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

Editorial: Theater company deserves better than eviction

Perhaps this drama will have a happy ending, but the plot to pry the Bristol Theatre Company from its home in the former Reynolds School building feels unnecessarily dark. First, the theater … more

4/22/21

Editorial: ‘Tax the rich!’

When state governments need money, they often focus on familiar targets: personal sins (drinking, smoking and gambling), fossil fuels and the rich. In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing … more

4/15/21

Editorial: The answer is optics, blowing in the wind

This town’s obsession with optics is growing. It seems every passion, cause and public spat ends up on a lawn sign, waving in the breeze from front lawns everywhere. We have signs … more

4/9/21

Editorial: The same, but different in Barrington

Football, cheerleading and volleyball were approved for competition at Barrington High School. Unified volleyball was not . Why? There’s no clear reason, other than the school department is … more

3/26/21

Editorial: The government giveth and taketh away

The main notion behind the multi-trillion-dollar federal bailout was to pump aid directly and immediately to citizens who have suffered financial harm during the pandemic. That injection of cash will … more

3/26/21

Editorial: South Lake management as smooth as the road itself

Management of scenic South Lake Drive in Barrington has been as bumpy as the road itself. Three months ago, Town Manager Jim Cunha announced he would be closing the road to vehicular traffic. He … more

3/26/21

Editorial: Bristol, a great place to …

A generation ago, many would finish that sentence by saying Bristol is a great place to raise a family. Would they still today? We ask because of what we discovered while researching population … more

3/12/21

Editorial: From flags to philosophies, Barrington council is in new space

Now that the Town of Barrington has made public symbolism one of its core principles, residents can expect a fair amount of their government’s time to be devoted to the cause — causes, … more

3/4/21

Editorial: Pandemic brings out the best in Bristol

Bristol residents are in good hands these days — which is noteworthy, since “these days” are some of the worst days in anyone’s lifetime. The pandemic is approaching its … more

3/4/21

Editorial: Young artists deserve their time to shine too

Covid has interrupted so many of life’s normal routines, but most jarring are those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can never be recovered. Weddings can be postponed until better days. … more

2/18/21

Editorial: Warp Speed wearing thin

‘Operation Warp Speed’ has become a bad joke and nowhere is it less amusing than in Rhode Island. Last week, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center released a vaccination … more

2/18/21

Editorial: Good riddance to outdated toll system

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority’s move to fully automated toll collection this week is welcome and long overdue. Starting Feb. 14, the bridge authority will launch a … more

2/12/21

Editorial: East Beach — Move the flotsam

Seasonal residents of Westport’s East Beach Road get to park their trailers on a place that common sense, Mother Nature, and rising sea levels suggest is badly suited for structures of any … more

2/5/21

Editorial: A better route for a better Bristol

As municipal design projects go, the effort to design a new bike route through Bristol is about as good as it gets. Paid for by state government, the process has been thorough and deliberate, with … more

2/4/21

Editorial: Missteps and marathon meetings in Barrington

It’s been quite a week for the Town of Barrington, beginning with the stumbling missteps of the Covid-19 vaccination rollout and ending with a six-hour-plus Town Council meeting so unwieldy it … more

2/3/21

Editorial: Vaccinate the teachers

Choosing who gets the COVID-19 vaccine, and when, is one of the greatest challenges a public servant has ever faced. That’s saying a lot for a group of both elected and appointed leaders who … more

1/21/21

Editorial: Can we dial down the animosity in America?

If written a week ago, this editorial would describe the shame and embarrassment of watching one of the sad days in American history unfold on live television. It would excoriate all those … more

1/14/21

Editorial: No more snow days :(

Cursed 2020 has taken so much already (freedoms, joy, travel, livelihoods, not to mention precious lives) … did it need to take away the beloved snow day, too? When Rhode Island acted … more

12/17/20

Editorial: To the retiring town clerk, thanks for a job well done

A generation ago, maybe two, the leaders of local government agencies were typically well-known residents from entrenched families who ascended to the top positions through patronage, political party … more

12/3/20

Editorial: Shopping locally matters more than ever

It’s always a good idea to shop locally, and it might mean more this year than ever before. The pandemic has disrupted everything — every person, every organization, every business. … more

11/25/20

Editorial: Town needs a better plan for South Lake

Most folks in town know South Lake Drive, and many will remember the first time they discovered it. Lightly marked and somewhat hidden, it feels almost mysterious, and a new driver might wonder if … more

11/21/20

Editorial: This unstructured life is getting away from us

Several years ago the clinical and medical worlds stopped labeling people ‘autistic’ and began labeling them with ‘autism spectrum disorder.’ The change signified a deeper … more

11/13/20

Editorial: Time to hit the re-set button in Barrington government

The election is over, and a new era begins. It’s time to forget the past and hope a new administration can change the culture of government. We’re talking about the Barrington Town … more

11/12/20

Editorial: Barrington is outsourcing leadership

Toward the end of the Barrington Town Council meeting on Monday night, councilors approved a $25,000 annual contract with NDM Consulting to serve as the town’s emergency management coordinator. … more

11/6/20

Editorial: Why Bristol doesn't need a 'Mayor'

Bristol does not need a mayor and is best served by electing a town administrator to lead its government. A familiar question for Bristol voters, who have soundly rejected it numerous times … more

10/29/20