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Peter Hewett and David Scarpino talk with police during an impromptu recess after Mr. Scarpino refused to put on a mask as required by the school committee to begin the meeting.

Students will return wearing masks (for now)

Bristol-Warren School Committee to honor mask mandate, re-evaluate if Gov. McKee alters course in September. more

By Ethan Hartley | 8/31/21

Pat Malafronte at her familiar spot, greeting customers to the Hope Street office.

For nearly six decades, she’s been the face of her firm

It must be a good place to work, because for more than 58 years now, Pat Malafronte has been stepping through the doors of John Andrade Insurance on Hope Street with a smile on her face. She was just … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/27/21

Tristan Healey goes airborne after launching off a homemade jump.

Bristol teen is a rising star in ‘Enduro’ racing

For 13-year-old Bristol resident Tristan Healey, weekends are a series of ups and downs — but in his sport, the downs are the fun part. He’s spending his weekends (11 of them at least) … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/26/21

Artist Scott Glaser works on a portrait of Civil Rights hero John Lewis from his workspace in the living room of his Bristol home. The smallest cut pieces of this bandage mosaic are approximately 3/16” squares.

For this local artist, the key to success is staying between the lines

Scott Glaser, a multimedia artist and new resident of Bristol, has a style that’s hard to pin down. Over the years he’s created works from photorealism to pointillism to mosaic, using … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/26/21

Roger Williams will return with 97% vaccinated

As employers across the country face mounting pressure to require Covid-19 vaccinations of their employees — President Joe Biden joined the chorus this week — business and organizational … more

By Scott Pickering | 8/26/21

Bristol native appointed state court administrator

Attorney Julie P. Hamil is the state court administrator, having succeeded J. Joseph Baxter Jr. on Aug. 23. Ms. Hamil was formerly the general counsel for the Rhode Island Supreme Court, while Mr. … more

8/25/21

Alex Brassard sings “Funny Honey” during “Chicago: A Two-Woman Extravaganza,” at the 2 Woman Productions theater in Bristol.

‘Chicago,’ on a summer night in Bristol

Mt. Hope alumni Alex Brassard and Sara Slusarski put on their own creative and scintillating version of, “Chicago: A Two-Woman Extravaganza,” on the 2 Woman Productions stage behind Ms. … more

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 8/25/21

Bristol Fire Dept. Engine 5 arrives at St. Mary's Cemetery for the funeral of Ray Castro.

The Bristol Fire Department meant everything to Ray Castro

I remember the day vividly when Ray Castro and I sat down to talk about his beloved Bristol Fire Department. It was a somewhat cool autumn afternoon when the weather was just changing from summer to … more

BY MANUEL C. “MANNY” CORREIRA | 8/25/21

Scenes like this, from last fall on State Street, are likely to continue, as Bristol is taking steps to allow outdoor dining options to remain into 2022.

Bristol's emergency executive order expires — outdoor dining will not

Bristol’s pandemic-related emergency order expired on Aug. 18, and at the July 28 Bristol Town Council meeting, Administrator Steven Contente said he would not be seeking to extend it. … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/18/21

Dr. Jeff Berg speaks in favor of mask-wearing during the public comment period of a Bristol Warren Regional School Committee meeting Monday night.

Tension builds as Bristol Warren considers school mask mandate

Interim Superintendent Bob Hicks and the nine members of the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee face a big decision that, regardless of their ultimate vote, will result in many unhappy … more

By Ethan Hartley | 8/18/21

The Walley Beach seawall will be getting major repairs and upgrades, designed to make it easier to go from land to sea, with three separate access points along the park, which is nestled between two private residences at the southeastern end of Bristol Harbor.

Bristol uses some of shopping plaza profit for a better beach

The sale of the shopping center at the corner of Hope Street and Gooding Avenue in January yielded a tidy $2.8 million profit for Bristol . It was a deal several years in the making, and the plan has … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/12/21

Protester Nicholas Katkevich, 36, of Bristol, who had cemented himself into the trunk of a car blocking the entrance to Raytheon Co., flashes a clenched fist as he’s surrounded by Portsmouth police officers Thursday morning, Aug. 12. He was later extricated from the vehicle and arrested. Another protester was blocking the exit in a similar fashion.

Portsmouth Police: Raytheon protest ‘delayed resources’ for accident response

PORTSMOUTH — Protesters who blocked the entrance to missile defense manufacturer Raytheon Co. Thursday morning “delayed resources” for police and rescue workers who were … more

By Jim McGaw | 8/12/21

Bristol eliminates bonuses and buyouts for clerk and administrator

At the last Bristol Town Council meeting on July 28, Chairman Nathan Calouro opened the discussion about compensation and benefits for the town’s two elected employees , Administrator Steven … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/12/21

Junior sailor Freida Milner gets expert instruction from United States SailGP Team members Jimmy Spithill (l) and Cooper Dressler.

