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Monday, August 28 Police responded to a disturbance on Reed Road at 7:16 a.m. Police assisted after a Gifford Road resident called in animal complaints at 2:08 p.m. A caller from … more

9/7/23

Governor Raimondo announces 220 more coronavirus cases, 143 people now in the hospital at her April 8 briefing.

Raimondo: Five more die, cases in ‘rapid spread’

Rhode Island is at a “big clip of increase … in the rapid spread phase” of the coronavirus outbreak, Governor Gina Raimondo said at her daily briefing Wednesday (2:30 p.m. today), … more

By Bruce Burdett | 4/8/20

Pennfield School eighth-grader Spencer Mazur works on a drawing during an outdoor art class.

These schools opened — and stayed opened

When The Pennfield School in Portsmouth recently held an assembly on their front lawn celebrating the 50th anniversary of the start of classes, students and staff, all masked and spread out, were … more

By Lucy Probert | 9/24/21

A 'peaceful revolution' at the pump in Tiverton

Motorists were lined up on the shoulder of Stafford Road in Tiverton for more than 20 minutes on Monday, waiting their turn to fill up their gas tank at one of four pumps at George’s Gas and … more

By Jen Campisi | 7/20/22

Westport golf team ties for second at MAC tournament

The Westport golf team tied for second place in the annual Mayflower Athletic Conference tournament at Acushnet River Valley on Thursday. The four person team shot a 340 to tie with Bristol Plymouth for … more

10/16/23

The entrance into the Westport River, from the Knubble. At rear is boat beach and Cherry and Webb.

Feds earmark $1 million for Westport channel dredging

The fate of Westport’s ever-shoaling federal channel recently got good news from the federal government, when marine services director Chris Leonard learned that the United States Army Corps of … more

By Ted Hayes | 10/25/23

A shack lies in ruins along East Beach Road after the first of three storms to hit Westport since a week before Christmas.

Federal disaster area in Westport?

State emergency management officials are looking into whether towns including Westport are eligible for federal disaster assistance, following back to back storms that ravaged the coast and low-lying … more

By Ted Hayes | 1/25/24

Wampanoag Experience founder Annawon Weeden (right) and Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, of the Nipmuc Nation, at the mishoon they spent a week constructing as artists-in-residence, at the Westport Town Farm.

In Westport, mishoon accomplished

When it was all but over Friday afternoon, Annawon Weeden stood next to a dwindling fire and could only think of good fortune, and the work done by a community of family and friends old and new, … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/19/23

Colleen Newcomb spends a moment with Westport Point United Methodist Church pastor Seth Fortier, following Sunday’s services.

Westporter on a mission to improve clean water access in Costa Rica

The Westport Point United Methodist Church will hold a fund-raiser this Saturday for a college freshman who will soon travel to Costa Rica, spreading clean water access and the gospel. The 3 … more

By Ted Hayes | 1/16/24

Map shows proposed route of SouthCoast Wind's transmission cables through Portsmouth.

RIDEM seeks comment on SouthCoast Wind plan

PORTSMOUTH — Have an opinion on SouthCoast Wind’s proposal to run cables under the Sakonnet River and Mount Hope Bay to transfer electricity from an offshore wind facility? more

2/6/24

Westport won’t reconsider 2015 Main Road plan

Threat of legal action or no, members of the Westport Historical Commission won’t continue discussion on a controversial Westport Point construction project a month after they dismissed it, … more

By Ted Hayes | 3/11/24

Mackenzy Ponte rears back to throw a fastball during the Wildcats game against Diman on Friday. The junior righty struck out 7 in 7 innings.

Wildcats lose to Diman 9-4

Outfielder Bella Babb hit an inside the park home run in the third inning of their first game played on the new field behind the high school as Westport fell to Diman 9-4 in a non-league game on … more

Photos and story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 4/30/24

Chris Leonard, head of marine services for the Town of Westport, said the federal channel's shoaling needs to be addressed soon.

