roosevelt Avenue and Exchange Street at 11 am. Area Boy Scouts from Cub Scout Pack #1 and Troop #1 will flag graves at St. Francis Cemetery, Smithfield Avenue. Rain site for 11 am ceremony is Gatchell VFW Post, Fountain and Blake streets.

Scituate. Parade forms at 10 am at Berkander Field and Institute Lane and steps off at 10:30 am from the corner of Institute Lane and Danielson Pike (Route 6), proceeds west on Danielson Pike to Silk Lane to Greenville Road (Route 116), to the steps of the Old Historical Congregational Church for ceremonies. In the event of rain, the ceremonies will be held at 10 am inside the North Scituate Community House adjacent to the Congregational Church.

South Kingstown. Parade begins at 10 am on Holley Street (behind Benny's), travels down Main Street and ends with an 11 am service in Saugatucket Park, High Street, Wakefield. 789-9301; southkingstownri.com

Warwick. Parade steps off from the back parking lot of Bishop Hendricken High School, 2615 Warwick Ave., at 9:15 am and travels down Oakland Beach Avenue and onto West Shore Road, ending at Warwick Veterans Memorial Park, West Shore Road.

West Warwick. West Warwick Veterans Council Observance, West Warwick Veterans Memorial Park, Two Legion Way. Guest speaker is Capt. John Covell, USN (ret). 9:30 am.

Westerly. Parade forms at the Pawcatuck Shopping Center, 37 South Broad St., Pawcatuck, Conn., at 8:30 am and steps off at 9:30 am. Ceremonies conclude at Wilcox Park, 44 Broad St.

-- JAN FLANAGAN

Expect off-and-on cold rain with gray skies through Saturday. It will be unseasonably chilly, with high temperatures in the low 50s in the morning, falling into the 40s during the afternoon with breezes 10-20 mph out of the north.

Saturday evening will be windy, raw and very cold for late May with temperatures near 40 degrees.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown University has canceled its Baccalaureate procession, in which graduating seniors make their way from the College Green to the Meeting House of the First Baptist Church, Saturday due to rain.

The Baccalaureate Service will go on as planned, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Meeting House. All Commencement activities scheduled for Sunday, May 26, 2013, will be held as planned.

Graduating seniors will report directly to the First Baptist Church no later than 2 p.m. Doors will open for the graduates at 1:30 p.m. Waterman Street will be closed to traffic between the College Green and the Meeting House until 4 p.m.

The Baccalaureate Service will be streamed live at brown.edu/web/livestream/.

PROVIDENCE, RI -- A city man in his early 20s was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver late Friday night, and the police are investigating the possibility that it was not an accident.
The victim, whose identity was withheld pending notification of next of kin, was run down at about 11 p.m. near 871 Elmwood Ave., police Lt. Dean R. Isabella said Saturday.
Two men, one of whom was the victim, were involved in an altercation at a store on Elmwood Avenue, according to Isabella.
"These participants got into a beef, and someone got run over," he said.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The police are investigating the ownership of a car whose driver allegedly attempted to get away when officers tried to stop him in Olneyville.

The incident occurred at about 1 a.m. Saturday, when the police tried to stop a Cadillac at Westminster and Troy streets that they thought might have been stolen.

The driver, later identified as Arney B. Hepburn, 28, of 68 Pershing St., Cranston, headed west on Manton Avenue in excess of 50 mph with at least two cruisers in pursuit, but he lost control of the Cadillac and it struck a utility pole at 590 Manton Ave., according to the police. It took a rescue crew a while to free him from the car.

Hepburn and a passenger in the rear seat who was identified as Taylor M. King, 19, of 189 Bridgham St., were injured but their conditions could not be determined late Saturday.

Hepburn was charged with the crime of eluding a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle in a high-speed chase as well as noncriminal violations for ignoring a stop sign and not using a turn signal, failure to obey traffic control devices, and operating an unregistered vehicle and without insurance.

The police said that the registration plate on the Cadillac was assigned to another vehicle that was reported stolen.

An earlier version was posted at 11:18 a.m. and updated at 5:32 p.m.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- In Rhode Island and around the country, Meals on Wheels gets food to elderly people who cannot get it for themselves. The elderly, especially those on a constricted budget or unable to get to a store or a pantry, are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition.

A recent fundraising letter sent out by Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island included this statement making note of the problem: "In fact, half of all hospitalized seniors are suffering from malnutrition so severe that it either caused their illness or it prevents them from getting better."

A reader who received the letter wondered about that claim and forwarded it to us, asking: "Is this true? If yes, it is an appalling statistic."

Politifact Rhode Island examined the claim and ruled it Mostly False. Read the complete analysis here.