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Portsmouth council breezes through $69.97M budget at hearing

PORTSMOUTH — Only two citizens questioned the town’s provisional $69,967,453 spending plan for the 2022-23 fiscal year during the annual public budget hearing in the Portsmouth Middle … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/18/22

Portsmouth Police booking photo of Ryan Walsh, of Norton, Mass.

Man charged with distributing fentanyl within Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH — A 47-year-old Massachusetts man was arrested Thursday, June 16, and charged with distributing fentanyl within Portsmouth, police said. This month, members of the Portsmouth … more

6/17/22

Here are most of the recipients of the Presidential Environmental Youth Award, who were recently honored by the School Committee. Missing from picture is Tatum Brennan, Noah and Owen Sidewand, and Cameron Davis.

Portsmouth students win Presidential Environmental award

Fifteen students at Portsmouth Middle School have been won the Presidential Environmental Youth Award, which recognizes outstanding stewardship projects and positive community … more

6/16/22

Automated license plate readers will soon be installed on both sides of the Mt. Hope Bridge to assist police in their response time to prevent suicides.

License plate readers on bridge OK’d to aid in suicide prevention

PORTSMOUTH — Despite concerns about increasing government surveillance, the Town Council Monday night voted 5-1 to approve a one-year pilot program to install automative license plate readers … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/14/22

Vanessa Reale hired as next Portsmouth High principal

PORTSMOUTH — Vanessa Reale, who has previous experience as a principal and headmaster, has been selected by Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy to be Portsmouth High School’s next … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/14/22

Linda Ujifusa, vice president of the Portsmouth Town Council, will be making a bid for R.I. Senate District 11, which is being vacated by retiring Sen. James Seveney.

Portsmouth’s Linda Ujifusa running for vacated Senate seat

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Town Council Vice President Linda Ujifusa announced Tuesday she is running for the Rhode Island Senate District 11 (Portsmouth, Bristol) seat being vacated by retiring … more

6/14/22

Deputy Superintendent Elizabeth Viveiros, who was principal at Melville School when the outdoor learning space was being planned and built, cuts the ribbon during a brief ceremony on Friday.

Portsmouth school celebrates opening of outdoor classroom

PORTSMOUTH — It’s almost as if Melville Elementary School knew what was coming. “We did this pre-COVID,” said Sara Churgin, manager of the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/13/22

James Seveney served six terms on the Portsmouth Town Council before being elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 2016.

Jim Seveney announces retirement from R.I. Senate

PORTSMOUTH — After a lifetime of public service including 22 years in elective office, R.I. Sen. James A. Seveney (D-Dist. 11, Bristol, Portsmouth, Tiverton) is retiring from the state … more

6/13/22

Empty shell casing found at Portsmouth Middle School

PORTSMOUTH — An empty shell casing was located in the gymnasium at Portsmouth Middle School Thursday morning, Principal João P. Arruda informed parents in an e-mail. However, … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/9/22

The seniors in the St. Mary Academy-Bay Vlew graduating Class of 2022.

St. Mary Academy-Bay View graduates Class of 2022

PROVIDENCE — St. Mary Academy-Bay View graduated its Class of 2022 on Monday evening, June 6, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. The Class of 79 graduates have all been accepted into … more

6/8/22

Davis Lee of Portsmouth congratulates a classmate at the conclusion of Portsmouth Abbey’s commencement exercises on Sunday, May 28.

Abbey grad: Classmates ‘picked me up’ after failures

PORTSMOUTH — Catherine O’Hara told her fellow graduates at Portsmouth Abbey that she had “failed a lot” over her four years of high school, but nearly every time one of … more

6/7/22

Portsmouth High’s Morgan Casey won the gold medal in the high jump at the state outdoor track and field championships held Saturday at Brown University.

Portsmouth High’s Casey wins high jump at state track meet

Morgan Casey was the only East Bay competitor, girl or boy, to win a gold medal at Saturday’s Rhode Island high school outdoor track and field championships at Brown University. Casey, … more

6/6/22

Members of the Portsmouth High School girls’ lacrosse team celebrate after beating Burrillville, 14-4, to capture the Division II state crown at Cranston Stadium on Sunday.

Portsmouth girls’ LAX team ends dominating season with state title

CRANSTON — A semifinal scare may have been the motivation the Portsmouth High School girls’ lacrosse team needed Sunday afternoon to get back to what it did all season long: … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/6/22

Members of Portsmouth High School’s Class of 2022 throw their caps into the air at the conclusion of Friday night’s commencement exercises on the baseball field.

‘Be true to yourself,’ Portsmouth High graduates told

PORTSMOUTH — After joking about why anyone would want a math teacher to share inspirational and philosophical wisdom with graduating high schoolers entering their next journey in life, … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/6/22

Portsmouth High’s Ronan Caufield chips onto the green while playing the back nine during the state team championships at Cranston Country Club earlier this week.

