Good morning, South Kingstown. The state will start replacing the Route 138 bridge at Kingston Station later this month, and the traffic pattern around the station is about to change for a year or more. We also have Rhody men's basketball at home tonight, free tickets for veterans, and what's happening around town this week.

In this issue: Weather · Town News · Schools and Sports · This Week · Deals · Coming Up

WEATHER

Another sunny day, and a dry Veterans Day

Today will be mostly sunny with a high near 57 and a west wind of 7 to 14 mph. Tonight stays mostly clear with a low around 45. Wednesday looks sunny with a high near 57, so the Veterans Day Parade should be dry.

Clouds and an east wind arrive Thursday, with a chance of rain mainly after 5 p.m. and rain likely Thursday night. Friday looks rainy and raw, with a high near 48 and north gusts as high as 30 mph. Lows drop to around 30 Friday night and 29 Saturday night, so bring in anything that can't take a frost. Read the full forecast.

TOWN NEWS

Kingston Station bridge replacement starts Nov. 20

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will begin replacing the bridge that carries Route 138 (Kingstown Road) over the railroad tracks at Kingston Station on Friday night, Nov. 20. All traffic will shift to the north side of the bridge for about a year while crews tear down and rebuild the southern half, then traffic moves onto the new side so the rest can be replaced. The whole job is scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2028.

Here is what changes for drivers, walkers, and train riders once the work begins:

• A temporary traffic signal and crosswalks will go in at Route 138 and Railroad Avenue.

• All station traffic will use the southern Railroad Avenue entrance only. The section of Railroad Avenue that passes under Route 138 will close.

• Ten spaces in the northern overflow lot will be removed. People who park there will walk to the station using the new crosswalk and the Railroad Avenue sidewalks. The station has 344 spaces after an expansion this past summer.

• The left turn lane from Route 138 westbound onto Fairgrounds Road will be removed until the project is done.

• Bike path users can still park in the main lot but should use the spaces near the trailhead at the far end. URI parking at the station is still not allowed.

The bridge is part of RIDOT's $82.3 million Route 138 corridor project, which will also bring new sidewalks, signal upgrades, and repaving between Route 2 and Route 108. That roadwork is still being designed, and the state hopes to start it later in 2027. In the meantime, expect daytime shoulder closures on Route 138 at Railroad Avenue for electrical work this week, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Read the RIDOT advisory and this week's travel advisories.

Missed last night's council meeting?

The Town Council met Monday night for Chief Alfred Bucco's swearing in and an agenda that included the Revolutionary War memorial roster, new high school technology contracts, and library security cameras. We will report the outcomes once the minutes and coverage are out. Until then, you can watch the replay on YouTube or check agendas and minutes on the town portal.

SCHOOLS AND SPORTS

Rhody hosts Maine tonight, with free seats for veterans

URI men's basketball (2 and 0) hosts Maine (1 and 2) at 7 p.m. at the Ryan Center in its Salute to Service game, streaming on ESPN+. The Rams have won their first two games by an average of 31 points and are scoring 93.5 points a game, with transfer forward Matas Deniusas averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds. It is the 101st meeting between the schools but the first in 13 years. Game preview.

VA Providence Healthcare System has a limited number of free tickets for veterans to tonight's game, first come, first served. Details on how to reserve one, along with other Veterans Day events around the state. Rhody is back at the Ryan Center Thursday against Maryland Eastern Shore and Sunday against Princeton.

Around Rhody

• Women's basketball. URI beat South Florida 82 to 63 on Sunday in Nashville for its first win of the season and the first under new coach Colleen Mullen. Five Rams scored in double figures, led by Amaya Stewart with 19 points, and the team made 20 of 23 free throws. Rhody (1 and 2) plays at Wagner on Thursday at 7 p.m. Game recap.

• Climate grants. Three URI programs received a combined $476,312 from the state's Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council for work on town energy resilience, home energy efficiency, and climate education. The money is part of a $1.5 million statewide round this fall. Read more in Providence Business News.

• Help for private wells. Among the ideas at URI's recent Tech Showcase was a well water filter from Professor Joe Goodwill's lab that removes manganese and cleans itself with electricity instead of chemical feed equipment, aimed at homes and small systems like the many private wells in town. The technology is patent pending and a larger prototype is in the works. Read the URI story.

THIS WEEK

• Fall Story and Nature Walk, today. Families can join an outdoor story and song followed by a walk through the Hazard Garden, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. at Peace Dale Library. Bring a blanket to sit on. It depends on the weather, and today looks good. Library listing.

• Understanding AI and Misinformation, tonight. Journalist Phil Eil explains how AI is used to create and spread misinformation and how to spot it, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Peace Dale Library. Register with the library.

• Veterans Day Parade, Wednesday. The parade steps off at 10 a.m., followed by a ceremony at the veterans monument in Saugatucket Park, 101 High St. Town Hall and the Rose Hill Regional Transfer Station are closed for the holiday. Parade details.

• Fraud prevention talk, Thursday. People's Credit Union explains the latest financial scams and how to protect yourself, 9 to 10 a.m. with Senior Services. Call 401 789 0268, extension 2, for details. Town notice.

• Grown-Up Book Fair, Thursday. Wakefield Books brings its book fair for adults to Whalers Brewing Company, 1174 Kingstown Road, from 5 to 8 p.m. No registration needed. Event listing.

DEALS

Local business owners, send us your deals

If you own or manage a business in town, reply to this email with your offer, the days and hours it runs, and any details readers should know. We will share local deals with readers in upcoming issues.

COMING UP

• Secret Service talk, Tuesday, Nov. 17. Senior Services hosts "Little Known Facts about the U.S. Secret Service," 9 to 10 a.m. Pre-registration is required at 401 789 0268, extension 2. Town notice.

• NASA Scientist: You, Tuesday, Nov. 17. NASA citizen science officer Marc Kuchner explains how volunteers help find planets and how anyone can join a NASA science team, 5:30 p.m. at Edwards Hall on the Kingston campus, part of the URI Honors Colloquium. Event details.

• Kingston Station traffic change, Friday, Nov. 20. The new Route 138 traffic pattern and station entrance change take effect that night. RIDOT advisory.

That is all for today. Enjoy the sunshine, thank a veteran tomorrow, and we will see you in your inbox Wednesday.