Solati Trio Concert at St. Michael's on Sunday, February 13

The Community Concert Series at St. Michaels will present The Solati Trio on Sunday, February 13, at
3:00 pm at St Michael’s Church, 399 Hope Street.

The award-winning Solati Trio is Rhode Island’s pre-
eminent chamber music performance group. The members are Sophia Herman (violinist), Ludmilla Lifson (pianist) and Hrant Tatian (cellist).

Noted composers have written music for the Trio and the Trio has performed at the Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum in Boston, the John F. Kennedy Center in
Washington, DC, and the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie
Hall in New York City.

The Trio served as Artists-In-Residence and held Master Classes at Washington and Lee University in
Lexington Virginia.
Ticket prices are $20, $15 (seniors), $10 (students)
For more info call Suzanne Cohn at 253 7194

Chair Yoga for Seniors on Fridays at 9:30am in Bristol

Chair Yoga for Seniors at Bristol Yoga Studio, 676 Hope Street (corner of Franklin and Hope Sts)
This class is an 'easy does it' yoga class, developed to accommodate anyone with physical limitations due to age, illness, disability, or simply years of inactiviity. It is an holistic program of yoga postures, breathing and relaxation techniques designed to improve or maintain health of individuals who participate. It is also a preventative program, practiced regularly, it can help prevent the development of many health and functional problems associated with aging. Taught by Karen Booth at Bristol Yoga Studio, 676 Hope Street, Bristol from 9:30-10:45am every Friday.
Pay what you can (free if necessary). For more info call: 569-0147 (Reservations not required.)
www.bristolyogastudio.com
email: bristolyogastudio@gmail.com

Tea with Governor Chafee, Feb. 13, 3-5pm

Mark your calendar:
"Tea with the Governor", Saturday, February 13, 3-5pm, at the Bristol Statehouse, 240 High Street
Details to follow.

Bristol County Water Authority Forum on TV

The Bristol County Water Authority tri- town forum organized last night by the citizens group called the Bristol Patriots will be telecast on Cox and Full Channel in a couple of weeks. (Public access Channels 17,18 or 13) If you were unable to attend as I was, this will be an important way to catch up. Exact dates and times will be posted as soon as known.

More snow and its not "light". Bristol Parking Ban starts at 7pm tonight

It's Wednesday, January 26 and its snowing again - this time hard- as of 12:30 pm! 8 - 12" is forecasted. A parking ban is in effect starting at 7pm tonight until further notice. Some schools in RI are planning to be closed tomorrow (Thursday) but mostly in the Foster Gloucester area. Photo: Coggeshall Farm, Bristol RI
Link below from Bristol's Fred Campagna showing radar of the two storms. Four to 7" expected overnight from storm #2. http://fb.me/Tl77CBWv

Two Funding Formula School Meetings on Monday, January 31

Two meetings will be held at the High School on the topic of the Bristol-Warren School Funding Formula - both on Monday, January 31. One at 6:15pm and the other at 7pm. Deborah Gist, RI School Superintendent, will attend the 7pm meeting.

On Monday, January 31, at 7:00pm, the School Committee will be holding a special meeting in the Mt. Hope High School Auditorium. The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for Commissioner Gist and her staff to present detailed information and to answer questions regarding the funding formula and its impact on the Bristol Warren Regional School District. The town leaders and the state legislators of Bristol and Warren will be attending.

Melinda Thies will be conducting a briefing session for parents and members of the community to explain the complexities of the funding formula and exactly what it means to Bristol Warren. This session will be held just before the meeting with the Commissioner – on Monday, January 31, 6:15pm, in the Library of Mt. Hope High School.

The School Committee and the Superintendent ask that you share this information with the other parents at your schools and encourage them to attend both these meetings.

