Mail sent to mail@CharlestownCitizens.org
When: Thursday, July 30 (dinner starts at 6 p.m., movie begins at dusk)
Where: Ninigret Park at the Kimball Pavilion
What: Concert by Country Wild Hearts; movie Stand By Me; and food trucks providing dinner
Who: Brought to you by Charlestown Parks and Recreation Department
Cost: Music is Free. Dinner – pay for as little or as much as you want to eat
When: Wednesday, July 29 at 11 am
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Rd., Charlestown
Who: Brought to you by the Salt Ponds Coalition
Reservations are required – link to pre-register in post
Hands-on workshop where you’ll learn how to identify, arrange, and preserve colorful seaweed specimens to create stunning botanical artwork
When: Tuesday, August 4 at 10:00 am
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center
and
When: Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00 am
Where: Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge
Who: Led by Salt Ponds Coalition and local artist, Frances Topping
What: Learning to sketch the beautiful, natural environment of Ninigret Pond
Reservations are required – link to pre-register in post
When: Tuesday, August 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall, 4540 South County Trail
Who: Anyone registered to vote in the town of Charlestown
What: Charlestown referendum on whether to allow the use of land in Charlestown for a new, unified elementary school for all students in Pre-K through Grade 5 from Hopkinton, Richmond, and Charlestown on the site of the current elementary school at 363 Carolina Back Road (Rt. 112)
The August 4 referendum is about the school site, not the school bond, and is only for Charlestown voters.
When: Wednesday, August 5 at 6 pm
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
Who: Presentation by Sarah Callan, Director of Animal Rescue at Mystic Aquarium
Learn about the Mystic Aquarium Animal Rescue Program and bring your children and grandchildren to enjoy an ice cream social.
PLEASE NOTE: The start time for this is 6 pm
Effective opposition to additional rails or rail realignments that destroy environmental and cultural treasures such as the Carter Preserve, the Pawcatuck River, or our historic mill villages “would be meaningfully more difficult under the 2025 SPEED Act, which would limit the role of the National Environmental Policy Act in shaping projects with federal funding or permits”
At the Town Council meeting on June 22, a piece of history, the Goulding decision, was removed from the Ninigret Park Utilization Plan. When the land was given to Charlestown, Paul E. Goulding, Administrator of the General Services Administration, in his decision, noted that this area is a major migration site for waterfowl and other birds and of great ecological and scenic importance.
CT Mirror story on Amtrak’s New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study. Unlike NEC Future, the new study is not being conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a federal law that requires agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of major infrastructure projects before approving them. Gregory Stroud said. “How do you engage with a federal process if you don’t know what rules it’s governed by?” Post links to story at CT Mirror.
The August 4 referendum is just for Charlestown voters to give permission for the Chariho Regional School District to demolish the Charlestown Elementary School and build a new facility for use by the pre-k to fifth-grade students from all three towns if the November referendum to fund the new school bond passes district-wide. Video of the hearing, with highlights of the video content, in this post.
When: Thursday, July 16 (dinner starts at 6 p.m. and the movie begins at dusk)
Where: Ninigret Park at the New Pavilion
What: Concert by Madison Blues; movie Blades of Glory; and food trucks providing dinner
Who: Brought to you by Charlestown Parks and Recreation Department
Cost: Music and Movie are Free. Dinner – pay for as little or as much as you want to eat
When: Thursday, July 23 at 6 pm
Where: The Nordic Lodge, 178 Nordic Trail, Charlestown
What: Live music by Jus Tus, a raw bar, dinner, and a silent auction
Why: Support open space preservation and protection in Charlestown and have a fabulous evening with live music
When: Wednesday, July 22 at 7 pm
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
Who: Presentation by Joan Lawlor, Quonochontaug Historical Society President and Zack Garceau, Westerly Historical Society
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Barbara Heavers, a woman whose devotion to conservation, agriculture, science, education, and public service has left a lasting and beautiful legacy for Charlestown and all of South County.
Thank you to everyone who gave up a part of a summer day to visit us at the Charlestown Mini Super and sign 7 different nomination papers for the Independent candidates the Charlestown Citizens Alliance is supporting in the November election. Thank you especially to the Mini Super for generously allowing us to set up our nomination papers in front of the store!
When: Thursday, July 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Cross’ Mills Public Library, 4417 Old Post Road, Charlestown (map in post)
Registration: Please register by calling the Cross Mills Public Library at (401) 364-6211.
Cost: Free
Safe Well Water? Test to be sure.
Please join us on Wednesday, July 8 anytime from 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Charlestown Mini Super and help CCA endorsed candidates get on the November ballot.
