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Members of the Class of 2024 walk away from Portsmouth High School one last time as they make their way to the athletic field to begin commencement exercises Friday night.

‘Embrace the unexpected with an open heart’

PORTSMOUTH — Olivia Chaves said she values “cohesion, efficiency, and structure” as a classroom English teacher at Portsmouth High School. more

By Jim McGaw | 6/9/24

Legislation requiring safe firearms storage passes full General Assembly

PROVIDENCE — With final votes in the Senate, Thursday night, June 6, the General Assembly has approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Justine Caldwell and Sen. Pamela J. Lauria to require safe … more

6/7/24

Assembly passes e-bike regulations – Yes to some, no to others

PROVIDENCE — The General Assembly voted on Thursday, June 6, to approve legislation from East Bay Rep. Jennifer Boylan and Sen. Dawn Euer to expand the legal use of electric bicycles in Rhode … more

6/7/24

A plan to establish a small oyster farm at Seapowet bridge has run into sharp opposition in Tiverton.

Tiverton oyster farm may end up derailed as House passes Seapowet bill

The House of Representatives has passed legislation that, if passed by the Senate and signed into law by the governor, could spell the end of a plan to develop a small oyster farm at the Sapowet … more

By Ted Hayes | 6/7/24

RIPTA will not move forward with service reductions

PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, RIPTA, will not move forward with previously proposed service reductions, which were scheduled to go into effect on Saturday, June 15, as … more

6/6/24

Portsmouth High’s Sean Wilkey spikes the ball through the arms of a Tolman defender during Tuesday night’s Division III semifinal matchup. The Patriots lost, 3-1.

Portsmouth eliminated in D-3 boys’ volleyball semis

PORTSMOUTH — In just its second season of competitive play, the Portsmouth High School boys’ volleyball team made it all the way to the Division III semifinals. more

6/6/24

Steven Peterson (center) as he appeared in Newport Superior Court on Tuesday. The former executive director of Be Great for Nate was found not guilty of a charge of indecent solicitation of a minor on Wednesday.

Peterson found not guilty of indecent solicitation of a minor

PORTSMOUTH — A jury of seven women and five men found former Be Great for Nate (BG4N) Executive Director Steven Peterson not guilty of indecent solicitation of a minor just a few hours after … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/5/24

Letter: What is to become of South Shore Beach?

I was startled that the page-one display story in the May 30th 2024 Sakonnet Times was not the news that for the first Memorial Day in memory, there was no sand beach at Little Compton’s … more

6/5/24

Meet Tiverton's Trash Queen

Although she marked her 76th birthday earlier this year, Joyce Andrews — known locally as the “Trash Queen” of Tiverton — has no plans to retire or relinquish her crown … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 6/5/24

Defendant Steven Peterson, the former executive director of Be Great for Nate, listens to testimony in Newport Superior Court on Tuesday.

State rests case against former Be Great for Nate director, awaiting verdict

“Stop asking me about my dick.” That’s what a 15-year-old boy attending Portsmouth High School said to his mentor and 26-year-old neighbor, Steven Peterson, during a late-night … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/5/24

Westport motorcyclist killed in Tiverton accident

Westport is mourning the loss of a well-known resident killed in a motorcycle accident on Route 24 Sunday evening. Michael Lees, 27, the owner of Lees Landscaping and Excavation LLC, died Sunday … more

By Ted Hayes | 6/4/24

Is R.I. healthcare ‘on the precipice of a disaster’?

STORY OF THE WEEK: During a fiery speech last Tuesday in the House of Representatives’ chamber at the Statehouse, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha warned of the growing healthcare … more

By Ian Donnis | 6/4/24

Portsmouth High’s Gyselle Mairs contains a La Salle opponent along the sideline during last week’s semifinal Division I lacrosse matchup.

