Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Obama declares flood emergency in RI
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Fresh the Movie postponed tonight in PVD
Monday, March 29, 2010
Save the Bay Landscaping Workshop Saturday, April 17
This is a fabulous event. If you are at all interested in the environment and in growing things
give it a try and take advantage of these amazing resources all in one spot for three hours! Just the list of vendors alone is enough reason to attend.
Learn about composting, soil testing and invasive plants. Buy a rain barrel and meet with the Worm Ladies of Charlestown RI. If you don't want to make your own compost you can buy the very best organic variety from EarthCare Farm - an incredibly unique composting facility we are lucky to have in RI.
Here's the link: Hope to see you there.
www.savebay.org/green-landscaping
Joint Finance School Budget meeting
• Here is Diana Cambell's take on the evening in response to my request to hear about it:
"It was a wonderful meeting last night.
The night didn't start out too well. Education Commissioner Deborah Gist was not going to budge on her proposal to cut aid to Bristol Warren by $9m over 10 years. Her premise was that this should not be seen as a punishment for our efforts to be prudent in developing our wonderful district to what it is today. She said that her proposal should be seen more as an attempt to provide support for those towns that have not had the support in the past that Bristol Warren has had from state funding.
Our Town officials were excellent in their efforts to move Ms. Gist off her position. Their defense and complimentary words re: the students, teachers, administration, and school committee were good to hear and many members of the school committee and Melinda Thies did mention that in their own presentations later in the evening.
The regular Joint Finance meeting went very well. The crowd filled the auditorium. It was inspiring to see and I think that the committee was taken a bit aback at the passion that was present in the form of residents from both Warren and Bristol, young and old.
Bill O'Dell, Melinda Thies, and Pauline Silva did a awesome job of presenting the district's budget proposal. Ms. Thies, especially, really brought to light the breadth and depth of the accomplishments that the district is celebrating. Students in the arts, sciences, business, and sports are all being recognized -- some nationally -- for their achievements. And so are our administrators and teachers.
I think Ms. Thies' presentation and the crowd, which broke out into applause often, made the committee think twice about their plans to level fund the budget for this year.
And then came the speakers. John Bento and I both spoke about the importance of providing for the education of our most precious resource, our children. I linked education to the committee's efforts to bring about economic development to the region. But it was the students who took the evening over the top. One by one, and there were many, spoke about how much the school and their chosen path made a difference in their young lives. They were poised, articulate, proud of their accomplishments, optimistic about their futures, and very moving. One young man even brought a tear to my eye.
One mother who spoke mentioned that by her calculations, with the tax increase that a 4.5% increase in the budget would involve, her annual tax bill would go up $80. She said that she would be willing to pay the extra $80 -- $800 even -- if it meant that the budget could be fully funded. She got a standing ovation!! People in the audience were agreeing with her that they, too, would be willing to pay a little more to fund the schools.
She was followed by more students, who spoke about band, the arts, business, science, sports, teachers, and so on. It was a winning combination.
In the end, they voted to give the schools a 2% increase, after an initial attempt by Halsey and Mary to give us a 3% increase. It was not what we wanted, but it was more than we were expecting. We still have to cut our budget, but not as drastically as we had expected."
• And this from Samantha Faria in response to Diana Campbell's speech:
"Diana-- your comments were very necessary. You were 100% correct in
making the connections between the town's interest in bringing in
industry. Without a well educated potentional workforce the citizens
will leave as will the businesses. You made important connections
between education, industry and the town. Unfortunately, not everyone
looks at the big picture and how everything is interconnected and not
isolated bubbles. Thanks for all of your hardwork and big picture thinking.
We need more of this.
Samantha"
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Mr Hannah moving northward right on schedule!
"As of 10 am this morning, Tuesday, March 23rd, Mr. Hannah was in South Carolina, 60 miles east of Columbus where he seemed to be following I-95 North as he was entering Florence, SC. How many of you have travelled that exact route?
