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

Do deportation efforts show 'a complete disrespect for the Constitution'?

STORY OF THE WEEK: If the sine qua non of President Donald Trump is about pushing boundaries, the apex of that tendency is coming front and center. The showdown over Kilmar Abrego Garcia in … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/21/25

Letter: On the paper's letters policy, and national politics

This paper’s decision, based on some opaque policy, to print letters to the editor on local issues only is their rightful business. This decision may rest on the belief that national … more

4/15/25

Letter: Remember the ladies

To the editor: I am writing regarding the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act which just passed the US House and is headed for the US Senate. I urge you to contact all senators to demand … more

4/15/25

This portrait of Julia Ward Howe was begun by John Elliott in 1910 and completed by William Henry Cotton in 1925. It hangs in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Julia Ward Howe — author of America’s proud ‘Battle Hymm’

On April 12, 1861, South Carolinians opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor to begin America’s bloody Civil War and put our Union in peril. Several months later, a Rhode Island woman … more

By Patrick T. Conley | 4/15/25

Reaction to global trade war is mostly breaking along partisan lines

1. STORY OF THE WEEK: Decades after supporters lauded the North American Free Trade Agreement as a way to add American jobs, there’s plenty of criticism of NAFTA from both the left and the … more

4/14/25

Letter: Federal actions will impact us locally in many ways

I am writing again to express my concern about the damage that DOGE is doing to Social Security. They are now changing policies on what actions can be handled online, which will force thousands of … more

4/11/25

Lette: Citizens for Peace continues to speak out for peace and justice

Twenty-two years ago, on March 2, 2003, East Bay Citizens for Peace was born out of a sense of great urgency to stop the U.S. government from invading Iraq, and to defend our civil liberties … more

4/9/25

Letter: Many agencies make access to public records difficult

I have been a licensed private investigator in the state of Rhode Island since moving here in 1996. In my professional career, I have constantly been induced into battle with the majority … more

4/9/25

Letter: Portsmouth should have used competitive hiring process

To the editor: I’d like to respond to recent letters regarding the vacancy at the Department of Public Works and the broader discussion surrounding the hiring process. A competitive … more

4/9/25

Letter: Thanks for supporting Portsmouth rally on April 5

To the editor: On behalf of all the people who rallied in Portsmouth on April to support our democracy I would like to thank the towns of Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport for the unprecedented … more

4/8/25

For Democrats, it's not too early to start thinking about midterm elections

1. STORY OF THE WEEK: The mid-term elections of 2026 are almost 20 months away -- and that’s an eternity in politics. But after months of soul-searching after the Democrats’ devastating … more

By Ian Donnis | 4/7/25

Letter: A call to action this Saturday

This Saturday, April 5, there will be a nationwide peaceful protest and rally against the Trump regime and Elon Musk. The 50501 Movement, HandsOff, and The Women’s March are collaborating … more

4/2/25

Questions about the homeless pallets are spot-on

Amazon has a small house for sale, 20’ by 40’, which is larger than the pallets now housing the homeless, with three bedrooms (or choice, like a living room or den if one bedroom is … more

By Arlene Violet, Esq. | 4/2/25

Letter: Councilor voted against town’s best interests

To the editor: Portsmouth voters should be paying close attention to the actions of our newly elected Town Council member, Mary McDowell. With virtually no experience in or real knowledge of our … more

4/2/25

Letter: Competitive hiring no silver bullet for every vacancy

To the editor: I’m writing to express my sincere appreciation for Brian Woodhead’s many contributions to the Town of Portsmouth over his career with our Department of Public Works. … more

4/2/25

Letter: Get involved in Saturday’s peaceful protest and rally

To the editor: This Saturday, April 5, there will be a nationwide peaceful protest and rally against the Trump regime and Elon Musk. The 50501 Movement, HandsOff, and The Women’s March are … more

4/2/25

Still waiting for the state's professional cannabis regs

1. STORY OF THE WEEK: Almost three years have passed since Gov. Dan McKee signed adult-use cannabis legalization into law , and the state has yet to open the application process for handing out … more

By Ian Donnis | 3/31/25

Letter: Please attend April 5 Islanders for Democracy rally

To the editor: I am writing this letter on behalf of a recently organized group, Islanders for Democracy. We are area citizens who are alarmed at the actions being taken at the federal level. … more

3/31/25

Letter: Firearms ban will put your life in danger

To the editor: Rhode Island’s legislature is set to pass a law that puts you and your family in danger. The bill — the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2025” … more

3/26/25

Letter: Town shouldn’t raid reserve to pay current obligation

To the editor: Full disclosure: I ran for re-election last fall and was defeated. I do feel obliged, particularly because the current council has only one member with what I would call real … more

3/26/25

Editorial: Be it resolved, a barrier to public access

A resolution being pushed before city and town councils throughout Rhode Island is asking for their support in making access to public records more challenging. Most of the thousands of bills … more

3/25/25

Join our April 5 protest of federal government actions

To the editor: I am writing this letter on behalf of a recently organized group, Islanders for Democracy. We are area citizens who are alarmed at the actions being taken at the federal level. … more

3/24/25

Will voters assign bridge blame at the polls?

1. STORY OF THE WEEK: As we roll into the weekend, perhaps you’re savoring the emergence of spring, the arrival of March Madness in Providence, an expected return to form of the Red Sox or any … more

3/24/25

Letter: Moving beyond the mass exodus tax flight myth

The greatest obstacle to policymakers enacting a modest personal income surtax on Rhode Island’s highest earners, those in the Top 1%, is the fear that any such measure will trigger a mass … more

3/19/25

Expect R.I.'s 'tax the rich' debate to be heating up soon

1. STORY OF THE WEEK: “Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree!” -- the timeless aphorism from the late U.S. Sen. Russell B. Long of Louisiana -- speaks … more

By Ian Donnis | 3/17/25