CCA Blog and Mail Box

Below you will find an archive of CCA blog posts. The comments from readers and some blog posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCA Steering Committee. Sign up to receive these blog posts by e-mail.

CAROLINA MILLS

Charlestown: A Brief History Of Its People And Land Settlement

/, 2 Comments

When: Thursday, April 24 at 6 pm
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown
Who: Pam Lyons, President of the Charlestown Historical Society
What: Pam’s presentation will provide an overview of Charlestown’s land use history
Cost: Free
This presentation is sponsored by the Charlestown Land Trust (CLT) and is the fourth talk in their 2025 Speaker Series.

Continue Reading --->

ShannockFallsUnit

What Does 10% Affordable Housing Mean?

/, 0 Comments

Most cities and towns in Rhode Island are “incentivized” to provide 10% of their year-round housing as low or moderate-income housing (LMIH). The “incentive” is that in towns without 10% deed-restricted, affordable units, developers can file development proposals known as “Comprehensive Permits” that allow them to build at much higher densities than zoning or environmental objectives would usually allow as long as 25% of their units are LMIH.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of a Yellow Warbler

As We Enter The Spring Migration, Please Do What You Can To Conserve Birds

/, 0 Comments

Approximately 70% of all bird species are migratory and 80% of those that undergo migration do so at night. As countless numbers of birds pass overhead as you sleep, many of them will be drawn off course by bright lights scattered across the landscape below them, leading to fatigue and increasing risk of collisions with buildings.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Kenyon Mill Flooded

15 Year Anniversary Of The Great Flood Of 2010

/,

Record-breaking rain at the end of March 2010 caused water to spill over flood plains. The Pawcatuck River rose and Shannock Falls impressed all those who ventured out to see and hear the pounding water. Some pumped out flooded basements, others had more devastating losses. We all learned lessons in wetland protection and storm water management. After the rains ended we received photographs from 12 different photographers and posted those at our website for all to remember what rain can do.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Sandpipers

401Gives To Charlestown’s Environment

/, 0 Comments

What: 401Gives Statewide Day of Giving
When: April 1, 2025 (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.

Continue Reading --->

VoteButtons

Tuesday, April 8 – Chariho School Budget Referendum

/, 1 Comment

When: Tuesday, April 8 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall on Route 2 (4540 South County Trail)
What: All-day referendum on 2025/2026 Chariho Regional School District Budget
Under the state law governing Chariho, a majority of the citizens of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton must approve the Chariho School District Budget by referendum in order for the budget to be adopted.

Continue Reading --->

Charlestown-Beach-locus

Town Council Votes And Then Rescinds Vote To Take Narrow Beach Lot By Eminent Domain

/, 0 Comments

“Given all of what has been able to be ascertained about the Property, the Town’s ability to exercise any rights with respect to the Property are limited by the rights of others. In practical terms, this means that the Town cannot use the Property for public access to the beach, cannot put signage or fencing on the Property, nor occupy it in such a manner as to impede the rights of the other co-owners in the Property.”

Continue Reading --->

Charlestown Beachway

Allen’s Cove-Eastern Ninigret Pond Pilot Watershed Project

/, 0 Comments

When: Wednesday, April 2, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown
Register: Please use the linked form to register for this upcoming listening session
Staff from the Town of Charlestown and its partners at URI, the Salt Ponds Coalition, and Save the Bay are working to protect water quality in and around Greater Allen’s Cove and Eastern Ninigret Pond through grant funded septic system replacements, stormwater management improvements, water quality monitoring, and community engagement.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Black Bear

DEM Provides Tips On Co-existing With Bears

/, 0 Comments

The Department of Environmental Management is reminding Rhode Islanders to remove potential food sources from their properties as black bears emerge with warmer weather. Bird feeders, unsecured trash cans, livestock feed, and other easily available household and backyard food sources attract bears primarily in early spring, during droughts, or in the fall when they are trying to put on weight for hibernation.

Continue Reading --->

Box showing true or false choices

Ruth Platner, “Yes I really was elected in 2018”

/, 5 Comments

Apologists for the current Town Council have cherry picked a series of events claiming to prove that the majority CCA Town Council from 2018 to 2020 did as the current Town Council has done and not respected the will of the voters by not advancing elected Planning Commission members in their voting order. This claim is not true, but because their lies are interspersed with just enough bits of truth, some will think them true.

Continue Reading --->

Image of the words "Did Your Vote Count?

Town Council Appointment To Planning Commission Reverses Election Results

/, 6 Comments

The Town Charter allows the Town Council to make appointments to the Planning Commission when there is a vacancy, but the Town Council ignored over 30 years of precedent in how to fill a vacancy in making the January 13 appointment. They also ignored other sections of the Charter that make clear the intent for these appointments.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Charlestown School

Presentation On The History Of Charlestown School From 1918 To 1975

/, 0 Comments

When: Saturday, January 25th at 1:00 pm
Where: Cross Mills Public Library, 4417 Old Post Rd., Charlestown
Who: Local writer Betty J. Cotter teaches writing and journalism at local universities and colleges and lives in the Shannock area of Charlestown
In this illustrated lecture, Betty, who is a Charlestown School graduate, will give details of the history of the school from its origin as the Pawcatuck Valley school in 1918, through its expansion in 1975.

Continue Reading --->

Image of the Narragansett Indian Tribe Logo

Narragansett Chief Sachem Explains Opposition to Land Transfers to Unrecognized Groups

/,

Anthony Dean Stanton, Chief Sachem of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, is speaking out against recent land transfers that he says are benefiting groups that are not legitimate American Indian tribes. The Narragansett Indian Tribe is Rhode Island’s only federally recognized tribe. The Narragansett have approximately 1,800 acres of land in Charlestown. Story at RI PBS web site.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Charlestown School

In Move Deemed “Illegal,” School Committee Tables Vote on Chair

/, 2 Comments

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.”

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Kenyon Mill Flooded

Climate Resiliency Commission To Host Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Meeting

/, 0 Comments

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.

Continue Reading --->

Checking watercress at Mill Pond

Charlestown Land Trust’s Online Holiday Bazaar

/, 0 Comments

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.

Continue Reading --->

Photo of Sandpipers

Give the Gift of Charlestown this Holiday Season

/, 0 Comments

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.

Continue Reading --->

map of some contamination sources at Ninigret Park

Ninigret Park Needs Careful Management To Ensure Public Safety And Environmental Integrity

/, 2 Comments

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.

Continue Reading --->

« Older Entries