First Beach Cleaup Sept. 19

September 19th is the International Coastal Cleanup, this is run by the Ocean Conservancy Group and hosted in Rhode Island by the Audubon Society and Clean Ocean Access is proud to lead the efforts at Easton’s Beach for the 4th year in a row, it is also the start of the 4th year of Clean Ocean Access, so we look forward to everyone getting involved!

The beach cleanup starts at 9 AM and finishes at 11 AM, parking is in the west-lot.

Wear sturdy shoes and bring your own gloves, we’ll provide the rest.

This is a rain or shine event, unless we have a hurricane!

Please let me know if you can make the event and how many people are attending and also include your t-shirt size (Adult, S, M, L, XL, XXL).

For more information about the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup, check out this link:

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=icc_home

For more information about Clean Ocean Access, check out this link:

http://members.cox.net/cleanoceanaccess/

Take the Aqidneck Island Transportation Study

This is the web site for the AIPC’s Aquidneck Island transportation corridor study, which is a two-year project funded with approx. $500,000 in state and federal funds. The public kickoff for the project is this morning. Please checkout the site and pass the link along as the web page includes a survey seeking public input on transportation issues as the study gets underway.

http://www.vhb.com/aquidneck

Hiatus

I'm heading South to where the sun shines & it's warm! Visiting Maryland to see friends & places that I haven't viewed in 40 years.

This in from Gail Ciampa's Food Blog at Projo.

"Rhode Island Premier of Food Inc. benefits the Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education (RICAPE), Wednesday, July 22 at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport.
The film will screen at 7pm, followed by a panel discussion to discuss agriculture in Rhode Island. At 6 pm light refreshments provided by Whole Foods, Greenvale Vineyards, Newport Vineyards and others will be served.

Tickets are $25 each with a portion of the proceeds to support RICAPE and may be purchased in advance at Jane Pickens.

Learn more about the film at Food Inc."

The movie is now playing through Thursday.

Happy Birthday, Sandra!

Sandra Flowers, of course. 39 today!!!

Local H.S. Seniors Honored

This in from Chris Barnett at the Secretary of State's office. Congratulations to these students!

"Honoring High School Seniors for Public Service

Students from all over Rhode Island are recognized with our 2009 High School Civic Leadership Awards.

The awards are given annually to members of the senior class who make outstanding contributions to their schools and their hometowns. The winners were honored in front of friends, family and faculty at a State House ceremony. Photos of the event.

“This award recognizes students who show an understanding of the importance public service has in a democratic society,” says Secretary of State Mollis. “These students take the principles of civics and put them into action at home and at school.”

We asked high schools around the state to nominate members of the Class of 2009 who best met the ideals of the award: public service, leadership ability and academic achievement.

Seventy-nine high schools ranging from Barrington High to Woonsocket High nominated seniors for the honor. This is the third consecutive year we have presented the awards.

"I am committed to encouraging young people to get involved. Their enthusiasm and willingness to participate in the civic life of their school and community are vital to the strength of our democracy. I hope their example inspires next year’s senior class," says Secretary Mollis.

Middletown High School: Carly Benson& Daniel A. Quintanilla

Rogers High School: Bethany Lopes & Michael Turchetti

Tiverton High School: Elizabeth McGreavy & Joshua Louis Beaupre

First (Easton's Beach) Beach

My new friend Barry Botelho, owner of the beach food concession stand & the subject of a NDN story (sorry, can't link), sent me some pics of the new prototypes thresher, or is it called a harvester?

I haven't yet seen it actually harvesting, but may be I'll be able to get some video up soon. It certainly makes for a BIG improvement beachwise which I pointed out to Rep. Kennedy when he was here. All that smelly, yucky seaweed which used to accumulate beachront is gone! Along with the smell & flies, bugs, etc. Yahoo! I've been here close to 40 years & it's NEVER been better. Now, if the sun would just shine, shine, shine. Thank god for "tan in a can," the only way a nice Irish girl like me is ever going to tan. The Portuguese part just does me NO GOOD whatsover.

