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Irene Blows in Some Good Old-Fashioned Family Fun

Sure hurricanes present us with heavy rains, high winds, uprooted trees and scary storm surges, but on the unexpected side they also deliver some quality bonding time!

When word got out that Hurricane Irene was threatening to tear into Rhode Island as a possible Category 3 storm, it certainly grabbed folks' attention, especially my kids. None of them were here on earth to experience the last big hurricane I can remember, Hurricane Bob back in 1991. At that time, we had been married just shy of four years and lived in our humble little starter home in Warwick and were living the life of DINKS, (Double Income No Kids—unless you counted our precious cocker spaniel, Chloe). This was the house I had decorated to the nines, with every silk flower arrangement and faux-finished paint treatment known to man. I caused quite a stir in our neighborhood because my begonia beds were thriving despite the drought we …

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Crews Work to Bring North Kingstown Back Online

But life returning to normal inland and along coast

Two days after Hurricane Irene roared into North Kingstown, many residents were cleaning up and work crews and tree service companies were still busy in a few sections of the town. But on a sunny and warm day, many people were also out shopping, biking, walking, jogging, golfing and surveying the damage wrought by the storm. Roads were clear in most parts of North Kingstown, but several piles of branches and trees lined the sides of roads, especially along North Quidnesset Road, Fletcher Road and Old Forge Road. Bent, shattered and uprooted trees along with a few downed poles were not unusual in this area. “We lost about 30 trees; all of them were demolished,” said Nick Twesten, who sat in his SUV with his wife, Jamie. The Twestens were …

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NOW: Live Coverage After Irene

Join the Patch live blog as we provide updates from throughout the area

The power is out and may be for days. Few businesses are open. We're trying to keep up with the news as it unfolds. Follow along and join the discussion. We'll be providing updates and publishing your contributions - tweets, photos and comments. If you can't see our live blog, please go to http://www.coveritlive.com/ and keep up with Patch updates there (or download the coveritlive app.)

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Staying Safe After the Storm

From that milk in the fridge to the downed tree in your front yard, there are still many reasons to stay cautious after the storm.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) reminds everyone that even though the storm and adverse weather have passed, there are still health and safety issues that may impact the public. Food Safety: When in doubt, throw it out! With more than half of the households in the state without power, it is important to prevent getting sick from food that has spoiled. Medication that needs to be refrigerated Life-sustaining medical equipment or devices: Use emergency rooms for life-threatening emergencies. Prevent injuries during storm cleanup Flooded Private Wells Private wells that have flooded (wells that have standing water around them) should be considered contaminated. People with flooded wells should take the following precautions:

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