George Washington’s Mount Vernon will host a special screening of the newly-produced educational film, George Washington and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom on July 28, 2022 at The Jane Pickens Theater and Event Center. Filmed largely in Newport in November 2021, this short film follows the establishment of religious freedom in America and George Washington’s precedent-setting letter to the Newport Touro Synagogue Congregation. […]
Rhode Island
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Folk Festival includes stage powered by bicycles
By PAT EATON-ROBB Associated Press NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — The Newport Folk Festival, known for creating electrifying musical moments — the most famous being Bob Dylan’s decision to plug in his guitar in 1965 — this weekend has a small outer stage that is being powered in part by festival-goers on stationary bicycles. The Bike […]
Posted inColumns
Gerry Goldstein: In the books, a supremely odious decision
Legal scholars and historians have called it the worst Supreme Court decision ever, and a former chief justice characterized it as the court’s “greatest self-inflicted wound.” But these references were not about the recent ruling that struck down Roe v. Wade. This year marks the 165th since the court, in a blatantly racist decision, ruled that […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIDOH recommends closing area at Sachuest Point and Hazard’s Beach for swimming
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends closing Surfer’s Rock Area at Sachuest Point Beach in Middletown for swimming because of high bacteria levels. (The remainder of Sachuest Beach has acceptable water quality for swimming.) The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) also recommends closing Hazard’s Beach in Newport because of high bacteria levels.
RIDOH will continue to monitor and review beach water quality through Labor Day. The status of a beach may change as new data become available. The most up-to-date beach information is available through a recorded message on RIDOH’s beaches telephone line (401-222-2751). A list of closed beaches can also be accessed at health.ri.gov.
Posted inBusiness
CVS seeks verification on drugs with possible abortion use
By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer CVS Health is asking pharmacists in some states to verify that a few of the prescriptions they provide will not be used end a pregnancy. A spokesman said Thursday that the drugstore chain recently started doing this for methotrexate and misoprostol, two drugs used in medication abortions but also […]
Posted inNews
Former coach criminally charged in naked ‘fat test’ case
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A successful Rhode Island high school basketball coach was criminally charged Thursday by authorities who say that for years he asked male student-athletes to remove their clothes while alone with him so he could check their body fat. Aaron Thomas, 55, who coached at North Kingstown High School from the 1990s until he […]
Posted inNews
Cats available for adoption in the Providence Metro area
Of the 7.6 companion animals who end up in U.S. shelters each year, 3.4 million are cats. Also annually, 2.7 million animals are euthanized in shelters; 1.4 million of them are cats. With an estimated 3,500 physical shelter locations around the country, odds are good you’re within close proximity to a shelter with cats looking […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Rhode Island
The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises […]
Posted inCity & Government
Investigation: Governor McKee’s chief of staff did not break law
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s former chief of staff did not break the law when he personally involved himself in efforts to secure approval to develop some wetlands he had a financial interest in, but he did show “poor judgment,” state Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a report released Wednesday. […]
Posted inNews
What’s Up Today: July 20, 2022
Support What’sUpNewp Good Morning, today is Wednesday, July 20. 🌊 President Joe Biden will announce new actions on climate change during a visit today to a former coal-fired power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, that is shifting to offshore wind manufacturing. 🌊 WUN’s Frank Prosnitz with the latest on Election 2022: Election 2022: Gorbea urges McKee to back abortion legislation, McKee to […]
Posted inNews
Election 2022: Gorbea urges McKee to back abortion legislation, McKee to be endorsed by healthcare union, Magaziner
Gorbea urges McKee to ensure passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act.Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea yesterday (Tuesday) called on Governor Dan McKee to utilize every tool at his discretion to get the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act passed. Later in the day, McKee told the media that he would make passage of the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
State Arts Council announces Call for Artists for the galleries at Block Island Airport and GREEN SPACE at RI T.F. Green International Airport
Deadline is Oct. 10, at 11:59 p.m.
Providence —RI State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is accepting applications for artists for 2023 exhibitions at the Block Island Airport Gallery and GREEN SPACE Gallery at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport. The galleries are a partnership with the RI Airport Corporation (RIAC). The deadline to apply is Oct. 10, at 11:59 p.m.
The Call for artists will consider artists who work in all media and applicants must be Rhode Island residents. No students, please.
The GREEN SPACE Gallery includes several large walls and open spaces that are suitable for large-scale works. The gallery selects nine artists to exhibit in three group shows per year. The Block Island Airport Gallery is best suited for smaller scale works and hosts single artist exhibitions, four times per year.
“GREEN SPACE and the Block Island Airport Gallery provide Rhode Island artists the opportunity to share their work with an ever-changing audience of local, national and international travelers,” said Lynne McCormack, Executive Director of RISCA, “RISCA is pleased to continue this important partnership with RIAC, promoting outstanding work by artists living and working in the Ocean State.”
The selection of artists will be by a review panel, which will include practicing artists, arts professionals and community members. Artists included in the 2023 exhibitions will receive a $300 stipend for participating in the program.
Artists who have exhibited previously at one of the galleries are ineligible for new consideration for a period of two years. RISCA encourages artists who have applied in the past and have not been selected to apply again.