Remember, the beach is still open with food, rides, etc. Myself, I'm partial to the lobster rolls. You can also check out the beach cams. http://www.eastonsbeach.com/ With no closings this year (maybe only one at Atlantic Beach?), it's cleaner than ever there. Now if we could just say the same about the Third Beach area...

Yesterday, I had a tourist laughing at me during my walk. I had on my full length raincoat with the hood up, heavy jeans, & sneakers with socks. Heck, it was in the low 60's, windy, & rainy, and I was in a BAD mood. He looked at me & shoulted, "You look like you're dressed for winter!" Yes, and the problem with that is ???? it's July & FEELS like it. LOL!

Thanks to Barry for the pics. I meet such neat people on the web!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I don't usually blather on about birthdays, but here I am- 61! When you have a parent who dies fairly young (dad- age 53), you learn about human frailty early. I never believed that I'd make it this far, but, I did!

What have I learned in 60 years? Not a whole lot but it's time to ruminate a bit:

1. Life is not fair. Celebrate when it is. Strive for it.

2. Life is short. Have fun- laugh long,loud, & often. If it's not fun- make it so. If you can't- pretend it is. If people don't like you doing any of the former, try to avoid them.

3. Be around kids. Play. Speak to them. Listen to their jokes. Consider it a rare honor.

4. Appreciate your surroundings & try to make them beautiful.

5. Money is important. It doesn't guarantee happiness, but it sure helps.

6. Keep educating yourself. Read.

7. Exercise. You'll probably live longer than you think.

8. Do a favor for someone whenever you can. Be generous. Just because.

9. Honor older citizens. Spend some time with them.

10. Try something new whenever the opportunity presents itself.

11. Enjoy your memories, but keep it short, stupid (KISS).

12. Encourage your passions, open up your mind, turn up your nose at no one, change your mind about something, and remember to PLAY!

11. Have a pet.

12. Family is important. So are friends. Keep the good ones & make new ones.

13. Beaches, ocean access, forests, parks, etc. are wonderful places.

14. Age gracefully? Screw that one.

House Speaker Pelosi Coming to Middletown

Nancy Pelosi & Rep. Patrick Kennedy will be here this Sat., July 11, in the afternoon. Check out that link for details & an invite. Locals (otherwise known as the "usual suspects") are hoping to convince her to fund some $ for our corporate park & for improvements to the Wave. Ave. pumping station.

She'll be visiting there & stopping at the new Child & Family Services building for a visit. There is a public reception at the Atlantic Beach Club, but with a limited capacity thanks to the newest fire safety laws regarding outside venues. Of course the fact that it actually SITS on the beach which has LOTS of H2O is meaningless & cost towns & cities mucho dinero & closed businesses, but I digress. Thank you, General Assembly.

Later she is attending a private fundraiser in Jamestown- likely for the Dem. House Legislative fundraising arm. No, no invite for me. Just as well as they'd likely expect me to give them big $. And I'd need a new dress- I never said that I wasn't shallow.

Actually, if the truth be known, they are coming to surprise Keith Stokes of the Newport Chamber of Commerce & myself on our birthdays. I will be 39- don't know about him. Definitely older, I think. More later. I have a camera now & know how to use it (kinda, sorta) so I'll try & get some visual stuff up!

New Stuff

I'm trying to keep up with an event calendar of local doings either for zilch $ or that I like. If you have anything, feel free to send.

I am rightly reminded that whenever it's not a beachy day, the concession stands remain open. Fortunately, a lot of the pollution problems seems to have cleared up with Middletown's sewer work & so this now seems to have little effect here. Yeah!!!

Sometimes I go to First Beach just for a quiet lunch with a lobster roll, few people around, & a gorgeous view- even with the fog/mist. Then maybe a walk. Hopefully, the new thresher will achieve its goal of less of that yucky & stinky red seaweed on First Beach. Just the few times that it has been operational, I've noticed a BIG difference.