http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTHdwTBNL8M
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Video of Bristol Warren Education Foundation Grants in Action
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
FYI: Sharing a post from this blog
Tonight's Town Council Meeting postponed to Thursday, March 31 at 7pm
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Organic Lawn Care lecture was Fabulous
Thank you to Joan Wilson of the Newport Garden Club and Ted Clement of the Aquidneck Land Trust for sponsoring this inspiring lecture held last night (March 28) at the Pennfield School in Portsmouth.
Chip Osborne president of Osborne Organics from Marblehead MA trains and educates landscapers (and the general public) to go organic. "People are interested in doing it - but just don't know how." He stated:
"The best lawn weed killer is a bag of grass seed and a light 1/4" top dressing of compost. Never cut your lawn less than 3" high and always leave grass clippings on the lawn for added organic matter and needed nitrogen." (The high blade height creates grass that shades out crab grass seedlings that will not germinate.)
He also stated that large Land Grant Universities are funded by huge chemical companies to perpetuate the myth that
chemical fertilizers and pesticides are necessary to create and maintain a 'perfect' lawn. (not unlike the workings of tobacco or the pet food industries) He said this was put in high gear in April 1967 during the televised Masters Golf Tournament. Everyone wanted a lawn that looked just like the golf course they saw on TV. He asked us to think about our children and grand children playing on those lawns/fields - esp year after year in repeated sports activities. (Fertilizers are made from ammonium nitrate - the same material used to create agent orange in Viet Nam and bombs during WW II although obviously in lesser amounts.) Chemical fertilizer lawn storm water runoff to Narragansett Bay is also a huge issue creating unwanted high nitrogen algae blooms that kill and deplete fish and other vital organisms.
What does the Town of Bristol use for fertilizer/pesticides on their beautiful sports fields at Town Beach?
Your comments are welcomed.
Go to www.osborneorganics.com or call 781.631.2468 to learn more. If you don't make your own compost it can be purchased locally from Bob Reed of JAM Materials on Aquidneck Island or you can pick it up for free at the Bristol Transfer Station on Minturn Ave off Metacom Ave.
URI Master Gardeners will be having a FREE soil testing day on April 17 at Prescott Farm in Portsmouth. Call them at 1 800 448 1011 for details.
Related Portsmouth Patch article here:
http://tinyurl.com/4bnuc2a
Our Flood Anniversary
http://blog.onbeing.org/post/4157683880/overwhelming-video-of-tsunami-taking-out-entire
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A CAPPELLA EXPLOSION April 9 at 8pm
THE SPECIAL GUESTS is Providence College’s only all-male a cappella group and has been performing on the PC Campus, in Providence and New England since they formed in 1996. These boys are notorious for breaking hearts and being terribly good looking.
THE HIGHER KEYS is Brown University’s co-ed a cappella group founded in 1983. The group’s repertoire is an exciting mix of jazz and pop.
THE JABBERWOCKS (photographed above) are Brown University's oldest all-male a cappella group (1949). The name Jabberwocks comes from the Lewis Carroll poem “Jabberwocky.” Now, more than 60 years later, the Jabberwocks remain an important part of student life at Brown with powerful music.
http://jabberwocks.bandcamp.com/
The concert will take place at St. Michael’s Church, Hope Street, Bristol, RI. The cost of the tickets is $20, $15 for Seniors and $10 for Students.
Tickets may be purchased at Paper, Packaging and Panache or at the door.
There will be a dinner/concert package available at Le Central, 483 Hope St in Bristol. Package is $43 and reservations can be made at 396-9965.
Also at Redlefsen’s, 444 Thames Street, Bristol. Package is $35 and reservations can be made at 254-1188.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Le Central Sunday Brunch sounds scrumptious!
Popovers (they sell out fast)
Roasted Potatoes
Lemon Ricotta Crepes
Classic "BLT", grilled chicken "BLT" or Lobster "BLT"
Eggs Benedict
Potato Pancakes
Roasted veggies (including beets)
Litteneck Chowder
Omelettes - five kinds!
Gluten free beer
Coffee, Cappuccino, latte, mocha
Le Central: tele: (401) 396 9965 www.lecentralbristol.net
Race to Nowhere at Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport
Monday April 4th 6:30 doors open 7:00pm screening
Tickets available at door (price?)
A fundraiser for the St Michael's Country Day School Parents Organization &
Sponsored by the Friends of the Jane Pickens as a movie that should be seen in our community
Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried that students aren't developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what's best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.
Race to Nowhere is a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.
