Rhode Island Feeds

Warwick, RI
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010, 6pm

Wed., Sep. 8. Hike and Social, Warwick. Meet at City Park, 6:00pm. L Ginny Calabrese (401-782-6518)

South Water St, Providence, RI
Tuesday, Sep 7, 2010, 5:30 – 7:30pm

On Tuesday, September 7 at 5:30pm the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) is leading a canoe/kayak trip on the downtown portion of the Woonasquatucket River. This easy two hour paddle from South Water Street to Atwells Avenue and back will give participants a new perspective on the city. We will travel past some of the old mills as well as through Waterplace Park and past downtown Providence where the Woonasquatucket River meets the Moshassuck River to form the Providence River.

"While this is definitely an urban river, we have seen red-tailed hawks, great blue herons, peregrine falcons, and many other birds in this stretch of the river," says Bruce Hooke, WRWC board member and paddle leader. The complete round trip is about 4 miles. The WRWC has canoes and kayaks available but participants can also bring their own. Life jackets and paddles will be provided with WRWC boats but must be brought by the paddler if they use their own boat.

For participants who are using a WRWC boat, the cost is $20/person. For participants bringing their own boat, the price is $5/person.

This event is part of a series of paddling events called “Explore the Woonasquatucket,” organized by the WRWC this summer and fall throughout the Woonasquatucket River Watershed. Details on the full schedule of paddling events is available on the Watershed Council’s website: www.wrwc.org… .

To register or for more information, call or email Bruce Hooke at the Watershed Council at (401) 351-5747 or bhooke@woonasquatucket.org . Advanced sign-up is required so that we can determine how many boats we need and keep the trip from getting too large.

The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council is a 501c3 non-profit organization working to promote environmental, recreational, and cultural restoration and preservation in the Woonasquatucket watershed.

Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
Monday, Sep 6, 2010, 10 – 11am

Do you enjoy watching birds? Do you wish you knew more about the feathered friends in your neighborhood? Come join an Audubon naturalist for one or all of our series of nature walks focusing on the common birds found in Rhode Island. Sharpen your identification skills and practice using binoculars and spotting scopes. We will record the birds we observe as part of a national effort to catalog sightings with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. This important Citizen Science effort will lead scientists and educators to a better understanding of trends in bird populations both regionally and globally. Weather permitting. No fee for program but registration is recommended. Ages 6 and up.

Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
Monday, Sep 6, 2010, 9am – 5pm

Discover the natural world with fun-filled family activities this holiday including crafts, animal interviews and nature stories.

Free with the price of admission. No registration is needed.

Nature Craft Table: 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Bird Count*: 10:00 am
Nature Story: 1:00 pm
Animal Interview: 2:30 pm

Fort Nature Refuge, (Rt. 5), 1443 Providence Pike, North Smithfield, RI
Saturday, Sep 4, 2010, 10am – 12pm

Join Audubon for a leisurely jaunt at the Fort Refuge in North Smithfield. We'll see what interesting things are happening in the summer season and look for signs of wildlife. Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and dress for the weather.

Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
Saturday, Sep 4, 2010, 9am – 5pm

Thanks to the Citizens Bank Foundation the Environmental Education Center is open free to the public the first Saturday of every month. Join us for crafts, nature stories, animal discoveries, hikes and more. No need to register.

New Hampshire
Friday, Sep 3 – Sunday, Sep 5, 2010

Fri., Sep. 3-5. Lake Winnipesaukee Hike, Kayak, and Bike. More details at www.winaukee.com. Intermediate-level activities each day including yoga, happy hour, and evening programs. Lakeside cabins with plumbing and showers. Includes two breakfasts, two trail lunches, and two dinners (with a vegetarian option). Cost is $140/pp. Deposit of $100 is required by 7/17, with the balance due by 7/30. Call Linda to qualify, and mail check to Debbie Mitchell, 2945 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI 02864. Include phone number and email address. L Jack Schempp (401-331-4553 7:00-9:00pm, jschempp1@gmail.com), L Herb Kingsbury (207-439 6449 7:00-9:00pm), reg/w Linda Pease (130 Sunbury St., Providence, RI 02908, 351-2234 7:00-9:00pm, linda.pease@cox.net)

On average, 6.8 percent of Rhode Islanders have diabetes, compared to the national average of 5.5. It is one of the most common, chronic and progressive health conditions in the U.S. today. Its incidence has skyrocketed largely because of...

According to a Streetsblog entry:

On Friday evening, New York Governor David Paterson signed two bills intended to make streets safer by giving law enforcement greater leeway to bring charges against reckless drivers.

As we’ve found in Rhode Island, law enforcement officials and prosecuters are often hesitant to bring forward charges against drivers who strike pedestrians or cyclists, because criminal intent or negligence is often tough to prove.  There new law:

creates an intermediate charge — a traffic violation called careless driving — which prosecutors can use in cases where criminal convictions seem unlikely. Motorists found guilty of careless driving will have to complete a driver education course and face fines up to $750, jail time up to 15 days, and license suspensions up to six months — or a year for repeat offenders.

