Top Twenty Stories of 2011

What a year it has been!

Progressive Charlestown's #1 story

By the editors of Progressive Charlestown

Progressive Charlestown was launched on January 28, 2011 with an article on affordable housing by Tom Ferrio. That article turned out to be the first of many on that topic – and on many other topics we’ve covered. Here are our top twenty editors' picks, counting up from the bottom,

Story number 20 is: Progressive Charlestown makes it through its first year. In 11 months, we published 1100+ articles, 1300+ comments and got over 120,000 hits. Often, we've scooped all the rest when covering Charlestown stories and we usually give you more depth than any other source.

#19: Redistricting drastically changes Charlestown’s town electoral map. Most Charlestown voters in the northern half of town will see new people on the 2012 ballot for state representative and senator. Rep. Donna Walsh will represent all of Charlestown as Rep. Larry Valencia's District 39 will no longer include Charlestown. 

#18: Red light cameras. To have them or not pits traffic safety advocates vs. libertarians in one of those debates where everyone has a point, but there is little common ground.

#17: Dark Sky flop. We all love our Dark Sky but the devil’s in the details. Plus, what do we do about the glow from the east and west? And will Ruth Platner spend 2012 duking it out with the Town’s lawyer and the town building inspector?

#16: Wastewater breakthrough. After years of futility in trying to reach a reasonable compromise with RIDEM over expensive denitrification systems, Rep. Donna Walsh pulls out a hopeful breakthrough – we’ll be watching to see if the details match the positive intentions. If this pans out, expect this story to rank high in the 2012 list.

 

#15: PC exposé leads to demise of OSPRI. No, not the marine raptor, but the Ocean State Policy Research Institute. PC’s report that OSPRI lied about federal stimulus spending in Charlestown led to the ProJo’s Politifacts finding that OSPRI prints Politifiction. And that was the end of OSPRI.

#14: Town Council censorship blocked. The Town Council majority (Tom Gentz, Dan Slattery and Lisa DiBello) were shocked — “you mean we can’t ban specific groups or people from speaking?” Town Solicitor Peter Ruggiero had to explain to them that they cannot simply ban the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee from speaking before the Council based on their beliefs or affiliations.

#13: Open space mania. If you are dedicated to worshiping the Earth Mother, you can’t get enough, even if you have to tear down buildings to get it. Charlestown is rapidly approaching the point where we have to ask, how much open space do we need? How much can we handle? How much can we afford?

#12: Beach toilet victory. There goes that profitable idea for the “beach baggie” concession to help those not able to walk home to use the toilets. Against strong objections from the beach property owners who don’t want to encourage outsiders to come to the beach, Charlestown voters approve new beach sanitary facilities.

 

#11: Ray of Hope scandal. This so-called charity is run from Council member Lisa DiBello’s home and refuses to release records – public records – required by law. Our series uncovered lack of accountability, strange fund-raising practices and chronic mismanagement.

#10: Class war over affordable housing. Charlestown Citizens Alliance leaders hate affordable housing so much, they try – and fail – to launch a statewide effort to destroy the program.

#9: Chariho students’ car crash. Four students crash after a drinking party at a school committee member’s home and nearly die. Very sad event and what will we learn from it.

#8: The year of conspiracies. Prominent town figures see conspiracies everywhere, whether it’s a collection box to help Ninigret Park, poachers on “phantom” town lands, deals to trade a job for the fulfillment of a vendetta, creepy deals to sneak four hundred foot wind turbines into town or sinister plots within the Chariho schools. Where’s the Spanish Inquisition when we need them?

#7: Dellolio’s 11-year beach monopoly ended. Council member Lisa DiBello’s roommate Deborah Dellolio has held an 11-year monopoly on the town bargain basement contract to sell soft drinks and junk food at town beaches. But that ended this year after a stormy summer season – and a PC exposé — when the town refused to extend her contract. Will she win it back in 2012?

#6: The Platner Principle. As stated by Charlestown Planning Commissar Ruth Platner, “whatever is not permitted is prohibited.” The ultimate expression of her vision of the town’s total control over people’s lives, the Platner Principle is an all-purpose tool the Planning Commission uses to prevent anyone from ever doing anything.

#5: Tax revaluation shifts tax burden to the middle class. Quiet acceptance of tax hikes shows Charlestown's 99% needs to learn from the 1% how to organize and assert their interests.

#4: Hurricane Irene. While our town staff and first responders did a great job, what will happen to Charlestown when a real hurricane hits? Will gas generators become Charlestown’s preferred form of alternative energy?

#3: First ever legal action by sitting Council member against town. Council member Lisa DiBello’s promises that she wouldn’t seek revenge against the town lasted three months before she filed unprecedented conspiracy charges against the town and a dozen present and former town officials. Now she is about to file a lawsuit in state court against the town she supposedly serves. “Because she cares.”

#2: First ever total wind energy ban in the U.S. When Charlestown goes in, it goes all in. 2011 was the year of the NIMBY as Charlestown became the first town in the United States to totally ban wind energy. Currently, we have a bogus residential wind ordinance that allows small wind generators if homeowners meet all conditions — such as bringing in the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West.

#1: Consolidation of power by Charlestown’s 1%. Charlestown’s version of the “1%” (the economic elite) is represented by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) with help from the RI Statewide Coalition (RISC). Now the interests of non-resident property owners and million-dollar homeowners come first over the needs of middle-income Charlestown residents, working families and small businesses. The 1% got their tax cut in July – but they killed the Charlestown Democrats’ proposal for a tax cut for everyone else in December.

From the crew of Progressive Charlestown, we wish all of you a Happy New Year. We look forward providing you with news, views, reviews and lively agitation in 2012.