School Funding: Joint Finance Meeting Tues night March 29 at 7 pm in Warren
Kickemuit Middle School is located at 525 Child Street in Warren RI 02885 tele: 245 2010
Related background info below:
To The Editor
For publication in the Bristol Phoenix
March 24, 2011
From: Denise Arsenault
Hattie Brown Lane, Bristol
254-0966
PLEASE ATTEND THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
I am writing with a final plea to all the citizens of Bristol, to consider your duty to our community on Tuesday evening, the 29th of March. Attend the Joint Finance Committee Meeting at 7:00 pm in the Kickemuit Middle School Auditorium. I do hope you believe, as I do, that the mark of a decent community is its commitment to its children, their current education and their future. As they are without choice in most matters relating to their well-being, it is incumbent upon good and generous adults (parents or not) to provide for their needs. As Americans, we embarked long ago on a mission to educate all children in a Public School System. That is a lofty goal, as so many come to us with a multitude of needs, and family support systems that may not be able to assist in their progress.
For nearly 20 years, the communities of Bristol and Warren have participated in a grand experiment (grand and ground breaking in RI anyway). Having regionalized our two school systems pre-k-12, we alone have proven this to be a successful enterprise. There is much to be proud of. Prior to regionalization, I attended many meetings urging more attention to our school buildings. All buildings which house our school programs, though they are still Town property, have been renovated and brought up to safe and healthy standards. The bonus dollars afforded us by the State of RI over the years enabled us to accomplish this. Also contributing to our success is the upgrade in materials and technology, which rate us near the top in the State for educational supports. And as if that were not enough, those dollars have also helped us hire excellent teachers and administrators, to keep our accreditation in place, our students performing at increasingly higher levels (regardless of their social status) and our reputation for creative and effective education intact.
The newly imposed State Funding Formula is diminishing those dollars, which saved our communities the high costs of education and allowed us to increase other services in our Towns. The BW administration has calculated that to maintain the current programs, services and buildings, an increase of nearly 3 million dollars (shared by both Towns) is needed this year. This of course reflects the increase in costs for obligations, which are contracted.
My request is simple…. If you wish your Town Leaders to add in the dollars the State will no longer provide, you must be clear about it. You must call, show up to witness their actions and talk the talk that says you will manage with less from the Town services if a larger share of tax dollars goes to education.
Be aware that though our Town has contributed millions over the years, we now need to contribute a larger percentage for education. Regionalization, the grand experiment, has succeeded. We are left with the choice to maintain and grow excellence from this point, or to diminish what has been accomplished.
Education is a complex and dynamic process. Make no mistake about it that each individual impacting another is what builds an educational experience for a child. There are no mathematical equations that provide success and growth for kids…only the labor-intensive and well-informed efforts of those who show up to do the work each day, no matter who is put in front of them.
The price tag is higher this year…can we afford not to pay it? I choose to represent you because I believe you want the best that this community can provide for our kids. To shortchange them this year should not be an option. Please vote with your presence next Tuesday.
Thanks,
Denise Arsenault
Below is a blog commentary on the Joint Finance Committee meeting from The Arts Room:
http://theartsroom.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/jfc-drama-part-2/
Learn to ROW
Gardening Workshop: Insect prevention the natural way
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
31 year old dead woman found behind Stone Harbour Condos
By Eric Dickervitz
BRISTOL - The body of Shanna O’Brien, 31, of Bristol was discovered Sunday morning behind Stone Harbour condominiums on Thames Street where she had lived.
Police and rescue responded to a call of an unresponsive female at 7 a.m. on Sunday, March 13 when another Stone Harbour resident discovered the body while walking along the waterfront behind the condominiums.
Lt. Steven Contente says there’s no evidence of foul play at this time. Police are investigating the death, and an autopsy will be performed to identify the cause of death.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Adult Art Classes at Newport Art Museum
http://tinyurl.com/46yjl7z
Sunday, March 13, 2011
iPad 2 went on sale Friday March 11
Addendum March 24: Verizon and AT&T stores never received any. Target sold out in an hour and the only place to actually see one is the Best Buy store in Seekonk. Best Buy had 90 and sold out in an hour on March 11. If you order one today online (they are sold out at Apple retail stores) there is 4 - 5 week wait. Apparently the iPad 2 screens are made in northern Japan which will/or is delaying shipments.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Bristol Bands to play at RWU on March 16 at 7pm
The concert will open with the Kickemuit 6th grade band performing “Starfire March” and “Refried Beans”. The 7th grade band follows with “Furioso” and “Pageantry for Band”. The 8th grand band concludes the KMS portion of the program with “Jefferson County Overture” and “Mallet Maniacs”. The Kickemuit Bands are conducted by Jeffrey Brackett and Melissa Labonte.
The award winning Mt. Hope High School Marching Band will feature the Flag Squad and the Dance Squad performing “Claire’s Song” and “Eye of the Tiger” directed by drum majors Richard Pavao and Emily Cambrola. The combined Concert and Symphonic Bands will present “Among the Clouds” and “Disney at the Movies” in preparation of their upcoming trip to perform in Disney World.
All musicians will combine to perform American Spirit March.
Admission to the All-Bands Concert is $5.00 and free to students and Senior Citizens
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