When: Wednesday, January 22 at 6 pm
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown
Who: Presentation by Bill McCusker, President of both the Charlestown Land Trust and the Friends of the Saugatucket
What: Bill’s presentation will explore the South County springtime fish migration, focusing on river herring in the Saugatucket River
There are great health benefits, for body and soul, when connecting with nature, and winter is one of the most beautiful times to hike in Charlestown. We are so lucky to live in Charlestown, where we have access to the Pawcatuck River, ponds, parks and public open space located throughout our town.
When: Wednesday, January 1st
11:30 am arrival and registration, then plunge at 12:00 Noon sharp!
Where: Charlestown Town Beach
Registration form in post
Bonfire
When:Tuesday, December 31st at 5:30 p.m. (food trucks begin at 4:00 p.m.)
Where: Ninigret Park
Stargazing
When: Tuesday, December 31st from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Frosty Drew Observatory in Ninigret Park
The Chariho School Committee was expected to vote on a new Chair at the Tuesday meeting, but the position remains vacant after seven of the 12 committee members voted to approve a motion to table the vote. The move has infuriated many residents, including Etta Zasloff of Hopkinton, who, after attending the meeting, filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office, alleging a violation of the Open Meetings Act. Reynolds said she was worried about the future of the school district. “I have some real concerns about the direction that Chariho will go in, for the students and for our reputation and for our community as a whole.”
The 1,100 acre Francis Carter Preserve in Charlestown is a haven for a number of struggling bird species, and an important site for studying what these species need to survive. One of those species is the American Woodcock. Recent URI PhD Colby Slezak tells how following the migrating shorebirds revealed a nesting pattern rarely ever seen before.
When: Wednesday, January 8 from 5 pm to 8 pm
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown
What: Community Meeting on Environmental Restoration at Former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field
When: Thursday, December 12 at 5:00 pm
Where: Charlestown Town Hall (Town Council Chambers)
What: The Climate Resiliency Commission will host a public meeting on the development of the new Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan
Attend the meeting to ask questions and add your ideas about hazard mitigation. Link to Hazard Mitigation survey in post.
When: Saturday, December 7th from 12 p.m to 4 p.m.
Where: Quonochontaug Grange, 5662 Post Road Charlestown
The Tomaquag Museum Team invites you to join them in celebrating Nikommo, a beloved Narragansett tradition that’s all about giving back. It’s a fantastic chance to dive into Native arts and enjoy some amazing storytelling.
Where: https://www.32auctions.com/CLT2024HolidayBazaar
When: Friday, December 6, 12 a.m. to Monday, December 9, 9 p.m.
Ring in the season of giving with the Charlestown Land Trust’s fourth annual online holiday auction. The proceeds directly support the protection and stewardship of the open spaces in the Land Trust’s care as well as their outreach efforts and programming.
We live in a beautiful community, rich in natural resources. Giving your friends and family gift memberships in local environmental organizations, or making year-end gifts directly to these organizations, can help to preserve and protect our local environment. In the post are ideas for holiday gifts that can make a positive difference in our local environment.
The holidays are rich in good food and drink. We shouldn’t forget to thank the farmers who make it all possible nor forget those who sadly experience hunger this time of year.
Education is central to a strong community. We offer these gift giving ideas to build and broaden educational opportunities in Charlestown.
During the summer of 2016, the Charlestown Town Council began to distribute reusable tote bags in an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. The bags have proven hugely popular and would make a great gift. They can be purchased at Town Hall.
When: Friday, December 6 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm
When: Saturday, December 7 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm
Where: Cross’ Mills and Charlestown Beach Business Areas
When: Saturday, December 14 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Where: The Fantastic Umbrella Factory, 4820 Old Post Road
One more reason to protect Charlestown’s dark skies is that they are good for our health. The clearest positive effect of spending time in the natural night is a sense of awe. Whether contemplating the vastness of the cosmos or admiring the delicate dance of nocturnal life on Earth, spending time in nature at night gives us a sense of wonder and perspective.
When: Saturday, December 7, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Mini Super, 4071 Old Post Road, Charlestown
Why: Indie Cycle is offering this great opportunity to dispose of your unwanted electronics that can be either recycled, reused or refurbished.
When: Friday, November 29 at 10am
Where: Meet at the Patricia Sprague Forest Preserve on Railroad Ave. in Carolina
Who: Hike will be led by Bill McCusker, Charlestown Land Trust President
Cost: Free and open to all
RSVP: You must register for the hike
Ninigret Park’s history as a former military site necessitates careful management to ensure public safety and environmental integrity. Charlestown must collaborate with federal and state agencies, particularly the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and RIDEM, before initiating any changes within the park. This collaboration is essential to maintain ongoing remediation efforts and to prevent the town from incurring significant liabilities.
The Charlestown Land Trust (CLT) is gearing up for their 4th Annual Holiday Bazaar Fundraising Auction, and they would love for you to be a part of it! They’d be thrilled if you could donate an item, service, or experience to their auction! Your contribution will be fully tax-deductible and will help the Charlestown Land Trust raise critical funds to continue their mission of protecting open space in Charlestown.
This development is being proposed under new state legislation that requires that the “density bonus for a project which provides at least twenty-five percent (25%) low- and moderate-income housing shall be at least three (3) units per acre”. Three dwelling units per acre is considered a high risk for potable water, but the legislation is not based in science.
When: Saturday, November 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 15 East Beach Road, Charlestown
Holiday Baskets of Greens, Crafts, Baked Goods, Jewelry, Books, Quilts, Santa’s Workshop, Soft Goods, Nearly New Items, Coffee, donuts, and more
When: Saturday, November 23, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
Where: St James Family Center, 2079 Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, Charlestown
Cost: Free parking and admission
This Holiday Sale features beautiful and well priced holiday decorations for your house, dining table, mantle and outdoor displays, hand made by Garden Club members to raise funds for their scholarship program.
Astrotourism is more than just a trend—it’s a way for Charlestown to share what makes our town special with others, while supporting local businesses and protecting our natural environment. With a little planning, we could make stargazing part of Charlestown’s story, one that brings people here year-round and leaves everyone with unforgettable memories.
When: Thursday and Friday, November 14 and 15
Where: Ninigret Park (see map in post for location of vault)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District will remove a buried electrical vault that was used for runway lighting at the former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field.
Amendments proposed by the Affordable Housing Commission would encourage the seasonal use of Accessory Dwelling Units, make it harder for tenants to find year-round housing, make the units less affordable, and increase impacts in coastal pond neighborhoods where nitrogen levels in groundwater are already too high.
Four out of ten of the local candidates that CCA endorsed and supported in the November 5 election were elected, and we are grateful to the voters. However none of our five Town Council candidates were elected. As a result, we will have to continue to engage the public to encourage Charlestown’s government to protect our environment and economy.
After 8 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, November 5, the RI Board of elections will begin to report election results for Charlestown and all of Rhode Island. You can get to the Charlestown results by clicking on the link in this post.
This level of growth in such a short time is unprecedented for our town. These new 499 units do not include the additional units in other new subdivisions that have been approved and do not include any ADUs that will be approved. This growth is the result of state legislation, but the current Town Council didn’t join with other rural towns to oppose the legislation or seek any solutions. Adopting a “more housing at any cost” strategy really does eventually have a cost.
As we move forward to perhaps: create a youth center, or best preserve and enjoy Ninigret Park, or ensure adequate and safe drinking water, etc…the most important factor is that we are all heard and are allowed to work together. Change in the current Town Council and support of Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) is the change we need to strengthen and yet, preserve our community.