Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Custom House Coffee, with locations in Portsmouth and Middletown, and a soon-to-open shop in Fall River, MA, is seeking to serve alcohol at its Clock Tower Square location.
One Portsmouth coffee shop is seeking to add shots other than espresso to its menu. The owners of Custom House Coffee, which celebrated its 10th business anniversary last Friday, want to serve alcohol at its Portsmouth shop. The store's owners are seeking to secure a liquor license for the King Charles Drive and West Main Road location. However, the King's Grant Fellowship church across the street might prevent establishing a liquor license at this shop. State law prohibits any establishment to serve liquor within 200 feet of a church. In a mailing sent to customers this week, the owners say the interest in a liquor license is a reaction to the "poor economy." "Unfortunately, we have not been immune to the poor economy over the past …
41.59115
-71.26695
Custom House Coffee
W Main Rd & King Charles Dr, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/portsmouth-coffee-shop-seeks-liquor-license-b372010c
1342838
/locations/7012164
State officials told the crowd that fees on the Mount Hope or Sakonnet River bridges are unavoidable to maintain the spans.
Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority Chairman David Darlington hadn't yet made it through the second slide of his presentation when the questions started. East Bay and Aquidneck Island residents peppered Darlington and Department of Transportation Director Michael Lewis with pointed questions and comments, most opposing proposed tolls on the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges, throughout a forum last night at the Burnside Building on Hope Street in Bristol. The response was not an unexpected development, Darlington said. Residents have come out in force at previous public hearings on the proposal that would bring tolls to the Mount Hope Bridge for the first time since 1998. The fees to cross the bridge — if the General Assembly …
41.669515
-71.275943
/articles/residents-voice-anger-over-proposed-tolls
/locations/7026043
Monday, May 14, 2012
A forum at the Burnside Building tonight at 7 addresses concerns over proposed fees for the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges.
Since 1998, Rhode Islaners — especially those on the East Bay — have had the option to get onto Aquidneck Island without paying the tolls the Newport Bridge charges. The free ride could soon be coming to an end and crossing onto and off the island may soon cost drivers money regardless of the route they take. The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority hopes so. The authority — which already approved raising rates on the Newport Pell Bridge — has proposed adding fees to the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges. The tolls would range from 52 cents to $3.25 each way. The Newport bridge is scheduled to increase from $4 to $5 for cash-paying drivers. Those using an E-Z pass pay less than $1. Residents have voiced strong opposition to the …
41.669515
-71.275943
/articles/is-the-free-ride-over-0980fa1b
/locations/7006227
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Students created an art installation focusing on "hope" to be on display in the nation's capital.
An art installation focusing on the Rhode Island state motto of Hope and the state symbol of an anchor by the seventh grade at St. Michael’s Country Day School will soon be on display in Washington, D.C. Leslie Grosvenor, director of Institutional Advancement at St. Michael’s, contacted Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's office, knowing the senator's interest and support for art education. St. Michael's art teacher, Leslie Fisk, and middle school English teacher Tami Holden collaborated on a multi-disciplinary project with the seventh grade, incorporating their studies in English and art. After exploring various Rhode Island themes, including landmarks, bridges, Mr. Potato Head, and the Rhode Island Red, they settled on the state motto of Hope. …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Ralph Mariano and his father are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in federal court on charges involving a Middletown company.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, May 8
A Virginia man and his 80-year-old father are set to be arraigned today on federal charges in connection with an alleged U.S. Navy kickbacks scheme. Ralph Mariano of Virginia and his father, Ralph Mariano Jr. of North Providence, will appear this afternoon in federal court, reports The Providence Journal. Mariano, 53, of Arlington, VA, a former engineer with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), is accused of accepting bribes as a public official from Portsmouth resident Russell E. Spencer. Mariano allegedly accepted kickbacks of naval funds from Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow (ASFT), a Middletown company. His father also faces tax charges, according to The Providence Journal.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Ralph M. Mariano has hired former U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente as his defense lawyer.
