Community Corner

Monday Essentials: Observance of Columbus Day, Education Colloquium and More

Today is Monday, Oct. 14, 2013 and here are some things to know about the week ahead.

Welcome to Monday Essentials, your new weekly snapshot of one or more critical things coming in the week ahead. If you know of something coming up that would make a great addition to Monday Essentials, email lauren.costa@patch.com.

Today is Columbus Day: Monday, Oct. 14, 2013 marks the U.S. holiday commemorating the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century but did not become a federal holiday until 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus' achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. Throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have appeared in recent years. Click here for info regarding Columbus Day closings in Narragansett and SK.

Public Education Forum: At 7 p.m. this and each Tuesday evening through Dec. 10, the University of Rhode Island Fall 2013 Honors Colloquium will offer public education forums in Edwards Auditorium on the Kingston Campus. In this series, coordinated by David Byrd and Diane Kern, participants will explore how education still matters and debate key issues central to understanding the future of public schools and higher education.

Walk-A-While Wednesday: From 12-1 p.m. this and each Wednesday through Dec. 4, URI's College of Human Science and Services in partnership with the Dept. of Kinesiology will host "Walk-a-While on Wednesdays".The new health initiative will be led by Kinesiology walking coaches who will guide participants through various mapped paths each session. The names of people who participate in at least eight sessions will be entered in a raffle for a free pair of sneakers from Feet First Quality Footwear.

Find out what's happening in Narragansett-South Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gansett Zoning Board: The Narragansett Zoning Board of Review will meet Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in the large board room at Town Hall (25 Fifth Ave., Narragansett). Click here to view the meeting agenda.

Star Gazing at Frosty Drew Observatory: This and every Friday night at 6 p.m., get star struck at the Frosty Drew Observatory's Public Stargazing Night (61 Park Ln., Charlestown). Be sure to subscribe to the Frost Drew Observatory mailing list or follow them on Twitter (@FrostyDrewOBSY) to receive status updates about the public stargazing program. This is a free event, however donations are greatly appreciated. 

Find out what's happening in Narragansett-South Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To find more things to do this week, check out our event listings.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here