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

Editorial: Be it resolved, a barrier to public access

A resolution being pushed before city and town councils throughout Rhode Island is asking for their support in making access to public records more challenging. Most of the thousands of bills … more

3/25/25

Editorial: Ethical gaps and lapses in R.I. government

Kudos to Common Cause Rhode Island for filing a complaint and seeking a tighter code of ethics in Rhode Island in the wake of a scandal involving Gov. Dan McKee and the awarding of a $5.2 million … more

12/27/24

Editorial: A high school sports system built for inequity

When we first learned that the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) had adopted a new system for rating the strength of Rhode Island high school sports teams, we were dubious. Now that it took … more

11/13/24

Editorial: Hope for the future — post-election

Regardless of who wins next Tuesday, the sun will rise next Wednesday. The Earth will keep spinning. Schools will welcome their students. Businesses will open their doors. Life will be much the same … more

10/30/24

Editorial: Bravo, to the League

The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island is providing a fantastic public service throughout the month leading up to Election Day. League volunteers, led by a group more robust and active than we … more

10/3/24

Editorial: A safer bike path for all

Among the flurry of bills being passed out of the Rhode Island General Assembly is a new law with big impact for the communities along the East Bay Bike Path. The “e-bikes bill” creates a … more

6/14/24

Editorial: APRA fight has government protecting government

Committees in both the Rhode Island House of Representatives and Rhode Island Senate have listened to testimony on a bill that would update and improve the state’s public records law. … more

4/4/24

Editorial: Washington Bridge 'accountability' starts at the top

Recently ConsumerAffairs, a consumer-focused news outlet, rated Rhode Island’s roads as the worst in the country in their 2024 report. The “All That” state slipped from … more

3/20/24

Editorial: Let the light shine

Government works best in the light. When its actions are open, seen and transparent, they can be measured. They can be scrutinized. They can be questioned. They can be challenged. more

3/14/24

Editorial: 'Public Comment' rules should be open, flexible and customer-friendly

In the years leading up to the pandemic, most Americans were hyper-focused on national-level politics, with Trump, the Democrats or the Republicans seemingly responsible for everything good or bad in … more

1/26/24

Editorial: Time to call it quits on ferry experiment

While this service could potentially be a fun concept to bolster tourism between Providence and the East Bay during the summer, it is far too costly to continue utilizing as an ineffective traffic mitigation tool. more

12/28/23

Editorial: A crisis for the East Bay

The impact of the Interstate 195 bridge closure cannot be overstated. It suffocates areas of Providence and East Providence, both economically and functionally, for months. more

12/14/23

Editorial: Why we endorse Gabe Amo in the Democratic Primary

Former U.S. Rep. David Cicilline put Rhode Island in a precarious position when he left office months after winning re-election to take another, more lucrative job. The result is an important federal … more

8/30/23

Keegan Younger, 13, paints a rainbow on the face of Evelyn Abat, 4, during Sunday’s Rockin’ Mama’s Pride Market held at the VFW Post 5390 hall in Common Fence Point. This was the second consecutive week for the event, which featured numerous local vendors, a bounce house, treats, live seafood and more to benefit Newport Pride. Last week’s event was marred by hateful graffiti on the railroad bridge entrance to the neighborhood, as well as the theft of some signs promoting the market. The neighborhood rallied around the organizer — Samantha Younger, Keegan’s mom — who vowed to make the event bigger and better the following week. It was. This time around there were no acts of theft or graffiti, and Younger thanked Portsmouth Police for the beefed-up patrols.

Editorial: Respond to hate — never ignore it

Around this time last year, The Portsmouth Times received an anonymous (of course!) letter in the mail from someone who didn’t like our coverage of Portsmouth High School’s graduation … more

6/13/23

Editorial: Best practices in government

A year ago, no one could have imagined that the Barrington School Committee would quickly become the model for openness in government. For much of the past five years, that board was mired in … more

6/7/23

Editorial: Yes and no to e-bikes on bike paths

Rhode Island needs to pass a law regulating electric bicycles and their use on bike paths. A bill before the General Assembly would do that, but the current version is flawed and potentially … more

5/10/23

Editorial: House package won’t fix affordable housing

A package of 14 housing bill may be a boon to private developers, but without further legislative action it is unlikely to result in helping those most in need of housing in the state. more

3/15/23

Editorial: In the public interest, it’s time to update the public records law

Setting aside journalists and citizen watchdogs, most people don’t care about public records laws — until they do care. When they find themselves in a land dispute with a neighbor, preparing a legal defense for their son’s disputed arrest, or questioning why a school district is building a new school instead of renovating an old one, they will care a lot about public records laws. more

3/1/23

Editorial: A conversation long overdue, and worth having

Rhode Island's affordable housing law has long been in need of adjustments and a fresh look. We're anxiously awaiting the results of just such an examination by state legislators. more

1/18/23

Editorial: Too many candidates chose not to debate

A frustrating new trend emerged this election season, as a disturbing number of candidates declined, refused or were unavailable to take part in public campaign forums with their opponents. … more

11/3/22

Editorial: End the cap on private school scholarships

In many cases where demand exceeds supply, forces realign and come into balance. Unless something like the Rhode Island General Assembly stands in the way. Through a little-known program created … more

9/21/22

Editorial: State needs clarity and regs for e-bikes on bike paths

There are myriad dangers on every bike path. Tour de France wanna-bees weave through the crowds, believing the path should be theirs alone. Children wobble helmet-less on their tricycles with light … more

8/25/22

Editorial: Exit common sense

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (DOT) will soon re-number all the exits on Interstate 95, marking the end of an era — the era of common sense. Unlike a rim-rattling pothole, … more

8/10/22

Editorial: A bad bill for any shoreline

The Sakonnet area’s legislative delegation should hit the brakes on bills that would severely restrict oyster farms along the Sakonnet River. With the legislative session expected to adjourn … more

6/22/22

Editorial: Pass new gun laws now

Rhode Island has enacted a handful of smart gun laws in the past decade, but it is not enough. At least five common-sense gun regulation bills sit stagnant in the Rhode Island General Assembly, where … more

6/2/22