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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

Editorial: In defense of legal notices

An array of bills before the Rhode Island General Assembly would chip away at both newspapers and transparency in government. They seek to alter numerous state laws that require governments, both … more

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

More than a dozen candidates lining up for a run at Congress

STORY OF THE WEEK: The Democratic field in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District is starting to gel, with a series of noteworthy developments this week. Former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg, … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/18/23

Letter: Republican Congress shares responsibility for gun deaths

Once again the Second Amendment has its day, this time in the sanctity of an elementary school. Six innocent lives brutally taken, three of them children. Mentally ill persons occur in all … more

4/18/23

Rick Wise of Wakefield with a striped bass he caught this week in Salt Pond using a white soft plastic lure.

Favorite ways to catch striped bass

We still have a lot of larger holdover striped bass in the 20- and 30-plus-inch range in the area. These are the fish that decided not to migrate south and ‘hold over’ here for the winter … more

By Capt. Dave Monti | 4/18/23

Letter: What of solicitor conflicts and hidden costs?

The following letter was sent to the Little Compton Town Council, following the recent appointment of Anthony DeSisto as the town's new solicitor. DeSisto also serves as council for the state Coastal … more

4/17/23

Letter: R.I. gun control laws will not make you safer

To the editor: Rhode Island’s General Assembly is about to consider a number of bills that can make you and your family less safe. These bills will restrict your firearms ownership, while … more

4/17/23

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

Sakonnet Times - Thursday, April 13, 2023

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

Spring Home Improvement 2023

Spring Home Improvement 2023 more

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

After years of focus, the state's economy remains a work in progress

STORY OF THE WEEK: Former Gov. Gina Raimondo talked a lot about the need to improve workers’ skills while building a more diversified economy. Her successor, Gov. Dan McKee, has emphasized … more

By Ian Donnis | 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

Patriots starting pitcher Damon Owen hurls one toward the plate during Portsmouth’s 4-1 win over Tiverton at home on Saturday. The righty surrendered one run on four hits over four innings, striking out six.

Portsmouth tops Tiverton, Cumberland to start season

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Patriots varsity baseball team got its season off on the right foot with back-to-back wins on Saturday and Monday. In a non-league game against … more

4/11/23

Missing Tiverton girl, 16, found safe

A 16-year-old Tiverton girl reported missing late last month has been found. Police said Avah Flower, 16, was found last week, days after her mother reported her missing on Friday, March 31. … more

4/10/23

Robert Fazzina, a Tiverton resident and abutter closest to proposed site, speaks vehemently against the proposed crematorium at a meeting last month.

Planning chairman admits misstep in Tiverton crematorium review

More than 200 residents crowded the Tiverton Middle School auditorium Tuesday evening for a planning board public hearing on a controversial proposal to build a crematorium in the north end of … more

By Ruth Rasmussen | 4/6/23

Sakonnet Times - Thursday, April 6, 2023

4/6/23

Letter: Housing in Little Compton — not NIMBYism, but reality

This letter is in response to Ms. Phinney’s recent Letter to the Editor in response to a letter submitted by my wife, Madeline O’Dell. The fact that you were jaw dropped to learn that … more

4/5/23

John Migliori with a 25.5-inch pickerel he caught on Aquidneck Island last week.

Opening Day for fishing season is this Saturday

O pening Day of the freshwater fishing season in Rhode Island is at 6 a.m. this Saturday, April 8. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has stocked 100 waterways, many … more

By Capt. Dave Monti | 4/5/23

Can R.I. cut its way to a better business climate?

S TORY OF THE WEEK: Can Rhode Island tax-cut its way to a more appealing business climate? That question has been subject to debate for years and it won’t stop now. For supporters, … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/4/23

A haunting photo, a poignant story

‘Sold on a Monday’ By Kristina McMorris It all started with a picture. Set during the hardship years of the Depression, young reporter Ellis Reed is looking for an interesting story … more

4/4/23

Bows and boos for the early days of 2023 in Rhode Island

R hode Island notables surely serve up a potpourri of decisions for which they should take a bow or offer an apology. 2023 has had some sterling examples of both genius judgments and mistakes. … more

By Arlene Violet | 4/4/23