News | EastBayRI.com - News, Opinion, Things to Do in the East Bay

Steel Martin, Hunter Roman, David Costa-Rado, Brandon Doherty, Isaiah Costa-Rado, Bethany Rado (East Providence Prevention Coalition Youth and Media Coordinator), and Caroline Roman hold up “Rhode Rules” signs advocating for the adherence to social host laws in the state.

'Project Sticker Shock' targets underage drinking

This program educates the public and changes attitudes about selling and providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. more

12/2/21

Volunteer Elizabeth Peters helps client Joe Barreiro with selecting produce during a visit to the East Bay Food Pantry in Bristol last week.

Food prices are rising, and so are trips to local food banks

Everything is getting more expensive, and that includes food. According to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual rate of inflation in the United States was 6.2 … more

By Scott Pickering | 12/2/21

A crew from the Barrington Department of Public Works plants a tree as part of a service project for Kelly Gorman and her organization, Change for the Better.

Student activist spearheads tree-planting project in Barrington

On a beautiful fall morning, Kelly Gorman and a group of other residents did their part to help the planet. Gorma, a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston and the founder of the … more

By Josh Bickford | 12/1/21

The town is planning to make improvements at the Opechee Drive right of way (shown) and another on Bowden Avenue.

Barrington formally acquires two rights of way

The Barrington Town Council recently held a public hearing on the proposed acquisition of two undeveloped rights of way. One right of way is located on Opechee Drive — between numbers 7 and … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/19/21

The Barrington High School field hockey team plays its home games on the field that runs along the edge of County Road. A new fields report is proposing eight acres of the BHS athletic fields be covered in artificial turf.

Report includes plan for 8 acres of turf at Barrington High School

A new report focused on athletic fields in Barrington includes wide-ranging recommendations, such as covering a large portion of the high school’s playing fields in artificial turf (but not … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/17/21

Seven BHS student-athletes sign letters of intent

Barrington High School held a special event last week, as seven student-athletes signed their collegiate letters of intent. The student-athletes are Mady Calhoun (Brown University, basketball), … more

11/16/21

Barrington resident leaves generous gift to the town

Who was Concetta Marie Masiello, and why did she leave more than $200,000 to the town? Members of the Barrington Town Council may have been asking themselves that question during this … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/16/21

Crews make improvements to the bike path bridge detours. The 2022 federal Appropriations bill includes $5 million for the bike path bridges.

Federal government kicking in $5 million for bike path bridges

Funding for the East Bay Bike Path bridges has made its way into the 2022 Appropriations bill that was recently unveiled by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Senator Jack Reed, a … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/12/21

The restaurant industry faces a crisis, as nearly every business struggles to find and retain the workers who keep them running

Restaurants short on staff and high on stress — Apply within

The signs are everywhere. Literally, the signs are everywhere. “Help Wanted.” “Now hiring.” “Seeking: Line Cooks, Bartenders, Dishwashers.” Almost … more

By Scott Pickering | 11/11/21

Police: Bag of urine not an act of hostility toward Barrington school official

Barrington Police believe a bag of urine found on the edge of a school committee member’s property late last week was not placed there in an act of hostility. According to police, the school … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/5/21

The Barrington Town Council renamed the throwing circle and surrounding field at Barrington High School "Robert Gourley Field."

Weight throwing area named for longtime BHS coach

A short walk from the Barrington High School campus, atop a hill just beyond the JV softball field, is where Bob Gourley worked his magic. Over the course of four decades, the longtime throwing … more

11/4/21

Hathaway School third-grade teacher Ashley Adamson, the 2021 R.I. Teacher of the Year, stands in front of the entrance to the White House during her trip to Washington, D.C. last month.

For Portsmouth teacher, school bell 'comes full circle'

PORTSMOUTH — When she was a little girl, Ashley Adamson wanted to be a teacher so badly that she’d play one at home. She even owned a school bell, as a picture she keeps in her … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/2/21

Barrington School Committee member Megan Douglas raises her hand to an audience member during a heated exchange late in the hearing.

