Rogers senior Izzy Booth (31) goes to the basket during the Vikings’ 44-40 win over Smithfield in a Division I matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 5, in Newport. Booth, who will play at Rhode Island College starting next season, finished with 22 points, 18 rebounds, five steals, three assists and three blocks. The win for the Vikings was their second league […]
Past Pipeline Plan Unearthed
In the aftermath of a natural gas outage that brought Newport to a week-long standstill, lawmakers and regulators have a growing list of questions, beginning with a 2013 proposal to upgrade local gas pipelines. The project, which was designed to improve supply and reliability, never moved forward. “I will keep asking the questions until we get answers,” said Sen. Louis […]
NBS Director Moves On
After 12 years, Natasha Harrison will be leaving as executive director of the Norman Bird Sanctuary in April to take the position of president at Alnoba in Kensington, New Hampshire, a 400- acre property that includes 10 miles of trails, a world-class sculpture park and an organic farm. “We knew this day would come. A bird can’t stay in the […]
School Budget Debate Rages On
Members of the City Council and School Committee are currently weighing if the city should spend $150,000 to conduct a forensic audit to help solve the school district’s ongoing budget discrepancies. One proponent for a forensic audit is Ron Becker, a retired actuary who now serves on the city’s Trust and Investment Commission, which advises on Newport’s public pensions investment […]
What Is Love?
SLICE OF LIFEIn Carl Sagan’s novel “Contact” love is at the axis of science vs. God. Essentially, the story intertwines the secular subjects of proof of life vs. proof of love. The character, Palmer Joss, a Christian philosopher asks the antagonist, astrophysicist Dr. Arroway, if she loves her now deceased father. Dumbfounded, she responds with a simple, yet emphatic, “Yes. Very Much.” […]
Chinese Year of the Pig
For Westerners, the New Year festivities are over. But the Chinese began celebrating on Feb. 5 as they welcomed the Year of the Pig. The oldest and most important festival in China is the Spring Festival, known in the West as the Chinese New Year. The date is determined by the lunar/solar calendar, so the holiday varies from late January […]
Local Pilots Flying for Good Causes
Gerry Kempen has flown supplies to those who desperately needed them in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and transported adopted rescue dogs to their “forever homes.” As such, he has witnessed the devastation caused by natural disasters and has been greeted with the grateful smiles of joy from new pet owners. For Kempen, who is one of many local pilots […]
For What It’s Worth
Pictured are Valentine’s Day post cards from around 1910. Most post cards then were printed in Germany. After recently purchasing some new Valentine’s Day cards, it is easy to spend between $25 and $40 on 6 cards. The pictured post cards cost 5 cents each “back then,” a bargain. Vintage cards sell today between $3 to $5 each and seem […]
Politics & Pancakes
Governor Gina Raimondo will speak at the Newport County Chamber of Commerce Politics & Pancakes event on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 a.m. at the Hotel Viking. She will discuss her FY 2020 budget as proposed. The Politics & Pancakes Series is dedicated to bringing government officials and leaders to Greater Newport to discuss issues impacting the business community. This […]
NBA Skills Challenge
The Newport Recreation Department is hosting the local segment of the Junior NBA National Basketball Skills Challenge presented by Under Armour on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. The skills challenge is open to ages 6 through 13. First, second and third place finishers in each age and gender group will advance to the regional competition. There is […]