Portsmouth competes in state team golf championship

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth High School golf team qualified for the state team championships at Cranston Country Club earlier this week and had its first chance to play an 18-hole competitive … more

6/3/22

Members of the Portsmouth High School girls’ lacrosse team celebrate after storming back to beat Cranston West in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Portsmouth girls storm back to win D-2 lacrosse semifinals

PORTSMOUTH — Down six goals with under 20 minutes to play? No problem for the Portsmouth High School girls’ lacrosse team, which came back to beat Cranston West in a wild semifinal … more

6/3/22

Kerry McAuliffe, the curator for the Portsmouth Historical Society, inside the museum’s first-floor display room, which is now easier to browse.

New, improved Portsmouth Historical Society re-opens

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Historical Society has a new look, and its Board of Trustees hopes that will translate to more visitors and memberships. more

By Jim McGaw | 6/3/22

These eight Portsmouth High School seniors are going on to service academies this month (from left): Colby Fahrney (USNA), Amory Kirwin (USNA but deferred for one year due to injury), James Andersen (USNA), John Maedke (USAFA), Garen Seibert (USAFA), Jack Pacheco (USMA), Maria Chytka (USMA), and Ethan Courville (USMA). This photo was taken after an informational session the seniors presented to younger PHS students.

These Portsmouth High graduates are at your service

PORTSMOUTH — Eight members of the Portsmouth High School Class of 2022 won’t have much time to celebrate their summer vacation after being awarded diplomas tonight, June 3. … more

By Jim McGaw | 6/3/22

Advocates celebrated back in 2018, when then-Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an executive order making Rhode Island the first state to act on new gun policies since a gunman shot and killed 17 people at a Florida high school earlier that month. The event was attended by hundreds of people, including many students. Rep. Jason Knight (holding microphone) addressed the crowd in the Statehouse lobby at the time.

The long fight for new gun laws

There are many ways to absorb and process news of a lone gunman slaughtering 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Images of the smiling, mostly 10-year-olds and their teachers evoke sorrow, … more

By Scott Pickering | 6/2/22

“Nothing can ever replace the hole left behind by a fallen service member, and no medals nor ribbons can comfort the ones left behind,” said guest speaker SFC William “Bill” McCollum, U.S. Army (Ret.), during Monday morning’s Memorial Day observance outside Portsmouth Town Hall.

Portsmouth honors veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice

PORTSMOUTH — The veterans who laid down their lives for our freedoms “were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times,” the guest speaker at Monday … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/30/22

Cathy Winston looks on as teammate David Schwartz returns a serve during a game of pickleball on the Bristol Town Common. The Town of Portsmouth’s grant request for matching funds to build a pickleball facility at Elmhurst Park was recently denied.

State to Portsmouth: No pickleball for you!

PORTSMOUTH — Sorry, pickleball enthusiasts. The sport won’t be coming to Portsmouth just yet. The town recently learned that its 2022 Department of Environmental Management (DEM) … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/29/22

The Portsmouth Free Public Library recently donated this little library, which can be found at the entrance to the Island Park Playground on Ormerod Avenue. It was built by Paul Shoenbucher and installed by the Department of Public Works.

More ‘little libraries’ popping up around Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH — Is there a little free library near you? Portsmouth has a small but growing number of these tiny free lending libraries — basically free-standing cupboards that are … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/27/22

Volunteer Nate Minese leads visitors on a tour around Butts Hill Fort during Saturday’s event.

Portsmouth: Volunteers make pitch to put Butts Hill Fort on the map

PORTSMOUTH — Speaking under a tent in the center of Butts Hill Fort on Saturday, Craig Clark recalled his days as a Portsmouth High School student, “about 40 years and 600 … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/26/22

Mt. Hope junior pitcher Reily Amaral struck out 11 and allowed just three hits, a walk and four runs in seven innings of work.

Mt. Hope softball clinches division title

The Mt. Hope softball team clinched the Division II South title as they out slugged Portsmouth 8-4 during a home game on Tuesday afternoon. The Huskies are 16-0 in league play with one game … more

Story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr. | 5/25/22

Police Officer Maddie Pirri checks Renesha Duncan for vitals during a mock DUI crash event staged outside Portsmouth High School in front of seniors last week. Duncan, a sophomore, was playing the part of a passenger who was killed after being ejected from a car operated by a drunk driver. Looking on at right is Anastacia Inman, another student who played one of Duncan’s friends. In the middle are Police Officers Amanda Weaver (left) and JeanMarie Stewart.

In Portsmouth: ‘This actually happens in real life’

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth 911 — what’s your emergency? Hi, there’s an accident at the high school. It looks like there’s two cars. I can’t see too well; I was … more

By Jim McGaw | 5/24/22