The diehard surfers of Southern New England epitomize the spirit of perseverance and dedication. Their courage and passion, together with the local surf shops that support them, demonstrate just how much they contribute to the prosperity and distinctive character of the region. As winter storms pounded the coast this winter, surfers remained steadfast, embracing the […]
Thom Cahir
Posted inOpinion
Thom Cahir: NFL Conference Championship Preview
After a mostly entertaining Divisional Round of games in the NFL last weekend, three games decided by one possession and a single rout, resulted in an almost odds-defying matchup of top seeds (Baltimore and San Francisco) versus three seeds (Detroit and Kansas City.) For local fans, who may profess to have no interest if the […]
Posted inNews
Moral complexity, empathy, and difficult conversations in the wake of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Well before the attack on October 7, 2023, there were many, including many liberal Jews, who felt the Palestinian people suffered disproportionately at the hands of the Israeli government. In 2022, it led educator/playwright/actor Sandra Laub to craft her one-woman show, Picking Up Stones: An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare. In the wake of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Two iconic local brands, one smooth blended product
When the brewer most identified with Rhode Island and distiller recognized for producing internationally awarded whiskies secretly team up on a project, expectations would normally be high. Well, if the Sons of Liberty/Narragansett Collaboration Event held Saturday night November 18 was any indication, the final product was both revolutionary and gnarly. (Hey, I challenge anyone […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Just in Time for Halloween: ‘Dark Echoes’ paranormal show visits The General Stanton Inn
It’s that time of year, everyone is looking for a scare. Scan the listings on your television if there’s any doubt, they are full of programming guaranteed to provide a fright in either the classic horror vein or get you thinking about ghosts and the spirit world in search of paranormal activity. Matt Kondracki and […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Theater Review: Academy Players shine in ’25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’
Maybe if you’re not a fan of musical theater or if you completely repressed your middle school years, you might think The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is simply a group of tweens on too much caffeine who break into spontaneous song and dance routines. However, the current version of the production put on […]
Posted inNews
Summer may be over, but the shoreline public access debate is just heating up
Earlier this year, Charlestown seemed to be getting on the right side of the public access issue by adding the relevant section of the state constitution to its town beach signs, while Narragansett became the municipality setting itself up for future confrontations by implementing time limits for parking on Ocean Road. However, after a Town […]
Posted inNews
A year after exit renumbering, does anyone care?
More than a year since RIDOT started renumbering exits on I-95, the burning question is: How long will those “Old Exit (X)” plaques stay in place? For a state that prides itself on giving directions by “Where the Almacs used to be,” when that chain went out of business decades ago, rust might set in […]
Posted inFood & Drink
2023 Charlestown Seafood Fest a great success
When a small town in the Ocean State holds a seafood event at a former Naval Air Station adjacent to a salt pond famous for buttery smooth oysters, it would have to be a success, right? This year, by almost every metric, the 38th Annual Charlestown Seafood Festival surpassed every expectation. According to Charlestown Chamber […]
Posted inNews
Shoreline access advocates fly banner, literally
In what can only be described as a triumphant victory lap Saturday, July 1, advocates who have been fighting for public access to Rhode Island’s shoreline, and against private property owners trying to limit those rights, gathered at several places along the south coast and Narragansett Bay as a single-engine plane towed a banner proclaiming, […]
Posted inNews
An awesome license plate, & Ocean State-worthy research
Since this is the week “Jaws” debuted in 1975, and Rhode Island will arguably have one of the coolest license plates in the country, it seemed like the perfect time to catch up with Jon Dodd, Executive Director of the Atlantic Shark Institute. While the institute has gained notoriety in the last few months for […]
Posted inNews
Art, Food, and Fun at Strawberry Thanksgiving
School may be out, but the Quad at the University of Rhode Island was filled Saturday, June 10, with visitors of all ages for the annual Strawberry Thanksgiving presented by the Tomaquag Museum. The event highlights the music, dance, skills, arts, and food of the region’s original residents. Storyteller/Dance instructor Thawn Harris, a member of […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Wakefield Music Festival draws crowds to South Kingstown
