CCA Blog and Mail Box

Earlier this month, RI Governor McKee submitted his draft budget to the General Assembly, which includes the 2027 Green Bond. The Green Bond contains NO FUNDING for conservation or farmlands and only a small amount for Outdoor Recreation Grants – It isn’t green at all!

At the meeting on November 10, 2025, Councilors Deb Carney, Craig Marr, and Peter Slom voted to borrow up to $1.05 million; Councilor Stokes voted no. They voted to issue a bond not to preserve open space, but to finance unspecified future projects.

Where: Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road in Charlestown
When: Weekly on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am
Who: These programs are designed for toddlers

When: Wednesday, December 31st at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Ninigret Park

On New Years Eve, the Town of Charlestown will host the annual bonfire in the park.

When: Thursday, January 1st
11:30 am arrival and registration, then plunge at 12:00 Noon sharp!

Where: Charlestown Town Beach
Registration form in post

Make a New Year’s resolution to be more engaged, attend or watch town meetings, speak up when things violate your values, and join a community of residents who feel it is worthwhile protecting what we have and working to build a future we will be happy with and which we can feel we helped shape.

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.

Education is central to a strong community. We offer these gift giving ideas to build and broaden educational opportunities in Charlestown.

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.

Where:  https://www.32auctions.com/CLT2025HolidayBazaar?r=1&t=all
When: Friday, December 5, 1 a.m. to Monday, December 8, 9 p.m.
Ring in the season of giving with the Charlestown Land Trust’s fifth 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.

When: Friday, December 5 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm
When: Saturday, December 6 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm
Where: Cross’ Mills, Charlestown Beach Business Areas, and beyond (see map in post)

When: Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm
Where: The Fantastic Umbrella Factory, 4820 Old Post Road

When: Saturday, December 6 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.

When: Saturday, November 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 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 22, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
Where: St James Parish 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.

At the August 12 and October 14 Town Council meetings, Council President Deb Carney proposed issuing $1.05 million in Open Space bonds that voters approved in 2015—over a decade ago. The funds would “reimburse” the General Fund for land purchases already paid for, potentially creating new debt and freeing cash for unrelated projects. Several residents raised concerns about fiscal responsibility and voter intent. This topic is on the agenda again at the November 10 Town Council meeting.

When: Friday, November 28 at 10am
Where: Meet at the Patricia Sprague Forest Preserve parking lot on Railroad Ave. in Carolina
Cost: Free and open to all
RSVP: Link to RSVP in post to let CLT know you are coming!

The project will restore the Breachways’ structural integrity, improve safe navigation, stabilize the coastline, and preserve essential water flow to maintain ecological balance, and water quality.

When: November 6 from 6pm to 7pm
Where: In person at Warwick City Hall, 3275 Post Rd., Warwick
or
When: November 12 from 6pm to 7pm
Where: Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Help shape Rhode Island’s wildlife future by joining RI DEM at one of these public workshops on the 2025 Rhode Island Wildlife Action Plan

As many of us in Charlestown look forward in the coming months to a holiday season full of delicious food, others are facing imminent food insecurity. Please join us in supporting our neighbors in need. The Rhode Island Center Assisting Those In Need (RI CAN) is a local lifeline to many.

After a lengthy discussion, the Chariho School Committee voted at the October 21 meeting to choose the single, or unified elementary school option for Chariho’s Stage 2 application to the state. The application is part of the district’s five-year capital improvement plan, which is mandated by the RI Department of Education. Read the story at the Beaver River Valley Community Association website.

Coastal planners in Rhode Island are asking the public to take photos of flooding of low-lying coastal areas that occurs during the upcoming extreme high tide (called King Tide) arriving on November 5, 6, 7, and 8 and share their photos using the MyCoast App. These photos can identify where resilience efforts are needed. You can take photos at any beach, or flooded roads, parking lots, buildings, seawalls, playgrounds, and yards.

When: Saturday, October 25 at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Mill Pond Preserve, across from East Charles St. on South County Trail
RSVP: Please register for this event
The Charlestown Land Trust invites you to join them at Mill Pond Preserve for their annual S’mores Social. Enjoy a marshmallow roast with good company and conversation!

When: Saturday, October 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Ninigret Park Parking Lot
Pre-register your trunk: Trunks and people handing out candy must pre-register to participate. For all others, this is not required. Link to pre-register in post.
Dress the kids in costumes and enjoy trick or treating with a twist; instead of going from house to house, participants will trick or treat from one decorated car trunk to another.

When: Friday, October 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: Visit the Charlestown Town Hall with your little witches and ghosts and go trick or treating through all of the Town Hall departments. Enjoy the spooky decorations and pickup some extra candy.
Cost: Free for all

When: Tuesday, October 14, at 7 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: Bonding of already-paid-for land purchases is back on the Town Council agenda
A majority of the Charlestown Town Council is considering using money designated by voters in 2015 for one thing—preservation of open space—for something else. And it makes no sense that it would be OK for the Town Council to issue a bond in order to be able to spend the money again—effectively spending the money authorized twice.