Rhode Island
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10:44 a.m.
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Jack learns about the atmosphere from David Stookey. At least 200 people attended the alternative energy fair at the Portsmouth wind turbine today, according to organizer David Stookey. There were more than a dozen exhibitors, ranging from solar power to fuel-efficient cars to a refrigerator recycling program from National Grid. Seriously — if you have an old refrige...
Hard Deadlines - Sun 2:59 p.m. - 2 clicks 
I'm trying to keep up with an event calendar of local doings either for zilch $ or that I like. If you have anything, feel free to send. I am rightly reminded that whenever it's not a beachy day, the concession stands remain open. Fortunately, a lot of the pollution problems seems to have cleared up with Middletown's sewer work & so this now seems to have little effect here. Yeah!!! Somet...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Sun 12:02 p.m. - 5 clicks
From Sandra J. Flowers : Summer Dance with Magnolia Cajun Band: The Newport Democratic City Committee hosts Magnolia on Thursday, July 30, at the Elks Lodge, Bellevue Avenue at Pelham Street, Newport, from 8 to 11 PM. For only $20, you'll hear and dance to great music, enjoy delicious munchies, and meet lots of nice folks. Pass the word! Magnolia Cajun Band Source: magnoliacajunband.homestead....
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Fri 3:45 p.m.
Due to recent changes in RIPTA service in the 'Fifth Ward' section of Newport, we have arranged to have their management come to Newport to explain these changes, including their 'South Aquidneck Flex Service'. The meeting, which will be announced in the tomorrow's Newport Daily News, will be held at the Newport Public Library on Wednesday, July 8th at 3:00 pm. We are working on getting RIPTA to...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Fri 3:45 p.m. - 2 clicks
Sunday at the turbine! This will be a busy weekend here in the East Bay. I'm sure everyone is hoping for a break in the weather this weekend, especially those aiming to attend the world-famous Bristol parade. And if you haven't read the Sakonnet Times story on two of the the special guests, it's worth a peek . Hint: They were in Times Square on August 14, 1945. Looking...
Hard Deadlines - Fri 8:09 a.m. - 9 clicks
School Committee member Steve Stycos provided the following update on the budget for the Cranston Schools, and explains his reasoning behing agreeing to the $25,000 payout to the outgoing Superintendent: BUDGET The Cranston School Committee passed a final budget last week that was balanced without draconian cuts to school programs thanks to federal stimulus funds, [...] ...
Kmareka - Fri 7:18 a.m. - 8 clicks
The Providence Journal leads today with this story on the effort to change the state's name from Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to just plain Rhode Island, because the word "plantation" is just to slavery-ish. It's not as though we added the word to the state's name just to say "screw you" to blacks, the way the states of Mississippi and Georgia did when they added Confederate battle...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Thu 4:09 a.m. - 17 clicks
Yeah, I’m disappointed. One of the first things I did with this blog is interview Elizabeth Roberts as she pursued her candidacy for Lt. Governor. Having witnessed her in actions as a Senator for my district in Cranston, I knew she had tremendous potential, and one day I hoped she would make it [...] ...
Kmareka - Wed 4:12 p.m. - 8 clicks
The Portsmouth School Committee tonight voted to recall all the teachers who had been sent layoff notices, according to chair Dick Carpender, who said that budget numbers received today from the state made the difference. "We don't know what will happen in the future," said Carpender, "But for now, it's enough." This will be good news for parents (and friends of the schools) who had been conc...
Hard Deadlines - Tue 2:49 p.m. - 11 clicks
One of the biggest controversies brewing before the Rhode Island Supreme Court involves Section 5 of Article VI of Rhode Island’s Constitution: Section 5. Immunities of general assembly members. — The persons of all members of the general assembly shall be exempt from arrest and their estates from attachment in any civil action, during the session [...] ...
Closing Argument - Tue 2:06 p.m. - 8 clicks
Veteran Cranston reporter David Scharfenberg (as one of the newer hires he got downsized from the Projo when they went thin) tells the story of how Jim Taricani and other investigative reporters for TV news are being expected to do more with less. From the Providence Phoenix: There has been plenty of hand-wringing, [...] ...
Kmareka - Tue 9:28 a.m. - 7 clicks
While the budget on Governor Carcieri's desk may or may not be the final word, Portsmouth's school department is still working to calculate the bottom line impact, according to School Committee Chair Dick Carpender. "As of noon when I talked with [Finance Director] Chris Tague we still did not have any info from the Rhode Island Department of Education or the Association of School Committees," ...
Hard Deadlines - Mon 4:09 p.m. - 7 clicks
Portsmouth's wind turbine generator will make a spectacular backdrop for a local alternative energy festival scheduled for July 5 at from 1-4 pm at the High School. According to an e-mail sent to supporters: Energy Independence Day is July 5th! Cool Aquidneck Island, the RI Council of MoveOn.org, Channing Green Congregation, and Sierra Club RI Chapter are hosting an energy fair from 1 to 4 PM...
Hard Deadlines - Jun 29 - 3 clicks
Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch has joined 7 other state’s Attorneys General in writing to Fed Ex and urging them to properly classify their workers as employees rather than independent contractors. Thirty states are investigating FedEx Ground to determine if the company is misclassifying FedEx drivers as independent contractors through its owner-operator model. And more [...] ...