In my last email, Mr. Hannah had reached central Cuba by 14 March. (He did not stop in Port au Prince.) He continued to move up the backbone of Cuba until he reached the coastal town of Cardenas on the 18th. At 12 noon on March 18th he headed out over the Straights of Florida, flew overnight and reached Florida Bay near Flamingo in Everglades National Park by 5 am just before sunrise on the 19th. He did not stop there as he continued up the central part of Florida to spend the evening near the Magic Kingdom. Guess he wanted to see some of his friends. The next day, the 20th, he flew across the Florida/Georgia border and over the Okefenokee Swamp. He continued at a steady pace reaching South Carolina on the 22nd. His return trip is fairly similar to his southern migration, but he seems to be flying over the Piedmont more on this return trip. So far he has travelled over 3,000 miles in just a little over 18 days. At his current rate, and with about 1,000 miles to go, I suspect he will reach Nantucket on the 27th or 28th of March, right on schedule."
Rep Gallison proposes $1M tolls for LNG tankers
The goal of the legislation, which is scheduled for a hearing before the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee Thursday, is to stop the proposed offshore liquefied natural gas off-loading facility for Mount Hope Bay by Weaver’s Cove Energy LLC.http://tinyurl.com/yfyc64k
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Newport LNG public forum March 29 at 6:30pm
www.livablenewport.net
Friday, March 19, 2010
Hess should accept reality and quit
People love marine parks, marine mammals don't
People love marine parks, marine mammals don’t
To the Editor: As we discuss the reasons behind a pod of Atlantic common dolphins venturing into Nantucket Harbor last week, we begin to understand how little we humans know about the behaviors of these highly-intelli gent wild ocean mammals. In this light, the SeaWorld incident, Tilikum the orca killing his trainer – also last week – takes on more significance. There have been numerous “points” bantered about in the media, some of them legitimate, others com pletely fictional opinion. I believe it is always important to ques tion the “conventional” wisdom when this wisdom is based on corporate profit incentive. When life is at stake it is vital. In this case it was the life of the trainer and the live(s) of the orca kept in captivity.
To begin a considered exami nation, one must look at how much dolphins are worth to the fishermen who catch them. One “live” dolphin is worth $50,000 to $150,000-plus to the fisher men. As the dolphinarium industry is always looking to obtain more dolphins for dolphin shows, captive-dolphin swim programs and dolphin-assisted therapy, a few young, unblem ished specimens suitable for commercial exploitation bring huge profits. This profit incen tive keeps dolphin-drive hunts in the black. In Japan alone, up to 23,000 dolphins a year are killed in drive hunts. The small percentage of these sent around the world to dolphinariums pro vide the payoff.
To see the commercial value of captive dolphins again, follow the money. In a swim with dolphins program monitored in 2001, six people entered the tank with two dolphins every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Twenty-four people an hour, for 11 hours at $65 per person, equals $17,160 per day. Add pho tos at $7 each and the estimated value to the dolphinarium was over $19,000 per day. The dolphins were required to perform shows to loud techno music du ing those brief interludes when not swimming with clients.
