America's Cup committee formed

RI has formed a panel to pitch America's Cup 2013 to Larry Ellison, Oracle owner and CEO.

The RI Governor's office, Senate President Paiva Weed and House Speaker Gordon Fox
have established an America's Cup 2013 Planning Committee to lure the America's Cup
challenge back to RI.

The group will include a combination of yachting experts, Newport administrators
and state officials and will meet for the first time next week - said RI EDC director Keith Stokes.

"The goal is to assess the existing marine assets and facilities we have so we can create a
formal proposal for the America's Cup races."
Stokes said in an interview yesterday, Friday Feb 26, 2010.

In addition to Keith Stokes, other members of the committee are the following:

Robin Wallace, chair of the RI State Yachting Committee
Halsey Herreshoff, President of the Herreshoff Marine Museum and America's Cup Hall of Fame
David Elwell, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club
W.H. Dyer Jones, America's Cup regatta manager in Valencia and Auckland NZ
Michael Keyworth, RI Marine Trades Association
Brad Reed, Director of Sail Newport
Ed Lavelle, Newport city manager
Mark Brodeur, RI Tourism Director
Unnamed designees from Fox and Paiva Weed.

LNG CEO to attend Bristol Town Council meeting

On Wednesday,  March 3 at 7 pm Ted Gehrig, Weaver's Cove Energy CEO, will respond to questions from Town Council Chair, Ken Marshall. Read the letter of invitation with questions here:

http://www.savebay.info/PDFs/LNG_Bristol_Hess_Letter.pdf

Your car is a weapon

This is obvious and extremely important. Ophra Winfrey on January 18, 2010 started a pledge from people around the country to stop
texting and phoning while driving. "It's not where your hands are - it's where your head is." For many people on the roads, this distraction has never been included in basic driver's education.
She calls it the No Phone Zone pledge. Please go to the first link below to sign the pledge and hear testimonies of people who have lost loved ones due to the deadly habit of the phone/texting addiction while driving. Second link below includes video testimonies that will really make you think again. It's about 10 minutes. Please pull over before you text or use the phone while driving.
http://www.oprah.com/packages/no-phone-zone.html
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Americas-New-Deadly-Obsession-Partial-Episode-Video

Julia Alvarez at RWU tonight!

Click image once to enlarge.

Wild and Scenic Movies

This weekend, Save The Bay will host the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival. Established by the California-based South Yuba River Citizen’s League, the fest is part of the league’s efforts to promote community building and awareness of environmental issues through film. The beauty of the program is that while you are being taught about issues including the needs for a secure and pure water supply, and wilderness preservation, you are also being entertained by talented documentarians. The films provide a great context for Save The Bay’s 40th anniversary celebration. Films being shown include “Flathead Wild,” “The Edge of the Sea,” “Plastic Perils of the Pacific,” “New Amsterdam Market,” “Every Day at School” and “Watershed Revolution.”

LOCATION: Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St., Newport. Friday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call (401) 846-5252. Avon Cinema, 260 Thayer St., Providence. Sunday, Feb. 28, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Call (401) 421-0020. Tickets $10, all proceeds benefit Save The Bay. Doors open half an hour before show. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Save The Bay Center, REI in Cranston and Patagonia on Thames Street in Newport. savebay.org

Summer has finally arrived

Susan O'Donnell and Nick Kearney announce the arrival of their first child - a girl named Summer
born on February 23, 2010 weighing 7 lbs 11 oz/20 inches long.

Mother, father and child are all doing well. Congratulations
and welcome to the planet and Bristol - Summer!

Le Central now open 7 days

Click on menu once to enlarge. This sounds reasonable!

RWU Haiti Art Show on Wednesday

Please join this wonderful cause for an evening of art, food and music.

Click on image once to enlarge.

America's Cup lecture at RWU

Save the date:

On Thursday evening, April 8, 2010 there will be a film presentation and lecture by Gary Jobson on The America's Cup races - then and now at RWU. Details will be forthcoming closer to the date.

