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| Cover art from their latest release - Hook, Line & Sinker |
Our Things to Do column has been on winter vacation, while we celebrate holidays and wait for any snow to fall.
But we would be remiss if we didn't take some time away from FOI requests at Town Hall to list some of the opportunities available.
by Tom Ferrio
Save the Town money!
Regular readers know our opinions about the YMCA land on Watchaug Pond. But if we insist on using this land to extend the yards of the Sonquipaug subdivision then I sure would like to minimize the amount the town spends. So I am encouraging everyone to buy tickets to the benefit concert by Roomful of Blues, a Rhode Island band that won the 2011 Boston music award for Best Blues Artist and has been nominated for five Grammy awards.
Listen to a sample from their latest CD, Hook, Line & Sinker, here.
They will be performing starting at 4 pm Sunday January 15 at the Starlight Ballroom of Knickerbocker Café, 35 Railroad Avenue in Westerly.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at theknickerbockercafe.com and will also be available at the door. Food and beverages will be available during the concert.
Please go to save me some tax dollars! Thanks.
Talk to the Town Council!
Although there are numerous opportunities for the public to speak at regular Town Council meeting, they have also started holding Citizens' Forums twice each year. These sessions are dedicated to a more informal discussion between people in town and the TC.
The next Citizen's Forum will be Monday, January 23, starting at 7 pm in the Town Council meeting chambers.
Worry about wind!
This is short notice but we have discovered an opportunity for people convinced of the dangers of wind power to commune with like-minded people on Thursday, January 12, starting at 6 pm in the Hazard rooms (aptly named!) at the URI Coastal Institute building on the Narragansett Bay Campus. (campus map)
The focus of this meeting will be presentations on visual impacts, electromagnetic interference, shadow flicker, and property value impacts.
Everyone is welcome but space is limited so please RSVP to Amber Neville at 401.874.6106 or
amber@crc.uri.edu.
For the birds!
The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) is beginning a series of sessions on winter and spring birding. The first class, on Saturday January 21 at 9 am, will be a classroom session.
Come learn the basics of birding during this part indoor and part outdoor class at WPWA’s
campus on the Wood River. An informative lecture will be given by URI Ph. D. student,
Roger Masse, which will prepare participants for the BIRDING WALKS on February 11, March 3, March 24 and April 14, so please understand that registration will be limited to those who plan to attend other events in the series. Go to http://wpwa.org/events.php to register.
The Trustom Pond National Wildlife Reserve (Matunuck Schoolhouse Road in South Kingston) is also holding two Saturday bird walks in January, on the 14th and 28th from 2 to 4 pm. You can see more information here.
Learn 500 million years of history!
The WPWA is also presenting a lecture on the geological history of Rhode Island on Sunday, January 22, at 4 pm. The talk will be preceded by a brief wine and hors d'oevres reception. For more information and to register go to http://wpwa.org/events.php.
UPDATE: Birds that don't fly!
On Friday, January 20, at 6:30 pm the Cross Mills Public Library will present a showing of the movie Mr. Popper's Penguins (PG). Reviews here.
UPDATE: Defend yourself!
Our Parks & Recreation Department is presenting a free session on Self Defense from 6:30 to 7:30 pm on Tuesday, January 24, at the Community/Senior Center in Ninigret Park. Anyone 14 years of age or over may attend and no reservation is necessary. The class will be presented by Brazilian Martial Arts instructor Jorge Alves. Additional future sessions may be added for a fee.
UPDATE: Learn weaving and fight hunger!
Carolina Fiber and Fiction Center in the Octagon House (Route 112 and Shannock Hill Road) is starting a free series of monthly weaving seminars. The first is on Saturday, January 28, from 1:00 to 3:30 pm and is entitled "All the Basics"....They ask that you bring a non-perishable food item to help supplement the local food bank. An RSVP is requested on Facebook here or by email to Grace Farrell.
All of these suggestions and lots more are listed in our calendar at Progressive Charlestown.
Talk to the Town Council!
Although there are numerous opportunities for the public to speak at regular Town Council meeting, they have also started holding Citizens' Forums twice each year. These sessions are dedicated to a more informal discussion between people in town and the TC.
The next Citizen's Forum will be Monday, January 23, starting at 7 pm in the Town Council meeting chambers.
Worry about wind!
This is short notice but we have discovered an opportunity for people convinced of the dangers of wind power to commune with like-minded people on Thursday, January 12, starting at 6 pm in the Hazard rooms (aptly named!) at the URI Coastal Institute building on the Narragansett Bay Campus. (campus map)
The focus of this meeting will be presentations on visual impacts, electromagnetic interference, shadow flicker, and property value impacts.
Everyone is welcome but space is limited so please RSVP to Amber Neville at 401.874.6106 or
amber@crc.uri.edu.
For the birds!
The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) is beginning a series of sessions on winter and spring birding. The first class, on Saturday January 21 at 9 am, will be a classroom session.
Come learn the basics of birding during this part indoor and part outdoor class at WPWA’s
campus on the Wood River. An informative lecture will be given by URI Ph. D. student,
Roger Masse, which will prepare participants for the BIRDING WALKS on February 11, March 3, March 24 and April 14, so please understand that registration will be limited to those who plan to attend other events in the series. Go to http://wpwa.org/events.php to register.
The Trustom Pond National Wildlife Reserve (Matunuck Schoolhouse Road in South Kingston) is also holding two Saturday bird walks in January, on the 14th and 28th from 2 to 4 pm. You can see more information here.
Learn 500 million years of history!
The WPWA is also presenting a lecture on the geological history of Rhode Island on Sunday, January 22, at 4 pm. The talk will be preceded by a brief wine and hors d'oevres reception. For more information and to register go to http://wpwa.org/events.php.
UPDATE: Birds that don't fly!
On Friday, January 20, at 6:30 pm the Cross Mills Public Library will present a showing of the movie Mr. Popper's Penguins (PG). Reviews here.
UPDATE: Defend yourself!
Our Parks & Recreation Department is presenting a free session on Self Defense from 6:30 to 7:30 pm on Tuesday, January 24, at the Community/Senior Center in Ninigret Park. Anyone 14 years of age or over may attend and no reservation is necessary. The class will be presented by Brazilian Martial Arts instructor Jorge Alves. Additional future sessions may be added for a fee.
UPDATE: Learn weaving and fight hunger!
Carolina Fiber and Fiction Center in the Octagon House (Route 112 and Shannock Hill Road) is starting a free series of monthly weaving seminars. The first is on Saturday, January 28, from 1:00 to 3:30 pm and is entitled "All the Basics"....They ask that you bring a non-perishable food item to help supplement the local food bank. An RSVP is requested on Facebook here or by email to Grace Farrell.
All of these suggestions and lots more are listed in our calendar at Progressive Charlestown.