Archive - Aug 2011 - News Article
BLACKSTONE — Main Street in this village-like outpost on the state line usually has everything a busy mother of two needs, but lately it just hasn't been the same.
“You can't do anything in Blackstone,” said Tara Rogala as she pulled up to the drive-through at Dean Bank. “You can't do laundry. You can't do groceries. I have to drive 20 minutes to Woonsocket to do anything. Not having power with two small kids isn't easy.”
August 30th
WOONSOCKET — She did it.
After publicly hinting of a possible return to electoral politics, former Mayor Susan D. Menard raised the stakes Tuesday, filing preliminary declaration papers to challenge her successor, incumbent Mayor Leo T. Fontaine.
But the suspense isn't over. Menard may withdraw if she isn't showing satisfactory support among likely voters, she said.
“I'll be doing a poll,” Menard said. “After that I'll decide on my next step.”
August 29th
WOONSOCKET — The sunny, warm weather yesterday should have helped to erase memories of Tropical Storm Irene, and that might have been the case were it not for the continuing power outages affecting area residents.
The storm’s aftermath was marked by food spoiling in refrigerators, businesses still waiting for the power to come back on, and residents seeking a respite from the dark of their homes at restaurants lucky to have been spared the loss of electricity.
Waves crash onto the seawall at Narragansett Town Beach in Narragansett early Sunday morning. The state is recovering from Hurricane Irene on Monday, however, although numerous power outages remain throughout the state. National Grid expects power throughout the state to be restored by the weekend. A Flood Warning remains for the Blackstone River and some flooding was reported at Hope Global in Cumberland. (photo by Ernest A. Brown)
August 28th
High winds and waves pummel the south coast of Rhode Island as Hurricane Irene makes its closest pass early Sunday morning.The National Weather Service in Taunton, Ma. has issued a flood warning for the Blackstone River in Woonsocket from late tonight to Monday afternoon or until the warning is cancelled, after heavy rains due to the storm fell overnight and today. At 12:30 p.m. Sunday, the stage was 5.9 feet. Flood stage for the river is 9 feet, and minor flooding is forecast. (photo by Ernest A. Brown)
Hurricane Irene hits the south coast of Rhode Island with hurricane force winds, heavy rains and a storm surge which inundated Salty Brian State Beach and the parking lot near George's of Galilee early Sunday morning. The breachway between Galilee and Jerusalem, behind, had 4-6 ft. waves during the incoming high tide and the water contributed to flooding on Great Island, and the docks in and around the state piers. (photo by Ernest A. Brown)
STORM SURGE-Waves from Hurricane Irene crash into the seawall at Narragansett Pier at 6:58 a.m. Sunday, flooding nearby Beach St. which runs in the foreground of the photo. High winds, heavy, pelting rains and high waves pounded the south coast of Rhode Island, resulting in numerous power outages and many trees being blown down as the storm made it's closest pass before being downgraded to a Tropical Storm later in the morning.
August 27th
MIAMI (AP) — Weaker but still menacing, Hurricane Irene knocked out power and piers in North Carolina, clobbered Virginia with wind and churned up the coast Saturday to confront cities more accustomed to snowstorms than tropical storms. New York City emptied its streets and subways and waited with an eerie quiet.
August 26th
WOONSOCKET – Three more possible contenders for public office filed declarations of candidacy at City Hall Friday, including two for School Committee.
But the addition of Jeffrey A. Hardy and Christopher M. Roberts to the field still fails to make the race for School Committee competitive.
There are five seats on the panel, and so far only two other candidates, incumbents Vimala Phongsavanh and Anita McGuire Forcier, have tossed their hats into the ring.
August 25th
WOONSOCKET — The School Department finished its 2010-2011 budget with a $157,000 surplus but doesn’t appear to be on track for a similar outcome next year thanks to state plans for pension reform, according to school officials.
School Department Business Manager Stacey Busby was worried enough about the proposed pension changes, in fact, to give the School Committee the bad news along with her favorable report on the close out of the 2010-11 budget Wednesday night.
