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

Westport police: Many animal complaints, no arrests

Monday, April 1 Animal complaints came in from American Legion Highway, at Tickle Road, at 8:21 a.m., and from Sanford Road at 1:10 p.m. Police served a restraining order on Jason Drive at … more

4/11/24

Westport urges water conservation as drought sets in

The Westport Board Health is urging residents to keep water conditions in mind, after low rainfall and high temperatures contributed to Level 2 Drought conditions in Westport and across most of the … more

7/15/22

Lawrence Mott, transmissions development manager for SouthCoast Wind, answers a question by local resident Ralph Craft (left) at Thursday night’s Town Council workshop at Portsmouth High School.

Portsmouth again denies any deal with SouthCoast Wind

The Town Council, yet again, told a crowd of more than 100 people who turned out Thursday night for a workshop about SouthCoast Wind that there was no current proposal or contract for the town to … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/26/23

Gordon School has created a new “Whatever I Need” block in every student’s day, where they have free time for “whatever they need.” In the spirit of social-emotional wellness and growth, classes might go outside for some fun, hold a lively discussion about an important topic, or spend time reading together (above) with the school’s therapy dog, Denver.

For private schools, enrollment growth is a pandemic silver lining

While the global pandemic made a mess of just about everything everywhere, it had a hidden benefit for private schools — it boosted their enrollments. Admissions directors at numerous … more

By Scott Pickering | 9/21/23

Fire and rescue crews had to cut into John Barretto's Saturn to free him following Friday morning's accident.

Tiverton man dies in New Year's Eve day crash

A Tiverton man died Friday morning, Dec. 31, after he lost control of his car and struck a tree on Brayton Road. John Carlos "JC" Barretto, 18, was driving south just before 6:30 a.m. when he … more

By Ted Hayes | 1/2/22

Westport voters reject 'overly restrictive' sign by-law amendments

Voters at Tuesday's Town Meeting soundly rejected a proposed change to Westport's sign by-laws that many feared could restrict their right to put multiple signs on their property, and could hurt … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/6/22

Westport police officer Mike Chicca shows one of the department's new body cameras.

Westport police get body cameras

Though they've had cameras in their cruisers for years and were one of the first departments in the state to use them, members of the Westport Police Department are now outfitted with body cameras as … more

By Ted Hayes | 2/21/23

Kira Galka and the late Thomas Harrington of Little Compton enjoy each other’s company in better days.

Tiverton student keeps teen’s memory alive

Thomas Harrington was only 19 when he died this past May after a decade-long battle with Ewing Sarcoma. But in his final years, the Little Compton resident accomplished things many can only dream of … more

By Ted Hayes | 10/30/23

Big changes possible at Westport Town Meeting

Residents will have a few decisions to make when they meet to decide Westport's business for the year at next week's Town Meeting, set for Tuesday, May 7, at the high school. Apart from a … more

By Ted Hayes | 5/2/24

Gov. Gina Raimondo at her daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, May 1. Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the R.I. Department of Health, is at left.

Governor still aiming to lift R.I. stay-at-home order on May 8

PROVIDENCE — Despite the fact that surrounding states have extended their stay-at-home directives due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rhode Island is still sticking with its plan to let Gov. … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/1/20

Zach Medeiros, of Nadeau Tree Service in Westport, helps bring down the massive spruce Monday morning.

A Christmas (tree) story in Westport

Not too many Christmas trees reach the height of a five-story building, but after nurturing theirs for 25 holiday seasons, a Drift Road couple has donated their giant spruce to the City of New … more

By Ted Hayes | 11/23/22

Coastal Healing seeks relief amidst weed woes

Westport Select Board members agreed Monday evening to waive a State Road cannabis store’s late fees through the end of the year, in part to “buy time” and come up with a more … more

By Paige Shapiro | 7/12/23

Little Compton artist Ian Silvia, at his studio, has begun a month-long residency in Westport.

Little Compton artist settles in at Westport Woods

Little Compton artist Ian Silvia, of Fried Glass Studios, has begun a month-long residency at Westport Woods. Silvia, who works primarily in glass, metal and stone, will be working in Westport … more

8/17/23

A New England Aquarium team in an aerial survey plane spent about 45 minutes observing and taking photos of this gray whale, which has been extinct in the Atlantic for more than 200 years.