SALT PILES and OIL tanks on Allen's Ave in PVD

The oil tanks and the great salt pile on Allens Ave - both on the waterfront - are not exactly 'unsightly' in January. More precisely they are total necessities! We need places like Sprague Energy to stay where it is and not be pushed out by fancy condo's and poufy fu fu retail shops. Providence is second only to Boston in having a deep water channel for barges, large tankers and to bring in critical supplies - especially in winter.
http://tinyurl.com/4gkaw8m
Related article on the Port of Providence barge industry here:
http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_barge.31bada9.html

Town Council Meeting Agenda for January 26, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/64mjzud

The three A's of awesome

TED Talks Neil Pasricha's blog 1000 Awesome Things savors life's simple pleasures, from free refills to clean sheets.
http://tinyurl.com/29lgu6b

Tuesday's "light" snow.

Seems to be snowing a bit longer and harder than was forecast for today (January 25) as a "dusting". Schools were not delayed or cancelled as the snow turns into another 'plowable' event! More snow is forecasted for tomorrow night through Thursday! Please drive and walk carefully - take a deep breathe and enjoy January!

Free Beethoven on Super Bowl Sunday at RWU!

Community Music Works from Providence (the director, Sebastian Ruth, received a MacArthur genius grant in 2010) is coming to Bristol to play a FREE concert - a string ensemble with piano - at the RWU Performance Art Center on Superbowl Sunday, February 6 at 2 pm. The Community Music Works Players are all high level professionals and teachers. They will be playing Beethoven, Faure, and Schuman.
We are fortunate they are coming to Bristol and thank Denise and Bob Arsenault for sharing this info with us!
For directions to RWU Performing Arts Center: http://tinyurl.com/63kvgfl

For more info on Community Music Works:http://www.communitymusicworks.org/

Bridges: Non-engineer saves RI $26M

One smart non-engineer named Jerome Williams who briefly worked under Carcieri as a DOT employee was able to study a history of bridge construction failures and save the state $26M in the re-building of the Sakonnet River Bridge. His solution: Make the bridge span shorter and a bit lower by not building the bridge over land where earth fill will do. This makes one realize that even if you are not an expert, you can still make common sense expert observations. I wonder if Governor Chafee has hired Mr. Williams. One would hope so.
Full January 20, 2011 Pro Jo article by Bruce Landis here:
http://tinyurl.com/6bswjnp

Need help with goose poop? This is for you.

Please click on image to enlarge.

BB 3 is March 18, 2011

Mark your calendars: Bodacious Bee - an adult spelling bee - is Friday, March 18 in the RWU Field House. Price per person $50. Tables of 8 can be purchased for $350 (a savings over individual ticket purchases.) Catering this year is by Leo's! Please call Anne at 401 245 0395 with any questions. Details at link below.
http://www.bwedfoundation.org/bbee2011.html

The Bristol Warren Education Foundation (formerly the Kickemuit Education Foundation) is an independent, non-profit organization of community volunteers committed to promoting novel approaches to student development that are outside the scope of existing school budgets. Through fundraising events and donations from individuals and businesses, BWEF provides grants to teachers and staff for innovative, high-quality programs that enhance and enrich our students' educational experience. During the 2010 grant cycle alone we awarded over $23,000 in grants to programs in every elementary school in the district, as well as at both Kickemuit Middle School and Mt. Hope High School.

Bristol County Water Authority Forum on January 25

A non- partisan watch dog citizens group called "The Bristol Patriots" is holding a tri-town open forum to discuss the plans and operations of the Bristol County Water Authority on Tuesday, January 25 at 6:30 pm in Bristol at the Mount Hope High School. The Water Authority is invited (9 appointed members) as well as all 15 members of the three Town Councils, 3 Town Administrators, elected offficials and of course the public. If you have questions about your water supply, where it comes from, where it will continue to come from, its quality, quantity, or cost - you need to come to this meeting. Please bring your questions. Hopefully they will have large maps as visual aids.

Simmons Farm in Middletown looking for Field Manager

Looking For Help For The 2011 Season. Simmons Farm in Middletown, RI is looking for a field manager. We are a 120 acre of certified organic diversified farming operation. We grow 30+ acres of vegetables. We market through a large CSA and three farmers markets a week-year round. We are looking for an individual who will help manage the daily work in the vegetable fields along with the work crew. Good work ethic and communication skills a must-a good sense of humor doesn’t hurt either. Must be self motivated and have the ability to motivate others. Year round position, housing available on farm. Salary based on experience. simmonsfarm@cox.net.