Barrington School Committee votes to fire unvaccinated teachers

The Barrington School Committee moved very close to firing three unvaccinated teachers on Thursday night. In a 3-1 vote, committee members Gina Bae, Erika Sevetson and Megan Douglas called for the … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/29/21

Union steps in, asks for unvaccinated teachers to keep their jobs

The Rhode Island teachers' union will be asking the Barrington School Committee to halt its plan to fire teachers who choose to not get the Covid-19 vaccine. The school committee will be meeting … more

10/28/21

Nate Schneider (left) and Olin Guck guide their boat through the water during a training session last week in the Warren River. The BHS sailing team qualified for a top regional meet, but is unable to attend because of a district rule banning overnight trips.

School rule sinks Barrington sailing team’s plans

In late September, the Barrington High School sailing team qualified to compete in the Atlantic Coast Championships, an elite regatta featuring some of the best teams in the country. But the … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/27/21

Barrington School Committee members Patrick McCrann, Gina Bae, Megan Douglas and Erika Sevetson (from left to right) are shown during the Oct. 7 meeting.

School official says teacher vaccine mandate vote was unclear

Barrington School Committee member Patrick McCrann switched seats at last week’s meeting and spoke out during the public comment period. Mr. McCrann spoke about a lack of clarity and … more

10/26/21

Barrington resident Rachelle Zani pleads with members of the school committee about problems with the school transportation system in town during the meeting last Thursday night.

Barrington parents on busing issue: ‘This is ridiculous’

For more than a month, Barrington resident Liz Clare has asked officials to allow one of her sons to ride a bus to the middle school each day. She said his commute to school is long and dangerous, … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/21/21

Barrington Police Officer Brendan Combes reunites Barrington resident Brandon Medeiros with his bicycle, which had been stolen last Wednesday.

Resident tracks down stolen bike, police make an arrest

Barrington police worked closely with the victim of a larceny to help him track down and apprehend a bike thief. Police received a phone on Wednesday, Oct. 13 from a resident who said her … more

10/20/21

Unvaccinated school staff in Barrington face termination

The clock is ticking for unvaccinated staff in Barrington schools. For the last two months, the administration has reminded all school staff that a district policy requires they be vaccinated by … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/20/21

Pictured is the old Barrington Middle School prior to its demolition.

Barrington Middle School project contractors facing charges

The owners of the company hired for asbestos remediation work on the Barrington Middle School construction project were arraigned on wage theft charges on Tuesday, Oct. 19, in Sixth Division District Court … more

10/19/21

KFC manager, dozens more apply for Barrington town manager’s job

How many people are interested in being the next town manager in Barrington? Plenty. According to sources, 47 people submitted applications for the Barrington Town Manager’s … more

10/18/21

Longtime weight throwing coach Bob Gourley passed away late Wednesday night, Oct. 13.

Barrington High School loses a legend

Barrington High School lost a legend this week. Late Wednesday night, Oct. 13, the Eagles’ longtime weight throwing coach Bob Gourley passed away. Coach Gourley had been struggling with … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/15/21

A bicycle leans against a public point of access granite marker at the end of Appian Way. The street is posted as “No parking either side.”

Resident and council spar over parking near rights of way

A Barrington resident says the town is restricting access to the shoreline if it does not allow parking on the streets near public rights of way. Town officials disagree. On multiple … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/15/21

Town officials said there is hardly a day that goes by where the court is not covered with empty water bottles, soda cans, disposable face masks, food wrappers, pizza boxes and other debris.

Barrington threatens to lock up basketball courts

How bad is the littering problem at the new Barrington Middle School basketball courts? So bad that the town is going to lock up the courts. Town officials said there is hardly a day that goes … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/14/21

The Barrington Town Council has asked the town’s Resilience and Energy Committee to explore the idea of installing solar panels atop some of the capped landfills. Pictured is the capped landfill on Upland Way.

Council news: Town to explore putting solar panels on capped landfills

Former landfills in Barrington could be home to solar fields in the future. During the Oct. 4 meeting, members of the Barrington Town Council voted unanimously in favor of having the town’s … more

10/14/21