Charlestown Rhode Island

On May 9, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced the award of $2.6 million in grants to help communities and local conservation organizations protect valuable green space throughout the state.  Eleven projects will receive matching grants through DEM’s competitive Local Open Space Grant Program to protect 383 acres across Rhode Island, but Charlestown will not be one of those communities. Since the 2022 election, land conservation has been blocked in Charlestown and no open space grant was submitted to DEM for the 2024 grant round.

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Rhode Island’s seven native turtle species are on the move to find nests and resources after spending the winter in brumation, their own version of hibernation. When turtles leave their safe winter homes under mud or leaf litter, their search for resources and nesting spots often takes them across dangerous roadways. Read the post to learn how you can help turtles.

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Charlestown voted 829 in favor to 330 against.
Richmond voted 782 in favor to 798 against
Hopkinton voted 705 in favor to 1278 against.
All three towns needed to pass the bond for it to be a success. Because Hopkinton decisively turned down the bond, the bond has failed.

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When: Friday, May 10 at 9:00 am
Where: Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown
What: Release of two seals back to the wild
Rotini is a female harbor seal yearling and Manicotti is a female gray seal.
Please remember that seal release dates and times may change without notice.

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Dambo’s message is that the world is running out of resources. His trolls lure people out into the woods where there is soil, sun, water, and trees, and it is through the “wind and the whispers of nature” that his trolls speak. This message is especially appropriate for Charlestown which has amazing natural resources of national and statewide importance that are being negatively impacted by overdevelopment, but it’s a message that the Charlestown Town Council majority is not likely to hear or understand.

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When: Saturday, May 11, 8:00 a.m. to Noon (come early for the best selection)
Where: St James Parish Center, 2079 Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, Charlestown
Cost: Free parking and admission
This Plant Sale features flowering annual plants, hanging baskets, vegetables, herbs, and perennials from members’ gardens. There will also be Mother’s Day gifts and a raffle. Again this year will be a soil-testing table run by their Master Gardeners; please bring a cup of your soil for analysis.

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It’s Not Whether You Stock, but Where. Turek says he has no objection to hatchery fish being stocked in waterbodies that don’t have native trout already living there. Corayer believes the focus of trout management in Rhode Island should shift from recreation to conservation. “I firmly believe that our state would be far better served by teaching people about the beauty of our natural surroundings and the potential to catch a gorgeous brook trout in the woods or along the side of the road as opposed to just dumping fish in a pond and letting them succumb to predation and starvation.”

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This letter was written by Gina Picard, Chariho Superintendent of Schools, to explain the May 7 referendum. “For the district to become more efficient, we must address the issues of our aging elementary school facilities. The cost of operating four aging buildings will be the same, and in some cases more, than embarking on new construction. Unfortunately, some believe you will save taxpayer dollars by saying “no” to this bond. The reality is that saying “no” to the school bond will cost the taxpayers more as the needs of the facilities continue to increase.”

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This capital improvement plan has a strategic focus on the elementary schools. It lays the groundwork for a significant long-term investment in the District to improve facility infrastructure, increase fiscal and operational efficiency, and enhance educational spaces. The Chariho proposal is a $150M bond with 76-81% state aid over an estimated 25-year term.

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Natural Resources Conservation Service in Rhode Island announces a third application sign up period for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program RI Forest Health Works. Apply by May 17, 2024, to be eligible for the third round of fiscal year 2024 funding.

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Insects and their importance to migratory birds is the focus of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day on May 11. Charlestown is part of the Atlantic Flyway, one of the main routes for both the north and south bird migrations. Our town is home to the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, which was established to protect migratory birds. The numbers of birds migrating through Charlestown is significant.

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When: Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Casey Farm, 2325 Boston Neck Road, Saunderstown RI
Find spring ephemerals and early blooming perennials and shrubs, perfectly timed for early pollinators and nesting birds, along with ferns and grasses.

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With or without the May 7 Bond, the estimated yearly obligation in the Chariho operating budget would be approximately $2.3 Million for all three towns. Charlestown’s share would be approximately $553,254 per year. The big difference is that by passing the bond, Chariho will receive $112 Million from the state. The May 7 school bond is the most fiscally responsible and educationally sound plan for the district.

