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Todd Nicholson and Rebecca Ernst stand inside the 8,000-square-foot space that will house their Pivotal Brewing Company. Part of “Unity Park,” rising in the shell of the old Industrial Park off Wood Street, its construction has been delayed for many months because of supply line delays with their custom, historic windows.

Brewery to anchor new Unity Park development in Bristol

If not for the windows, a recent tour of Pivotal Brewing Company, one of the many new tenants set to make a splash at Unity Park, the site of the former Bristol Industrial Park, would have certainly … more

By Christy Nadalin | 6/10/21

The Robin Rug mill complex at the south end of Thames Street has been the focus of redevelopment speculation for a few decades. A new proposal would create 151 apartments inside the complex.

Tourister developer has a plan for downtown Bristol mill

Brady Sullivan Properties, LLC, which redeveloped the former American Tourister factory in Warren , is seeking approval to redevelop the Thames Street Robin Rug complex into “Bristol Yarn … more

By Christy Nadalin | 6/9/21

Virginia  Boyle directs the guitar ensemble performing “Merengue,” by Richard Charlton, during Mt. Hope High School's spring concert at the school on Saturday afternoon.

Photos: Music on a sunny afternoon

The Mt. Hope Spring Concert was performed outdoors in front of a large crowd with folding chairs and umbrellas, in the senior parking lot on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The String Ensemble, … more

Photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 6/8/21

The East Bay Bike Path bridges have been closed since 2019.

East Bay legislators file bill to reopen bike path bridges

Rep. Jason Knight is leading a charge to have the state repair and reopen the two closed East Bay Bike Path bridges. Rep. Knight and a group of his fellow East Bay representatives want the state … more

6/7/21

Senior Nathan Lima works with a drill press fitted with a mortise bit in the Mt. Hope High School wood shop. A part of the Construction pathway since he came to Mt. Hope in the 10th grade, Nathan already has a job lined up after graduation.

Mt. Hope building new pathways to adulthood

Vocational training at the high school level has a new look, and a variety of programs are being implemented to help connect students with opportunities — while also connecting the … more

By Christy Nadalin | 6/4/21

Proudly wearing the crowns Saturday night are 2021 Little Miss Fourth of July Eden Sweeney (left) and Miss Fourth of July Victoria Travassos.

After a year's hiatus, Bristol crowns Miss Fourth

Since 1948, the crowning of Miss Fourth of July, and more recently, Little Miss Fourth of July, has been an annual tradition. As with so many things, 2020 broke the pageant streak, though the … more

By Christy Nadalin | 6/3/21

Cause of Bristol house fire is still under investigation

Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire that displaced a couple from their 30 Defiance Ave. home in the middle of the night last week. The fire was reported at 1:40 a.m. on … more

By Scott Pickering | 6/2/21

Mount Hope Farm representative Merritt Meyer (center) leads a tour of the property with Bristol Historic District Commission members (left to right) John Allen, Oryann Lima and Ben Bergenholtz. To his left is the farm’s executive director, Sheri St. Germain. Behind them all is a foundation poured without any town review or approvals that triggered a cease and desist order, as well as a mandatory review of the farm’s master plan with the town.

Mount Hope Farm working to right their wrongs

Mount Hope Farm is on the road to redemption with the Town of Bristol, after more than a year of odd missteps. Their latest step was a walking tour of the farm last Friday morning for members of the … more

By Scott Pickering | 5/27/21

A firefighter walks 16a Prospect Street resident June Leone and her brother, Brian Jarvis, to a Red Cross truck for treatment Tuesday evening. Another resident of the three-family structure died when it caught fire.

Fire chief identifies victim of Bristol blaze

Bristol Fire Chief Michael DeMello released the identity of the victim in a deadly fire Tuesday evening . The deceased is 34-year-old Corey Rogers, a resident of the 16 Prospect St. multi-family … more

5/26/21

Warren town manager lobbies for educational funding

The most recent school budget cycle was one of the most painful in recent memory, with Bristol Warren Regional School Committee members on Monday voting to lay off nearly 25 full time employees and … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/21/21

Bristol Police: Two arrests for DUI, plus problems between neighbors

Bristol police officers made a handful of arrests, including two for driving under the influence, from May 10 to 17. Monday, May 10 A sick animal was reported on Dominion Avenue at 2:21 … more

5/21/21

Wenley Ferguson of Save the Bay directs volunteers where to plant nearly 1,600 trees and shrubs along the future Bristol Golf Course last week.

