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

Harvest Fair taking place all weekend in Middletown

For over 45 years, the Norman Bird Sanctuary has brought visitors from far and wide together for a celebration of the harvest season through its annual Harvest Fair. The event is a fall favorite on … more

9/28/22

Barrington’s Hank Alessandro and his club team 3D New England Red recently won the Boy’s Inside Lacrosse Elite Eight National Championship.

Barrington resident helps team win national title

Barrington’s Hank Alessandro and his club team 3D New England Red won the Boy’s Inside Lacrosse Elite Eight National Championship in Baltimore, Md. The team is the number one ranked … more

9/28/22

Tim O'Toole works a sifter to recover small artifacts from a construction trench at the Wilbor House.

Little Compton Historical Society needs help digging

Since June, L ittle Compton Historical Society workers have uncovered more than 1,000 artifacts from a 180-square foot construction trench at the Wilbor House, the society's headquarters … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/28/22

Courtney Rocha places a bag of groceries into a trunk as the food bank doles out their weekly food pick up.  Pastor Seth Fortier is right.

Westport Food Pantry sees uptick and demand as inflation rises

Volunteers at the Westport Food Pantry are seeing greater need for their services as rising inflation impacts the price of food, and they are predicting a particularly busy holiday season. The … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/28/22

A group of Barrington school officials and middle school students celebrate the Green Ribbon Award won by Barrington Middle School. Holding the check for a $1.5 million energy bonus are RI Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green (left) and Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore.

Barrington Middle School earns district $1.5 million

The Commissioner of Education in Rhode Island stopped by Barrington Middle School last week to help celebrate a special Green Ribbon awarded to the school. Commissioner Angélica … more

By Josh Bickford | 9/28/22

Letter: Save taxpayer money by sending Hodgson into retirement

With seven active lawsuits against Sheriff Hodgson, frequent payments made for positive accreditations, sponsoring non correctional related programs, travel and extra curricular activities, are there … more

9/28/22

Letter: Time to call it a career, sheriff

Thomas Hodgson started his career in law enforcement. His site says he is "tough on crime." Being "tough on crime" is the responsibility of the professionals in our local police … more

9/28/22

Letter: Judges, bought and sold, threaten our foundation

Judges come in three “flavors,” coerced, independent, or toddy. In places like The Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia, judges seem fully coerced. Their processes are opaque; … more

9/28/22

Letter: Mayflower wind: Writer's challenges were NIMBYism

Ralph Mace of Portsmouth asks the question of me and Phil Bartlett, “How much would you consider wind power a viable choice if the cabling were to pass through Westport not Portsmouth?” I … more

9/28/22

Yusef Abdullah breaks away from a would-be Cumberland tackler for the EPHS football team in the Townies' Division II outing against the visiting Clippers September 24 at Pierce Stadium.

Gallery: EPHS football falls to Cumberland

EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence High School football team, coming off a fine win over St. Raphael in its Division II season opener the week prior, fell to Cumberland last week in … more

Photos by Tyler Maxwell | 9/28/22

Independence Park has been approved as the site of a memorial recognizing Bristol's role in the transatlantic slave trade and honoring those who endured its horrors.

Bristol approves location for new slave trade 'Port Marker'

The exact specifications of the memorial — including what it would say, how it would look, and where precisely it would go in the park — are still to be determined. more

By Ethan Hartley | 9/28/22

Tyler Robinson nears the finish line as the top runner for the EPHS boys' cross country squad in the Townies' recent meet at Tiverton.

EPHS cross country teams step off 2022 seasons

EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence High School cross country teams continued their respective 2022 regular seasons in recent days, the boys’ squad with solid numbers and reasonable … more

By Mike Rego | 9/28/22

Local candidates for general assembly seats (top row, from left to right) Sam Read (House, District 66), Jason Knight (House, District 67), Pam Lauria (Senate, District 32) and (bottom row) Jennifer Boylan (House, District 66), Scott Fuller (House, District 67) and Rhonda Holmes (Senate, District 32).

Ask the candidates: How would you make the East Bay better?