Ralph M. Mariano of Virginia, the man accused of receiving a bribe in the alleged Navy kickback scheme, now wants the public to pay his attorney fees, reports The Providence Journal. Mariano's newly-hired defense lawyer, U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente, has told the courts his client is "indigent," reports The Providence Journal. Mariano, 53, of Arlington, VA, a former engineer with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), is accused of accepting bribes as a public official from Portsmouth resident Russell E. Spencer. Mariano allegedly accepted kickbacks of naval funds from Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow (ASFT), a Middletown company. Spencer recently admitted to lying to investigators and prosecutors on three occasions …
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Bulgarmarsh Skate Park in Tiverton officially opened last weekend.
The nice April weather gave way to an early completion — and gatherings of extreme sports enthusiasts — at the new skate park at Tiverton's Bulgarmarsh Recreation Area. It officially opened last Saturday. Residents from Bristol and Warren are invited to put their boards and skates to the asphalt and test out the new park, which features brand new ramps and ample space for skating. Tiverton Recreation Commission Chairman Gary Rose said they had between 75 to 100 people using the park during its opening day on Saturday. They served complimentary hot dogs and water to everyone who came and said a church group bus loaded of skateboarders from New Bedford, MA also enjoyed the park. "This was truly a success story," Rose said. Skateboarders, …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The freshmen representative is seeking to eliminate a call to transfer the bridge's ownership.
Saying the proposed tolls in Article 20 of the governor’s budget represents an unfair burden on Aquidneck Island and is poorly designed, Rep. Daniel P. Reilly (R-Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport) is calling for the toll proposal to be removed, according to a Statehouse press release. Included in the fiscal 2013 budget that is to be considered by the General Assembly in the coming weeks is a proposal to have the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) take control of the Sakonnet River and the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges, which are owned and maintained by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. This proposal authorizes the RITBA to implement a toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge, and as the entity with sole …
41.83155
-71.412882
82 Smith St, Providence, RI
/articles/rep-dan-reilly-opposes-tolls-on-new-sakonnet-river-bridge-42beded0
/locations/6921175
Monday, April 30, 2012
The event is Wednesday, May 9.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, April 30
Are you an area business owner who wants a chance to talk to Gov. Lincoln Chafee? RSVP now for Chafee's Business Outreach Forum, to be held Wednesday, May 9, at the Middletown Public Library. According to the invitation, the event is in conjunction with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, the Town of Middletown, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The mission is "to hear from local small businesses and discuss ways to help them succeed, grow the economy, and create jobs for Rhode Islanders." Chafee will be joined by Middletown Council President Arthur S. Weber, Jr. as well as representatives of the RIEDC, SBA, Department of Labor and Training, Small Business Development Center and Ocean State Business Development …
Friday, April 27, 2012
Surfrider Foundation - Rhode Island Chapter held its fourth annual member party on Thursday night update members on the latest projects and encourage new members to join.
Fans of surfing, beach and beer gathered Thursday night at the fourth annual Surfrider Foundation - Rhode Island Chapter’s membership party held at Easton’s Point Pub. The night was alive with music, raffles, a beach inspired buffet and education on the foundation's latest projects. The Surfrider Foundation started out 25 years ago when small group of surfers in California united to save their favorite wave. It has since grown into an international organization that has hundreds of chapters in fifteen countries. The event, organized by volunteer Lisa Wagenbach, was centered around their most recent ban the bag campaign, which works towards the reduction of plastic trash around Aquidneck Island’s beaches and waters. The campaign was …
41.492762
-71.284252
Easton's Point Pub & Restaurant
116 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown, RI
/articles/surfrider-foundation-ri-chapter-holds-4th-annual-member-party
228904
/locations/6892222
Bob Magnuson
9:23 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I live in Tiverton and use the Sakonnet Bridge once or twice a day each way. For those telling us to grow up and pay our fair share to maintain the bridges, I respond that I don't object to paying for maintenance on the bridges I use. But Mr. Lewis cited the poor condition of the Wampanoag Trail bridge in East Providence. I didn't use that bridge at all last year, but Mr. Lewis wants me to pay … more ›