Open to all: RWU offers shellfish farming course

BRISTOL, RI, The Bristol Phoenix - East Bay Newspapers — If you’ve been thinking about starting up a small shellfish farm, the Roger Williams University Center for Economic and Environmental Development is teaching a new 12-week course this winter.

The course will teach the basics of shellfish farming in the waters of Rhode Island and nearby Southern New England, including principles of hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations, risk management, siting, permitting and business management.

The university is enrolling students now to the non-credit course, “Practical Shellfish Farming.” Dale Leavitt, Ph.D., associate professor and aquaculture extension specialist, will teach the course at the Bristol campus.

Twelve classes are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 11 to April 18, weather permitting. The fee for the course and all handout materials is $120. Students may attend classes on a drop-in basis at a rate of $10 per session.

To register for the course, contact Cheryl Francis at 254-3110 or cfrancis@rwu.edu or Dale Leavitt at dleavitt@rwu.edu.

Lee Ann Freitas: Bristol's Local Farmer

This article recently came out in the Bristol Warren Patch and was written by Esther Trneny. Photo by Esther Trneny. Congratulations to Lee Ann Freitas for starting a chemical free sustainable farm of her own!
"Indie growers is a small farm located in Bristol RI. All vegetables, greens, herbs and edible blossoms are grown independent of chemicals and pesticides. Sustainability and appreciation for Mother Nature are the driving force behind all they do. They strive to bring the farm to YOUR table." From the Indie Growers website: www.indiegrowers.com
 http://tinyurl.com/c33kz6z

Words from Elizabeth Warren's Mass campaign.

Sign seen in NYC

Photo by Dr.Greg Hinson, Birds in Fog, Nantucket

Bristol Harbor's Mysterious Floating Christmas tree!

 http://tinyurl.com/6sqq2m2 
Have you seen it? It usually appears for about 48 hours for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day around Windmill Point.

Why you're not married by Tracy McMillan

http://tinyurl.com/463sq9o 

This will take about 10 minutes to read but could save your marriage or encourage you to get married! Would love to hear your comments.

The RWU Barn: A lecture by the guys who made it happen

The RWU Performing Arts Center Barn: A talk by the guys who made it happen - Kevin Jordan and Bill Grandgeorge. Please click on the image once to enlarge. Event is on Thursday December 15 at the Barn at 7pm.  http://barn25.rwu.edu
or call 253 3626. FREE.

Plain food and grateful for it

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat plain food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
then you are probably the family dog!

British Beer Company may be coming to State Street

If you are a beer drinker like I am this may be of interest to you.
There is a new business planning to open in a few months (end January at the earliest) on Bristol's State Street where the Anchor Tavern is currently located. It's called the British Beer Company and will serve beer only - over 25 kinds. It is a privately held Formula Business located mostly on Cape Cod with about 10 locations in that area. The owner, Gary Simon, said he has opened a new store every 12 - 18 months - the first one opening 14 years ago in Plymouth MA. The Bristol store will be the first in the state of RI and be very similar in size and design to the one in Plymouth.
Mr. Simon will need to go before the HDC (Thursday Dec 1) and Zoning (Monday Dec 5). At last Wednesday's Town Council (TC) meeting he received conditional approval to open in Bristol. The TC was most concerned about the entertainment license he would inherit (from Mike Ferriera) and wanted to know what the entertainment would be. Simon said that it would be sympatico with a "pub atmosphere" - low key with no rock n roll and that the music would be to 'enhance' the public experience with no amplified music - at most a guitar and singer.
Town Councilor Halsey Herreshoff noted there is something unique about the culture and spirit of an English Pub and said he was grateful this British Beer Company wanted to come to Bristol.
The entertainment license was approved on a 3 month trail basis with a final review in July. Town Solicitor Ursillo wished him well and noted he be sure to comply with the wastewater treatment ordinance.
Photo shows the Plymouth MA business.