RI rabies shots to change from 2 years to 3

Hopefully this will happen soon. It is my POV that too many vacinations are given too frequently to dogs and cats. This article states that the law in Rhode Island and in West Virginia will be changing to require rabies vacs every three years instead of every two as the law currently reads. Thanks to Save the Bay lawyer and dog owner, Wendy Waller, for volunteering her services to get this bill passed sooner rather than later.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/rabies_vaccinations_02-21-10_QVHH1UG_v13.36f414d.html

Winter Moth Public Hearing March 10

There will be a Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 10 at 7 pm at the Burnside Building in Bristol to address the winter moth tree defoliation problem and safety of treatment methods.

For a fact sheet on the winter moth go to:

umassgreeninfo.org

Halsey Herreshoff pitching RI

Bristol's Halsey Herreshoff flew off to San Francisco on Friday February 19 to hand deliver a letter from Gov. Carcieri to Larry Ellison, Oracle CEO and America's Cup winner, urging him to consider Newport as the next site for the 2013 America's Cup challenge. Mr. Ellison recently has reportedly purchased Astor's Beechwood Mansion in Newport. Mr. Herreshoff boasted a benefit for Newport that the West Coast does not have - favorable sailing conditions! Please encourage Keith Stokes, our new RI EDC executive director and your congressman to bring the Cup back to Newport. This could make a huge difference to the economic climate in the state of RI. Questions on ways you can help? Please contact Larry Fisher at the Herreshoff Marine Museum at 401 253 5000.
Please click on the link below to read the entire front page Pro Jo article from Saturday Feb 20, 2010.
http://tinyurl.com/ygpbmcu
To leave a comment and vote for or against Newport go to:
http://tinyurl.com/yarnz6w

Photo: Herreshoff Marine Museum Executive Director, Larry Fisher, and President Halsey Herreshoff (right); photo (c) Paul Darling

From Esquire Mag: Roger Ebert - The Essential Man

http://www.esquire.com/features/roger-ebert-0310
An extremely inspiring piece that I could not stop reading.

Town Council Meeting tonight 2/17/10

The Town Council meeting will be on Wednesday, February 17 at 7 pm at Town Hall. Below is the link to the agenda: (This meeting was postponed from last Wednesday due to snow.)
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4494/2010/86287.pdf

RI Enterprise Zone to face extinction?

Below is a link to a February 15, 2010 article from the Providence Business News by staff writer William Hamilton about the possiblity of the Enterprise Zone closing down in RI. Hopefully this will not happen without a firm and equitable substitute. http://www.pbn.com/detail/47950.html

America's Cup returning to USA!

BMW Oracle beats Alinghi to win back America's Cup!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/14/bmw-oracle-alinghi-americas-cup-sailing

The boats are beginning to look and act more like planes!
Town Councilor and Bristol native, Halsey Herreshoff, had this to say about the races which he attended:
"In Valencia Spain, I had the privilege of close involvement with the 33rd America´s Cup. This was different than any other - particularly striking technology - an amazing trimarran - very high speeds (40 mile race in just over two hours) and a sweet return of the America's Cup to the USA.
It was a terrific show of ultimate technology at the edge between success and possibilities for trouble — fortunately it all worked. I will tell much more about it. Halsey"
It should be noted that the mast and other spars were made at Hall Spars and other components by Goetz both in Bristol, RI. It is indeed amazing that with the enormous sail area of Oracle (creating huge tension forces on the rigging) that everything held together!

Good TV

Good TV on tonight! The Olympics Men's Downhill and Pairs Figure Skating on NBC (2 stations?) and The Westminster Dog Show in NYC on USA TV for two nights. Go greyhounds! (Note: Chanel, the white and gray brindle Whippet was first in the Hound Group and Era, the brindle greyhound, was second!)

Save the Bay meets with legislative leaders

“Forty years ago Save The Bay was founded by citizens to stop an oil refinery in Tiverton,” Jonathan Stone said. Since then he said the group has fought against four oil refineries, two LNG terminals, one nuclear power plant and one coal-fired power plant.

“The Hess project is the greatest threat that we’ve seen in 20 years,” Stone said.

