June was pockmarked by events which suggest to me that ethics as a guiding force is in full decline. Locally, we had the pathetic saga of two administrators of Gov. Dan McKee engaging in unchecked …
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By Arlene Violet, Esq.
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6/27/23
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Another legislative session in Rhode Island has come and gone without any action on a perennial issue, reform of the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights. To be sure, some Constables on Patrol (COPS) have …
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By Arlene Violet, Esq.
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8/1/23
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Welcome to Westport Health Notes, a monthly column from the Westport Board of Health (BOH). The goal is to share information with our community about local issues and projects, public health alerts, …
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10/25/23
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First time I taught a class, it was shortly after mid-century, at the corner of James Street and Taunton Avenue, high up a steep stairway. And it was a French class. I had studied, at Harvard, under …
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By Mike Fink
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2/23/23
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As I relaxed on my La-Z-Boy Saturday evening following our 2023 Westport High School's Commencement exercises , I could not help but feel optimistic about the future of our Westport Community …
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By Thomas Aubin
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6/5/23
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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 …
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By Arlene Violet, Esq.
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1/7/22
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Westport citizens will have the opportunity to vote for clean water at that ballot box on Tuesday, April 9.
There will be a ballot question to allow for a debt exclusion of approximately …
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By James Whitin
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3/12/24
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In Rhode Island, fisheries play a huge role in our economy and our way of life, but lately, we are seeing some concerning trends in our local fisheries. Anglers are experiencing climate impacts on …
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By Greg Vespe
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11/21/22
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As I listened to the President’s address on March 11, I was at first struck by the very few “I”s in the speech. Unlike his predecessor whose speeches were never-ending …
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By Arlene Violet
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3/19/21
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STORY OF THE WEEK: Every now and then, the tectonic plates of Rhode Island politics shift, as campaign season fades and a fresh batch of leaders takes on new roles. We’re seeing that to some …
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By Ian Donnis
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11/22/22
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STORY OF THE WEEK: With a little more than three weeks until the Sept. 5 primary in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, the race has entered a more combative phase. A case in point was a …
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By Ian Donnis
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8/15/23
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STORY OF THE WEEK: In 1997, when Jack Reed first joined the U.S. Senate, the Cold War had ended and 9/11 had not yet happened. A quarter-century later, the world is a very different place, with a …
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By Ian Donnis
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10/17/23
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Although grief is a universal experience, how it impacts each of us is incredibly personal and unique. It has been described as “where love used to be.” It is the response and the impact …
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By Bonnie Evans
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8/14/22
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A wonderfully scenic, and generally gentle ride, the Path provides a (mostly) safe place for bicyclists as an alternative to increasingly dangerous surface roads. Unfortunately, there is trouble in paradise...
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By Frederick Massie
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8/3/22
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Considering the option of hospice, or even just hearing the word “hospice,” often comes at a stressful and chaotic time, so having a baseline understanding of how hospice works falls …
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By Bonnie Evans
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11/25/22
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STORY OF THE WEEK: The General Assembly’s steady march in a more progressive direction over recent election cycles brings to mind a metaphor – how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a …
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By Ian Donnis
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12/12/22
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STORY OF THE WEEK: How did Middletown native Michael Flynn go from being a high-level military official to someone seen as a martyr, warrior and evangelist within the Christian nationalist movement? …
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By Ian Donnis
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3/12/24
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STORY OF THE WEEK: If the election to succeed David Cicilline in the 1 st Congressional District was held last Friday, the favorites were Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos and state Sen. Sandra Cano …
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By Ian Donnis
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3/27/23
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Regular readers of this column may be aware that I represent pro bono (no legal fee) the elderly retirees who had worked at St. Joseph’s and/or Fatima Hospital before St. Joseph’s closed …
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By Arlene Violet
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7/30/21
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Make no mistake: I think there should be a Congressional study commission that analyzes all domestic terrorist groups perpetrating violence. The Capitol onslaught on January 6 is an obvious choice. …
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By Arlene Violet
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5/28/21
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Anthony Silva, chief of staff to Governor Dan McKee, earns $187,421 plus benefits. That’s why I thought it was curious when he recently resigned from his $7500 yearly post as Cumberland’s …
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By Arlene Violet
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9/2/21
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STORY OF THE WEEK: It has been clear for a while that the sugar high of consecutive budget surpluses in Rhode Island – a rare occurrence in a state usually dogged by perennial deficits --
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By Ian Donnis
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6/6/23
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Rhode Island is one of very few states where a teacher can legally have sex with their students. I was hopeful that 2019 was going to be the year that our legislature would do the easy and obviously …
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By Erika Sanzi
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2/20/20
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Sitting in the Mt. Hope High School auditorium, I’d be lying to say I wasn’t a little hesitant about the addiction awareness theatrical performance I was about to see. I was born in …
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By Ethan Hartley
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4/14/22
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Here we go again! Armed with a four-page term sheet, Gov. Dan McKee, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, and the Principal of High Rock Westminster Street LLC announced an “agreement” that …
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By Arlene Violet
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4/22/22
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