CSP: Franklin Street Music before Illumination on Sunday

Come to support the Community String Project (CSP) and enjoy a lovely festive afternoon from 3 to 5pm before the downtown Grand Illumination. There will be hors d'oeuvres and wine, hot cider, a brief program at 4:00 with performances by young violin and viola students, a string quartet by their instructors, and tours of the stunning historic 3 story home owned by Wendella Jiskoot (restored by Mark Bosco) that has been transformed from the former American Legion Hall.
Sunday, December 4
3 - 5 pm
57 Franklin Street, Bristol RI
Look for the 6' colorful banner hanging from the front porch!
Call 253 6084 for more details.
www.communitystringproject.org

The Community String Project (CSP), a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization, began in July of 2009 with the goal of serving disadvantaged, at- risk youth in the East Bay area through an innovative, school-based music program centered on string instruments.

State Street Dock Construction Plans

From the Bristol Warren Patch. This sounds really good. Glad it was stated that this is a deep water boating/fishing pier first and foremost. I hope the lights are dim enough to not block the view of the night stars. Thanks to Jim Dollins, Harbor Commission Vice Chair, and Ed Tanner, Bristol Town Planner, for sending this in. Work began Monday, November 28, 2011.
Photo by Ed Tanner showing State Street Dock looking north as it is today. The vertical concrete on the right is the remains of an old restaurant. Can anyone share details they remember about this building?
http://bristol-warren.patch.com/articles/big-plans-for-state-street-dock#

Please Remember to Shop Locally! You might WIN!

Raffle drawing at 5pm sharp on Sunday, December 18.
You must be present to win!
Click image once to enlarge.

Nasturtiums still in bloom!

Photograph courtesy Coggeshall Farm Museum

John Torgan leaves Save the Bay for The Nature Conservancy

John Torgan calls himself "a child of Rhode Island waters." So it seems fitting that he will become the new director of ocean and coastal conservation for the RI chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
John Torgan has been the Narragansett Baykeeper for Save the Bay for the last 18 years.
As director of ocean and coastal conservation, Torgan will lead the conservancy's efforts to protect and restore the ecological health of RI's waters and to integrate those efforts across the regional system.
Preserve Bristol wishes him the best of luck!

Remember this over Thanksgiving weekend!

RI Harvest Calendar

http://www.farmfresh.org/learn/harvestcalendar.php 

Christmas at Blithewold

Click image once to enlarge.

Your Life Poster

Bill McCarthy age 94 RIP

http://www.bristolri.com/obituaries/2011/nov/14/william-mccarthy/

Herreshoff Museum offering free admission over Thanksgiving weekend

Bristol Residents Weekend is November 26th Saturday and 27th Sunday. The Museum will be offering free admission to all Bristol residents. The weekends festivities will include guided tours and a 10% discount in the Museum gift shop. This is a must-do for any local family, yachting enthusiast, or historian. Come by and share your pride in our beautiful town and its amazing marine history.

Photograph: A new/old Herreshoff H-20 built on Burnside Street in 2010-2011 by Dan Shea, Brad Gove and Halsey Herreshoff, created from an original Captain Nat wooden model. Photo shows them on their maiden sail on Intent in September 2011 in front of "Love Rocks" (Captain Nat's home and studio).

Art Lecture at RWU this Thursday November 17 at 7pm

Bristolian Jonathan Tavares will be speaking on "The Artistic Legacy of the Renaissance".
A lecture co-sponsored by The Bristol Art Museum and the Roger Williams Program in Art History.
Free and open to the public - reception following the talk.

Click on image once to enlarge.

2nd Story Theatre in Bristol on Saturday Nov 19

This Saturday, November 19th, brings an opportunity to do two great things at once.... see a 2nd Story Theater production right here in Bristol, and support Mosaico CDC so that it can continue to do its good work in the community.

Click on image once to enlarge. Thanks to Lane Sparkman for reminding us of this!

