Community Corner
Last Week In North Kingstown
Town, Firefighters Must Enter Arbitration; Ferry Co. Aims For Block Island
Ever since his friend died in Iraq while in the Navy, Stephen Berry has erected an American flag around Memorial Day that he keeps up until fall. For a number of years, that was in Exeter, where he was living. Now living on Bissel Cove, this year Berry erected a flag on the large rock that sits a couple dozen yards offshore. Not everyone is happy about it.
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Frank E. Austin, NKFD Ret., formerly of North Kingstown, born June 5, 1929, to the late Edward and Mollie Austin died at the age of 84 on July 11, at South County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Until February, he resided at the home of his son Frank for the last five years. Frank was predeceased by his loving wife of 54 years, the late Janice E. (Carpenter) Austin.
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8:52 p.m. – Police arrested Rodney Kenneth Morton, 55, of New Lexington Road, for driving with a suspended license after police pulled him over for pulling out of a parking lot onto Post Road without waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. The license suspension dated back to 1998 for failing to pay a fine.
The town and firefighters sat down for an arbitration session last week following a decision by the Supreme Court to not stay (delay) arbitration, in the ongoing legal battle over the town’s decision to institute 24-hour shifts for firefighters. Firefighters are calling the ruling a positive step. The town, meanwhile, said the ruling will not affect the ultimate outcome of the case. Both sides agree the continued legal proceedings will cost taxpayers.
Charles A. Donadio, Jr., is looking to bring a wide array of ferry services to Quonset. The owner of Rhode Island Fast Ferry already operates daily high-speed ferry service to Martha's Vineyard. Now Donadio has set his sights on Block Island. He's applied to the state Public Utilities Commission – which oversees ferry companies – to provide the passenger service. Once he gets the ok, he said, he will be ordering a new ferry boat.
Narragansett Rune Stone: Viking, Knights, Or … ?
The Narragansett Rune Stone jumped into prominence after it went missing in July 2012. The stone, which was visible in the water off Pojac Point in very low tide, had markings that some around the world – thanks to the Internet – had said pointed to Vikings or Christian knights (think Da Vinci Code). The mystery of its disappearance was all the more fantastic since it was a large rock, weighing tons.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