This is very similar to the vulnerable roadway act we’ve been trying to get passed in Rhode Island for the last two legislative sessions.  Now that more states are jumping on the vulnerable roadway user bandwagon and we have more legal precident for such legislation, perhaps this will be the year we finally get some legislation passed in Rhode Island.  Our intent is to once again find sponsors for this legislation.  We will keep readers informed of our progress as we move forward.  If anyone is interested in assisting us with this effort, please contact us.

As you may recall, RIDOT closed the Union Avenue Bridge on June 23, 2010.  Paul Martens recently corresponded with RIDOT to find out what the bridge replacment will mean for cyclists.  Here is their response:

The new Union Ave bridge will have the same design configuration as the old Union Ave bridge.  There will be a 2 foot median, 2- 11 foot travel lanes, a one foot shoulder, and a 6 foot sidewalk, in each direction (Eastbound & Westbound).  There is no special accomodation for bicycles on this bridge.  Bicyclists will have to follow the standard traffic laws.

Naturally, we followed up to find out whether it was too late in the process for RIDOT to submit design changes.  Assuming so, we also asked RIDOT to ensure there were curb cuts on all sides of the bridge so cyclists, who aren’t comfortable with being potentially squeezed, to opt for taking the sidewalk instead.  Here is the answer we received:

It is too late to modify the bridge to include a lane for bicycles, this would be a major design change which would be very costly and time consuming. As for the sidewalks, I am not fimilar with the laws regarding bicycles on sidewalks, but there are wheelchair accessible ramps at each end of the bridge both Eastbound and Westbound.

Of course this begs the question, why when bicycle use and alternative forms of transporation are all the rage, isn’t every new bridge designed to allow for dedicated bicycle lanes?  We’ve posed this question to RIDOT and will update everyone when we get an answer.

Because of dangerous surf conditions anticipated with the advance of Hurricane Earl, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge, a popular surf-fishing spot, will be closed from...

If you have corresponded with the Westerly Mayor on behalf of Russ Harkay, I would encourage you to send us a summary of the discussion.  I received the following update from Paul Martens, who contacted the town manager on cyclists behalf:

Mr. Martens: FYI, here is a copy of the police report narrative from the date of the accident. The Chief tells me that the full report is available to Mr. Harkay both on line (go to our dept. website) or in person at the Westerly Police Station, and has been since August 17th when the report was approved. The investigation has been complete as of that time and no charges were brought. I am satisfied with the professional and thorough nature with which the investigation was conducted by Officer Kyhos and I support its conclusions. I am sorry for the unfortunate injuries your friend has suffered and I would assume it is a civil matter at this point.

I’ve uploaded a copy of the police report narrative referenced in the letter.  I find it hard to believe some sort of vehicular violation does not occur when you hit someone!  Sure accidents do happen, but I think it’s crucial that there be some sort of permanent record that this person struck another individual with his automobile.  Without a record of driving offenses, the courts or department of motor vehicles have little evidence to act on should future accidents occur.

I would encourage more cyclists to reach out to the town manager and let him know the entire community is watching this incident play out.

September 18, 20109:00 amto2:00 pm

Are you looking for something to do on September 18th and want to give a little back to a good cause?  Then join the Give Thanks ride in Bristol.  Unlike most cycling fundraisers, they have no minimum, how can you say no?  Here is a press release from the organizers:

Ride your bike on the road to hope.

Help cure childhood cancer by participating in the Give thanks. Ride., a new and exciting cycling event benefiting the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This fun-filled event will feature routes for everyone, from families and kids to the most serious cycling enthusiasts.

The Rhode Island Give thanks. Ride., presented by Coastline Ambulance and Nicholas Barrett & Associates, will take place on Saturday, September 18, 2010. This 50- and 25-mile charity ride will start at Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island, and follow a path through the scenic communities of Narragansett Bay and Southeast Massachusetts. Parents and children are encouraged to participate in the 2-mile family fun ride inside Colt State Park.  The event schedule is as follows:

Saturday, September 18, 2010
9am:      50-mile bike ride
10am:    25-mile bike ride
12pm:    Post-event festival
1pm:      2-mile family fun ride

For more information, please visit www.stjude.org/givethanksride.

Please help spread the word to your cycling friends and families.  You can register online if you plan to attend.

Almost everyone has somehow had their life affected by or knows someone who has their life affected by a serious childhood illness.  St. Judes works tirelessly to fight for children and support their families through the process.

Tropical-storm season marks the beginning of autumn bass fishing season. The last three 40-pounders that Steve McKenna caught were taken in the surf following tropical...

Here's a sneak peek: We're profiling the New England Patriots Cheerleaders in the Thrive section of Monday's Providence Journal. In the piece, one of the cheerleaders, Patricia Fox, 22, of Westford, Mass., (shown at right from the New England...

Middletown, RI
Wednesday, Sep 1, 2010, 6pm

Wed., Sep. 1. Hike and Social, Middletown. Meet at Sachuest Point, 6:00pm. L Sid Wax (401-849-2495, sid_w@yahoo.com)

Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) and Rhode Island Families in Nature are planning an urban hike and garden tour in Providence Saturday, Sept. 11. The hike will begin at the Friendship Café on Broad Street. From there, it will travel...