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

A security guard waiting to assist customers hangs outside the entrance to Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center on the first day of recreational cannabis sales on Thursday, Dec. 1.

Portsmouth doesn’t expect windfall from cannabis tax

PORTSMOUTH — Less than a week after recreational cannabis sales began at Portsmouth’s Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center along with four other dispensaries around the state, local … more

By Jim McGaw | 12/7/22

Bradley Hospital enrolls teens with OCD for brain stimulation research study

EAST PROVIDENCE — The Pediatric Anxiety Research Center (PARC) at Bradley Hospital has begun enrolling teens for a study focused on the use of a non-invasive type of brain stimulation … more

12/7/22

Portsmouth’s Stoddard Rice (left) and Barrington’s Erik Hall battle for possession of the puck during Sunday night’s Injury Fund contest.

Barrington dominates Portsmouth in Injury Fund hockey

PORTSMOUTH — Last year, the Division II Portsmouth Patriots hockey team played admirably against Division I Barrington High in the annual Injury Fund exhibition game, losing by just a goal … more

12/6/22

Tatum Brennan adjusts a tomato cage at the AgInnovation Farm back in 2020. (File photo)

Funding grows learning opportunities at student farm

PORTSMOUTH — BankNewport has provided funding to support a sun shade at the student-run Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm at Cloverbud Ranch off Middle Road. more

12/6/22

Laurel Polselli and Kateri Buerman, founders of Four Hearts Foundation, at the “Santa Claus for a Cause” fund-raiser on Sunday to benefit the Foundation’s effort to rebuild the Portsmouth Community Playground.

‘Santa Claus for a Cause’ benefits new Portsmouth playground

PORTSMOUTH — More than 170 families skipped the mall and instead visited “Santa Claus for a Cause” at the Newport Car Museum on Sunday. more

12/6/22

Lukas Perry, 7 months, took his visit with Santa Claus very seriously during Sunday's annual tree-lighting ceremony at the Portsmouth Free Public Library.

Portsmouth Library's tree lighting gets families in the holiday spirit (photos)

PORTSMOUTH — Local kids got an up-close visit with Santa Claus Sunday night after he arrived by fire truck to the Portsmouth Free Public Library. The occasion? Why, the library's annual … more

12/5/22

Letter: Oh hail, the GOP's return to prominence

Welcome to the very slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Some voters eagerly await the restored elegance and wisdom of the Grand Old Party. Their slight ascendance was, of … more

12/1/22

Letter: As Mayflower plan moves ahead, wind power prices skyrocket

Thanks very much for your informative report published on Nov. 23, 2022 . Information on this subject is typically only released in a favorable fashion by the regulators. I am quite sure … more

11/30/22

Letter: Discourse falls aside as name-calling and polarity reigns

September of 2016 was when Hilary Clinton famously said that half of Trump’s supporters was a basket of deplorables. True or not, it's certainly not a phrase likely to endear one to … more

11/30/22

Blues singer-songwriter Ryan Lee Crosby poses with one of his 12-string guitars outside a neighbor’s home in Island Park, Portsmouth.

Suburban blues singer channels the stark sounds of Mississippi

PORTSMOUTH — Throw on “Winter Hill Blues,” the title track from Ryan Lee Crosby’s latest album, and close your eyes. more

By Jim McGaw | 11/30/22

Emily Skeehan, Fred Faerber III, Isabelle Kelly, and Sondra Blank (from left) are sworn in as members of the Portsmouth School Committee by Gov. Daniel McKee during a ceremony at Town Hall Monday night.

Eleven Portsmouth officials sworn in by Gov. McKee

PORTSMOUTH — Kevin Aguiar was voted in as president of the Town Council for another two years following a swearing-in ceremony Monday in which members of the council and School Committee … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/28/22

The Portsmouth Middle School "Little Theater" has been awarded a $56,502 Champlin Foundation grant for a sound system. (File photo)

Four Portsmouth organizations win Champlin grants

PORTSMOUTH — The Champlin Foundation has awarded more than $170,000 in capital funding to four nonprofit organizations in Portsmouth. more

11/28/22

Portsmouth High running back Tyler Hurd and his teammates celebrate his five-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Neal Tullson against the Islanders in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. The Patriots won, 20-0.