If selected, artists agree to suitably frame, wire or otherwise prepare their artwork for display at their own expense. Artwork is hung at gallery coordinator’s discretion, and gallery coordinator reserves the right of final selection of artwork and approval of installation. Artwork is not insured by the galleries during exhibition; artists are encouraged to carry their own insurance. Artwork may be listed for sale if desired, and any sales are direct without commission to the galleries.
Posted inNews
AARP and FEMA release new resources to help local communities
Submitted by AARP Rhode Island As the United States enters peak hurricane season, AARP and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have released new resources to help local officials and emergency managers protect older adults in their communities before, during and after natural disasters and support communities in mitigating the effects of extreme weather events. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Sour Grapes: Cell Phone
Here’s this week’s Sour Grapes, enjoy! Tim Jones is the creator, artist and writer of the widely popular, self-syndicated comic strip, “SOUR GRAPES”; a comic about “Aesop”, a miserable flying dog and his odd friends, all living in a problematic and troubled world. Sour Grapes is currently published in multiple newspapers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Rhode Island
The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises […]
Posted inNews
Field narrows for Newport area council and legislative races
In Newport, all three ward council candidates are running unopposed, while four Newport County House of Representatives candidates are also running without opposition. Some last-minute withdrawals have also avoided a primary election for the four at-large council seats as the deadline passed at 4 p.m. Friday for candidates to file their nomination papers. Here’s a […]
Posted inCity & Government
DEM announces that East Bay Bike Path Construction Projects in Riverside and Bristol set to start on July 18
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that two sections of the East Bay Bike Path will be closed for construction projects during the week of July 18-22. The first, for bike path asphalt repair, could cause a possible lane closure on Crescent View Avenue in Riverside. The second project, involving the Bristol County Water Authority’s installation of a new water main, could result in a partial closure of the path just south of Aaron Avenue in Bristol.
Tree root growth underneath the bike path has caused “pavement heave” on the section requiring repairs in Riverside. Ruts have formed with the compacted roots forcing the pavement to lift and crack, creating safety concerns for bike path users. The repairs on the path will be between Crescent View Avenue and Lincoln Avenue and drivers should be aware that this could result in traffic back-ups.
The Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA) plans to install a new water main to connect the northern end of Shore Road to the western end of Aaron Avenue in Bristol. This will require a trench of around 400 feet long to be installed in a bike path right-of-way. While most of the work will be completed using safety fencing and maintaining full use of the bike path for pedestrians and cyclists, there will be some days when partial closure of the path will be required. During these times, BCWA will maintain alternating pedestrian traffic in the work zone with lane closure detail from DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.
Posted inCity & Government
Opinion – Senate President Dominick Ruggerio: Providing relief and moving Rhode Island forward
When the Senate convened in January, my leadership team and I had high hopes about what the chamber could accomplish. We envisioned a transformational session for our state, one defined by historic progress on many critical issues. I’m proud to say that, working together, the Senate has moved Rhode Island forward. We have made critical investments in […]
Posted inCity & Government
Free skin cancer screenings to be available at Rhode Island beaches
Between July 16 and the end of August, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Brown Dermatology, and partners statewide will be making free skin cancer screenings available at select Rhode Island parks and beaches on six dates. “Along with using broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more and seeking shade, getting a skin check is […]
Posted inArts & Culture
5-letter word for fun? Hasbro, NYT create Wordle board game
The company that makes some of the world’s most iconic board games including Scrabble, Monopoly, and Clue is developing a new one based on Wordle, the obsessively popular digital word-guessing game. Hasbro Inc. and The New York Times — which purchased Wordle earlier this year — announced Thursday that Wordle: The Party Game will be available for […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island contractor who cheated IRS to spend weekends behind bars
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island drywall contractor who according to authorities played a key role in cheating the Internal Revenue Service out of more than $2.8 million by paying some workers in cash was sentenced Thursday to three years of probation, although he will serve some time behind bars, prosecutors said. Jesus Jose […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Democratic City Committee endorses candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, and other statewide seats
The Newport Democratic City Committee (NDCC) voted on Monday, July 11th to endorse candidates in the Democratic primary for Rhode Island’s 2022 statewide races. “Primary endorsements are an inherently difficult endeavor to take on. We are all Democrats first and foremost and, when all is said and done, we will unite around the Democratic candidate […]
Posted inNews
Overnight standoff with armed man in North Providence ends peacefully
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — An armed man who barricaded himself inside a Rhode Island home overnight surrendered peacefully on Thursday morning, authorities said. The 56-year-old male resident of the North Providence home surrendered at about 8 a.m., said Mayor Charles Lombardi, about 17 hours after police responded to the home and issued a shelter-in-place […]
Posted inReal Estate
Cities with least home inventory in Providence metro area
Housing has been in short supply for much of the last decade in the U.S. — though with interest rates rising and demand from buyers cooling quickly, that could change. Across the country, sellers are hesitant to bring list prices down despite their homes sitting on the market longer than they were a year ago. […]
Posted inCity & Government
Lawmaker suspended from TikTok defends twerking video
By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — A state senator in Rhode Island who was suspended from TikTok after posting a video in which she twerked while doing a handstand in a bikini says she has no regrets. Sen. Tiara Mack, a 28-year-old Providence Democrat, is Black and queer and dismissed any criticism of the 8-second […]