Opinion | EastBayRI.com - News, Opinion, Things to Do in the East Bay

Editorial: Why luxury housing is good for the middle class

The highest-and-best use of the town-owned, former Carmelite Monastery property on Watson Avenue would be luxury townhouses for ages 55-plus. That may be considered an elitist stance in a community … more

4/22/22

Letter: Many questions about Barrington’s vaccine rollout

To the editor: The inexcusably chaotic initial rollout of a limited supply of doses of Covid vaccine to the citizens of Barrington has been unnecessarily frustrating and anxiety provoking, and … more

2/1/21

Can R.I. cut its way to a better business climate?

S TORY OF THE WEEK: Can Rhode Island tax-cut its way to a more appealing business climate? That question has been subject to debate for years and it won’t stop now. For supporters, … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/4/23

Letter: Town manager is paid too much for screw-ups like this

To the editor: Talk about screw-ups! The one with Covid-19 vaccine for senior citizens at town hall on Friday was the blunder of blunders. An email was promulgated by the Peck Center for … more

2/1/21

Talking Politics: Dr. Scott was the right person at the right time

STORY OF THE WEEK: Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott was the right person in the right place at the right time when the pandemic came to Rhode Island. Although she had never faced a challenge of that … more

By Ian Donnis | 1/20/22

Letter: The indoctrination of a nation

To the editor: Shielding people from knowledge that conflicts with their views is indoctrination, and it is inappropriate. Learning about people who are different from oneself, whether or not … more

4/26/23

Letter: Assessment issue raises many concerns

To the editor: To me, if the items reported in the Feb. 19 article in the Times regarding the town council pushing for annual assessments are true, we have the perfect outline for a Monty Python … more

2/27/20

Editorial: Barrington is outsourcing leadership

Toward the end of the Barrington Town Council meeting on Monday night, councilors approved a $25,000 annual contract with NDM Consulting to serve as the town’s emergency management coordinator. … more

11/6/20

Letter: Gun violence prevention must be a top priority

To the editor: Last week hundreds of students walked out of Barrington High School for a thirty-minute peaceful protest. What were we protesting? Our government’s inability to take … more

6/1/22

The House Speaker heads into 2023 in good standing

STORY OF THE WEEK: House Speaker Joe Shekarchi remains in an enviable political position heading into his second term in what is sometimes called the most powerful post in Rhode Island state … more

By Ian Donnis | 12/20/22

Letter: Barrington was wrong to purchase monastery property

To the editor: The town made a mistake when it purchased the Carmelite Monastery in 2021. Neither the Town Manager nor the Town Council examined the property before recommending the … more

4/26/23

Letter: Are we asking the right questions about massive wind farms?

Construction is underway to build thousands of huge wind turbines from New Jersey to Maine. From an average Joe’s perspective, this process feels extremely rushed, and there are dozens of unanswered questions. more

12/20/23

Letter: Vaccine skepticism 'increasingly untenable'

To the editor: In 1919 the Volstead Act was passed, which was a nationwide mandate to make the manufacture and sale of alcohol illegal. It failed, and was repealed. We still, nonetheless, have … more

11/17/21

A troubling look behind the scenes in the seafood business

STORY OF THE WEEK: New Bedford’s half-billion-dollar commercial fishing catch is one of the economic bright spots in southern New England. But the underside of the seafood business includes … more

By Ian Donnis | 9/26/23

Letter: Pit bulls should be banned from residential areas

To the editor: In the 12 Jan. 22 Barrington Times Police Log, an entry for Thursday, Jan. 6 tells of a pit bull pulling to the ground and biting the dog sitter watching it--then attacking … more

1/21/22

Commentary: On Mother’s Day, don’t forget moms who struggle

Mother’s Day is the day when we celebrate our moms and the other women in our lives who have given us love, guidance, inspiration, and support.What we don’t often do on Mother’s … more

By Diane LeValley | 4/29/22

Loud and clear – Barrington residents demand better

I believe a recent Barrington recreation survey is a scathing indictment of the town’s recreational facilities and a desperate plea for government action. I don’t know how anyone who took … more

By Scott Pickering | 3/15/23

Letter: Assessor at the center of assessment woes

To the editor: Kudos to Councilmen Brier and Boyajian for breaking the silence. At its last meeting, the council finally allowed an open discussion of the gross inequities in our tax assessments. … more

2/28/20

McKee’s approval ratings are low, but does it matter?

On the surface, a new Morning Consult finding showing Gov. Dan McKee as the lowest-ranked governor in the nation (with a 38% approval rating) doesn’t reflect well on the incumbent. But if McKee … more

By Ian Donnis | 7/29/22

Investigative team starts digging for Washington Bridge answers

STORY OF THE WEEK: “We’re leaving no stone unturned as far as accountability,” Gov. Dan McKee said last Friday, as he unveiled Max Wistow and Jonathan Savage as the lawyers who will … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/8/24

Letter: A plea in Barrington

To the editor: Recent census data states that 2,635 seniors live in Barrington (65+). Among this demographic, it's difficult to find anyone who has ever opposed the betterment of our cherished … more

10/24/23

Letter: Who scorns women? Look at these democrats

To the editor: This letter is in response to Will Newman's letter of April 7, titled " Not hard to see who scorns woman in America ." Mr. Newman forgets about the Democratic … more

4/29/22

Letter: Barrington's flag pole approach is 'sheer legal insanity'

To the editor: The town's apparent decision to "wing it" with respect to the flying of private flags on the town's public flagpole is destined to suffer the same fate as its ill-considered, … more

9/14/20

Letter: Why I decided to get a firearm

To the editor: Several years ago, it occurred to me that I wanted to take greater responsibility for my safety and that of my family. I am a daughter, sister, mother, and a registered nurse. As … more

4/18/21

Letter: Pay attention to the real threats to our liberty

To the editor: Liberty, in common usage, means “freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.” Thankfully, because of our constitution, we have a system of laws to … more

4/29/22