No winter doldrums at this farm - Mount Hope Farm in Providence Business News

No winter doldrums at this farm - PBN.com - Providence Business News

Portuguese Cheer for Everybody: Saturday, December 3. 2011

OUT OF THE GUTTER, a group of comedic young thespians from the other side of the bridge,make their debut in Bristol with their hilarious Christmas show! It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...Portuguese Style! ... As the Portuguese Kids put their unique twist on the Yuletide season! Join them for a night of laughter and holiday fun on Saturday, December 3rd when Out of the Gutter Comedy presents A Very Portuguese Christmas, an English-spoken comedy with a humorous Portuguese twist at Saint Elizabeth Auditorium. For more information or tickets contact the Berta @ 451-2735 or Manuel @ 508-965-0947. Tickets are $15.00. This show has sold out multiple times and has been called their funniest - So don't miss out on A Very Portuguese Christmas!
Click on image once to enlarge. Doors open at 6pm - show starts at 7:30pm.
The event is in English.

For Sale: Beetle Cats

For Sale: Beetle Cats®

$11,500
A number of lovingly restored Beetle Cats are are available for delivery now at a great price, complete with sails, beautiful bronze hardware and in appropriate colors. The Beetle Company began building these charming catboats in 1921. In 1946, the Concordia Company purchased the molds from John Beetle and continued to build the boats. Today, Beetle, Inc. carries on building them in traditional wood construction. More than 3,000 have been launched. The Beetle Cat is the foundation of the first year of the IYRS Boatbuilding & Restoration program. LOA: 12' 4"; Beam: 6'. Email Terry Nathan for special pricing. tnathan@iyrs.org or 401-848-5777, ext 211.

Mount Hope Farm to have Indoor Winter Farmer's Market starting November 19

Mount Hope Farm in Bristol RI will be starting the only indoor winter Farmer's Market in the East Bay region on Saturday, November 19, 2011 running through early May 2012. It will be held inside their large heated Barn every Saturday morning from 9 - noon. A partial list of vendors includes:
Windmist Farm from Jamestown (Grass fed lamb, chicken, beef, lamb and goat)
Wishing Stone Farm from Little Compton (fresh produce)
The Sunnyside in Warren - breakfast items
The Local Catch of Narragansett (shellfish and fish)
The Cupcakerie
Provencal Bakery of Middletown (fresh breads)
The Coffee Guy from Middletown
Providence's Farmacy Herbs
Aquidneck Honey (Mello)
Mapleville Farm
Hopefully some Bristol vendors (Andrade's Catch, Nick's Seafood Market, Steve Ramos, Lee Ann Freitas, The BeeHive Cafe, local quahoggers) will be included at a later date.
This is such a spectacular idea! Now we don't have to drive all the way to Pawtucket for fresh winter veggies!
Directions: Drive in the main entrance to Mount Hope Farm at 250 Metacom Ave (Bristol RI 02809) and follow signs for parking. The farm's walking trails are open from dawn to dusk! Dogs are allowed but must be on leash and are expected to be picked up after.
Photograph by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. shows Executive Director, Janet Zwolinski, feeding the farm's Dominique chickens, a heritage breed.

Mona Simpson's beautiful eulogy to her brother Steve Jobs

http://tinyurl.com/3mrxmxl

Bristol's Holiday Preview is Friday Nov 18

The 3rd annual Bristol Snowflake Raffle is Sunday December 18.

Don't like those gas guzzling noisy lawn mowers? Hire this shepherd!

http://tinyurl.com/3nzu5a6

Last of the foggy Morning Glories for 2011

Community String Project moves to new Byfield Arts Building!

The COMMUNITY STRING PROJECT is a non-profit organization with the mission of providing affordable and accessible string lessons in the East Bay through an innovative music education program. CSP currently instructs more than 100 students, both adults and children, with 30% of students meeting the criteria for subsidized instruction. Learn more about CSP at www.communitystringproject.org.

Dolphins in Narragansett Bay!

This just in from Stan Dimock. (Does this mean the Bay is cleaner?):
"We had a very exciting morning at the Save the Bay Center today (10.27.11) when a pod of dolphins appeared right in front of our building. We took the skiff out for a closer look – photos attached. Enjoy!

Stan Dimock
Save the Bay
Operations Assistant"

Happy Halloween!

Drawings by Juana Medina.

Sunday, October 30 is Bristol's 8th annual Halloween Walk About

Hey Kids! Take your parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles, and favorite goblins to the
8th Annual Downtown HALLOWEEN WALKABOUT on Sunday afternoon (Oct 30) from 1 - 3pm in Downtown Bristol. Sponsored by DBMA Bristol Merchants.