There are no cold, hard facts relating to dolphin life spans in captivity vs. in the wild, except that, on average, captive dol phins do not live longer than wild dolphins, in spite of con stant food and medical atten tion. Scientists do know that bottlenose dolphins in the wild can live up to 45-50 years. Many wild-caught dolphins die within the first two years of captivity. Orcas can live to be 90. Accord ing to NOAA – which keeps an inventory of most killer whales and bottlenose dolphins held in captivity around the world – SeaWorld alone has held 62 orcas in captivity. Twenty-nine have died: all in under 50 per cent of their expected lifetime in the wild, according to available data, (date of birth is extrapolat ed on most of the 29). Speaking of only the physical mortality issues, they succumbed to: severe trauma (bashing them selves against the side of the tank), intestinal gangrene, acute hemorrhagic pneumonia, pul monary abscession, chronic kid ney disease, chronic cardiovascu lar failure, septicemia, influenza and necrosis of cerebrum. And suicide: “A lot of misguided talk surrounds another similarity between human beings and dol phins in captivity: their commit ting suicide when stressed. When dolphins in captivity are greatly stressed, they sometimes obviously feel the need to escape by whatever means . . . Some of these dolphins batter them selves to death against the walls of their prison. Others refuse to eat until they waste away and die. While humans and all the other mammals breathe auto matically, dolphins don’t have that automatic reflex; every breath they take is deliberate . . . The dolphin will kill himself by drowning if he deliberately breathes water, but, more likely, he dies for lack of oxygen in his blood caused by not breathing at all. This suicide option the dol phin takes is another proof of his self-awareness, without which suicide would never even occur to him.” –Ric O’Barry, protago nist in the 2009 Academy Award-nominated documentary “The Cove.”
The number-one reason given by the dolphin captivity industry for keeping dolphins is to educate people about these “wonderful creatures.” Yet, go to any “show” and find out what is really being taught. They fail to mention the distances traveled by these animals, the depths they dive to, or the life span they could expect in the wild. A dolphin’s basic physiology is not taught. Their real living, breed ing and bonding habits are not discussed. How they were cap tured and the mortality rates of their companions is certainly not mentioned. What dolphinariums do speak about is how happy, smart and healthy their captive dolphins are. Announcing how well their dolphins do their tricks for – “positive reward” – rather than noting it is actually food depravation as the dolphins see it. Fail to perform, go hungry. The number-one answer given by children about what they learned – in a non-scientific study – dolphins “make big splashes . . .”
The Christian Science Monitor on Feb. 24, 2010 quotes Joyce Tischler, founder of and general counsel for the Animal Legal Defense Fund: “She compares an orca’s life in captivity in a tank to keeping a human being in a bathtub for his entire life.”
To quote Jacques Cousteau: “There is about as much educa tional benefit to be gained in studying dolphins . . . in captivi ty as there would be studying mankind by only observing pris oners held in solitary confine ment.”
Dolphinariums persist in stating that it is impossible to return animals like Tilikum to the wild because they are incapable of surviving the transition. David Phillips, director of the International Marine Mammal Project for the Earth Island Institute, notes, “The vast major ity of the orca whales in captivi ty would be far better off to be returned to the wild. Orcas are unbelievably ill-suited to life in theme parks and can be success fully returned to the wild. We know, because we have done it.”
The latest defense from the U.S. captivity industry stems from – imposed – federal law which does not allow United States facilities to exploit wild caught cetaceans (dolphins and whales). The industry boasts 65 percent of cetaceans in captivity in America were born in captivi ty. That leaves approximately 35 percent a residual population of wild-caught animals. (Tilikum was captured in 1983 at approxi mately 2 years of age). This 35 percent will eventually die out. Does this infer a population 100 percent born in a tank, living in a tank, performing in a tank, then dying in a tank is somehow better?
From my perspective, dolphi nariums teach humans that it is OK to confine free-roaming, sen tient, social wild animals; that they enjoy confinement, being handled, being trained to behave in predictable ways at human bidding, all in return for dead fish. I have absolutely no doubt that most trainers have relation ships with the animals they spend so much time along side. To some large degree, in loving relationships. There is some thing human about it. But, lock me in a trailer, even an air-con ditioned one, and I too will even tually bite the hand that feeds me.
People love dolphinariums and marine parks. Dolphins don’t.
SCOTT LEONARD is a citizen scientist and member of the Marine Mammal Conservation Program and the Maria Mitchell Association on Nantucket Island, MA. He is an advocate for the equality and quality of life for those who cannot speak in human languages. For a living he fixes, builds and creates things.
