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Shannon Watson sniffs a rose before tossing it into Blue Bill Cove Sunday afternoon in memory of her son, Cole, who died at the age of 22 after jumping from the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge on May 7, 2022. Her husband, Tom, is behind her. They were attending a healing vigil behind Thriving Tree Coffee House in remembrance of those lost to bridge suicide in Rhode Island.

Hope, comfort for those impacted by bridge suicide

PORTSMOUTH — Monica Taft had just left a funeral hours earlier when her phone blew up with urgent calls and messages. more

By Jim McGaw | 5/2/23

New details emerge in Tiverton police officer's arrest

Months before he was arrested and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one of simple assault for allegedly activating his taser at a Tiverton High School assembly and sporting event last … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/29/23

Tiverton dinghy dock lottery underway — reserve your spot

Tiverton residents can now take part in a lottery for one of a dozen dinghy spaces created at the town's new dinghy dock at the Stonebridge Abutment. The lottery is open to both Tiverton and … more

4/27/23

Myles Arkins, a lifelong Little Compton resident, is the newest member of the town's housing trust.

New face at the Little Compton Housing Trust

A new face was introduced at the most recent Little compton Housing Trust meeting early last month. Myles Arkins fills a vacant spot on the seven-member board after he was named to the post over the another … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/27/23

Little Compton tax rate set to rise marginally under budget

Homeowners in Little Compton will paying “slightly more” in taxes next year if the town's current budget plan stands as is. The current tax rate of $4.90 per $1,000 of assessed property … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/26/23

Portsmouth High’s Tristan Thomas competes in the high jump during Monday’s meet in East Providence. He won the pole vault event with a best effort of 10 feet.

Portsmouth's Landon Rodrigues wins 4 events at track meet

EAST PROVIDENCE — Landon Rodrigues won four events as the Portsmouth High boys’ outdoor track team swept a meet in East Providence Monday. The final team scores were Portsmouth 92.5, … more

4/25/23

Portsmouth High shortstop Megan Malone takes a throw from first baseman Kaelyn Mahoney on a grounder to first to force out a Barrington baserunner last Thursday, April 20.

Portsmouth shuts out Barrington in softball, 11-0

BARRINGTON — The Portsmouth Patriots varsity softball team notched its first win of the season in impressive fashion last week, routing Barrington on the road, 11-0. Portsmouth scored three … more

4/25/23

DeSisto: Conflicts of interest won't be issue in Little Compton

Little Compton's new town solicitor said last Thursday that the recent concern expressed by a resident over possible conflicts of interest due to his legal practice is misplaced. … more

4/25/23

Westport farm sells for $1.1 million

Harbor View Farm, a large farm just east of the Rhode Island border at 253 Adamsville Road, sold earlier this month for $1.1 million. There was no word this week on the identity of the new owners. … more

4/25/23

A row of wrapped boats still await their spring awakening at Striper Marina near the Barrington Yacht Club. Striper is one of the numerous local marinas where boaters can take part in a fee-based recycling program for the shrinkwrap waste.

From wrap to recycle

Everyone living along the New England coastline is familiar with the sight of marinas in the winter. They transform into seas of plastic white, with thousands of boats shrink-wrapped for their … more

By Julia Stearly | 4/25/23

Members of the Angels laugh as they parade around the track at Town Farm during Saturday's Tiverton Baseball opening day ceremonies.

New Tiverton youth baseball league kicks off inaugural season

The fields were green, the skies dry, and while it wasn't the warmest day ever, April baseball is always a gamble. But the founders of Tiverton Baseball , a new youth baseball league that held its … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/24/23

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) announced on Sunday that the release of 10 million gallons of partially-treated stormwater and wastewater prompted the closing of two shellfishing zones, which includes waters in Warren and Bristol.

Fall River treatment plant sends 10 million gallons of wastewater into Mt. Hope Bay

A power failure that occurred early Sunday morning at a wastewater treatment facility in Fall River, Mass. was responsible for about 10 million gallons of partially treated wastewater and stormwater being released into Mt. Hope Bay. more

By Ethan Hartley | 4/24/23

Portsmouth High’s Kylie Delemos is pressured by a Barrington opponent while clearing the ball away from the Barrington goal Thursday night. The Eagles edged the Patriots, 13-12.

Portsmouth edged by Barrington in LAX thriller, 13-12

PORTSMOUTH — It was a battle of champions. In this corner, visiting Barrington — last year’s Rhode Island Division I girls’ lacrosse champions. And in this … more

4/21/23

A family enjoys a pizza on the beach Sunday, during Fogland's opening weekend last season.