Closing Argument - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
Injured Rhode Islanders have recently won justice in Rhode Island’s trial courts: Yesterday, a Providence County jury returned a $3.5 million award in a medical malpractice case being tried by Decof & Decof attorneys Neil Kelly and Mark Brice. The defense firm was White, Carlin and Kelly. After a three-week trial, a Providence County jury awarded a [...] ...
Closing Argument - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
Ian Donnis interviewed me for his lengthy feature on new media and politics. The story also features freshman State Representative Chris Fierro and Barack Obama’s state coordinator, Rep. Ray Sullivan. Click here to check it out. The social messaging service Twitter has figured prominently during recent unrest in Iran. Activists have used short Twitter messages [...] ...
Closing Argument - Jun 25 - 5 clicks
www.rifuture.org stating that flat tax freeze bill failed. No monies for towns/cities from the state is now likely. The Office of the Health Commissioner is now restored. It's elimination was almost a million in savings. ...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
July 1 at 6 pm Health Care Community Dinner - The Portuguese American Vasco de Gama Hall, 15 Fenner Ave., Newport, RI Please bring your family and friends for a free macaroni and meatball community dinner on Wednesday, July 1 at 6 p.m. in Newport to share your personal story about the crisis in our health care system - and your ideas about how to fix it. Click here to let them kno...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 24 - 5 clicks
There is an interesting online article by Jim Brady, former exec editor of the "Washington Post" entitled, "Why A New (And Unusual) Pricing Strategy By A Rhode Island Paper Will Fail." The title kind of says it all. While praising the local rag (NDN) for at least trying a unique strategy to increase their income, "But to me, this model reeks of desperation. It’s as if, having ...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
The opinion article in the NDN on Wed. certainly caught my eyes with Rep. Loughlin screaming, "Socialized Medicine- Don't go There." Socialized medicine. I haven't heard that bugaboo since I was a h.s. debater with the topic of whether or not we should adopt Medicare. It was in the early 1900's that the AMA decided to torpedo attempts to supply Amercian's health care coverage w...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 22 - 3 clicks
Here is what the flat tax costs you the local property tax payer. The % is the amount your taxes will need to go up to make-up for the proposed general fund monies no longer to be received. All this for less than 15 wealthy individuals (19 in Newport, 22 in Portsmouth)). End or freeze the flat tax & aid will be restored. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Sorry, this tax NEVER made any sense ...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 21 - 3 clicks
Under the House's proposed General Budget, aid to towns & cities will be deep-sixed. % = amount of municipal budget loss Middletown $829,818 3.8% Newport $1,564,837 2.92% Tiverton $547,575 3.34% Little Compton $89,670 1.93% Portsmouth $554,736 2.84% This could be restored in the flat tax were frozen or eliminated. But we wouldn't want to actually help all of us with our own monies, would...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 19 - 3 clicks
Newport County residents and employees of the local hospitality industry will be eligible for free admission or other discounts at a number of local attractions during “Newport County Days” on Sunday and Monday. The event is sponsored by the Attractions Council of Newport County. To receive the discount, visitors must show proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or other identification wi...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 19 - 4 clicks
Ophelia's Wardrobe is a fundraiser for the Ophelia Sessions held by C & Family of Newport Co. They have new/used designer clothing for all! Tickets for the $60 preview & auction Fri. nt. while the actual sale is Sat. & Sun. at Wakehurt (Ochre Point & Leroy- good luck with parking). 10-4; 10-2. Yes, I'll be there and NO there will be nothing there that is size 12 or size 8- 81...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 19 - 3 clicks
Come to a free yoga class Newport Hospital Wed Jun 24 noon ! All-Level YogaEIE Community Room, 3rd Floor MacLaurin, Newport Hospital New Session begins the week after. Wednesday noon $48 for a 6 week pass Single class $10 Janne Sahady, Registered Yoga Teacher Call 401-465-6577 Other yoga possibilities this summer– First Beach Monday series July 6: 6-7PM Zumba Dance- Linda Rawstron July 13...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 19 - 4 clicks
To kick off the Habitat for Humanity, East Bay RI Chapter upcoming build, we will be hosting our inaugural fundraising event June 19th at the Rotunda Ballroom on Easton’s beach in Newport. Ticket price will include appetizers and cocktails (yes, open bar!) as well as entertainment and a silent auction. The carousel will be open for rides and we will have a presentation detailing the upcoming buil...
Rhode Island's Twelfth - Jun 19 - 3 clicks
Donald Lally, a south kingstown representative, under the thumb of Speaker William Murphy of the RI legislature is Chair of the Judiciary Committee. Murphy has told Lally not to report the same sex marriage bill to the floor of the......
RIslander - Jun 10 - 4 clicks
CQ rates the RI Governor's Race as Tossup between the Democratic nominee and former Senator Lincoln Chafee who is running as an independent. The only Republican, so far, to step forward is Rep. Joe Trillo...CQ gives him no chance whatsoever...gee,......
RIslander - May 29 - 4 clicks
A recent poll by Brown University, published in the Providence Journal, shows that 60% of RIslanders are ok with same sex marriage. The full text of the poll was also published by the Projo... This begs the question, then, where......
RIslander - May 28 - 2 clicks
In a devastating report released by the feds, Rhode Island had the highest rate of people 12 and older who had used illegal drugs in the past month — 11.2 percent. North Dakota had the lowest rate, 5.7 percent. Vermont......
RIslander - May 27 - 4 clicks