The Inquirer and Mirror, Nantucket MA
(508) 228-0001, ext. 14 (w)
(508) 221-0379 (c)
www.ack.net
Nitrogen: Narragansett Bay killer
One answer seems simple: use less fertilizer more efficiently...but it's not happening.The nitrogen runoff comes from the synthetic fertilizer applied to farm fields (and our beautiful green lawns), as well as the manure generated from the cows, pigs, chickens, humans that eat the over fertilized wheat, corn, barley, etc.
Farmers get paid by the ton, which makes yield the driving force of modern agriculture. Most agronomists agree that farmers can get the same yields without applying as much fertilizer and manure as they now do. But few farmers are willing to take that chance. Many farmers use fertilizer as a form of insurance; better to apply a little too much and get high yields than apply too little and risk yield (and profit) declines. DItto our beautiful green lawns.
One approach that URI mentions is to educate landscape gardeners to use less synthetic fertilizers and move toward organic methods that are tried and true.
Full article here from Grist Magazine by Stephanie Ogburg titled The Dark Side of Nitrogen.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-11-the-dark-side-of-nitrogen
Farmers get paid by the ton, which makes yield the driving force of modern agriculture. Most agronomists agree that farmers can get the same yields without applying as much fertilizer and manure as they now do. But few farmers are willing to take that chance. Many farmers use fertilizer as a form of insurance; better to apply a little too much and get high yields than apply too little and risk yield (and profit) declines. DItto our beautiful green lawns.
One approach that URI mentions is to educate landscape gardeners to use less synthetic fertilizers and move toward organic methods that are tried and true.
Full article here from Grist Magazine by Stephanie Ogburg titled The Dark Side of Nitrogen.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-11-the-dark-side-of-nitrogen
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Waterfire Friday night March 19 at 7:30 pm
There will be a special Waterfire lighting tomorrow night from 7:30 pm to 11 pm in Providence.
Welcome back spring!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Osprey Ultra Marathoner
Hi Osprey Friends, and Mr. Hannah Groupies,!
As predicted, on the morning of 12 March, Mr. Hannah headed over the Caribbean flying non-stop for 625 miles reaching just south of Haiti by 9 pm, and arrived in Cuba by 1 pm on 13 March. He has retraced his route through Cuba until our last data point at 5 pm on 14 March. Total travel since he left his winter home on 5 March is around 1900 miles in 9 days. Clearly he is an Ultra Marathoner! If he continues this pace, he will easily arrive on Nantucket by the end of the month – easily. Dr. Bob Kennedy, Director of Natural Sciences with the Maria Mitchell Association, Nantucket
An LNG win for Fall River
"Pelletier withdrew his proposal when all of the Fall River Town Council stated with great passion that they would vote against the proposal to allow Hess to give a formal presentation to their Town Council. The TC stated that they have heard enough from Hess and nothing would change their minds nor any money ($35M) they would offer the City. Many spoke about how dishonest and arrogant they have been over the years. On Fall River radio last week Hess accused the Town Council as being extremists. It still went to a vote, and the crowd yelled to make it unanimous so Pelletier who proposed the hearing even voted nay! Went down 9-0 and the Council President said that he hoped it sent Hess a clear message. They are not wanted in Fall River! It was awesome. It's a victory, even though small. Love it! The suits left with their tails between their legs!"
http://tinyurl.com/yjjr55v
RI Education Commissioner Deborah Gist coming to Bristol
A meeting has been facilitated by Rep. Gablinske and Town Councilor David Barboza to have RI School Commissioner Deborah Gist come to Bristol RI for a meeting on March 25 at 5 pm prior to the Bristol Warren Joint Finance Committee Meeting (at 7 pm) to answer questions on the proposed funding formula for state aid to education and any other related topics. Both meetings will be held at Mount Hope High School to accommodate a large expected audience.
This is an open meeting. The school committee, the administration and the public are all invited. More than 60% of our tax dollars goes to education. If you want to learn more about education taxes and allotment, plan to show up!