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Early in-person voting is taking place now at Town Hall, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from now to May 6. Tuesday, May 7 is the all day Referendum. With or without the Bond, the Chariho operating budget will be the same, rejecting the bond will not save money. Please read the post for more details.

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The state is offering once-in-a-lifetime support to upgrade our schools; it’s a life raft to the taxpayers. Don’t drown in your own indecision. Don’t let the tax naysayers push you into a short-sighted decision. So vote to make your tax dollars go further with this offer from the state or reject the life raft that they offer and bear the full burden later on (or as they say in the advertising world, “future regret”).

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Claims of “misinformation” are sometimes misinformation in themselves and that is the case with the claim that CCA is spreading misinformation about a “stadium”. A search this week of our entire website revealed that in over 1,000 posts and pages, 1,400 comments, and 1,600 media files there is only one instance of the word “stadium” and that is in a 2012 letter from the National Park Service.

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When: Monday, April 29, from 6 p.m to 8 p.m.
Where: Quonochontaug Grange, 5662 Post Road, Charlestown
What: Charlestown’s State Representative Tina Spears and RI State Senator Victoria Gu, who represents the southern and most western parts of Charlestown, are holding an informational meeting on Climate Resiliency.

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A URI-led team of researchers has found direct evidence of a species – the American woodcock, a migratory shorebird from eastern and central North America – that overlaps periods of migration and reproduction, a rare breeding strategy known as “itinerant breeding.”

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When: Monday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Road.
What: The Town Council will discuss the new Ninigret Park Master Plan
Link to the full plan and more in post.

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Early in-person voting will take place at Town Hall, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from April 17 to May 6. Tuesday, May 7 is the all day Referendum. With or without the Bond, the Chariho operating budget will be the same, rejecting the bond will not save money. Please read the post for more details.

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To celebrate National Bike Month, the Breachway Bikers Community Group and Charlestown’s Block Island Sound Bikeway Committee invite interested cyclists to join them for a ride.
When: Saturday, May 4 at 9 am sharp – NO RAIN DATE
Where: Meet at South Farm Preserve, 427 Old Coach Rd, (ample parking)

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This year Charlestown voters will elect the individuals who will lead our town into the future, and it matters who is elected to town government. Much of what has been created and protected is at risk if people who cherish Charlestown’s beautiful, natural character do not stand up and volunteer to guide our town. Needed are individuals who understand that protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources are critical to maintaining our quality of life and our low tax rate.

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Voters Passed the Chariho budget during Tuesday’s referendum. Charlestown voted 372 in favor to 78 against. Total District voters voted 1203 in favor to 949 against. Thank you to all who voted!

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The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with RI Department of Environmental Management, is hosting the Cinder Worm Workshop, now in its fifteenth year. There will be an evening class in fly tying instruction and one weekend evening of fly fishing, all free and without charge to registrants. The course syllabus is a treasure chest of comprehensive knowledge and instructional excellence. Dates and details in post.

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The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife is seeking the public’s help to identify Bald Eagle nests throughout the state. With your help, they can keep the nesting database up to date to better inform conservation in Rhode Island. Contact email to report your nest sightings is in this post.

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DEM is reminding Rhode Islanders to remain vigilant for invasive species as their lifecycles progress and they emerge during the spring. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) and Winter Moth are two invasive species that remain the focus of DEM’s Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment’s Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) and Forest Health Program efforts to monitor and limit the spread of pests which represent a tangible threat to Rhode Island’s agriculture and forests.

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The commission studying forest management and fire prevention in Rhode Island’s forests has released its final report, recommending that the state allocate considerably more resources to mitigating the risk of wildfires. With forestry staff at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management cut by 75% since 1990, the agency has been able to manage just 1% of the state’s forests.

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What: 401Gives Statewide Day of Giving
When: April 1, 2024 (4-01!)
Why: 401Gives brings people together to make a difference for local nonprofits that protect our beautiful community that is so rich in natural resources. 401Gives unites and offers everyone a safe, comfortable, and familiar virtual fundraising experience all while giving nonprofits unrestricted funds that strengthen our community.

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