Portsmouth blanks Middletown in Thanksgiving game

PORTSMOUTH — In a matchup of two Super Bowl finalists, the Portsmouth Patriots proved to be the superior team with a 20-0 shutout of island rival Middletown in the annual Thanksgiving Day … more

11/25/22

Little Compton native Emily Mushen (foreground), shown here with thrift store employees Louise Dion and Kelly Pianka, is taking over the helm as the new director of the East Bay Food Pantry.

New food pantry director takes the lead in a time of need

As a longtime volunteer at the East Bay Food Pantry, Emily Mushen knew the organization well, so when the prior director decided to step down, it was a smooth transition. more

By Christy Nadalin | 11/24/22

Letter: Thank you for supporting League candidate forums

To the editor: The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island would like to thank the candidates who participated and citizens who sent in questions for our forums in Bristol, Warren, Barrington and … more

11/23/22

The Mt. Hope Bridge will be subject to a feasibility study for the possible construction of anti-suicide barriers.

Study for Mt. Hope Bridge suicide barrier approved

Suicide prevention advocates say that progress is not happening fast enough on a measure to prevent suicides from Rhode Island's prominent bridges. more

By Christy Nadalin | 11/23/22

Letter: There’s a cost of doing nothing on trash operation

To the editor: Something us Americans do not enjoy is unnecessarily overpaying for goods and services. The policies advocated by those with a fixation on simply low taxes fail to take into … more

11/23/22

Letter: Thanks from Senator-elect Ujifusa

To the editor: I’d like to thank everyone who worked on my campaign and those who voted for me in the last election. It is an honor to represent State Senate District 11. During my … more

11/23/22

Letter: East Bay area needs its own hospital

To the editor: Thomas Paine, the often quoted colonial newsman, once wrote, "If you are afraid to offend, you can't be honest.” Hospitals across the river and the Washington Bridge … more

11/23/22

Board of Elections certifies 2022 election results in Rhode Island

CRANSTON — At a public meeting held Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 22, the members of the Rhode Island Board of Elections voted unanimously to certify the results of the Rhode Island 2022 … more

11/22/22

Witness a shifting of the tectonic plates in R.I. politics

STORY OF THE WEEK: Every now and then, the tectonic plates of Rhode Island politics shift, as campaign season fades and a fresh batch of leaders takes on new roles. We’re seeing that to some … more

By Ian Donnis | 11/22/22

Review finds no discrepancies with 2022 election results

CRANSTON — The Rhode Island Board of Elections completed its Risk Limiting Audit (RLA) of the state’s 2022 General Election results on Monday, Nov. 21. Results indicate no election … more

11/21/22

Portsmouth Abbey’s Merritt Coward (left), Dakota Ormiston, Summer Magriby and Gwen Canuel celebrate after winning a point against Beaver Country Day in the quarterfinals at the Abbey on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Portsmouth Abbey girls lose to Cushing Academy in finals

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Abbey’s girls’ volleyball team’s fine season came to an end on Sunday, when it was defeated 3-1 by Cushing Academy in the Class C bracket of the … more

By Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 11/21/22

Portsmouth Patriots cornerback Tyler Hurd tips a pass from St. Raphael Academy quarterback Daniel Wulf that was intended for Damien Ocampo (right), in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Division II Super Bowl at Cranston Stadium. Hurd, who doubled up on Ocampo with teammate Evan Tullson (No. 10), juggled the ball a few times before hauling it in for the interception. PHS couldn’t capitalize on the great play, however, and ended up losing by a touchdown with just 38 seconds left on the clock. The Patriots host Middletown for the annual Thanksgiving Day game at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Portsmouth loses Super Bowl in last-minute heartbreaker

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Patriots played 47 minutes and 12 seconds of near-flawless, shutout defense during their bid for a Division II Super Bowl title against St. Raphael Academy at … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/21/22

The author (second from left) and others caught this 11-foot thresher shark southeast of Newport, within sight of land, back in September. Anglers are seeing obvious changes in the local fishery, with cold-water fish like lobster and winter flounder migrating north, and warm-water bait fish like squid and mackerel moving in, attracting more sharks and tuna than ever before.

Op-Ed: We need climate-ready fisheries now

In Rhode Island, fisheries play a huge role in our economy and our way of life, but lately, we are seeing some concerning trends in our local fisheries. Anglers are experiencing climate impacts on … more

By Greg Vespe | 11/21/22