He said the project will have severe economic impacts because waterways and harbors will be closed each time tankers pass through. He argued it will threaten restoration of winter flounder populations. And he said it’s not needed because several other LNG terminals have opened or will open elsewhere in New England and eastern Canada.

“We put 22,000 kids on the Bay in education programs. We’re a national leader,” said Stone. “Our habitat restoration work is a national leader. I wish we could go back to improving the Bay rather than defending it."

For the full article by Pro Jo Environmental Journalist, Peter Lord, go to:
http://bit.ly/9EfBA4

Jonathan Stone is executive director of Save the Bay.

It's Valentine's Day! Love is all you need!

Necco has updated the colors and the messages for 2010!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D2g5v-Sg

Mayor Cicillini is in!

http://bit.ly/d8YAyY

Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) to take new direction

In 1994, this button summed it up well. Now with the announced retirement of Patrick Kennedy, there are no more Kennedy's in public office - this since 1947. He told RI Monthly Magazine: “I’m not going to be afraid to leverage my political value, I just won’t have to do it 24/7.” I remember running into Patrick Kennedy by accident last Election Day in front of the Burnside Building in Bristol. I admitted I had no idea who he was running against and he said: "Don't worry. I am my own worst enemy."
Photo above taken in January 2009 at Obama inauguration.Here is a link to his resignation video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEbouh86DwY&feature=player_embedded

Town Council Meeting postponed

Due to snow, tonight's Town Council meeting has been postponed to next Wednesday, February 17, 2010.

Goetz Update

The news on the street, is that the new company formed to complete the yacht begun by Goetz Boats is currently leasing the building formerly occupied by Holby Marine and is called Carbon Ocean Yachts. Apparently they have now hired about 20 locals. Beyond the 20 or so direct hires, the continuation of this specific project positively affects numerous local marine sub-contracting companies cumulatively employing many more local craftsman.
Additionally, the new company has every intention of obtaining additional work beyond the completion of this current project which is scheduled to finish Summer 2010.
We welcome Carbon Ocean Yachts to Bristol and wish them all the best!

February 10, 2010

Just finished having a noontime snow day conversation with Mr. Panza at Union Commercial. He said
in the year 1900, Bristol had close to 12 grocery stores and maybe 6 Pharmacies all located downtown including the Wood Street area. Will check back later with more details and names for the stores. If you can help, please leave a comment. Thank you!

Food Rules/Michael Pollan

From Amy Goodman's radio show Democracy Now:
Michael Pollan talks about his new book titled "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual". The interview is about 45 minutes. He reminded me of the days I used to work 90-100 hrs/ week and when leaving for the night, I'd drive 4 miles to the closest Burger King and order a double cheeseburger with an extra patty and a large fries. By the time I got home, it was devoured. I had nothing in my fridge and this became habit. Mr. Pollan notes that the food industry and the health industry are much more related than we'd like to think. If Type 2 Diabetes could be prevented and it apparently can be by diet, the health insurance industry would profit $440K per yr per patient. He mentions that much of our eating habits relate to our busy speedy lifestyle. He is not a vegetarian but makes a point of eating grass fed beef. (We are lucky to have a grass fed beef farm in Jamestown RI) Did you know that it takes 10 pounds of grain/corn (to feed a cow) to equal one pound of beef.
Seems that many of Michele O'bama's recent talking points on childhood obesity come directly from this interview. As "Mom in Chief", she seems the perfect person to positively influence the food industry! Her new website is called Let's Move www.letsmove.gov. She has the USDA and the Department of Education behind her!
http://bit.ly/bVqsY6

Town Council Agenda link

http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4494/2010/85940.pdf
Meeting is Wednesday February 10, 2010.

Warren Art Classes for Kids

Don't forget about the Warren Art Spot for fun Winter break art activities with your little ones.
www.warrenartspot.com
Click once to enlarge image.

Senator Reed Meets with Small Business Owners from Bristol

http://thecreditcardcon.com/blog/
Rhode Island small business owners Bart Ferris, Linda Arruda, Karen Binder, Gary Wilson, Jennifer Cavallaro, Dave Berwitz meet with Senator Jack Reed.

These businessmen and women came to DC today (February 4, 2010) to give their representatives first-hand examples on how credit card "swipe"interchange fees are affecting their companies.