Gray whale, extinct in the Atlantic, seen in New England waters

In an incredibly rare event, the New England Aquarium aerial survey team sighted a gray whale off the New England coast earlier this month. This is a species that has been extinct in the Atlantic for … more

3/26/24

Andrew Orr and employee Nikolaj Peltier pick green beans in their field off Adamsville Road in Westport.

Photos: Rain's on the way; will it be enough for the farmers?

Farmers across Westport and Little Compton have been watching for rain for months and up until this week, had little reason to be hopeful after week upon week of hot temperatures and blue skies. But … more

By Ted Hayes | 8/10/22

Owner Lisa McClarren works in the kitchen, as she’s done since opening last summer.

Westport countryside market celebrates one year

Opening a sandwich shop had always been a far-off dream for Countryside Market owner Lisa McClarren; ever since she was a kid growing up in a big Portuguese family, she imagined sharing her culinary … more

By Paige Shapiro | 8/17/23

Crews work to open a pair of westbound bypass lanes on the east side of the Washington Bridge Thursday, Dec. 14. The lanes were open by rush hour the following morning December 15.

RIDOT opens I-195 west bypass lanes earlier than expected

PROVIDENCE — In time for the Friday morning, Dec. 15, rush hour, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has opened two bypass lanes on the eastbound side of the Washington Bridge to … more

By Mike Rego | 12/15/23

Providence Country Day announces 2022-23 first trimester honor roll

EAST PROVIDENCE -— The Providence Country Day School in city recently announced the honor roll of students from the first trimester of the 2022-23 term. High Honors Class of 2030: Maja … more

1/12/23

Brewer named chairman of Westport Select Board

Richard Brewer is the new chairman of the Westport Select Board, following a unanimous vote of his colleagues to the post Tuesday evening. Brewer joked that he is happy to be named chairman, … more

By Ted Hayes | 4/20/23

A building appears untouched by the wildfire which destroyed the historic town of Lahania Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, on Maui. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023).

Hawaii 'Miracle’ house owned by noted Westport couple

Editor’s note: The following article is reprinted with permission from the Honolulu (Hawaii) Civil Beat. It concerns not only the ‘miracle’ survivor of the recent blaze that … more

8/29/23

Clock ticking for appeal in Spinnaker Way rental mess

The clock is ticking for the owners of a 50 Spinnaker Way home to appeal a recent town order that bars them from renting their home as a short term rental (STR). In mid-August, members of the … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/21/23

Korynne Holden (middle) celebrates with head coach Jen Gargiulo (left) and teammates after scoring her 1000th point in the first quarter on Friday night.

Holden reaches milestone as Wildcats trample Avon 58-22

Korynne Holden scored her 1000th point as the Westport girls’ basketball team trampled Avon 58-22 in a league home game on Friday night. Holden, the Wildcats’ senior point guard, … more

Story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 2/12/24

Ryan Mendonca and fiance Meg Crispino, of Tiverton.

Uber driver gets New Year's DUI in Tiverton

First, the good news: A Tiverton couple emerged without a scratch and didn't have to pay for their ride home early New Year's Day. The bad news? Their Uber driver got a DUI, marking the first arrest … more

By Ted Hayes | 1/4/22

“Chuck, you’re not supposed to talk — quiet,” local resident Sharlene Patton tells Town Council member Charles Levesque after he assured her there was no agreement between the Town of Portsmouth and SouthCoast Wind in place — or even being discussed. Patton was referring to Levesque’s earlier comment that he was recusing himself from any council deliberations regarding the wind energy developer’s proposal because his family owns property off Boyds Lane, through which SouthCoast wants to run transmission cables. Levesque, meanwhile, said Patton and others should not be speaking because the item was not on the agenda.

SouthCoast Wind foes demand answers from Portsmouth council

PORTSMOUTH — For a topic that wasn’t even on the council’s business agenda, it sure drew a lot of discussion. more

By Jim McGaw | 4/12/23

A map rendering showing the proposed path of power lines from SouthCoast Wind up the Sakonnet River to connect in Somerset. (Courtesy Southcoast Wind Energy LLC)

CRMC OKs Sakonnet River transmission line for wind farm

The financial agreements anchoring a 149-turbine offshore wind farm proposed south of Rhode Island have come undone, but that hasn’t stopped state coastal regulators from reviewing — and … more

By Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current | 12/15/23