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Trump teeters in the twilight zone
C BS has been interviewing potential voters in the so-called swing states about for whom they are going to vote for President. Virtually all Trump supporters said they were voting for him … more
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Will the real Washington Bridge story ever get told?
STORY OF THE WEEK: The marquee race in Rhode Island’s primary election on Tuesday was state Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung’s challenge to Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins. The GOP race took an … more
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When the truth doesn’t matter, the wackadoodles win
Perhaps I am a bit nostalgic about the “good ’ole days” when people said what they meant and meant what they said. There was no other ambition but to say and do the right thing. … more
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Westport Health Notes: Changes at the transfer station
Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH).   This month we are updating residents on the new look starting to take shape at the Transfer Station … more
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Westport Health Notes: The buzz on bugs — protect yourself!
Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH). The goal is to share information with our community about local issues and projects, public health alerts, … more
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An inspiring story of a resilient actor known to all as ‘The Fonz’
You might be surprised to know that Henry Winkler, better known as “The Fonz” on TV sitcom “Happy … more
Republicans and Democrats – How dare they?
If you watched the June 27 presidential debate you had to ask yourself one question: How dare the Republican and Democratic Parties leave you with a choice of two grievously flawed candidates for the … more
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Presidential debate left Democrats reeling
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Kennedy - Nixon debate in 1960 marked the dawning of a new age, when the optics of televised images carried more weight than the substance of what candidates conveyed verbally. … more
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A large patch of Native Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) replaced an area of turf grass lawn in the authors’ Barrington yard. The plant is an important nectar and pollen source for many native bees, especially bumblebees and long-tongued bees. It is a host plant for several native moths and a nectar source for butterflies. The prickly pads escape herbivore browsing but the fruits provide a nutrient rich meal for wild turkeys, deer, coyotes, and foxes. This native plant is rare and endangered in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Is it time to rethink the traditional lawn?
Spring is in the air, and so too are the noxious fumes and aural assault of overpowered lawn equipment. Bird song and children’s voices fill the air only to be abruptly halted by the roar of … more
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Westport Health Notes: Tackling PSFAs here
Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH).   This month we are talking about PFAS, known as “forever”’ chemicals, their health … more
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Investigative team starts digging for Washington Bridge answers
STORY OF THE WEEK: “We’re leaving no stone unturned as far as accountability,” Gov. Dan McKee said last Friday, as he unveiled Max Wistow and Jonathan Savage as the lawyers who will … more
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Ken Block has done a service to this country
Many readers will remember Ken Block as a two-time candidate for Rhode Island Governor and technology entrepreneur who helped the State of Texas save more than a billion dollars in food stamp fraud … more
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Commentary: Why Westport needs Route 6 project
Westport citizens will have the opportunity to vote for clean water at that ballot box on Tuesday, April 9. There will be a ballot question to allow for a debt exclusion of approximately … more
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Latest fertility ruling – yes, yes, no, no!
Three couples sued the Center for Reproductive Medicine, a fertility clinic in Alabama, for inadvertently destroying their embryos. An interloper got into   the storage facility, opened up a … more
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The busted bridge continues to invite both follies and frustration
STORY OF THE WEEK: Last week, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and RIDOT Director Peter Alviti offered a glimmer of hope for frustrated drivers. A plan developed with the Federal Highway Administration … more
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The increasingly important role of student journalists
When student journalists at Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts heard last spring that middle schoolers in their town were experiencing transphobic and homophobic bullying, they immediately … more
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A view of the Washington Bridge that once carried motorists over the Seekonk River along I-195 West. It has been shut down for seven weeks, its future uncertain.
Accountability is sorely lacking in the I-195 fiasco
The condition of the west bound lanes on I-195 and the subsequent snarl of traffic has unleashed a furious fusillade of accusations and excuses by those in charge. Tens of thousands of daily … more
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Lawmakers promising a closer look at I-195 bridge saga
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Washington Bridge saga took a noteworthy turn when state officials last week declined to rule out the possible demolition of the westbound portion of the bridge. If such a … more
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Schneider's anti-Trump stance shows she's a rare breed in U.S. politics
STORY OF THE WEEK: Claudin Schneider is a rare breed in American politics: a Republican and former Rhode Island congresswoman who is doing everything in her power to stop Donald Trump from returning … more
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The legislators are back, and so are familiar fiscal worries
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Rhode Island General Assembly returned to business last week, with the usual feeling of something akin to students returning to the classroom for the first day of school. House … more
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Disqualifying Trump? It’s a collision course
The Colorado court’s ruling disqualifying Donald J. Trump as a candidate for the presidency on the basis of the 14th Amendment, a clause of which eliminates from holding an office anyone who … more
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Accountability and leadership in the I-195 crisis
STORY OF THE WEEK: The emergency closing of the westbound part of the Washington Bridge put Gov. Dan McKee — and how he performs during a crisis — under a microscope. McKee was … more
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The Israeli-Hamas war is a loss all-around
It’s almost crass to write about the Israeli-Hamas war in the abstract. Whether it is a father searching for his children under rubble that had been his home in Gaza or a parent and child bound … more
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Westport Health Notes — toward a happy, healthy and harm-free holiday
Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH). The goal is to share information with our community about local issues and projects, public health alerts, … more
Commentary: Westport's helpful hardware girls
“I think I’m going to need one of the guys to help me with this.” “Wow, I’ve never seen a girl fill propane before.” It’s 2023, so one would be safe to … more
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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.

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