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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The new school year is fast approaching, and WPRI 12 wants to help make sure students are well prepared.
We’re once again teaming up with Back to School of Rhode Island and other community partners to hold a Back to School Celebrationon Saturday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Free backpacks full of school supplies will be distributed at a dozen locations around the state, as well as a new pop-up site at the Providence Place mall.

The backpacks will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and your student must be present to receive one.
If you can’t make it on Saturday, call the United Way of Rhode Island’s 211 hotline.
See a full list of locations here.

PROVIDENCE (WPRI) — Providence Mayor Brett Smiley’s re-election campaign called out campaign signs that have been vandalized with various messaging.
The Smiley campaign posted several photos to their social media showing the graffiti which included depicting Smiley as the devil. The campaign also posted images of posters marked with antisemitic messaging. Two of which depicted the mayor as Hitler.

In a statement, Mayor Smiley denounced the signs. Saying “Actions like this are about more than one person – they send a message to an entire community that they are not safe or welcome here.”

Smiley continued saying while campaigns and politics often get intense, there is no excuse for targeted attacks and acts of hate. His statement finished saying “it’s incumbent on all of us to disavow hate speech in all its forms and build a city where every community knows they belong.”
Smiley’s opponent in the upcoming election David Morales posted a video joining Smiley in denouncing the acts.
The democratic primary between Smiley and Morales is set for September 9.

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WPRI) — The Atlantic Shark Institute successfully tagged a hammerhead shark off the coast of Rhode Island last week, marking a historic first for the nonprofit.
In a press release Tuesday, the institute revealed that the shark was tagged in the waters near Block Island.
The ASI’s tagging program aims to help scientists learn more about shark populations in Southern New England. Through tagging, researchers are able to collect data on the sharks’ migration patterns, nursery grounds and changing habitats.

Executive Director Jon Dodd said the electronic tag on this hammerhead will allow the ASI to track the shark’s locations as it travels along the East Coast.
“With our warming waters, many of the shark species that New England residents associate
with Florida and southern states are finding our water temperatures much more attractive than
they would have just 25 years ago,” Dodd explained. “The arrival of these sharks … in our waters raises a lot of questions and we look forward to answering them.”
The historic tagging was documented by filmmaker Tomas Koeck and will be a part of “Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast,” a television series highlighting Rhode Island’s marine ecosystems.

“Hammerhead sharks are among the ocean’s most iconic predators, and documenting this first-ever tagging event by the ASI is an exciting opportunity to showcase the groundbreaking
research taking place right here in Rhode Island,” Koeck said in the release. “Moments like these help connect audiences with the incredible wildlife that exists just offshore.”
You can learn more about the project and watch the series here.

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WPRI) — If you’re planning on attending the Blessing of the Fleet in Narragansett this week, you may be able to help save a life.

Jack Palms, who we first introduced to you on 12 Health last week, has an extremely rare condition that’s caused health complications and may require him to get a bone marrow transplant.

The East Greenwich boy’s family is now encouraging everyone to get swabbed and register so they can find the perfect match.

One of those donor drives will happen at the Blessing on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Memorial Square.
There will be two more drives at the Blessing from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

What are Fortune’s “gays” doing to her house?! Grayish brown paint, posters of 007 and bikini-clad ladies with surfboards on the wall, and no pops of color —except for a red mixer in the kitchen that she will never use. I appreciated Mae’s very gentle question, But Fortune, is this really your personality? I think Mae should handle Fortune’s interior design and Fortune should handle Mae’s home insurance / fire safety issues!