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.

bottles

Two More Bottle Bills Introduced At Legislature

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Beverage container deposit laws, or “bottle bills”, are designed to reduce litter and capture bottles, cans, and other containers for recycling. We reported on the bill introduced to require a deposit on “nips” in an earlier post. There are two new bills, one in the House and one in the Senate, both of which require deposits on all single-use beverage containers.

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Legislation Proposed To Require Deposit On “Nips”

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Rhode Island Representative David A. Bennett, who represents Warwick, has introduced legislation to require that every miniature alcoholic beverage container, which is known as a “nip”, that is sold in Rhode Island shall have a refund value of not less than fifty cents. The legislation was introduced on January 25 and referred to the House Finance Committee.

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Betty J. Cotter: A Nip Here, A Nip There, Everywhere A Nip

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This excellent essay is worth a read! “When you walk the roads of rural Southern Rhode Island, you are never far from the drinking habits of its residents. On a raw but sunny afternoon, we set off from the homestead armed with a garbage bag and a grabbing tool. It wasn’t much of a walk because we had to stop every few steps while one of us (me) operated the pincers and the other (my husband) held open the garbage bag…”

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Planning Commission Reinstates Subdivision Approval From 2007

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Covid-19 pandemic is heating up the housing market and growth in Charlestown is accelerating at a rate not seen in over 20 years. Charlestown normally sees about 20 new residential lots created per year. The Planning Commission currently has almost 80 residential lots/units in various stages of review and an additional 360 self-storage units and other commercial developments proposed.

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Charlestown’s Conservation Corridors Connect The Ocean To Northern Forests

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Charlestown is part of the only undeveloped area along the Eastern Seaboard that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the inland forests of New England and Canada. Charlestown contains critical wildlife habitats and recreation areas that are important in their own right, but in a regional context they are even more important. Fragmentation of this corridor diminishes the importance of the entire corridor for both wildlife and recreation.

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South County Tourism Council Podcast On Frosty Drew Observatory

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South County Tourism Council sat down with astronomer Scott MacNeill from the Frosty Drew Observatory to talk about the Sky Theatre in Ninigret Park, the Great Conjunction and favorite celestial bodies! Check it out and give it a listen. You’ll learn about the history of the observatory, our night sky, how we see the sky, science, upcoming celestial events, Charlestown’s Red Light District and much more!

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Leo Mainelli: Thank You To All The Voters In Charlestown

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Freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to cast your vote in a free and open election of government officials are some of the most important elements of the United States of America. This past November 3rd and the weeks leading up to it, the citizens of Charlestown cast their votes in record numbers to elect officials who would represent them for the next two years or more.

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DEM, Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council Partner to Improve Awareness of River Access Points

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The 300-square mile watershed provides abundant clean groundwater that serves as the sole source of drinking water for more than 60,000 local residents and supports roughly 70 percent of Rhode Island’s globally imperiled species. The Pawcatuck, which forms the northern border of Charlestown, is very popular for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and other forms of outdoor recreation.

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URI: Biocontrol Effort To Fight The Emerald Ash Borer

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Lisa Tewksbury, Charlestown resident and director of the URI Biocontrol Laboratory, has launched a targeted biocontrol effort to fight the emerald ash borer. First found in RI in 2018, emerald ash borers are threatening to destroy the entire population of ash trees in Rhode Island. Do you have an ash tree in your yard or on your street? If so, watch out for this invasive beetle. Lisa and her students are deploying three species of parasitic wasp from Asia that lay their eggs in the beetle’s eggs or larvae to try to control the ash borer.

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David Wilkinson: Differing Opinions Are Healthy But They Need To Be Honest And Respectful

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We are lucky to live in such a wonderful place that is well run and managed by people who truly care. I sadly discovered that this town is divided and have witnessed these ill feelings first hand with false political attacks, some directed at me. We need to put politics aside and put the future and well being of this town first.

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Virginia Lee: I Am So Grateful To The People Of Charlestown

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Tonight is my last regular meeting as president of the Charlestown Town Council. I am so grateful to the people of Charlestown for your vote of confidence over the last 6 years and the opportunity to serve you with the best I had to offer. I hope you are even more engaged in town government in the future, including adoption of an updated Comprehensive Plan which will set the tone of our town for the next 10-20 years.

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Julie Carroccia

Julie Carroccia: Appreciation To Charlestown’s Voters

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For my family, the most wonderful aspects of Charlestown are its dark skies, open space, rural charm and beautiful beaches. Over the past two terms, I have had the good fortune to work with the other Council members who were willing to give their time to the town. I challenge each newly elected Town Council member to think about what is best for the town overall and to value the attributes that make Charlestown special.

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Record Earthquake Rattles Charlestown

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A 3.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at 9:10 a.m., Sunday, November 8. It was centered 30 miles southeast of Providence on the north shore of Buzzards Bay, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Charlestown residents reported a loud rumbling noise that sounded like a very large truck and shaking houses that went on for what seemed like about 10 seconds. No damage has been reported.

