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Brewer named chairman of Westport Select Board

Richard Brewer is the new chairman of the Westport Select Board, following a unanimous vote of his colleagues to the post Tuesday evening. Brewer joked that he is happy to be named chairman, … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/20/23

Westport Shorelines - April 20, 2023

4/20/23

Candidates and supporters wave on arrivals at voting last Tuesday in Westport.

Soares and Ouellette win board seats, Stinson wins clerk race

Voters sent Steven Ouellette back to the select board for his fourth three-year term last week, and also voted to send a long-time town volunteer to the town's main governing body. Ouellette, with … more

4/19/23

Distinctive HOMES | Spring 2023

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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

Noah Lacey attempts to tag out a Case baserunner.

Westport nine bash 18 hits, clobber Case 12-4

Westport nine bash 18 hits, clobber Case 12-4 Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. The Westport baseball team bashed 18 hits as they clobbered Case 12-4 during a non-league home … more

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 4/18/23

Pitcher Mackenzy Ponte winds up to pitch during the West Bridgewater game. The sophomore struck out 14, walked 8, and allowed 11 hits and 9 runs in 7 innings of work.

Wildcats edge West Bridgewater 10-9, crush Bishop Connolly 22-13

The Westport girls softball team scored 4 runs in the sixth inning to come from behind and beat West Bridgewater 10-9 in their first league game of the season at home on Thursday afternoon. Third … more

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 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

Letter: Big thanks to Westport fire and highway departments

We want to thank the Westport Fire Department for their dedication and sacrifice in fighting the brush fire on our property Friday, April 14. They spent four hours extinguishing the fire and making … more

4/18/23

An artist's rendering of the Diman vocational school in Fall River, which will be paid for in part by Westport.

Diman vote a victory for town officials, budget

What a difference four months make. Last Tuesday's vote to fund the town's obligation to the $293 million Diman vocational school project via excluded debt passed by a margin of five to two, a … more

By Ted Hayes | 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

Would-be buyer reaches agreement with BBC over farm

A Dartmouth woman with long-held dreams to own her own farm is closer to getting her wish, seven months after she lost out on her bid to purchase a 31-acre Main Road property to the Buzzards Bay … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/17/23

This vacant storefront at 60 State Road could become home to town's second dispensary.

New cannabis dispensary planned for Westport's State Road

An Uxbridge, Ma. man who hopes to open a cannabis dispensary on State Road appeared for the second time before the Westport Planning Board earlier this month, and is expected to move ahead with a … more

4/14/23

Westport Shorelines - April 13, 2023

4/13/23

Westport police officer Mike Chicca assists a resident casting her ballot in Tuesday's election.

Ouellette, Soares, Stinson winners in Westport election

WESTPORT — Westport’s annual town election yesterday brought just over 1,800 voters to the polls, appointing a handful of new faces and re-electing some old. Here were the … more

By Paige Shapiro | 4/12/23

Mike Hall, Michele Hall, and Phil Ferrara pull apart turkey while volunteering to help with Neil Walker's Eagle Scout project.

Westport scout helps feed the needy

More than 150 needy and homebound families celebrated Easter this year with full bellies and packed refrigerators, thanks to the work of a Westport Scout working to earn his Eagle badge. Neil … more

By Ted Hayes | 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

Chris Leonard, Westport's director of marine services, inspects a channel marker in the Westport River early last season.

Leonard hopeful for Westport dredging funds

He's not holding his breath or making any promises, but Chris Leonard is hopeful that a financial solution to the Westport River's shoaling issues could be just down the road. Leonard, … more

By Ted Hayes | 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

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

Macomber School teachers and best friends Jen Mederos (left) and Michelle Thomas.

Westport teacher saves best friend's life

Jen Medeiros and Michelle Thomas, teachers at the Alice Macomber primary school, have been closest of friends for more than 20 years — so close, in fact, that they call each other "work wife." … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/10/23

Valcourt attends last Westport Select Board meeting

Brian Valcourt attended his last meeting as a member of the Westport Select Board meeting Monday evening, following his decision earlier this year to not seek another term. Valcourt, who had … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/7/23

Phil Weinberg and Tanja Ryden of the Westport Board of Health

Westport Board of Health wins watershed award

The Westport River Watershed Alliance has presented its 2023 Environmental Award To The Town of Westport's Board of Health. The alliance chose the Board of Health for this year's award in … more

4/6/23