Deborah Gist earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, where she was also selected as a Kennedy Fellow and received the Littauer Fellowship for academic excellence and community service. Her education degrees came from the University of Oklahoma and the University of South Florida. She was the RI Board of Regents first choice for RI Education Commissioner. She started the job in July 2009.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
All Choruses Concert
Mount Hope High School, Jive, Hugh Cole, Kickemuit Middle School, Guiteras, Rockwell and Colt-Andrews Schools will all be participants.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Help needed at Fall River LNG meeting Tuesday March 16
"I am not sure if you have heard this or not, but there is a serious problem in Fall River with one of the City Councilors.
Councilor Leo Pelletier has come out in support of the Weavers Cove LNG project (again) Last year at the same time he did a similar thing and wanted to get Weavers Cove in to talk to them. He was and is looking for Hess/Weavers Cove to give a $5 million cash payment to the city to help bring back laid off Police and Firemen. We just heard this morning that he has recruited 200 union workers to come protest for the jobs it will provide. We are concerned that even with 100 or so members of the Somerset/Fall River group planning to attend, we may be outnumbered here. We are planning to do an automated call to about 500 people in our membership tonight, but any assistance you can provide would be appreciated. I have provided his proposed resolution and out action alert info below. The meeting is at 7pm Tuesday March 16th. With the crowd, we expect that early arrival will be required to get seating and sign up for citizens input.
We have asked the following in our email action alert.
On Tuesday, March 16, 2010 , prior to 6pm we need you to arrive at the City Council Chamber at Fall River City Hall.
We need many people to sign up for “citizen input” to speak against Leo Pelletier’s resolution.
We need you to bring your family, your children, spouses, neighbors, friends, to this meeting.
Here is proposed resolution this year :
(Councilor Leo O. Pelletier)
WHEREAS, the City of Fall River is experiencing budget cuts and financial instability, and
WHEREAS, we have spent an astronomical amount of money on litigation relating to locating an LNG facility in the north end of the city, and
WHEREAS, the possibility of Weaver’s Cove locating in the City could bring in up to $5 million dollars in well needed taxes, now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that Weaver’s Cove be invited to a future meeting of the City Council Committee on Health and Environmental Affairs to offer additional information relative to the proposed LNG terminal.
Meeting to be held at:
Government Center
1 Government Ctr
Fall River, MA 02722
Meeting is at 7 pm but we are asking people to get there at 6pm so they can grab seats and register to speak during public input if they want.
thanks for the help."
Gary Jobson Sailing Talk at RWU
Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Roger Williams University
Campus Recreation Center Gymnasium
Call 254 - 3210 to reserve FREE ticket(s)
Gary Jobson is a world class sailor, author,
ESPN commentator and a very funny and
engaging speaker. This talk will be of interest
to all saiiors - young and old.
With accolades as diverse as an America's Cup trophy,
an Emmy Award, membership in the America's Cup
Hall of Fame and the president of US Sailing,
Gary Jobson is no small personality in the sailing world.
Through extensive exploits both on the water (as
a world class sailor), behind the microphone (as a
commentator for ESPN and NBC) and a wordsmith
(as editor of Sailing World and author of 16 books),
Jobson has built a detailed expertise in sailing over
four decades.
His talk at Roger Williams will focus on his days at
SUNY Maritime, where he was an All American sailor
three times and twice earned College Sailor of the
Year honors. He will also explore the vast array of
opportunities for today's sailors, including the
America's Cup, the Olympics and world-wide racing
and cruising.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Decoding the date of manufacture on your tires
Note to Preserve Bristol readers
In the past I have been able to send out an email reminder from my computer to the Preserve Bristol e-list blog members and offer a quick summary of new topics discussed.
Lately I have been having difficulties with my Mac address book. It doesn't want to send out notices to large numbers of recipients.
If you have not heard from me with a reminder lately, it is not because I have forgotten you. I'm just not able to technically do it.
