The Sunday Political Brunch - March 3

Trickle-Down effect, fingerprints and more.

Y Life: Chapter One

I'm starting out the Y Life Challlenge at the West Bay Y.

I’m trying something a bit new this year, thanks to the folks at the West Bay Family YMCA. A few weeks ago, I was approached by Jackie Emrich, health and wellness director at the Y, who asked if I would be interested in participating in the Y Life Challenge. For those unfamiliar with the program, it’s a 12-week challenge where you meet with Y trainers twice a week with your own “team.” Within your group, you motivate your team members, learn healthier lifestyle choices from your coaches and work on a better you. I could tell you that I’m doing this because I believe in the Y Life mantra. That I’m doing this because Jackie really sold me on the program. That I’m a huge proponent of helping my hometown improve health and wellness. That I …

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Letter: NK Basketball Team's Birthday Surprise

Two parents thank the NK boy basketball team for being a class act.

To the North Kingstown High School boys basketball team, coaches and the NK Booster Club, Like many fortunate and able parents these days, we look for ways to celebrate our children’s birthdays through some kind of event to share with their friends.  Due to unfortunate circumstances our original plans for our 10-year-old son, Liam, fell through.  Being pressed for time we found ourselves combing for last minute ideas.  After much deliberation and input with Liam we settled on a pizza party at our house and taking him and his friends to the Nort Kingstown High School boys basketball game versus Hendricken High School.  Thankfully, due in part to many of Liam’s friend’s parents, we were alerted to the fact the game would sell out and tickets…

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Letter: Firefighters' 24-Hour Shift Is A 'Complete Disaster'

Former Town Councilor Chuck Brennan urges residents to email the current council.

To the editor, What is going on between the Town of North Kingstown and the North Kingstown Fire Department? Relations have been bad for the last year when the Town Council forced the firefighters to work 24 hour shifts but things could have changed for the better this week. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The first thing that happened was that the Town Council took up the issue of the new fireboat again. Last year the previous council, of which I was a member, took up the issue during several meetings. The fire department obtained a homeland security grant of $830,000 to purchase a new boat. Our council voted to approve the purchase after several meetings and discussion and the boat was ordered. One person emailed the council after …

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NK_Voter

9:46 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Define "call." Is a "call" a response? And even so, what does that come out to--an average of 4.5 calls in a 24 hr period? And the FF's work 10 days a month? And how many of those where for the paramedics? The vast majority? I understand that it's a great job with benefits few dream of. I understand they want the gravy train to keep running. I can't afford their desires, however. Especially as …   more ›

Letter: Pay Raises in 2014?

Councilor Richard Welch outlines his views on the upcoming budget process.

To the editor,   It is budget time again in North Kingstown and we need to hold the line on expenses and that is going to be difficult for a number of reasons.  Increases in operating expenses are the main problem; fuel cost, electric, labor agreements and health insurance premiums just won't stop increasing.   We are going to have to make some choices that are necessary and some people won't be happy about these choices.  We must hold the line on our taxes and that means the town must act more like business in many ways.   Improve efficiency of operation by consolidating positions with like responsibilities in the town and school department, i.e. consolidation of the two IT departments into one, purchasing abd payroll as well as human …

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Letter: Thanks to Legislators Fighting For Free Park and Ride

NK Democratic Town Committee Chair thanks local legislators for pushing for the retention of free commuter parking.

To the editor,  The North Kingstown Democratic Town Committee would like to take the opportunity to thank Senator James Sheehan and Representative Robert Craven for their ongoing efforts in ensuring that the people of North Kingstown have access to a free public parking lot. Both Senator Sheehan and Representative Craven made it clear in press statements released from their offices that it is not acceptable for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to sell the current state owned public parking lot at the corners of Route 2 and 102 without creating another alternate free public parking lot in North Kingstown. Senator Sheehan has written to the DOT, and both have asked that an alternate free parking lot be provided by DOT should they sell …

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Letter: Thanks to Those Who Helped With This Year's Holiday Giving Program

North Kingstown Senior and Human Services' director thanks community members who made this year's holiday giving program a success.

Letter to the editor, Once again the community came together this holiday season to bring happiness to North Kingstown families in need through the town’s Holiday Giving Program.  This effort is coordinated through North Kingstown’s Senior and Human Services Department located at Beechwood.  Holiday Giving involves the entire community who generously provided gifts and/or food for more than 345 families in North Kingstown. The program offered a variety of ways to help; some chose to be a donor family and were matched anonymously to a family in need, while others provided cash donations or gift cards to the program.  These generous donations received from both members of the community and businesses provided gifts for families that came …

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What Street in North Kingstown Has the Biggest Speeding Problem?

There are a lot of people who have trouble obeying the speed limit, but which street in North Kingstown do you think has the biggest problem with speeding?

From Ten Rod Road to Post Road to Quaker Lane, no North Kingstown road is safe from speeding drivers. But, which road has the biggest speeding problem? Since North Kingstown Patch launched in October 2010, NK has unfortunately seen its fair share of auto accidents in which speeding as at least a contributing factor. In October 2010, a man died in rollover on Tower Hill Road just outside Wickford Village. Police believed that speed was a factor. In August 2011, speed was a factor in two fatal motorcycle accidents in NK (one on Route 403 and another on Post Road). In November 2012, a North Kingstown woman died after her car hit a tree on Annaquatucket Road. Sadly, this is just a small sampling of deadly crashes in North Kingstown in which …

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NRA: Put ‘Armed Police Officers’ in Every School

In a press conference held Friday morning, the head of the NRA called for armed police officers to guard our nations schools

During its first press conference since the Sandy Hook School shooting last Friday, the National Rifle Association (NRA) called for schools to be armed with police officers. "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said NRA executive Wayne LaPierre. He said school children defenseless "and the predators of the world know it and exploit it." LaPierre urged Congress  ”to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school in this nation. What do you think about the NRA's call for armed police officers in our schools? Tell us in the comments!

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Danny White

9:58 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013

I'd rather get shot with a .22 semi-auto rifle then a 12 gauge pump shotgun. How about we ban those too Bruce. They aren't semi-auto but can do way more damage. You need to educate yourself about firearms before you decide the rights of others.   more ›

ThiNK Family

Reassuring Our Kids After A Heinous Tragedy

Dealing with the unthinkable aftermath of Friday's shooting massacre in Newton, CT.

Writing this piece in the aftermath of the unthinkable tragedy in Newtown, CT on Friday, Dec. 14 is eerily surreal.  To learn that 26 innocent lives, 20 of them precious young children, were killed in a shooting massacre in their very own elementary school is just incomprehensible. As a mom of eight kids, the youngest of whom is 7 and in the first grade,  I was stricken with immense grief and disbelief that sweet, trusting young elementary school-aged children as well as their devoted and loving teachers and staff who cared and taught them were so brutally murdered. A tragedy of this magnitude is horrific, but knowing that so many helpless children were the victims takes the pain and horror to a whole new level.  I am not a certified …

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