David Degner

Boston Photographer and Photojournalist

Hurricane Henri hits Rhode Island

Sharon Reardon lights a second lantern for super as Julie Stravato looks on. Power was cut to much of Jamestown around 10:45 in the morning and did not return until the evening so the neighborhood shared supplies. One neighbor had a generator, one had a solar water heater, and the Reardon’s provided buckets of water from their pool for flushing. (Photo by David Degner/The Washington Post)

Hurricane Henri to Tropical Storm Henri

As Hurricane Henri approached New England the Washington Post put me on to cover it’s landfall. We had one photographer embedding with the Coast Guard on Cape Cod and another on Long Island.

Christine and James Wood watch the weather news as waves buffet Easton’s beach outside their window on August 22, 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island.

I was assigned to show the storms effects on Southern New England. So I based myself in Newport, Rhode Island with the writer Julianne McShane.

People watch the waves come in at Easton’s Beach in the early morning in Newport, Rhode Island. Rain and wind from the Henri started hitting Newport in the early morning but were strongest in the middle of the day.
A boat is harbored in Goose Neck Cove in Newport, Rhode Island.
Bernice Kubicek, and Matt Finley, of Iowa, watch the waves at Easton’s Beach.
A member of the American Red Cross watches the storm at an evacuation center set up in J.H. Gaudet Middle School.
Many limbs and leaves were brought down by the winds from Henri on August 22, 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island.
At least 8 boats broke from their moorings and ran ashore on in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
François Elmaleh and his son Alerren Elmaleh surf in the shallows of Easton’s Beach on August 22, 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island.

Rhode Island’s Covid Vaccine Challenges

Elderly citizens arrived for vaccinations last month at St. Anthony’s Parish Center in Pawtucket, R.I. The state was hit hard by the coronavirus.

The numbers began ticking up in September. After a quiet summer, doctors at Rhode Island Hospital began seeing one or two patients with Covid-19 on each shift — and soon three. Then four.

Cases climbed steadily until early December, when Rhode Island earned the dubious distinction of having more cases and deaths per 100,000 people than any other state in the country. The case rate still puts it among the top five states.

-Published in the New York Times

Central Falls, Rhode Island – February 20: People line up outside the High School before the doors open on February 20, 2021 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Central Falls High School was turned into a vaccine clinic. Central Falls is the smallest city in the smallest state in the US that’s been tackling one of the highest infection and hospitalization rates. Central Falls is the only majority-minority community in Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Cranston, Rhode Island – February 21: Eleanor Slater Hospital may be mentioned in the story February 21, 2021 in Cranston, Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
East Providence, Rhode Island – February 21: A national map shows Rhode Island in the parking lot of Emma G Whiteknact School February 21, 2021 in East Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island – February 21: Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Catholic Church serving the Cape Verdean community, holds socially distanced services and afterwards Elizabeth DaMoura Moreira, Pawtuckets public health and equity leader handed out supplies and talked with people about Covid-19 February 21, 2021 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Churches in the Ocean State have been allowed to fill to 40 percent capacity, up from 25 percent as of Feb. 12. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island – February 21: Elizabeth DaMoura Moreira, Pawtuckets public health and equity leader, hands out supplies and talk with people about Covid-19 at Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Catholic Church serving the Cape Verdean community February 21, 2021 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Churches in the Ocean State have been allowed to fill to 40 percent capacity, up from 25 percent as of Feb. 12. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island – February 21: Elizabeth DaMoura Moreira, Pawtuckets public health and equity leader, prepares to hand out supplies and talk with people about Covid-19 at Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Catholic Church serving the Cape Verdean community February 21, 2021 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Churches in the Ocean State have been allowed to fill to 40 percent capacity, up from 25 percent as of Feb. 12. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island – February 21: Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Catholic Church serving the Cape Verdean community, holds socially distanced services and afterwards Elizabeth DaMoura Moreira, PawtucketÕs public health and equity leader, handed out supplies and talked with people about Covid-19 February 21, 2021 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Churches in the Ocean State have been allowed to fill to 40 percent capacity, up from 25 percent as of Feb. 12. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Central Falls, Rhode Island – February 21: Gary Berdugo and Jessica Lippe walk the streets as City Health Ambassadors February 21, 2021 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. They start by handing out free masks and then give information about testing and vaccines and can even sign up people for the weekly vaccine clinic. Central Falls faces specific challenges with its high density population so they opened up vaccinations to anyone over 18. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Central Falls, Rhode Island – February 21: Gary Berdugo and Jessica Lippe walk the streets as City Health Ambassadors February 21, 2021 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. They start by handing out free masks and then give information about testing and vaccines and can even sign up people for the weekly vaccine clinic. Central Falls faces specific challenges with its high density population so they opened up vaccinations to anyone over 18. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Providence, Rhode Island – February 20: An ambulance sits outside Rhode Island Hospital on February 20, 2021 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Central Falls, Rhode Island – February 20: At the end of the day a city employee rests, volunteers, city employees, pharmacists and firefighters staff the Saturday vaccine clinic on February 20, 2021 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Central Falls High School was turned into a vaccine clinic. Central Falls is the smallest city in the smallest state in the US that’s been tackling one of the highest infection and hospitalization rates. Central Falls is the onlymajority-minority community in Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island – February 20: Portrait of Djini Tavares near Cabo Verde Way, the neighborhood she grew up in, and near the Jewelry factory where she and many Cape Verdeans worked when she was in high school on February 20, 2021 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Djini Tavares lives with her 86-year-old father but when she became infected in July, Ms. Tavares left her home and was prepared to spend about $120 a night to isolate in a covid hotel. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)
Central Falls, Rhode Island – February 20: People wait for about 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine to make sure there are no adverse effects on February 20, 2021 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Central Falls High School was turned into a vaccine clinic. Central Falls is the smallest city in the smallest state in the US that’s been tackling one of the highest infection and hospitalization rates. Central Falls is the only majority-minority community in Rhode Island. (Photo by David Degner/New York Times)

How Rhode Island Reopened Schools

Physical Education class has been reorganized around no-contact sports. Some students play tossing rings while others play a modified version of dodge ball called gaga ball in the background.

How Rhode Island Reopened Schools During a Pandemic

For the New York Times

At LaPerche Elementary School Principal Julie Dorsey takes a student’s temperature as students arrive on October 08, 2020 in Smithfield, Rhode Island. All students must fill out a form about possible Covid-19 symptoms and have their temperature taken at the start of the day.

Students desks are spaced out instead of the normal groupings and sometimes there are empty desks from students who had a high temperature and are waiting for a negative test result.

Students desks are spaced out instead of the normal groupings and sometimes there are empty desks from students who had a high temperature and are waiting for a negative test result.

A reading class is held at the quiet end of the schoolyard with a portable speaker while students sit separated on beach towels.