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Photograph of a Red Spotted Newt in Charlestown

Charlestown Creature Feature: Red-Spotted Newt

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Red-Spotted Newts are a species of salamander that are found in Charlestown. They help to control mosquito populations by eating their larvae. The biggest threat that newts and other salamanders face is habitat loss and fragmentation. They are considered indicator species, meaning the health of their populations tell us about the health of the environment in general.

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Charlestown’s Choice: Responsible Government Or Crazy Talk

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Candidates endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance have long championed protecting our irreplaceable natural and scenic resources because these are linked directly to our healthy tourist economy, our health, and our low tax rate. CCA candidates have called for responsible development and have opposed unfettered, willy-nilly residential and commercial developments that benefit developers and large corporations, not our residents and local businesses.

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Bonnie Van Slyke: The Record On Ninigret Park

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In 1979, a federal judge awarded a portion of the Naval base to the federal government for a wildlife refuge and then the remainder to the town of Charlestown for general open space purposes. The judge stated that the use of the 237 acres was not to be inconsistent with the use of the other 367 acres. This decision and the resulting victory on appeal was the death knell for the proposed nuclear plant and is a decision that has been honored over time by Charlestown officials.

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Blake Filippi

Blake Filippi: I Write To Set The Record Straight

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Charlestown is one of the best-run, lowest-taxed, most-beautiful towns in the entire State of Rhode Island. Not only are their integrity and civility unassailable, CCA officials and candidates have demonstrated, time and time again, that they have Charlestown’s best interests at heart. After receiving a mailer that falsely attacks the integrity of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) elected officials, I write to set the record straight.

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Sherry Krupka: Clean Water, Natural Beauty, Not “Smoke And Mirrors”

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The bigger question is why did everyone on the commission vote for Ruth Platner as Chair? The answer is, she is incredibly dedicated to preserving Charlestown’s natural beauty, keeping low taxes, and balancing growth. No, she obviously does not singlehandedly halt trains ripping through the middle of Charlestown, nor box stores, but she is always there as a quiet, dedicated leader.

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Elections Should Be About Issues And Qualifications, Not False Attacks

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As our local elections near, elected Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) members of the Town Council, Planning Commission and others in Town Government should be proud of the civil, open, and well-run local government that has been achieved amid one of the most politically divisive times in our nation’s history and a global pandemic of tragic proportions. By contrast our opposition has based their campaign on attacking CCA with claims that are deceptive and completely false.

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George Tremblay: Charlestown Is Better Because Of Ruth Platner

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What I observed was a commitment of the Planning Commission and its chairwoman, Ruth Platner, to approved policy when reviewing applications from prospective business enterprises. These regulations not only preserve the character of Charlestown, but they also protect independent operators of locally owned small businesses from being swallowed up by big-box Goliaths.

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Ruth Platner: We Stopped The Train In Its Tracks

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Our Town Council went into immediate action alerting residents and lobbying state and federal officials. Through thousands of hours of combined effort they gained the support of over 100 international, national, state, and municipal organizations and thousands of residents statewide. Together we succeeded in removing the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” from the plan and the coalition the Council formed with those other organizations has put us in a much stronger position going forward.

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Bonnie Van Slyke: Opposing Views For The Future Of Charlestown

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The 2020 election in Charlestown boils down to two different visions for the town. The first vision would maintain the delicate balance between protecting our natural and scenic resources and providing reasonable, responsible growth. The opposing vision for the town is to accelerate residential growth, encourage large businesses to come to Charlestown, and open up Ninigret Park for commercial gain.

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Gordon Foer: The Politics Of Nature

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Perhaps the most obvious and consequential of CCA’s platforms is its focus on protecting the environment, our wildlife, the forests and our water. The Planning Commission’s main purview is the human-built environment. We do not have unlimited powers over the rights and designs of land owners and property developers. We are limited to ensuring that developers follow Charlestown’s subdivision and commercial development regulations while conforming to the town’s Comprehensive Plan.

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Leo Mainelli: CCA Abides By Rules For Signs

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As chairman of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, I agree that stealing or moving political signs is wrong and should not be condoned. The sign ordinance is clear. CCA has not touched any of the CRU signs, has attempted to place our signs on private property, and has received permission from each property owner, and has complied with the sign size restrictions. Mr. Quillen’s implications in his letter to the editor last week are unwarranted.

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Not One Opposition Candidate Joined The Effort To Stop The Rail Bypass

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If you have the time to review the list of people who signed petitions or wrote letters to the Federal Railroad Administration, you will find that there are CCA members and supporters’ names sprinkled liberally through the records, but not one (NOT ONE) member of CRU took the time to watch their neighbor’s back. NOT ONE! Check the list of CRU candidates against the record, NOT ONE! It’s comforting to know that CCA-supported officials will go to bat for their neighbors.

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Charlestown Beach Lots Have Been Well Promoted

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Since March of 2015, when CCA published a guide to Charlestown open space for the community, we have promoted all the town-owned lots along the barrier beach east of the Charlestown Breachway, as well as the right to public access along the shore of the entire beach. It’s impossible to read everything, so we certainly aren’t faulting anyone who doesn’t know, but it’s just not been a secret.

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