Question: What could you do as a legislator to make the East Bay a better place to live? District 32, Senate Pam Lauria (D) — “The East Bay is incredibly vulnerable to the … more

9/28/22

Unique musical performance on Sunday at Tiverton Four Corners

This Sunday, the Tiverton Four Corners Art Center hosts performer Sean Gaskell, on the kora, an ancient 21-stringed harp from West Africa. He will feature traditional songs that are the … more

9/28/22

A film lecture series to die for

From the pages of the masters comes “Horror and Suspense – From Page to Screen” presented by librarian and film enthusiast Doug Swiszcz. Films begin with brief commentary from Doug … more

9/28/22

Save The Bay’s Wenley Ferguson holds a photograph, taken by a volunteer and shared on the MyCoast app, showing the access road (right behind her) to the former boat ramp at Gull Cove completely underwater during a king tide last year. “It shows how vulnerable this area is,” Ferguson said.

Portsmouth: Protecting shoreline access during climate change

PORTSMOUTH — At Gull Cove Tuesday morning, Wenley Ferguson, director of habitat restoration for Save The Bay, held up a large photograph that was taken by a volunteer and shared on the … more

By Jim McGaw | 9/28/22

Todd Blount, president of Blount Fine Foods, Bacary Diatta, a Senegal native who started a successful hibiscus-based food company out of Hope & Main, and Lisa Raiola, founder of Hope & Main in Warren, provided thoughts during a panel discussion at the CIC in Providence.

A new Branch on RI’s growing food tree

Warren’s Todd Blount and Lisa Raiola spoke at an event welcoming Branchfood accelerator to Rhode Island. more

By Ethan Hartley | 9/28/22

Free folk concert and day of fun at the farm

The Collaborative, a nonprofit arts organization in Warren, presents Folk at the Farm, a fun day of live music, art, food from local restaurants and drinks. Performing will be the Atwater-Donnelly … more

9/28/22

See the stars and much more at free Astronomy event

An Astronomy Day co-hosted by the Barrington Recreation Dept. and the Astronomical Society of New England will feature solar observing is from 1 to 4:30 p.m., using special telescopes that safely … more

9/28/22

Freshman middle hitter Gianna Lunney drops the ball over the net for a point during the team’s win over North Smithfield on Friday night.

Shaw, Malafronte lead Huskies past North Smithfield 3-1

Mia Shaw posted ten kills and 16 assists as Mt. Hope came from behind to beat North Smithfield 3-1 (23-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-21) at home on Friday night. The Huskies volleyball team is currently 3-3 … more

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 9/28/22

Center back Ryan Borges (left) and the defense have been stellar this season, helping Westport to limit opponents quality scoring opportunities.

Brodeur scores two as Wildcats shutout Holbrook 3-0

The Westport soccer team shutout Holbrook 3-0 on Tuesday after crushing previously undefeated Atlantis Charter School 6-0 on Saturday. The Wildcats improved their undefeated season record to 6-0 and … more

Story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 9/28/22

Barrington's Charlotte Danyla returns a shot during a state tournament qualifying match last week.

Camaraderie powers Barrington High School girls tennis team

The Barrington High School girls tennis team lost nine starters from last year’s squad, but despite the player turnover, the Eagles have powered to a strong 3-1 start. Barrington … more

By Josh Bickford | 9/27/22

Junior Hunter Phillips and senior Santiago Armas, Engineering majors with Electrical specializations, and Assistant Professor of Engineering Ahmet Akosman outside the Lasers Lab.

Two RWU students conduct cutting-edge lasers research

The two undergraduates got to test-drive NASA-grade tools, learning how to build a laser, handle fiber optic components, and operate a splicer, while conducting numerous research experiments. more

By Melanie Thibeault | 9/27/22

Anthony "Tony" Silvia Jr. started cleaning up Little Compton's shoreline at 16. Now 66, he has no plans of stopping.

Little Compton's 'seashore guardian' has been at it for half a century

Armed with a picker and bucket, Anthony “Tony” Silvia Jr., 66, has spent a majority of his life patrolling the beaches at the end of Town Way to keep the shoreline spotless. A … more

By Jen Campisi | 9/27/22

State and local officials toss shovels full of sand marking the groundbreaking of the new East Bay Bike Path bridges during a special event on Monday, Sept. 26.

State replacing bike path bridges

Nearly three years to the day the state closed the East Bay Bike Path bridges, officials gathered to celebrate their upcoming replacement. More than a dozen state and local officials attended the … more

By Josh Bickford | 9/27/22