Opinion

Summer is upon us, and with the increased vaccination rate making tourism possible now, places like our district in Newport are pleased and relieved to welcome visitors again. As the tourism industry tries to recover from the devastation impacts of a lost year, our state must get back to work on unresolved issues concerning short-term […]

To The Editor, We are writing collectively as representative community leaders to express our support of road safety efforts in Newport in the form of improved markings for bicyclists on the roads most frequented by people riding bicycles and prioritized by the RI Department of Statewide Planning and by the city’s local advocacy organization, Bike […]

Nursing home residents deserve quality care. When an individual or a family makes the difficult decision to choose placement in a nursing home or long-term care facility, they do so with the expectation that they will be receiving quality, nurturing care. Sadly, for years we have heard from our constituents and frontline caregivers that nursing […]

Here in Rhode Island, the history of our distinguished people, the places, and the times they lived should not be presented because of an obligatory month on a calendar but as an integrated and comprehensive learning experience.  History is the collective memory of a people. Without it, we lose not only our shared memory of […]

We are happy to share on Tuesday, May 4th, at 5:30pm; there will be a (Zoom) Community Meeting for all Newport residents to hear updates and ask questions on the new Rogers High School and the Pell addition expansion. This is a meeting not to be missed. This session will be hosted by the School […]

We the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Rhode Island wish to express our concerns regarding the recently proposed changes to the services received by blind children in our state. The Rhode Island Vision Education Service Program (RIVESP) was signed into law 15 years ago, ensuring the provision of quality services for […]

Around the globe, and in our very own state, we are experiencing the impacts of climate change. Devastating natural events that used to happen once every few decades are happening much more frequently. Communities like ours in Newport are already inundated more regularly and severely by storm surges, and we face the loss of public […]

Last week, officials from the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals were called to speak in front of the House Oversight Committee. The reason was to answer questions about what’s been going on at the state-run Zambarano Hospital. Shortly thereafter, the resignation of the director of that agency was made public. Unlike the […]

The City Council has been rather busy lately filling vacancies on boards and  commissions. Surely, I am not the only one who has noticed that the process has not  always been transparent. At the March 10th Council meeting there seemed to be  concern from two Councilors regarding appointments. They made valid points but the  majority […]

I sent a list of questions to each member of the Town Council at the email addresses listed on the Town Council website.  Not one question was answered. I forwarded those same questions to the Church Community Housing Corporation (CCH), and they answered some, but not all of my questions.  The most important question, in […]

Rhode Island small businesses have struggled to get through a historic economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus. We are just now getting to a point where we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. The last thing we need now are more burdens. Unfortunately, the state legislature is considering a new […]

The Newport Democratic City Committee is firmly committed to fighting racism and inequity. This foundational belief unites Democrats across the country and calls us to take action which improves lives for all.  Newport is at a turning point, which presents us with a unique opportunity to make the future different from the past.  Now is […]

COVID-19 has upended all of our lives, but for those who suffer from hunger and food insecurity, the pandemic has only exacerbated a previously dire situation for too many individuals and their families. Before the pandemic, far too many Rhode Islanders were already suffering from food insecurity and hunger.  Now that our economy has been […]