The blog information will continue to be supplemented daily as it has been in the past. The link to the Preserve Bristol blog is the same at: http://preservebristol.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html It would probably be best to bookmark it or drag the address to your desktop for future use.
Thank you.
Best,
Lindsay Green
Co-Chair Preserve Bristol
Saturday, March 13, 2010
FRESH, a new movie about what we're eating
The pipe makes civilization possible!
By separating the waste from the potable water, he explains, the pipe allows people to live together in large groups without dying of dysentery. And the Latin word for lead, which is what the Romans used for pipes, is plumbum. So the plumber, when you think about it, is the foundation for a whole host of miracles. "Put it this way, my daughter, working for ten dollars or twelve dollars an hour in a nursing home, working on her associate's degree, she can walk through the door of her apartment and command it to be light and dark. She can command it to be hot or cold. She can go into the kitchen and command sanitary water to come forth at whatever temperature she likes and dismiss it at her pleasure. She can go into this unit and you can keep food cold for days. You go to this unit and you can command your food to be hot. A king with all his troops a hundred years ago couldn't do that."
The Tao of Plumbing, July 2009, Esquire Magazine http://www.esquire.com/features/plumbing-training-0809
Grow Smart RI e-newsletter
"Grow Smart RI works to achieve:
• Revitalized, walkable urban and town centers
• Housing options and affordability
• Expanded transportation choices
• A vital agricultural sector
• Responsible stewardship of natural resources"
Following is a link to Grow Smart RI's amazing e-link newsletter.
http://tinyurl.com/ygj9vy6
March 12, 2010: Pro Jo writes another pro LNG editorial
Senators Reed and Whitehouse support giving LNG authority back to states
Friday, March 12, 2010
Grow Smart RI Power of Place Summit
Friday, May 14, 2010
at the RI Convention Center. Stay tuned for special announcement of keynote speakers. Online registration to open this month. Meanwhile Save the Date! www.growsmartri.org
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Cost of wind power could cost RI jobs
Below are links to two articles by Alex Kuffner, reporter for the Providence Journal on issues to do with Deepwater Wind electric prices. The first written on March 10 and the next written today March 11.
Since wind is free - it does seems a bit odd that the agreed prices with National Grid are more than double what is paid now from conventional energy sources.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
LNG State House Hess hearing well attended
"Keep the Hess out of Fall River"
Here's an eyewitness report from a stalwart member of Save Bristol Harbor on yesterday's LNG hearing.
There was a very large turnout at yesterday's Hess LNG hearing in opposition. Save Bristol Harbor (SBH) joined forces with members of Save the Bay, Save Mount Hope Bay, The Kickimuit River Council, and the Coalition for Responsible Siting of LNG (from Fall River and Somerset). I got to meet my new best friend John Martin and he even kissed me hello! Also, many like minded folks saw it online and just showed up which was terrific. One man came from over an hour away in Massachusetts as he keeps his boat in Portsmouth. We held our signs up in the rotunda of the capital, and then all marched in together to the chambers just as Gordon Shearer, President of Hess Oil, began his presentation which was great timing! We were "standing room only" (SRO) and filled the chamber to capacity. We were not allowed to speak, and were commended for our respectful behavior with no shout outs! The next meeting, Tuesday, March 16, at two o'clock at the RI State House will allow for citizen input. Joe Arruda (SBH President) already plans to make a presentation to refute many of the false claims Shearer made yesterday.
Save Bristol Harbor LNG tanker simulation
Sister Mary Reilly's Saint Patrick's Day Bash
On Sunday March 14th the shamrock rules on Franklin Street and everyone is Irish, at least for the day. Traditional corned beef and cabbage, vegetarian Irish stew, breads, desert, cash bar, Irish tunes and general merrymaking – all for the benefit of Sophia Academy.
