Weekly Hot Topics: With Coffee Prices Rising Along With Gas, A Jump Rope Gets The Motor Running

Weekly Hot Topics: Recently I hit the “weight loss plateau.” After dropping 32 pounds I was not able to budge for seven weeks. I decided to take a stroll to the local Walmart and Stop and Shop center for a jump rope. More on that later, but here are some other stories and things of national and local note jumping out at me this week:

Local topics: At Stop & Shop the pot of coffee a day that keeps me going is the Breakfast Blend “Simply Enjoy.” With coffee prices going up nationwide this pound for $4.99 is not a bad pot of coffee. Strolling through the aisles I found some very unique cost savvy recipes, a homemade Stromboli with chicken, cheese and pasta sauce was a great family dinner night. The leftover Calise dough was a wonderful way to finish the meal off with homemade doughboys for the girls. In my trip to Walmart for my jump rope I stopped by the Redbox and decided on  "The Other Guys" with Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell, not a bad comedy, and I recommend it to anyone who likes the typecasting stereotype story of an upbeat police officer that wants to solve a crime. 

As for Aquidneck Island News, the major talk with the Aquidneck Island Development Committee was discussed with City Council member Jeannie Napolitano on WADK, discussing the potential bridge development project to put in a roundabout with the support of the RIDOT to stop all the congestion coming off the bridge into Newport and create better traffic flow into Middletown and Portsmouth. Tina Dolen (of the AIPC) spoke on the project and if you have thoughts or comments be sure to call in and give your perspective on 1540 WADK community hour between 12:30-1:30 at 401-846-1280. City Council member Napolitano also talked about RIPTA and the potential within the future of privatizing the company to divert money from the general fund and more into the community.

Events for this week you should be at:

The Mother’s Day 5k Family Fun Run/Walk Hosted by the Newport Public Education Foundation will be this Sunday, for more information go to www.ournewportschools.org to register and help support the public school systems.

Here are a few thoughts on topics going beyond the Island shores:

The NFL Draft lasted for three days, during the first round I just cannot seem to think who is the next Albert Haynseworth, trouble with the law, trouble with the team, millions of dollars and doesn’t pay his taxes. I guess my glass is half empty when it comes to giving men millions of dollars to play a game.  

Music: The Thompson Band marched in the Police Parade this weekend. Good luck to all the graduating 8th graders and hopefully you will be able to take part in the Music Program at Roger’s with Mr. Bernstein, considerable one of Aquidneck Island’s living treasures/teacher.

Food: As mentioned before try the Stromboli and let your mind run with other pizza, calzone, dessert and bread topics.  Fruit is not yet ready, but a banana and then homemade banana bread for the morning and pot of coffee keeps it fun in the kitchen.

Health: After getting my jump rope I lost 2 more pounds, my next quest is to check out a Roger’s Soccer game and run the Viking track to get to my goal weight of 170-168. (Am I wrong but was the last time Roger’s won a male soccer championship in 1992? I believe that was when Austin Gurney was tournament M.V.P. and completely unstoppable for the Vikings.)

Recycling: This topic I will delve into in the near distant future. Aquidneck Island has an amazing chance to become self-sufficient for food waste into fuel and electricity by a process called Anaerobic Digestion. I worked on the pilot program in California a few years back. This could be a unique time to have the entire island make a movement towards being a zero-waste community.  My new guide to Zero Waste curriculum is in the works and hopefully the universities and local school systems offer to take a look at it.

Travel: Sorry the furthest I got with these climbing gas prices was to the Stop & Shop and Walmart shopping center.

Book: Book of the week... Seeing I am delving into a new career in Radio Broadcasting I picked up "High Above Courtside: The Lost Memoirs of Johnny Most" by Mike Carey.  With the Celtics in the playoffs and if you are a diehard Celtic and avid reader this HAS to be in your collection. When I read it after it comes in the mail I will give you a complete professional critic in my own words.

SPORTS: What to watch for on the Island.  The New England County Cup hockey tournament started this past weekend.  Go Team Rhode Island and all the local players, we are all behind you here on the island.

About Phil:

Phil Hadley, a radio engineer at 1540 WADK, is originally from the Aquidneck Island and spent fifteen years living in Nepal, India, Boston, New Hampshire, Colorado, Utah, and California.

Phil engineers the open forum at WADK 1540 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm weekdays. “The Open Forum” is a call-in radio hour with local personalities and community leaders where topics range from local to worldwide issues mixed with a little trivia and nostalgic memories. Feel free to call and voice the topics of today for Aquidneck Island at 401-846-1280.

You can follow Phil on Twitter@motorhads

Send an email to have it talked about in the future at philemon.hadley@gmail.com.

Visit WADK's websites for all programing schedules www.wadk.com.