A new way to pay at the beach in Tiverton

A round-up from the Tiverton Town Council's most recent meeting Monday: Grinnell’s, Fogland to go cashless Beach-goers will never have to worry about losing their wallet in the sand … more

4/20/23

Grand jury rules no charges should be brought in Little Compton death

The state will not pursue murder charges in the death of a Swansea man who died following a party in Little Compton last fall. Steven Velozo, 47, died following a party at his mother's … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/19/23

Jeffrey Heath has been named the new principal at Portsmouth High School.

Portsmouth taps Middletown principal to lead PHS

PORTSMOUTH — Effective July 1, Jeffrey Heath will be the new principal at Portsmouth High School. The School Committee Tuesday night voted unanimously to ratify Superintendent Thomas … more

By Jim McGaw | 4/19/23

Tiverton High School students listen to Alice Eichenbaum speak of her experiences during the holocaust of World War II.

Holocaust survivor tells Tiverton students: Never forget

Scores of Tiverton High School students gathered in the school’s library one recent Friday morning to hear Alice Eichenbaum, 95, speak about her experiences in the holocaust. The assembly, … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/19/23

Ava Monroe looks up from working on a design project within the Graphic Communications room at East Providence High School. Graphics is one of 10 different Career and Technical Education tracks offered at the school, where about half the students are enrolled in some form of CTE programming.

Career and Technical — a new era in education

Since school choice began to proliferate a few years ago, hundreds of students have chosen to leave their hometown districts and enroll elsewhere. They often enroll close to home, choosing a neighboring district or a district a short drive away. But not always. more

By Scott Pickering | 4/19/23

Beach-goers traverse cobbles as they look for a sandy spot at South Shore Beach Friday.

Locals decry overcrowding at Little Compton beach

With the summer season rapidly approaching, a handful of Little Compton residents –– a crowd, by the small town’s standards –– sat in on the Beach Commission meeting … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/18/23

Farmers Skip Paul (left) and Ben Wolbach hope to ease local pressures on farming here by housing seasonal workers on-site.

Farm labor — a hard row to hoe in Little Compton

In an industry so historically intrinsic, a Damoclean sword seems to hang precariously over the farmers of Little Compton, much of it driven by the high cost of doing business in a place so serene … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/13/23

Audrey Pham, a senior at Portsmouth High School, is organizing an art show fund-raiser to support the nonprofit Kids & Art Foundation.

In Portsmouth: Celebrating art’s power to heal

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth High School senior Audrey Pham knows how impactful art has been on her life. Now she wants to spread the word and help a good cause to boot. For her senior project, … more

By Lauren Daly | 4/13/23

The Longplex Family & Sport Center sprawls across several hundred thousand square feet of space in North Tiverton.

Tiverton OKs upcoming Longplex events

After cautioning that crowd control, public safety, and the potential for overflow parking continue to be major concerns, the Tiverton Town Council voted Monday to allow the Longplex Family & … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 4/12/23

“Chuck, you’re not supposed to talk — quiet,” local resident Sharlene Patton tells Town Council member Charles Levesque after he assured her there was no agreement between the Town of Portsmouth and SouthCoast Wind in place — or even being discussed. Patton was referring to Levesque’s earlier comment that he was recusing himself from any council deliberations regarding the wind energy developer’s proposal because his family owns property off Boyds Lane, through which SouthCoast wants to run transmission cables. Levesque, meanwhile, said Patton and others should not be speaking because the item was not on the agenda.

SouthCoast Wind foes demand answers from Portsmouth council

PORTSMOUTH — For a topic that wasn’t even on the council’s business agenda, it sure drew a lot of discussion. more

By Jim McGaw | 4/12/23

A comparison of the first quarter in 2022 to the first quarter in 2023 shows that actual sales have slowed in all categories of residential housing. The writer believes the market is in a period of transition, but it does not know which way it’s heading yet.

Analyst: The local real estate market is frozen

A review of the cities and towns up and down the East Bay, from Newport and Little Compton to East Providence, comparing the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2023, shows that unlike our … more

By Douglas Gablinske | 4/11/23

Walker's will re-open in Little Compton this summer

The news of Walker's Roadside Stand demise has apparently been greatly exaggerated — the Little Compton institution is back in business under the leadership of Ian Walker, founder Coll Walker's … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/11/23