PORTSMOUTH — Get out those reds, whites, and blues. 

The Portsmouth High School Homecoming Parade will be on Saturday, Oct. 28, stepping off from the school at 12:30 p.m.

The procession will travel down Patriots Drive, south on East Main Road to Freeborn Street, and then travel up Turnpike Avenue to new-and-improved Memorial Drive that enters the PHS campus.

Drivers should be aware that there will be road closures on the parade route during this time. 

The parade will consist of the PHS Marching Band, the Homecoming court, floats from each of the class councils, and dignitaries from Town Council, School Committee, and school district administration. 

Some others local news worth mentioning:

Early voting for District 1 race runs through Nov. 6

You can skip the wait at the polls and cast your ballot early in the District 1 Congressional race.

Early voting is being conducted at the Portsmouth Town Hall Council Chambers now through 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, during Town Hall business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

While some communities have additional ballot questions for this election, Portsmouth ballots contain one federal race — for Rhode Island’s District 1 representative in Congress. 

There are two candidates: Democrat Gabriel Amo will face off against Republican Gerry W. Leonard, Jr. The winner will fill the unexpired term of Democrat David Cicilline, who resigned in June to become CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. 

Ballots are cast and counted in the DS-200 optical scanner. A photo ID is required to vote.

For emergency voting, applications are available online (vote.ri.gov) or at the Canvassing office at Town Hall.

Voters may pick up or designate a representative (photo ID required) to pick up a mail ballot at Town Hall. Voted ballots may be deposited in the ballot drop box located at the south entrance to Town Hall, or mailed via USPS. Ballots must be received by the Board of Elections in Cranston or deposited in a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day

You can verify voter information and view sample ballots at vote.ri.gov by contacting the Canvassing office.

Water district’s tax rate remains flat for this year

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District’s tax rate for this year has been set at 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value — the same as in 2022, according to Philip Driscoll, chairman of the District’s Administrative Board.

The annual District tax on a property assessed at $400,000 is $96.

The District, which started mailing out its property tax bills this week, encourages customers to pay tax and water bills online at PortsmouthWater.org. 

Online payments can be made by credit card or debit card, and there are no charges assessed for online payments.   

Customers who pay their tax or water bills using a bill-pay service must reference their water or tax account number on the check to ensure payment is posted to the proper account.   

Payments are due on Dec. 1, 2023. Interest of 1 percent each month will be applied to the unpaid balance for any accounts not paid by the due date. 

Any District property owner that has not received a water district tax bill by mid-November should contact the District office at 401/683-2090.

Eastern RI District elections are Nov. 3

Newport and Bristol County residents are eligible to vote in the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District elections for its board of directors at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3.

Elections will be held at the Joint Conservation Annual Dinner to be held at Twelve Acres, 445 Douglas Pike, Smithfield. No admission ticket is required to vote. 

Visit www.easternriconservation.org for more information, or contact info@easternriconservation.org

Island job fair set for Thursday

The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), in partnership with Working Cities Newport and the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training (RIDLT), is hosting an Aquidneck Island Job Fair this Thursday, Oct. 26.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. at the the CCRI Newport Campus, 1 John Chafee Boulevard.

Job-seekers and employers will be able to connect a the event fostering economic development and workforce growth in the region. The job fair will feature a diverse range of employers representing various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, technology, hospitality, and more.

Mt. Hope Bay ‘loop’ voted among best foliage drive

If you want to view trees’ dramatic shift from their summer greens to a rich display of oranges, yellows, and reds, this area is among the best in the country to take a fall foliage-viewing drive.

That’s according to Gunther VW Coconut Creek, which surveyed 3,000 respondents on their favorite routes to witness fall foliage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, drives near towns in Northeastern states dominated the top 10, with Seneca Trail US Route 219 in West Virginia voted as the nation’s favorite.

But Rhode Island was also mentioned in the survey, and the best fall foliage drive in the Ocean State was deemed to be the “Mount Hope Bay Loop,” which came in ninth nationally.

“This scenic loop affords sweeping views of shimmering waters, punctuated by the distant silhouettes of boats and the serene beauty of marshlands,” Coconut Creek stated in its description. “During autumn, the experience is elevated as the bay’s surroundings embrace the season’s palette: crimson maples, golden oaks, and fiery hued shrubs dot the landscape, their reflections dancing on the water’s surface.”