The Irish Bash named in honor of Sophia founder Sister Mary Reilly, will take place on March 14th with three seating’s; 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm. Tickets are $25.00 each and reservations are a must. To save your spot at this fantastic event please contact Cathy Cranston at 784-0021. More http://tinyurl.com/ye5b32v
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Le Central now open with full bar!
483 Hope Street, Bristol RI 02809
Next door to the Post Office
and across the street from Linden Place
Save Bristol Harbor to rally at RI State House today
Save Bristol Harbor has organized a car pool, Tuesday (today) to the RI State House to protest LNG by their presence at the meeting. (Comments will be taken from the public at next week's meeting.) Please meet at Rte 114 (Hope Street) and the gate to Colt Park at approx 12: 30 pm to pick up a ride to Providence.
Warren Art Spot - Art classes for kids
Julia Bush at the Warren Art Spot in Warren RI has tons of programs and fun art classes for children - and she is holding them over school holiday break in April. To see the spring list of new classes go to:
The Warren Art Spot is located at 6 Child Street in Warren, RI.
Monday, March 8, 2010
RI Greyhounds need your help
URI Practical Composting lecture in Warwick
URI Master Energy Training
The URI Master Energy Program is a 5-session training program that provides interested homeowners and business owners with practical information on how to save money and the environment with energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy. We are currently planning a municipal training that will soon be offered as a separate course.
This program also covers energy use in the community, from collaborative initiatives in green building and business to the latest information on energy legislation, government incentives and policy.
Modeled after the URI Master Gardener program and the URI Master Composter & Recycler program, the Master Energy Program will be taught by Robert S. Cerio, who has over 25 years of experience as an energy resource manager. More http://tinyurl.com/yckb57b
Save the date and get off your can
Registration information for those looking to participate in the event will be coming soon. We fully expect it to be a beautifully competitive course for those athletes who choose to race, and a great family event for others wishing only to walk. For more info on the EBFP go to www.eastbayfoodpantry.org
RI State House LNG testimony
This info from Save the Bay's website on tomorrows LNG hearing at the RI State House:
"Send a message to Hess that the Bay Is Not For Sale. Hess executives are scheduled to appear at 2 p.m.,Tuesday, March 9, before the Senate LNG Task Force. Limited seating is available for the hearing, set to commence in the Senate Lounge at 2 p.m. Let's turn out an overflow crowd. And yes, Save the Bay will supply signs. Show Hess honchos they have underestimated the resolve of people who have been protecting the Bay for decades." Testimony is only from Hess/LNG at this meeting. Public testimony to be on March 16 from 2 - 4pm at the State House. Public invited to rally before meeting tomorrow.
Cities and towns seek to standardize wind turbine rules.
Chew called for the RI General Assembly to adopt universal rules regulating wind turbines or force municipalities to adopt their own – within certain parameters – in a reasonable time frame. Read the full article from Providence Business News by Chris Barrett http://www.pbn.com/detail/48398.html Photo shows Portsmouth High School wind turbine erected a year ago.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Sachuest Point - Energy Panel Wednesday March 10 at 6:45pm
Wednesday, March 10 at 6:45 pm at Sachuest Point, Middletown, RI
Join us for a spirited conversation about the future of renewable energy in Rhode Island. Our panel will look at its current status and suggest areas in which we should focus our attention. This event will be most informative for those who seek the growth of renewable energy in our state.
Moderated by June Gibbs, Former RI state senator.
Panel members: Margaret Janzen, Director of Energy Supply and Distributed Generation at National Grid; Julian Prokopetz, Energy Program Associate, Environment America, Rhode Island; Tyson Slocum, Director of Energy, Public Citizen, Washington, D.C.; Susan Sosnowski, RI state senator, Chair, Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture.
Open to the public ~ Free of charge ~ Refreshments. Questions and comments from the audience are welcome following the presentation.
Sponsored by the Newport County East-Bay branch of the American Association of University Women.