Where: Charlestown Mini Super, 4071 Old Post Rd. (map in post)
When: Wednesday, July 8 from 1 pm to 3 pm
What: If you are registered to vote in Charlestown, all we need is your signature on the candidates’ nomination papers. These candidates will be volunteering their time for the next two years or longer, please take a few minutes of your own time to help them get started.
When: Thursday, July 9 (dinner starts at 6 p.m., fireworks at 9 p.m.)
Where: Ninigret Park at the Kimball Pavilion
What: Concert by singer/songwriter/musician, Nick Bosse and food trucks providing dinner
Who: Brought to you by Charlestown Parks and Recreation Department
Cost: Music is Free. Dinner – pay for as little or as much as you want to eat
When: Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Rd, Charlestown
What: To discuss the proposed ballot question in advance of the August 4 Special Referendum
The August 4 referendum is only about agreements and leases with Chariho. Approval of the August referendum is not an approval of the bond for school construction, that vote will take place in November.
When: Thursday, July 2 (dinner starts at 6 p.m. and the movie begins at dusk)
Where: Ninigret Park at the New Pavilion
What: Concert by Will Evans, whose album “Rise” was nominated for three categories by the New England Music Awards; movie Jaws; and food trucks providing dinner
Who: Brought to you by Charlestown Parks and Recreation Department
Cost: Music and Movie are Free. Dinner – pay for as little or as much as you want to eat
Please join us on Sunday, July 5 anytime from 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Charlestown Mini Super and help CCA endorsed candidates get on the November ballot.
Where: Charlestown Mini Super, 4071 Old Post Rd. (map in post)
When: Sunday, July 5 from 1 pm to 3 pm
UPDATE: Monday and Tuesday are now forecast to have rain. We were planning to collect signatures all three days, but we are likely to get rained out those two days. Please come on Sunday if you can. We will stay late if necessary.
What: If you are registered to vote in Charlestown, all we need is your signature on the candidates’ nomination papers. These candidates will be volunteering their time for the next two years or longer, please take a few minutes of your own time to help them get started.
Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) is pleased to announce the names of the outstanding candidates we will support in the 2026 election. The steering committee reviewed all the declared local candidates and found these talented individuals embody CCA’s guiding principles of protection of our natural environment, civility, inclusiveness, consensus, and fiscal responsibility. They are individuals with the skills and dedication to act in the best interests of all the citizens of the town.
Where: Point Judith Country Club, 150 Windermere Road, Narragansett
When: Thursday, July 9 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
What: Silent Auction, Food, and Drink
Ticket Sales Close Sunday, June 28
Don’t miss your chance to be part of one of the Salt Ponds Coalition’s most important fundraisers of the year.
The New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study includes a website that allows the public to sign up for the study’s mailing list and optionally to provide input to Amtrak about the study. Links to sign up and comment are in this post.
When: Saturday, July 18 at 10am
Where: Amos Greene Farm, Charlestown
Cost: Free and open to all, but you must pre-register
Join The Charlestown Land Trust for a guided walk at the beautiful and historic Amos Greene Farm. This historic farm, now permanently protected by the Charlestown Land Trust, offers a glimpse into Charlestown’s rich agricultural heritage.
When: Wednesday, July 8 at 7 pm
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
Who: Presentation by Historian Christian McBurney with Quonochontaug Historical Society and Friends of the Grange
In early June, Amtrak launched a website that allows the public to sign up for the study’s mailing list and provide input. Included is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Amtrak says the website will be enlarged as the study progresses and more information becomes available.
UPDATE: The Rhode Island Department of Health and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management have lifted the recommendation to avoid recreational activities at Watchaug Pond in Charlestown. The harmful algae bloom caused by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) has cleared. Recent water testing laboratory results show algae levels are low and no toxins were detected at multiple locations, meeting safety guidelines.
The Moraine Preserve features hiking trails through the Mountain laurel, bringing the blossoms up close. It is an absolutely gorgeous experience just off Route 1. It is at its peak this week, so don’t wait, but pick a time of day when you can tolerate the heat.
When: Saturdays, June 27, July 11, July 25, August 1, and August 15, at 10:00 am
Where: Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge
Cost: Program is free
Registration: Please pre-register as space is limited – link to register in post
Hands-on experience that introduces children and their families to a variety of aquatic creatures living in the salt ponds.
A new state legislative commission will study ways to evaluate, plan for, and limit the impacts of new housing developments on public water supplies and watersheds in rural areas under legislation sponsored by Richmond Representative Megan L. Cotter and approved by the RI House on June 8, 2026.