by Mari Nardolillo Dias, EdD I am not usually a fan of “cover bands”.  As a teen of the 1960’s I want to hear the real thing. You know the ones – they “cover” or perform songs from other artists. However, at my age many of the original “greats” have passed on, i.e. Petty, Cobain, Prince, etc. I have no other choice but to be satisfied with those that cover the greats. Sometimes, the cover artist resembles the original artist, as in the case of the one-man Purple Piano,  Marshall Charloff. Not only did Marshall sound like Prince, but he was also close to being his doppelgänger. A ..read more

The public relies heavily on local and national news organizations as sources for news about elections, but many adults have concerns about the reliability of the information they get, according to a new survey by the Media Insight Project, a collaboration of the American Press Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.  Most adults follow news about presidential (77%) and local and state elections (64%) at least somewhat closely, and more report frequently receiving news about elections from national (50%) or local (39%) news outlets than other sources su ..read more

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer Fish free The RI DEM has announced free fishing weekend, this weekend – May 4th and 5th.  Grab your rods and worms and head to the trout waters. No license is needed for the 4th and 5th for any resident or visitor.  Any person who catches a Golden Trout can email a photo of the trout to the RI DEM and receive in the mail a Golden Trout Pin to wear.  I would like to thank Isaac Lavado for taking the Coyote while turkey hunting.  Not only did he eliminate a female but both of us learned what sizes of broadheads to use on Turkeys vs Coyotes w ..read more

by John Donnelly, meteorologist Some afternoon cloud cover ahead of a frontal system moving in from the west. No showers likely this far east of the action. Highs in the low 60’s and lows in the mid 40’s with a northeasterly breeze. It’s a “B+” day! ___ Follow John’s weather forecasts, here: WEATHER WITH JOHN DONNELLY John Donnelly was born in Hialeah, Florida and moved back to Rhode Island and settled in Johnston, where he grew up until graduating from Lyndon State College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. Sign up HERE for RINewsToday’s daily email newsletter The post Rhode ..read more

BayView Honor Roll List Q3 2023-2024 St. Mary Academy-Bay View principal Dr. Marcela Rossi is proud to announce that 176 students made the honor roll for the Third Quarter. This academic distinction recognizes the dedication of students in grades 6 through 12 who demonstrate exceptional performance in their studies. Students who earn all As for the quarter grading period receive the distinction of highest honors. Students who achieve As and Bs for the quarter grading period are recognized with “honors.” St Mary Academy-Bay View is proud of the academic excellence these young women have achieve ..read more

by John A. Cianci, contributing writer on veterans’ issues Did you know the only Medal of Honor(MOH) from Rhode Island service during WWII  was awarded to Private (Pvt.) George J. Peters, Cranston, Rhode Island? Picture courtesy of Congressional Medal of Honor Society website MOH PVT George J. Peters is buried at A.B.M.C. Netherlands Cemetery (MH) (6-17-8), Margraten, Holland Did you know that Military tradition dictates that all uniformed service members salute Medal of Honor recipients, regardless of rank? Even the most senior military officer will participate in this traditi ..read more

by G. Wayne Miller – Ocean State Stories This story is published in partnership between RINewsToday.com and Ocean State Stories, a journalism initiative at Salve Regina University. _ ‘I would recommend it to anybody who’s looking for something rewarding in their life’ JAMESTOWN – Katherine Thompson was attending a day program for developmentally disabled people in January 2009 when her elderly mother, with whom she lived, fell seriously ill. She learned of this when Suzy Robertson, who worked at the center that ran the program, drove her home. When they arrived, “there was no one there,” Rober ..read more

Photo: Pamela Bhatia, Artistic Images RI The refurbished statue of the Independent Man is heading back home and will be available for public viewing just in time for Rhode Island Independence Day.  “As promised, I want to make sure that Rhode Islanders have another chance to see the Independent Man up close and experience an exciting part of Rhode Island history before the statue returns to its perch later this year,” said Governor Dan McKee. “He has his shine back, and I have to say, he is looking sharp.”  The 14’ statue, dressed in a new layer of gold leaf, will be return ..read more

Point Judith Calamari with Chickpeas, Quinoa -Tabbouleh Salad Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (Serves 4): Courtesy of Mill’s Tavern, enjoy a Mediterranean platter with tender fried calamari rings and crispy chickpeas, a fresh quinoa-tabbouleh salad with herbs and vegetables, and smooth roasted red pepper hummus, served with lemon wedges for extra zest! Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: Ingredients: 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed. 2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and deseeded 4 cloves garlic, minced 6 tablespoons tahini Juice of 2 lemons 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper, to ta ..read more

by John Donnelly, meteorologist A frontal system moves through the area, with warm air drawn in from the south, but also the chance for some midafternoon showers ahead of the cold front. High temps in the mid to upper 70’s after morning lows in the mid 40’s with a gusty northwesterly breeze. It’s a “B-” day! ___ Follow John’s weather forecasts, here: WEATHER WITH JOHN DONNELLY John Donnelly was born in Hialeah, Florida and moved back to Rhode Island and settled in Johnston, where he grew up until graduating from Lyndon State College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. Sign up ..read more