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

Poli-ticks: The sacred cows are mooing!

Forgive me for titling a column that I used almost 14 years ago. Like then, but with more money available now, the State has a surplus ($618.4 million, a $1.3 billion CARES ACT infusion of cash, … more

By Arlene Violet, Esq. | 2/2/22

Letter: No excuse not to clear snow off your car

To the editor: So here we are, recovering from the storm which will likely be among the top five in Rhode Island's history. But we will also be dealing with one issue that prevails after … more

2/2/22

Talking Politics: Gov. McKee's budget comes at a great time for candidate McKee

STORY OF THE WEEK: With the September 13 primary fast approaching, RI Gov. Dan McKee last week unveiled a spending plan that doubles as a way to appeal to a wide swath of Rhode Islanders. Big spend … more

By Ian Donnis | 1/26/22

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

Editorial: Death of the snow day

The pandemic introduced a few silver linings. Remote learning is sort of, kind of, one of them. Across America, schools figured out how to conduct themselves when no one was in the school … more

1/13/22

Poli-ticks: Gosh, I miss the America I grew up with

Normally, this is the column where I have the audacity to suggest New Year resolutions for resident politicians. Instead I have a more urgent resolution for all of us: I want us Americans to go back … more

By Arlene Violet, Esq. | 1/7/22

Letter: Let us learn from this period of crisis

To the editor: What a painful two years it has been for all of us, but especially for our communities’ children. They have lost times and experiences that they will never get back. And they … more

1/6/22

Letter: Reporting on idling issue deserves praise

To the editor: I want to praise the Warren Times-Gazette for having hit the trifecta in its Dec. 29 edition: Lucy Probert’s excellent reporting (“Stop Your Engines!”) on Sharon … more

1/6/22

Letter: New Year’s Resolution? Thank the scientists

To the editor: Dr. Anthony Fauci has dedicated his long life to protecting us all from deadly viruses, including ebola, HIV, and COVID-19. Our nation’s New Year’s Resolution should be to … more

1/6/22

Letter: Wearing a mask is contributing to the greater good

To the editor: It’s been a few weeks since you published a story called “Parents vs. The State.” I responded to the writer directly in my shock at this kind of attention being … more

1/5/22

Editorial: Stop your engines!

Sharon Gold is a diminutive woman with a big message for everyone — stop idling! The focus of a story in our East Bay Life section this week, Gold is a retired educator and grandmother from … more

1/5/22

Letter: Only those who support abortions should pay for them

To the editor: A modest proposal. In this most intractable debate, a letter to last week’s Sakonnet Times drew my interest. Jean Ernster of Barrington made a most intriguing proposal to … more

1/3/22

Editorial: A virtual solution for school committee mask mess

First, give credit where credit is due. After being questioned, criticized and scorned for not enforcing a mask mandate during meetings, leadership and members of the Bristol Warren Regional School … more

12/17/21

Letter: What needs to change to fix failing schools?

To the editor: Several recent letters to the editor apparently missed my point that the Bristol Warren School District lacks academic achievement. One called my suggestion that our tax dollars might … more

12/16/21

Letter: Rescue funds needed to address workforce crisis

To the editor: The Newport County Community Healthcare Collaborative is an association of 10 community-based organizations that came together 18 months ago to combat vaccine hesitancy and limit … more

12/12/21

Arlene Violet: Governor makes the naughty list more than once

I was taken aback when I received a letter from Santa! There in black and white was his Christmas list of Rhode Island leaders who have been either naughty or nice. One politician dominated the … more

By Arlene Violet, Esq. | 12/10/21

Letter: Our students offer the biggest indictment of our schools

To the editor: The Mt. Hope Student Union claims in their overlong public comment, quoted in toto by Tumblr-blog Uprise RI, that our doomed collegebound “are checked for their bigotry, … more

12/9/21

Letter: Growing dismay for school committee leadership

To the editor: Like many East Bay residents, I’ve followed with growing dismay the ongoing actions and statements of the current leadership of the Bristol Warren School Committee. Their most … more

12/9/21

A gateway welcoming project? Yes. Support for the current proposal? No.

To the editor: The concept of an arrival Gateway to the Town of Warren, as drivers travel east on 114 from Barrington, has been around for some time. Last week’s feature article in the Warren … more

12/6/21

Letter: A world without domestic violence is possible — if we act

To the editor: Imagine a world with no domestic violence — where no Rhode Islanders have their lives cut short by abuse, where children do not witness this violence, where our … more

12/6/21

Letter: School Committee members are setting a bad example

To the editor:Some of us stay home from public events, such as School Committee Meetings, when we are ill in order to keep our neighbors safe. We follow protocols and mandates to curb the spread of … more

12/2/21

Letter: Article shined important spotlight on music in the schools

To the editor: Thank you so much for the excellent article in last week’s East Bay papers about the status of music performance in the schools. You balanced all of the important information so … more

12/2/21

Letter: Blatant disregard for COVID protocols is alarming

To the editor:I attended the BWRSD School Committee meeting on Monday, November 22, and was alarmed by the lack of adherence to COVID-19 protocol on display. The public portion of the meeting largely … more

12/2/21

Letter: Gateway or roadblock?

To the editor:Unwelcoming, Uninspiring, Unimaginative. Those are the three words that came to mind when I read the article in the Nov. 10 Warren Times, featured on the front page. It was a proposal … more

12/2/21

Letter: Proposed Gateway building would not be welcoming

To the editor:On the subject of the Gateway property and the proposal for a 55-foot high “boutique hotel”, I agree whole-heartedly with Andrew Shapiro's letter of Nov. 17, 2021 that a … more

12/2/21