Location: Sachuest Refuge, Sachuest point, Middletown, RI
Friday, March 5, 2010
RI Finalist in Federal education funds
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the finalists Thursday from among the 40 states and the District of Columbia that applied for the unprecedented infusion of federal aid.
Rhode Island is asking for $126.6 million to make dramatic changes to increase student achievement. Read more http://tinyurl.com/yl8j5jk
Water Authority (BCWA) under scrutiny
In a quest to find answers to soaring water rates and the openness for documentation from a public utility, town council members from Barrington, Bristol and Warren grilled water authority management and the board of the BCWA for hours at a special tri-town meeting Thursday night, Feb. 25 at the Warren Town Hall.
By the end of the meeting each group of councilors approved what was nicknamed the “Marshall Plan,” in reference to Bristol Town Council Chairman Ken Marshall’s plan to create an RFP and put out to bid an efficiency and operations audit of the water authority, looking at its operations from top to bottom.
Read the rest of the article by East Bay Newspaper's Michael Yoder at: http://eastbayri.com/detail/134431.html
Mount Hope Farm in Turmoil
http://eastbayri.com/detail/134511.html
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Peregrine Falcons in Providence
Audubon with the help of the US Fish and Wildlife Service has just placed two video cameras near a peregrine falcon nesting box on top of the Bank of America building in downtown Providence. The cameras will observe nesting peregrines and their nestlings 24/7. This has been a nesting site since the year 2000 and has produced 26 babies! A video link, when up and running, will be posted soon - meanwhile click the link below to see a You Tube clip of banding the babies in 2008 at this same site. Peregrines are cliff nesting birds of prey and naturally live in high mountainous areas but have adapted well to tall buildings and major bridges. The Mount Hope bridge has a nesting pair as well.
LNG Town Council Meeting on TV and on Bristol Town website
Hess Officials face LNG opposition
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Hootenanny in Warren March 14
The Hootenanny Is Back !!!
SING-OUT SUNDAY, A FOLK-SONG REVIVAL
East Bay folk-song balladeer Barry Brown is inviting all to bring their vocal chords and lungs to a sing-out of America’s favorite folk-songs at a revival of the mythic ‘1960s’ folk genre in Warren, RI.
The hootenanny is slated for the Coffee Depot (608-2553), a popular gathering spot in Warren, on Sunday March 14. The address is 501 Main Street. Starting time is 3:30pm. Song-sheets of the lyrics will be handed out to the crowd, and Brown’s guitar will supply the backing. He will also sing solos, including an original song or two from his newly released CD album Roots and Wings.
Special guests “The Raging Grannies” will sing several of their topical songs. Brown, a musician and guitar teacher for 45 years, will lead the people in familiar sing-out tunes. The songs will include traditional American folk-songs, as well as the many original tunes composed in the 1960s and performed by such legends as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, and Peter, Paul and Mary.
$5 suggested donation, $2 students. For further information call 254-2291.
Feline Forum at Potter League
There will be a feline forum Q and A at the Potter League on April 7 at 6 pm.
Please leave your cats at home. This is an informational workshop all about cats. Bring your questions!
Celebrate Federal Funding for IYRS composites program in Bristol
Celebrate the Federal funding of the IYRS composites Technology Program for marine, wind energy and construction.
Click on image once to enlarge.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Friday night lecture cancelled
Due to an illness in the speaker's family, Friday's program, Can War Ever be Just?, has been cancelled.
Central Falls firings
Interesting the national news is mentioning Obama's supportive comments about the Central Falls High School firings. No one ever mentions that Arne Duncan, current Education Secretary in Washington, did the same thing when he was school superintendent in Chicago and Obama was Senator. (I don't know how that school is doing today but it would be interesting to find out.) I'm sure Obama and Mr. Duncan are watching what happens in Rhode Island very carefully. RI superintendent Deborah Gist is managing a tightrope and is being positive throughout this issue with continued support from Washington.
Monday, March 1, 2010
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