Keep your costume on and run over to The Barn at Mount Hope Farm for Cookies and Punch, more Halloween Games, Art Projects and Festivities beginning at 3:30pm running to 5pm. This is for ages 3 - 10!

.

Linden Place Guitarist Sunday, November 13

FRIENDS OF LINDEN PLACE
500 HOPE STREET  P.O. BOX 328  BRISTOL  RHODE ISLAND  02809
401-253-0390 TEL  401-253-4106 FAX  LINDENPLACE.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: SUSAN BATTLE
253-0390 or email sbattle@lindenplace.org

Internationally Acclaimed Classical Guitarist Giovanni DeChiaro to Perform at Linden Place Mansion

Guitarist DeChiaro to present intimate performance in the Linden Place Mansion on Sunday, November 13th at 3:00 PM.

Giovanni DeChiaro has performed seven recitals at Carnegie Hall and recorded four globally televised programs for Eternal Word Television Network and two nationally televised special programs for the PBS network, both of which received Gold Awards and top honors at film festivals.

At concerts in North and South America, Canada, and Europe, DeChiaro has performed for many notable individuals, including Pope John Paul II, Bill and Hillary Clinton, the King of Spain. He has made several recordings, including his own transcriptions of the complete works of Scott Joplin.

Admission is $15.00, $10.00 for members of Linden Place, free for Colt Circle members.
Seating is limited and reservations are requested. For tickets and information, contact the Linden Place office at 401-253-0390. A wine reception to greet the artist will follow the performance.

Providence Performing Arts Center :: Momix: Botanica

Providence Performing Arts Center :: Momix: Botanica

RI General Assembly Retirement Security Legislation

Rally to Save Rhode Island!

Last week, Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Governor Lincoln Chafee introduced the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act (RIRSA) of 2011. This legislation needs your help in getting it passed through the Rhode Island General Assembly. Here are ways to support the cause:

1) Attend the Rally to Save Rhode Island this Wednesday, October 26th 4:00PM at the Statehouse Rotunda. We must take this opportunity to show overwhelming support to legislative leaders for this crucial cause.

2) Contact your legislators via the website www.engageri.org Please note: you need to input your FULL address in order for it to produce your legislators. Details:EngageRI at 278-4437 or email at info@engageri.org

3) You can write directly to the general assembly through their newly created website.
(Link is below) The comment section is short, simple and very easy to use. Comments will go directly into the public record.
General Assembly website is: http://pensionreformri.com/contact-form/index.php
or http://www.pensionreformri.com/

Education Event at Barrington High School Wednesday night

“Where do we go from here — Raising the bar for public school education.” http://tinyurl.com/3nn9a92

Will Dropouts Save America?

‎"If start-up activity is the true engine of job creation in America, one thing is clear: our current educational system is acting as the brakes. Simply put, from kindergarten through undergraduate and grad school, you learn very few skills or attitudes that would ever help you start a business. Skills like sales, networking, creativity and comfort with failure."

"AFTER all, there is not one job market in America, but two. The formal market we always hear about — jobs that get filled through cold résumé submissions in reply to posted ads — accounts for only about 20 percent of jobs.

The other 80 percent get filled in the informal job market. Any employer knows how the informal job market works: you need a position filled, so you ask your friends, colleagues and current employees if they know anyone who would do a good job.

In this informal job market, the academic requirements listed in job ads tend to be highly negotiable, and far less important than real-world results and the enthusiasm of the personal referral.

Classroom skills may put you at an advantage in the formal market, but in the informal market, street-smart skills and real-world networking are infinitely more important.

Yet our children grow up amid an echo chamber of voices telling them to get good grades, do well on their SATs, and spend an average of $45,000 on tuition — after accounting for scholarships — while taking on $23,000 in debt to get a private four-year college education.

