Letters To The Editor

Sheehan Declines Legislator Pay Hike

According to a release from Sen. James Sheehan, he will not be taking a pay raise offered to other legislators.

Sen. James C. Sheehan (D-Dist. 36, North Kingstown, Narragansett) today announced that he will decline the 3.2 percent salary increase that took effect on July 1. Under the state constitutional change that downsized the General Assembly in the mid-1990s, Rhode Island legislators were to be compensated at an annual rate of $10,000 beginning in 1995, with annual salary increases at the beginning of each subsequent fiscal year, tied to the Consumer Price Index for the previous year. “Given the state of the economy and the fact that there have been budget cuts, I will not accept the constitutionally guaranteed pay raise,” Sheehan said. “I do not think it is appropriate in principle to accept a pay raise when sacrifices are being made all …

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Election Preview: Wilkens Not Running For Council

Councilor Christopher Wilkens will challenge for Teresa Tanzi’s seat, and the School Committee is practically elected already.

NARRAGANSETT – Despite the absence of a current councilor running for another office, it will be a crowded town council race this year, with as many as 12 candidates on the ballot. According to paperwork filed at Narragansett Town Hall for the November election, current councilor Christopher Wilkens will not seek re-election. Instead, he will be the Republican challenge to the R.I. House seat currently held by Teresa Tanzi, assuming he bests Stephen C. Tetzner in a primary. The four other incumbent councilors – Glenna Hagopian, David Crook, Susan Cicilline Buonanno and Alisa Trainor Fleet – are running for re-election, along with eight others. See the chart below for a full accounting of all the races. In contrast, barring a huge write-in …

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Poetry About ACTING, Brooklyn Brawlin’

A poetry day at the library, acting and pro wrestling break up the usual government meetings.

Here are the (more than) Five Things for Wednesday, April 18: “ACTING!” – Master Thespian (Jon Lovitz), Saturday Night Live. The Contemporary Theatre Company is offering acting classes at 5 p.m. The cost is $10. “In America any boy may become President, and I suppose it’s just one of the risks he takes.” – Adlai Stevenson. Here are the government meetings for today: “Oh no, I’m being eatin’ by a boa constrictor, and I don’t like it one bit.” Everything I needed to know, I learned from Shel Silverstein. Celebrate your own love of poetry at Poetry Palooza, a nifty bit of alliteration that’s going on from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Peace Dale Library. Kids of all ages are invited – They will be given items they can write poems about, or draw and…

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Budgets, Sports and Kindergarten Prep

We have a wide smattering of events in today’s Five Things.

Here are the (more than) Five Things for Wednesday, April 11, 2012: “If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” – Abraham Lincoln. Here are tonight’s government meetings: “From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it..” – Groucho Marx. There are several book groups meeting today as well. Here they are: The first step on the path to college! Before the kids can go to college, they have to pass high school. And before high school comes middle school. And before middle school comes elementary school. And before that comes kindergarten. And before THAT comes a Narragansett Kindergarten Readiness Camp at Maury Loontjens Memorial Library at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Don’t…

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Town Delays Action on Proposed Town Manager Probe

After additional information comes to light during Monday’s meeting, the Narragansett Town Council decides to wait before taking any action.

The fate of any sort of investigation into Narragansett Town Manager Grady Miller’s actions will have to wait at least two weeks, as the town council voted on Monday night to continue the matter to its April 2 meeting. At issue is whether Miller acted inappropriately in shifting $3,000 for the Narrow River Preservation Association from the special appropriations budget to the wastewater budget for the 2011-12 budget. Council president Glenna Hagopian put the matter on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, asking the town solicitor for a review of the budget shift. She also made the most critical remarks of Miller at the meeting, and in several memos she authored before the meeting. “I found this troubling and confusing,” she said. “The …

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Mr. Rogers, Article Scheduling and Fun Events

Now that the drudgery of Monday is behind us, we can get back to more usual tasks, like counting down to Friday and the weekend.

Here are the (more than) Five Things for Tuesday, March 20, 2012: Town manager’s job is safe, at least for now. The Narragansett Town Council took no formal action on the job of Town Manager at Monday night’s meeting. Although council president Glenna Hagopian brought up what she believed to be budget irregularities, both Grady Miller and fellow councilor Christopher Wilkens fought back against her claims. We will have several stories from Monday’s meeting posted on the site today and tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for their posting. Spring into Spring at the Guild! That is literally the event’s name today, so I felt the need to make no further additional pithy comments. For $11 (residents) or $14 (non-residents), you and your child …

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Serious Bidness Afoot…

In today’s Five Things, government matters matter.

Here are the (more than) Five Things for Monday, March 19, 2012: Want to be e-mailed when there is a new Five Things posted? Click the “keep me posted!” button below.

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Danger! Star Wars References Inside!

If you don’t believe in the Force, well, don’t be such a muggle.

Here are the Five Things for Thursday, February 23, 2012: “There is a great disturbance in the Force… It’s as if a million voices cried out, because vacation is more than half over.” Maury Loontjens Memorial Library continues its week of fun for the kids during February vacation today. From 11 a.m. to noon, cartoonist Corinne Adams will show your kids how to draw their favorite characters from Star Wars and Harry Potter. A show and tell, and a prize drawing, will also be held. Pre-registering is advised, so call the library at 789-9507. “There is no civility, only politics.” – Chancellor Palpatine. At town hall tonight, the Land Conservancy Trust meets at 5:30 p.m. The Zoning Board of Review meets at 7 p.m. Mr. Palpatine will not be at …

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Five Things

5 THINGS: Even More References Than Normal!

One band or one movie makes me think of more movies and more bands. Isn’t life funny like that?

Here are the Five Things for Wednesday, February 8, 2012: “Darling don’t you go and cut your hair.” Unfortunately, there is not a Pavement appreciation club meeting at town hall tonight. This meeting is at 6 p.m. and instead is about paving roads… That’s all I’ve got to say about that, since it seems pretty self-explanatory. “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Likewise, “Networking at Noon” is not about Network. (Doing Five Things every day makes me worry that we’re running perilously low on movie and band titles.) Deb Kelso of the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a networking event at noon at the Mews Tavern in Wakefield. The cost is $12, and while RSVPing is recommended, drop-ins are normally OK. “…

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