A state senator from West Warwick has asked the town council “to temporarily rescind” its anti-gambling resolution until a legislative commission has completed its feasibility study of a resort casino at Quonset Point, The Jamestown Press reported Feb. 17, 1994.
While the councilors did not heed the request, they expressed no opposition to the study. “Our resolution is sitting there doing nothing,” said Mark Liberati, president of the council. “We’re not going to take any further action.”
The reason for the resolution is because the council is concerned about what a casino could do to the surrounding area.
“Atlantic City doesn’t look very good outside of the casinos,” Liberati said.
100 years ago — Feb. 17, 1923
(Newport Mercury)
The principal address at Rogers High School during the exercises commemorating the birth of Abraham Lincoln was delivered by U.S. Navy Capt. Reginald Belknap. Representatives of the Grand Army occupied seats on the platform.
75 years ago — Feb. 13, 1948
(Newport Mercury)
Copies of a bill that proposes to build a bridge from Newport to Jamestown are being made available at the Newport Chamber of Commerce in an effort to end misinformation about the legislation. It also is planned to make copies of the bill accessible to the residents of Jamestown by having them placed in a local store.
According to a spokesman for the Newport-Jamestown Bridge Committee, one misunderstanding of the bill’s provisions is that the bridge authority, which would be established by the legislation, would immediately take over the ferry company. That is not so, it was emphasized, because the authority never will actually take over the company.
The bill provides $150,000 be deposited in a bank in the name of the town of Jamestown. It would remain there until the new bridge is opened for traffic. Then, and only then, would the authority take over the ferry company’s franchise for carrying automobile traffic.
50 years ago — Feb. 16, 1973
(Newport Mercury)
The town council voted for residents on Southwest Avenue and North Road who have their homes hooked into storm sewers instead of sanitary sewers to disconnect those hookups.
Albert Lyon, president of the council, said raw sewage from about seven houses flows into Mackerel Cove, the public swimming area, during heavy rains.
“If this isn’t corrected soon, we will have trouble with the state Health Department,” he said.
The sanitary sewer and storm sewer run parallel.
25 years ago — Feb. 19, 1998
(The Jamestown Press)
The development wing of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has received permission to hire architects to design a marine fisheries center at Fort Wetherill.
The plan involves restoring two historic buildings on the 7-acre site and constructing a third office building.
The agency’s chief of planning, Bob Sutton, a former town administrator in Jamestown, said he is concerned about local feedback on the project. Some of those concerns, however, are rumors.
“It’s right that people are suspicious of government,” he said. “But we are willing to work with Jamestown.”
10 years ago — Feb. 14, 2013
(The Jamestown Press)
Individual drivers will have discretion regarding whether they allow instruments on their school buses, according to Ken Duva, director of student services.
Bus company First Student said its policy allows for instruments on its buses if they fit safely in a backpack or on a student’s lap. Instruments that can sit on an empty seat without protruding into the aisle or blocking an emergency exit also are permitted, the company said.
The policy, moreover, says students who need assistance safely loading and unloading their instruments onto the bus will not be allowed to bring their instruments aboard.
The decision ultimately is left to the driver’s discretion.