It’s time that we as a nation accepted a basic — and seldom-mentioned — fact. You don’t need a degree (and certainly not an M.B.A.) to start a business and create jobs, nor is it even that helpful, compared with cheaper, faster alternatives." Thank you Kirsten DiChiappari for bring this article to our attention. Full NY Times article October 22, 2011 by Michael Ellsberg here:
http://tinyurl.com/3zh3cm4

Save the Bay Art Show Thursday, November 17

Save the Bay is having their ART SHOW on Thursday, November 17 from 5:30 - 8pm. $25 includes drinks and delicious hors d'oeuvres. Details? Call 401 272 3540 x140

RWU offers advanced degree in Art History

Roger Williams University offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts 4+1 Degree Program and a Master of Arts in Art and Architectural History.

NEW beginning fall 2011, the Master of Arts in Art and Architectural History can be completed in one or two years (12 courses/36 credits and 1 internship), depending on the undergraduate degree of the entering students. The degree can be completed in one year by students holding an undergraduate degree in art history or historic preservation or in two years by those who have completed an undergraduate degree in another field.

The program includes a flexible schedule with evening courses and many travel courses offered for credit or audit. Those interested may begin by auditing two courses. For more information contact Professor Rebecca Leuchak, Art and Architectural History Program Coordinator in the School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation at 401.254.3011 or email her at rleuchak@rwu.edu

Photo above: Students discuss a work of art at MOMA in New York City.

Herreshoff offering Free Admission to Bristol residents over Thanksgiving Weekend

Bristol Residents Weekend is November 26th and 27th. The Museum will be offering free admission to all Bristol residents. The weekends festivities will include guided tours and a 10% discount in the Museum gift shop. This is a must-do for any local family, yachting enthusiast, or historian. Come by and share your pride for our beautiful town and its amazing history.

Photograph: A new/old Herreshoff H-20 built on Burnside Street in 2010-2011 by Dan Shea, Brad Gove and Halsey Herreshoff, created from an original Captain Nat wooden model. Photo shows them on their maiden sail on Intent in September 2011 in front of "Love Rocks" (Captain Nat's home and studio).

Fresh Ideas from new RWU President, Donald Farish

The excerpts below are from Monday October 17, 2011 article in Providence Business News by Denise Perreault:

•"In BRISTOL, Dr. Farish is working with town officials on several projects, including conversion of the former Wally School into an arts center and preservation of an historic building at Colt State Park."

And this on the BUSINESS School:
•"I just met [recently] with the dean of the School of Business, Jerry Dauterive, and said, “I really would like you to take a run at developing a program on entrepreneurship.”

We have someone that I’ve met who may be a prospective donor for such a program, to help get it off the ground. That’s something I helped oversee [at Rowan] that was very successful and it would be here as well.

• I’ve asked the dean also to take a long, hard look at an MBA program because the idea of combining a law school degree with an MBA is a very attractive educational package and I think we could pull that off quite nicely. … It is very likely we could have an MBA program probably two years from now. … We are doing a needs assessment.

Reminder: Warren Walkabout is Sunday Oct 23, Noon -5 pm

Don't miss a chance to ride a DRAGON at Frerich's Farm!

Local Food and Farm Forum October 26

Local Food and Farming Community Forum
WHEN Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 6 – 9pm
WHERE CCRI, One John H. Chafee Blvd., Newport, RI
EVENT TYPE What Grows On in RI! www.whatgrowsonri.com
TOWN/CITY (RI) Newport
CATEGORIES Farming, Food
ORGANIZED BY Aquidneck Land Trust, AYERSfoundation, A Market, and Keenwah Eatery
GROUP HOMEPAGE www.ailt.org
INTENDED AUDIENCE General
CALENDAR BY www.whatgrowsonri.com
NOTE
local food growers, producers, advocates and supporters of local food and farming will gather at CCRI - Newport campus auditorium for the first annual Food & Farming Community Forum, sponsored by A Market and Keenwah Eatery.
The Forum will focus on the importance of an abundant local food harvest to the economic well-being and health of Aquidneck Island and to the state as a whole. "This is an opportunity for our community to come together to discuss the most vital issues around local food, and how supporting local food helps our economy," says Kyle Hence, forum organizer, "and we are honored to have a great group of panelists joining us."