Portsmouth edged by Rams, 14-13, in semifinal heartbreaker

PORTSMOUTH — It couldn’t have been any closer. The Portsmouth High girls’ lacrosse team battled as hard as they could, but La Salle scored just one more goal to win an epic … more

6/3/24

Portsmouth High’s Aiden Chen won the gold in the high jump during the Rhode Island State Track and Field Championships at Conley Stadium in Providence on Saturday. He was the only competitor to clear 6 feet, 4 inches on his first attempt.

Portsmouth's Chen, Gray champions at R.I. track meet

PORTSMOUTH — The Rhode Island track and field championships at Conley Stadium in Providence Saturday featured some outstanding performances from Portsmouth High School athletes. Aiden … more

6/3/24

Portsmouth High’s Megan Malone connects with the first pitch of the game while battling Ponaganset during the Division II winners’ bracket final on Sunday at Rhode Island College.

Ponaganset cools off red-hot Portsmouth softball team

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth High softball team won seven in a row before entering the Division II state championship tournament. Then they won two more, as the No. 5-seeded Patriots … more

6/3/24

Letter: If you don’t trust ballot box, be a poll worker

To the editor: The upcoming election is all about “saving democracy,” either from government overreach by Democrats or authoritarian Republicans. I’ve been thinking a lot about … more

6/3/24

Jeff Sullivan with a monster fluke caught on light tackle with one of his squid rigs.

Follow these pro tips to find the big fluke

As the spring migration of striped bass starts to slow, anglers begin to focus their attention on catching summer flounder (fluke). This year, like the past three years, has gotten off to a slow … more

By Capt. Dave Monti | 6/3/24

On R.I. healthcare: Keep fiddling while Rome is burning

Legend has it that while a fire destroyed the city of Rome, then Emperor Nero played his violin, thus revealing his total lack of understanding of what was happening during a crisis. If Nero headed … more

By Arlene Violet, Esq. | 6/3/24

Pamela Huizenga has owned the old Simmons’ Cafe and Market for a year, and has big plans.

An Adamsville institution, re-imagined

One year after purchasing the Simmons Café and Market in Adamsville, Pamela Huizenga is overseeing major renovations to its historic building, re-imagining the property’s landscaping, … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 6/3/24

Love Wins Coastal have gotten more than 100 requests for its "Love is Love" sign.

Little Compton council delays sign vote as Pride event nears

As a local organization prepares for its fourth Annual Pride Event in Little Compton, its organizers may have experienced a sense of déjà vu after town council members seemed reluctant … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 5/31/24

Volunteer Holly Lippert stocks the shelves at the Little Compton Food Bank one recent day.

In Little Compton, the hunger grows

While Little Compton is generally known as a wealthy community, an alternate reality exists for some local residents who must rely increasingly on area food banks to put food on their tables. … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 5/31/24

Portsmouth High’s Charlie Cord connects with a pitch while battling La Salle Academy in the Division I playoffs on Wednesday. The Patriots were eliminated by a score of 4-1.

Portsmouth eliminated from playoffs by La Salle, 4-1

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth High School boys’ varsity baseball team’s season came to an end Wednesday after falling to La Salle Academy on the road by a score of 4-1. The … more

5/30/24

A masterful depiction of a wartime heroine

‘The Women’ By Kristin Hannah Kristen Hannah has done it again with “The Women,” which has been #1 on Best-seller lists for weeks. Author of “The … more

By Donna Bruno | 5/28/24

The new osprey platform is in a prime location just off from Sakonnet Point.

New osprey nest at Sakonnet Point

They had to delay the work after thunder and lightning moved through the area Thursday, but a Little Compton man and a group of friends finally got decent weather Friday and managed to attach a new … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/28/24

Members of Portsmouth Abbey’s Class of 2024 pose for a photo during commencement exercises held Sunday. Fifteen students from Portsmouth received diplomas.

Portsmouth Abbey awards diplomas to Class of 2024

PORTSMOUTH — The clouds cleared and the sun shone brightly as faculty, staff and members of the Portsmouth Abbey Class of 2024 walked across the Holy Lawn at the onset of the school’s … more

5/27/24