Westport River's federal channel needs dredging, mariners say

By now, Chris Leonard has gotten used to the nearly daily calls from boaters who have run aground in the federal channel out of the Westport River, or who want to let him know how bad it's getting. … more

By Ted Hayes | 6/22/22

LGBTQ+ Network mobilizes as monkeypox arrives

With at least one case of monkeypox confirmed in southeastern Massachusetts, the South Coast LGBTQ+ Network will hold a public health symposium next week to discuss strategies, stigmas and … more

By Ted Hayes | 8/12/22

Aerial view of one of the five wind turbines 3.8 miles southeast of Block Island generating electricity at the Block Island Wind Farm. An application for a separate wind farm project, SouthCoast Wind Farm, has been put on hold after state regulators questioned its economic viability.

State presses pause on SouthCoast Wind review

It doesn’t make sense to review a project application when there’s no money to fund it. So concluded state energy regulators, who on Thursday opted to pause their review of an … more

By Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current | 7/14/23

Voters raise their hands to vote in favor of helping to fund the new Diman School project in Fall River.

Westport passes on override, OKs Diman and other projects at Town Meeting

Voters at Tuesday night's anual Town Meeting breezed through what could have been a contentious agenda in less than four hours, approving dozens of warrant articles in efficient fashion and with … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/4/22

Play explores life of Westport's Paul Cuffe

Westport will soon host a reading of chosen scenes from an original play by Samuel Harps, based on the life of Captain Paul Cuffe. The performance of Samuel Harps' "Paul Cuffe: In Search of a … more

By Ted Hayes | 8/12/22

Digital rendering of a portion of the Revolution Wind farm as seen from Newport.

Revolution Wind farm plan moves ahead

Even as the Mayflower Wind project faces concern here over the routing of its electric cables up the Sakonnet River, a second project that could have a greater visual impact on the coast from … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/30/22

Start 'Em Young coach Jon O'Connor instructs one day after school last week.

Westport's Start 'Em Young proves a strong feeder program

Westport's 'Start 'Em Young' after school enrichment program is turning into a promising feeder program for middle and high school sports, one year after getting off the ground in the district's … more

By Ted Hayes | 11/10/22

Westport police officer injured in early morning collision Sunday

A Westport police officer was injured when his parked cruiser was struck from behind by a car driven by an 18-year-old Somerset resident early Sunday morning, Feb. 5. The unnamed officer had … more

2/6/23

This vacant storefront at 60 State Road could become home to town's second dispensary.

New cannabis dispensary planned for Westport's State Road

An Uxbridge, Ma. man who hopes to open a cannabis dispensary on State Road appeared for the second time before the Westport Planning Board earlier this month, and is expected to move ahead with a … more

4/14/23

A map from Mayflower Wind shows the projected route of cables required to transport power from its offshore wind farm to a connection at Brayton Point in Somerset, Mass. The connection requires a long stretch up Mt. Hope Bay, across land in Portsmouth, and up the Sakonnet River.

Offshore wind farm proposes cable connection through Sakonnet River, Mt. Hope Bay

The project developer contends it will generate enough clean energy to power 800,000 homes, and will plug into the grid that serves Rhode Island as well. But potential environmental impacts have yet to be discussed publicly. more

By Ethan Hartley | 5/4/22

Harbormaster and wharfinger Chris Leonard wants to make it easier for local families to continue the family fishing business upon the death of wharfage holder.

Wharfinger eyes plan to protect Westport's fishing families

In a town built on its close ties to the water and tradition, the harbormaster wants to make it easier for fishermen and women to pass their family's legacy on to the next generation. At a … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/30/22

Head coach Scot Boudria consoles senior Cam Leary after the Wildcats lost to Mount Greylock 55-52 in the Division 5 Sweet 16 at Westport on Monday night.

End of an era for Westport in Sweet 16 loss

Tears rolled down Owen Boudria’s cheeks. His face was red as he walked from the locker room back to the court. It wasn't just the end of the game, nor the end of the season, it was an end of an … more

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 3/7/23

Melissa Pacheco (left) and Gloria Cabral won seats on the Westport School Committee Tuesday, beating incumbent Michelle Orlando, who placed third in the race for two open seats.

Pacheco and Cabral in, Orlando out, in Westport School Committee race

Westport School Committee member Melissa Pacheco and political newcomer Gloria Cabral won three-year terms on the school committee Tuesday, placing first and second place, respectively, in the … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/13/22