Without a doubt, one place to start off the Memorial Day weekend was in the heart of South Kingstown. The unofficial opening of the summer season began Saturday at noon in Peacedale as the Sons of Liberty distillery celebrated its grand reopening in an expanded tasting room with food trucks, bands, and giveaways. Crowds from […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Revolutionary Reopening of a Whisky Business
In many ways, COVID proved to be the 21st Century version of Prohibition to the many resurgent distillers who began selling their products, giving tours of their plants, and opening tasting rooms in the last dozen or so years. With the end of the pandemic, one of Rhode Island’s first and most-decorated distillers, Sons of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Ghosts, Gangsters, Generals, and Gastronomic Delights, all Resurrected at the General Stanton Inn
The General Stanton Inn arises from the frequent fog on Old Post Road in Charlestown like one of the specters that are rumored to inhabit its halls and is a beacon for locals and tourists alike. The brightly painted yellow-with-white-trim former Colonial Inn re-opened in August of 2022 as a restaurant and tavern and is […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Things To Do
Trolls, they’re not just under bridges anymore
Normally, when most people hear “South County,” and “trolling,” in the same sentence, their minds automatically go to fishing; but that definition could soon be shattered with a recent pitch to the Charlestown Town Council from the South County Tourism Council. Karen Jedson of the Tourism Council proposed situating a pair of gigantic trolls by […]
Posted inOpinion
February 20, 2023: The Station Fire 20 years later
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Station Nightclub Fire, a tragedy that left an indelible scar on the psyche of many Rhode Islanders. In a state this small, if you didn’t know someone directly affected, chances are you know someone affected indirectly by the events that night. And while the scar may have […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Malted Barley in Westerly announces closing
In an open letter to the community published on Facebook, owners Colin and Stephanie Bennett announced that the Malted Barley in Westerly will be closing their doors for good on March 2, following a run in the downtown establishment that lasted a dozen years. Noting their pride in having provided so many quality products and […]
Posted inSports
Opinion: Why Rhode Island should be rooting for Morocco in the World Cup
It’s obvious, just look at a map, we’re both the little guys on big continents. Sure, Morocco might be the size of California, but when surrounded by Algeria, Mauritania, Mali, Libya, and Egypt, you’re the little guy. Aside from that, Morocco owns the title of the first nation to recognize the United States as a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ – A new holiday classic?
Last year, former Naval War College instructor, and contributor to The Atlantic, Tom Nichols wrote a piece entitled, “The Most Beloved Christmas Specials Are (Almost) All Terrible,” where he runs through the list of animated and Claymation specials we were subjected to as youths in the 1960s and 70s, pointing out their flaws and coming […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Theater Review: Academy Players bring the laughs in “Carmella”
Carmella is back and “A Christmas Carol,” will never be the same again. Frank O’Donnell’s Christmas Carmella 2022 keeps the audience happy by delivering laughs throughout, and cannoli at the intermission from the comfortable and viewer-friendly venue of the Academy Players of Rhode Island’s home in Providence. Carmella Sr., Paula Faber, plays a typically strong […]
Posted inThings To Do
Atlantis Rising: South County Silica Sculpting Spectacle
This weekend at Misquamicut State Beach, ten sculptors from around the world came to Westerly to produce and display their creations in the Atlantis Rising International Sand Sculpture Competition presented by the South County Tourism Council. Many of the designs reflected an aquatic theme, while other artists decided to follow their own artistic inclinations. David […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Charlestown Seafood Festival continues this weekend
The original and best, not to mention the biggest local seafood festival, the Charlestown Seafood Festival, kicked off Friday, August 5 at noon to pre-pandemic level crowds and kept the revelry going well into the night at Ninigret Park. Even counting the skipped 2020 season because of COVID-19, this is the 37th year the event […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Things To Do
Six Picks Events: What’s Up this weekend in RI (June 3-5)
Although it’s technically still Spring, the first weekend in June means it feels like summer is really here! A good weekend to get out on the water and more – check out “Six Picks Events” for some fun this weekend and beyond. All Weekend: Here’s an idea if you still aren’t sure of the difference […]
Posted inThings To Do
Cross Border Quack Up – Duck Races to return Saturday
If you’re looking for a little chicanery while celebrating cross-border camaraderie with our Connecticut cousins, all for a good cause, make the trip down to the 22nd Annual Westerly-Pawcatuck Duck Race this Saturday, April 30 and take a chance on a duck for charity. After a two-year COVID hiatus, the event picks back up this […]