Young sailors reach new heights

Bristol Yacht Club and the East Bay Sailing Foundation welcomed world class sailors to town over two days in late July for a unique experience that some lucky young sailors will remember for a … more

By Christy Nadalin | 8/12/21

Kerri Payne of Residential Properties, along with her dog Penelope, pose in front of Hunky Dory in downtown Warren, one of the participating businesses of the Dog Stroll.

Community Dog Stroll this Thursday

Do you love dogs? What about supporting small, local businesses? Assuming you’re not Ebenezer Scrooge prior to his ghostly visitors kickstarting his steely, cold heart, we’ll assume … more

By Ethan Hartley | 7/30/21

McKee stops short of mandating masks in Rhode Island schools

PROVIDENCE — Governor Dan McKee, following up on updated recommendations made earlier this week by the Centers of Disease Control as the “Delta” variant of the coronavirus has … more

By Mike Rego | 7/29/21

Actor Daniel Kozar (left), in character as a Herreshoff client, reacts favorably to the amended plans presented by Nathaniel Herreshoff, portrayed by Jim Moore, in a reenactment for Episode One of “The Boatbuilders.”

Boatbuilding documentary series filming in Bristol

It’s a hot July afternoon, and shipwright Nathaniel Herreshoff has a job to do. He’s delivering a revised set of plans to some important clients, a husband and wife whose desire for a … more

By Christy Nadalin | 7/29/21

School committee members Victor Cabral, Marjorie McBride and Tara Thibaudeau discuss a point made by a resident during the open meeting.

Bristol Warren names interim superintendent

A week after Dr. Jonathan Brice resigned as superintendent of the Bristol Warren Regional School District, the School Committee hired his temporary replacement. Robert “Bob” Hicks was … more

By Scott Pickering | 7/27/21

Youth readers Sampson Lombard, 13, (left), Fran Lombard, 11, Emily Cabral, 14, co-founder Charles Calhoun (back left), steering committee members Amy Vitale and Renee Soto, and Library Director Ryan Brennan hold up copies of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” the selection for Bristol Bookfest, to be held Oct. 22-23. The books were donated to the library by the steering committee, and will be available for participants to borrow.

Bristol Bookfest to take on ‘Frankenstein’

Following a COVID-delayed but ultimately successful launch in 2020, Bristol Bookfest will return in 2021 for a deep dive on another classic work of fiction: “Frankenstein; or, The Modern … more

By Christy Nadalin | 7/22/21

Bruce Burdett at a patio table outside his Bristol home, where he often works. The editor of The Sakonnet Times and Westport Shorelines is retiring this week after 45 years with East Bay Newspapers. “There’s something in all of us that likes to tell people stories, and this was my way to be able to do it,” he said.

After 5 decades in journalism, Bruce Burdett's hanging up his notebook

When Bruce Burdett first arrived in Bristol to start his new job at East Bay Newspapers in the mid-’70s, he was just two years out of college with only minimal experience working for his school … more

By Jim McGaw | 7/22/21

In June, the Bristol Town Council spent more than an hour talking about pay and benefits for the town administrator and town clerk. It is expected to continued the conversation later this month.

Questions about pay and precedent for Bristol's top leaders

When they next meet, Bristol town councilors are expected to resume a thorny conversation about how to compensate the town’s two elected employees. A discussion over pay and benefits for the … more

By Scott Pickering | 7/22/21

Dr. Jonathan Brice jokes with a staff member at Monday night's school committee meeting.

Brice resigns as Bristol Warren superintendent

Bristol Warren Regional School District Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Brice resigned his post during a closed door meeting with the school committee Monday evening. Dr. Brice confirmed his departure … more

By Ted Hayes | 7/20/21

School committee members Victor Cabral, Marjorie McBride and Tara Thibaudeau discuss a point made by a resident during the open meeting at the high school on Monday night.

School board members give in, then fire back at critics

Bristol Warren schools will not open on the first full day of Rosh Hashanah this fall, after Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Brice issued a directive Monday afternoon that overrules an earlier school … more

By Ted Hayes | 7/20/21

Brice: Bristol Warren schools will be closed for Rosh Hashanah

Bristol Warren schools will be closed on Rosh Hashanah this fall, after Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Brice issued a directive Monday afternoon that overrules the school committee's earlier vote to … more

By Ted Hayes | 7/19/21

xBryan Ganley (left) lost a close friend to suicide. Melissa Cotta (right) tried to help but could not stop a man from jumping off the Mt. Hope Bridge. Together, they’re asking for suicide prevention barriers on Rhode Island’s three largest bridges.

Activists launch petition drive in support of bridge barriers

Bryan Ganley and Melissa Cotta, co-founders of Bridging the Gap for Safety and Healing, have been working tirelessly for years to have suicide prevention barriers installed on Rhode Island’s … more

By Christy Nadalin | 7/15/21