Valentine's Day Concert and Dinner

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a lively concert of classic jazz and Latin tunes by the Lois Vaughan Jazz Trio, sponsored by the Community Concert Series @ St. Michael's in Bristol. The concert will take place on Sunday, February 14, at 3:00 at St. Michael's Church, 399 Hope St, Bristol. Lois Vaughan on keyboards, Genevieve Rose on bass, and Art Manchester on sax, flute, and clarinet, have been performing together for many years in southern New England and regularly at the Hotel Viking in Newport and the Bay Voyage in Jamestown. Their play list includes the music of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Antonio Carlos, Jibim, George Gershwin, and John Coltrane, as well as other jazz and Latin standards. An upbeat sense of spirit infuses their performances.
The popular dinner/concert packages are again available with a post-concert fixed price dinner at Le Central Restaurant, 483 Hope St., 396-9965, for $40 or at Leo's Ristorante, 365 Hope St., 253-9300, for $35 (tax and tip for dinner not included). Reservations must be made by calling the restaurant. Payment for packages will be at the door with cash or check. No credit cards will be accepted.
In keeping with their mission to encourage young musicians, the Concert Series awards a scholarship/grant each year to a worthy recipient and every St. Michael's concert also features a piece performed by a talented student from a local school. There will be a reception with the artists after the concert. Snow date will be Sunday, March 7 at 3:00.
Concert only tickets may be purchased at Paper Packaging & Panache, 418 Hope St., or at the door for $20, $15 seniors, $10 students. For more information, call 254-9626 or 253-6084.

Navy Officer embraces non-violence

Please click on image once to enlarge.

Bristol Animal Shelter Fundraiser at Library February 20 at 3 pm

Please click on image once to enlarge.

Eagles in Bristol

A pair of Bald Eagles was spotted on Friday, January 29, 2010 on Brook Farm Drive in Bristol by Bobbi Flowers-Lemay.
One is shown feasting above on a dead goose. This may be a way to thin out the rampant goose population!
Please send news of more sightings to the blog!

Solar Energy Seminar at Audubon Feb. 11 at 7 pm

February 11, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Considering Solar for your home? Join Alteris Renewables for a community seminar on the new Rhode Island Energy Grant. The evening will include a visual presentation, explanation of solar electric system components, and a system cost analysis. Here's your chance to get your questions answered and have a discussion with experienced solar specialists.

Grant applications are now being taken and must be submitted by March 1, 2010.

To register for a seminar, please call 1-800-399-7804.
Audubon Environmental Education Center, Bristol;

Soccer and Entreprenurial Leadership

A great read (and short) from todays NY Times, Feb 1, 2010
Are you a CEO of something?
http://bit.ly/dvrUOq

Teach for America expands to RI

Teach For America today announced that it will expand to Rhode Island, with plans to bring 30 top college graduates to teach in the state's highest-need schools - the Providence Public School District and at Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley charter school - for the 2010-11 school year.

Governor Donald Carcieri, Senator Jack Reed, Congressman James Langevin, Mayor David N. Cicilline, RI Commissioner of Education Deborah A. Gist, and other local supporters welcomed Teach For America to Rhode Island at today's announcement at The Rhode Island Foundation.

Teach for America is the national corps of top college students and professionals who commit to teach for two years in under-resourced schools and become lifelong leaders in the pursuit of educational equity.

Also at the announcement, Teach for America named Providence native Heather Tow-Yick the founding executive director of Teach For America-Rhode Island. A Brown University graduate, she began her tenure with Teach For America as a corps member, teaching in the South Bronx, New York. (She is pictured above fourth from the left.)

An article is today's Providence Journal states, "After the Rhode Island Foundation led a campaign to raise $2.7 million locally - a goal reached in just six weeks - Teach for America made a three-year commitment to Rhode Island... The fundraising campaign included donations from 30 wealthy Rhode Islanders plus $300,000 from the RI foundation and will pay for training and support for the new teachers over the three-year period, as well as the salaries of Tow-Yick and her staff."
http://tinyurl.com/yzbrv7z