Herreshoff Winter Navigation and Seamanship Classes to continue

Herreshoff Museum will be continuing their winter series of Navigation Classes as well as their Seamanship classes. These classes are taught by KESTREL captain and long time sailor and educator Richard Feeny. (Former coach of the Brown University Sailing Team) Link here for details and to sign up.
http://herreshoff.org/store/page17.html

Happy Birthday Michelle Obama!

First Lady Michelle Obama is all about healthy living. She planted a 1,500-square foot organic garden at the White House — which now grows artichokes, spinach, peas, carrots, bok choy, broccoli and more. She launched Let's Move, an organization to combat childhood obesity. And she has begun a national conversation about eating right, buying local and building sustainable food systems. Happy Birthday Michelle. We like you!

Herreshoff Grand 40 Gala to be June 4, 2011

The Herreshoff Marine Museum is celebrating their fortieth anniversary in 2011, and as a highlight of the year-long commemoration, the Museum has announced the GRAND 40 GALA on June 4, 2011. The event, will be hosted on the waterfront. The evening's festivities will include dining, dancing (black tie optional), and one-of-a-kind auction items. Tickets pp: $250.

For more information about tickets, sponsorship, and participation, please email:
events@herreshoff.org

Allow yourself to be seen!

This is an excellent short video from TED by Brene Brown on allowing oneself to be seen and having the courage to be imperfect. Thanks to Juana Medina for sending it along.
http://tinyurl.com/2besfwh

Bristol Historical Society and Linden Place to host special luncheon

The Bristol Historical Society and Linden Place will host a luncheon and discussion with "Killer Colt" author, Harold Schechter, on Sunday, January 23 at 12:30 pm in the Linden Place Ballroom at 500 Hope Street. The event will include a buffet meal followed by a discussion with Schechter relating to the murder of printer Samuel Adams in New York and the subsequent trial of John C. Colt, uncle of Bristol’s Samuel Pomeroy Colt who lived at Linden Place, for Adams’ murder. Tickets are $40 each, $35 for Linden Place and Bristol Historical and Preservation Society members. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the Bristol Historical Society at (401) 253-7223. Snow date: January 30th.

New Community String Classes to start January 24

Whether you are young or old or somewhere in between - this might make a great winter project! Call Bob Arsenault at 254-5980 x 3165 for more details! Click on image once to enlarge.

EBCP:Professor Bacevich to speak January 21

East Bay Citizens for Peace invites Professor Andrew Bacevich to speak on Friday, January 21 at 7:30pm at the Bristol State House. Aside from being a prolific writer, Professor Bacevich is a retired US Army Colonel and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is currently a professor of History and International Relations at Boston University. The lecture is free but a donation of $5. is suggested. Hope to see you there! Thank you East Bay Citizens for Peace for initiating, organizing and sponsoring this lecture.
Click on image once to enlarge.

Phew - It's temporary!

Have you been wondering what that bright yellow structure is outside of FLORAL SYMPHONY? It was placed there yesterday (Thursday Jan. 6, 2011) per orders of the Bristol building inspector as a temporary safety measure to hold up that end of the sagging awning. The owners of the building have reportedly gone before the HDC and are planning on taking the entire awning down - not unlike how it looked c.1880. See photo.
Blogger note: The awning along with the yellow structure came down the day before the big snowstorm on Tuesday, January 11. None too soon!

Darrell West to speak Saturday Jan. 8 at 2pm

Post-election politics
The Newport Art Museum will open its 84th annual Winter Lecture Series The New Political Landscape, a discussion led by Darrell West. West is the vice president of governance studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution. He is also a former John Hazen White professor of political science and public policy and former director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University. In his lecture, West will provide an assessment of the post-election political landscape.

LOCATION: Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave., Newport. Saturday, Jan. 8, 2 p.m. Cost: $10 museum members; $15 nonmembers. For more information, visit the website or call (401) 848-8200.

WEBSITE: www.newportartmuseum.org.

CAPTION: Darrell West will kick off the 84th annual Winter Lecture Series at the Newport Art Museum.
IMAGE COURTESY THE NEWPORT ART MUSEUM