Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has announced a settlement with a Massachusetts-based contractor that disposed of contaminated material in Providence during the construction of the Route 6/10 interchange. Neronha says Barletta Heavy Division has agreed to pay $11 million to the state after admitting it illegally dumped tons of contaminated fill in the Olneyville […]
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Posted inLocal, South County Bureau
Matunuck Oyster Bar owner says he’s committed to reopening after devastating fire
The owner of Matunuck Oyster Bar, Perry Raso, is expressing gratitude to members of the public who have reached out to him after a devastating fire early Tuesday morning. In a statement sent to The Public’s Radio, Raso said his priority right now is assisting the restaurant’s 300 full-time and seasonal employees. He said he’s […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local
Settlement talks underway in contentious Westerly shoreline access case
Settlement talks are ongoing between the town of Westerly and a shoreline fire district that wants a judge to invalidate a town-designated public right-of-way to the beach. The Watch Hill Fire District is objecting to the town’s 2008 resolution to designate the Fort Road right-of-way. Beachgoers use the path to walk onto Napatree Point beach […]
Posted inImmigration, Local, Transportation
AG Neronha sues Trump administration for threatening to withhold $628 million in federal funding to Rhode Island
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Noronha is co-leading a group of 20 attorneys general challenging the Trump administration’s threat to withhold government funding from states that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Back in February, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation announced that in order for states like Rhode […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local
Is a foot doctor qualified to be a coastal regulator? Rhode Island’s governor says yes.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s latest nominee to a state council that regulates the coast is renewing calls for reform. Michael Reuter, a podiatrist who has spent time on the Barrington Harbor Commission, was chosen last week to serve on the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Some critics, including South Kingstown resident and shoreline […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
‘Nashville North’: New partnership brings Music City singer-songwriters to Westerly
Beginning this fall, Westerly’s United Theatre will host a series of intimate live shows featuring Nashville singer-songwriters, presented by the city’s legendary Bluebird Cafe. Dubbed “Nashville North,” the initiative is a new collaboration with the Bluebird and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which is home to the Taylor Swift Education Center. “We […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Rhode Island is searching for a new historian laureate
Rhode Island has a job opening right now that doesn’t come around too often. The state is accepting applications for the position of historian laureate. The historian laureate delivers lectures about Rhode Island’s past at special events and formal ceremonies, provides historical information to state officials, and edits state-sponsored historical publications. After serving in the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local
East Coast earthquake felt in Rhode Island
Rhode Island was among several East Coast states that felt a small earthquake this morning. The 4.8 magnitude quake happened around 10:25 a.m. and was centered in New Jersey. Earthquakes are extremely rare in the Northeast. University of Rhode Island Professor of Geosciences Brian Savage says that’s why people notice when a quake does occur. […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, Stories
Fin whale dies after stranding in South Kingstown
A 42-foot-long fin whale that was found stranded in South Kingstown on Thursday has been euthanized. Sarah Callan, Animal Rescue Program Manager at the Mystic Aquarium, says the whale was emaciated and unable to free itself at high tide after becoming stranded in Potter Pond. “It’s really difficult to watch an animal go through what […]
Posted inArticle, Politics
Here’s what’s on the ballot today in Rhode Island
Besides the 1st Congressional District election, also on the ballot is a state senate race – and several municipalities will be voting on over $1 billion of spending decisions.