Volunteers bring life to the Bristol golf course

It’s not often (if ever) you hear of non-profit volunteers being asked to turn up in numbers to supply free labor to enhance a golf course, but that’s exactly what happened last week in … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/21/21

Bristol manages millions in special projects funds

A request at the February Bristol Town Council meeting to establish a special fund to raise money for the restoration of a painting of Thomas Shepard, Bristol’s first superintendent of schools, … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/20/21

Couple and realtor signing papers for new house

The buying frenzy — and frustration — continue

Your company just announced that your division is being relocated from the Midwest headquarters to the East Coast. In fact, your new office is situated in Rhode Island — home to beautiful … more

By Josh Bickford | 5/20/21

Do you take cash?

Here’s a new phenomenon in the local real estate market. An increasing number of buyers are offering to pay cash for properties. Does that mean they actually bring a suitcase of Benjamins to … more

By Scott Pickering | 5/20/21

A large crowd flooded State Street for the Bristol Merchants Association’s State Street Fair and Arts Festival on Saturday. Gorgeous spring weather and the easing of some COVID restrictions helped the event seem almost normal.

Downtown festival felt almost like normal in Bristol

With sunshine and live music, crowds of people in Bristol’s downtown and dozens of vendors, the Bristol Merchants Association put on an event Saturday that went a long way toward dispelling the … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/19/21

A bicyclist rolls along the sidewalk near the eastern edge of the Barrington River Bridge. The RI Department of Transportation is planning to make changes to the current detour for the closed bike path bridges. Residents and elected officials asked the DOT to rebuild the bridges.

Public pleads for new bike path bridges

The DOT is offering an improved detour, but stopped short of promising new bike path bridges. During a special public forum earlier this month, a high-ranking Rhode Island Department of … more

By Josh Bickford | 5/19/21

The Mt. Hope Masqueraders, with theatre director Nick Mendillo front and center, pose after winning the Rhode Island Drama Festival in 2019, the last year it was held.

Bristol Warren reduces theatre position to part time

Mt. Hope High School's theatre program will live on in some form, following the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee unanimous decision Monday evening to approve $2.3 million in budget cuts this … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/17/21

Bristol Police: Arrests for sexual assault and child molestation

Bristol Police made three arrests from May 3 to May 9, including two in sexual assault cases. Monday, May 3 Roger Williams University security called police to the campus at 8:17 a.m. … more

5/14/21

It’s all hands on deck for a busy year of events celebrating 50 years for the Herreshoff Marine Museum. The Herreshoff team includes (from left to right) Jackie Crosby, director of finance; Lucy Renauld, bookkeeper; Bill Lynn, executive director; Marian Wenge, membership coordinator; Ted Regan, director of advancement; Kirk Cusic, education director; Ellary Gamache, museum manager; and Norene Rickson, librarian.

A year to remember at Herreshoff

“It’s going to be a busy year around here,” said Herreshoff Marine Museum Executive Director Bill Lynn about the 2021 season that marks the 50th year of Herreshoff, the Museum (the … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/14/21

Downtown Bristol hosts Fair and Arts Festival this Saturday

The Bristol Merchants Association (BMA) held its first event of the season last month, under slightly gray and chilly skies. Nonetheless, there was enough enthusiasm among organizers and attendees to … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/13/21

Lilly, Abby and Elliot Pellerin clean up in the Kickemuit Avenue neighborhood in Bristol.

Bristol volunteers pick up a ton (literally) of trash

The Town of Bristol hosted its 32 nd coastal clean-up event on Saturday, May 1, and had about 120 very passionate volunteers turn out to support the effort. “We were pleasantly surprised … more

5/13/21

Chase Gilroy was charged with vandalism on May 13.

Bristol Police arrest Warwick man in 'White Boy' sticker case

Bristol Police have arrested one of two men they believe placed Nazi-themed stickers on signs downtown last month. Chase Gilroy, age 26, of Warwick, was taken into custody this morning after turning … more

5/13/21

Mike, Steve and Ken Januario (left to right), business owners, donors and “all-around good guys,” will lead the 2021 Bristol Fourth of July celebration.

Three to lead the Bristol Fourth

The selection of the Bristol Fourth of July chief marshal is an honor given solely to the general chairman of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee — even the other members of the committee … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/13/21

Police released this image of two men suspected of placing "White Boy" stickers with Nazi symbols in downtown Bristol last month.

Council declares ‘Love Has a Home in Bristol’

The May 5 Bristol Town Council meeting wrapped up with a series of agenda items that were a departure from the standard fare of committee appointments and victualing licenses. In a string of public … more

By Christy Nadalin | 5/12/21