Participating panelists include Ken Ayars, Chief of Agriculture at the Rhode Island DEM, Ted Clement, head of the Aquidneck Land Trust

Inauguration of Donald Farish: New RWU President

Last week there were many events tied to the inauguration of Dr. Donald Farish - the new RWU President. (We are actually getting a'two fer' with his wife Maia who is very active on campus as well as in the community!) One of the things that interest me about Dr. Farish's approach to RWU and the community is his desire to ramp up 'continuing education' and online learning in all its aspects. "Given the unemployment crisis facing America, the university must find new ways to prepare “adult learners” — those other than the typical 18- to 22-year-old undergraduate served at Roger Williams University — to find new niches in the workforce and to continue their education." Right now RWU offers online degrees in Criminal Justice and Public Administration. As Dr. Farish puts it, "Getting a BA Degree is no longer a vaccine against ignorance. Booster shots are needed to stay up to date." Because RWU has niche majors in construction management, criminal justice, architecture, law, business and engineering - the CE certification programs, if they ever happen, might be in these related fields - but not exclusively. If you think continuing education is a good idea for RWU, I suggest you email or call the president's office and let them know. Dr. Farish will need your support in persuading the administration and faculty of same. I don't have his email but try dfarish@rwu.edu
Here is a link to a short interview with Dr. Farish by Elizabeth Harrison from WRNI radio on October 13, 2011.
http://tinyurl.com/3pmgy4g
PS: This from a recent article in Providence Business News:
"In BRISTOL, he is working with town officials on several projects, including conversion of the former Wally School into an arts center and preservation of an historic building at Colt State Park."
And this excerpt from PBN on the BUSINESS School.
"I just met [recently] with the dean of the School of Business, Jerry Dauterive, and said, “I really would like you to take a run at developing a program on entrepreneurship.”

We have someone that I’ve met who may be a prospective donor for such a program, to help get it off the ground. That’s something I helped oversee [at Rowan] that was very successful and it would be here as well.

I’ve asked the dean also to take a long, hard look at an MBA program because the idea of combining a law school degree with an MBA is a very attractive educational package and I think we could pull that off quite nicely. … It is very likely we could have an MBA program probably two years from now. … We are doing a needs assessment.

NEW WRNI signal problems in the East Bay

Are you having trouble hearing the new WRNI NPR radio signal at 88.1?
So is everyone else in the East Bay! Until they figure out how to fix it, please know that you can find it at 102.7 FM on your dial as well!
www.wrni.org
news@wrni.org

Elise Arsenault to teach youth acting classes at Reynolds School

The Bristol Department of Parks & Recreation is offering an eight-week Young Actors Workshop for children ages 8-13, beginning October 22nd. This workshop will be directed by Elise Arsenault, a versatile performer and teaching artist (Washington National Opera Outreach, Missoula Children’s Theatre, 2nd Story Theatre). The workshop will be held at the Reynolds School on High Street on Saturday mornings from 8:30am – 10:30am. The cost for the eight-week program is $75. Please call the Bristol Department of Parks & Recreation at 253-1611 to register. For more information, send emails to elise.arsenault@gmail.com. For more info on Elise please go to her website. She is the daughter Denise and Bob Arsenault of Bristol.
http://elisearsenault.com/default.aspx

Burano, Italy

Recent photograph by Michael Gerhardt.

Save the Date: Bristol's Holiday Preview

Friday, November 18 from 5 – 9 pm

Blackberrys finally back up and running. Maybe its time for that new iPhone 4S

BlackBerry Service Is Back Up

After four days of service interruptions, Research in Motion says it has fixed its technical issues. The delay in emails and messages began Monday and outraged BlackBerry users across five continents. Executives at RIM haven't been able to explain the outage, and frustrated customers took to forums and Twitter, swearing to switch smartphones. It's bad timing for RIM, as the new iPhone 4S will be released tomorrow and is already raking in rave reviews.

Sundays at Mount Hope Farm

Education Forum in Barrington, October 26 at 7pm

http://www.barringtoneducation.org/where-do-we-go-from-here/

Or call: 401 245 5000