The Year That Was: 2012 In Review

To read the complete articles as they appeared in the newspaper, visit our archived e-editions of Newport This Week. (Dates are given at the end of each excerpt for the issue in which the full story appeared.)

January

5 Years, $50M Short

A report by Newport’s Finance Department showed that the city faces deficits totaling close to $50 million over the next five years, beginning in 2013. Most of the projected deficits are the result of mounting employee benefit costs. Beginning in fiscal year 2013, expenditures on municipal services and education are each expected to exceed revenues by just over $6 million. If no action is taken, the deficit would swell to $17.6 million for FY2016. (NTW, Jan. 26, 2012)

Plans for Ellison's Beechwood

Beechwood owner Larry Ellison unveiled plans to restore the mansion and grounds to its 19th-century appearance and to open it to the public as the Beechwood Art Museum. (NTW, Jan. 5, 2012)

Woman Sentenced in Ponzi Scheme

Longtime Newport resident Elizabeth “Liza” Baldwin – accused of running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme swindling close to $8 million from 49 investors through her Newportant Group investment firm – was sentenced to serve eight years at a state prison under a plea agreement. (NTW Jan. 19, 2012)

February

When Connection Matters Most (Editorial)

Brenda Batts, a 68-year-old woman with dementia, walked out of her Bayside Village apartment and went missing. Despite a “Silver Alert” issued by state police, she died of exposure, and her body was found beside the Newport Secondary Rail Line. In the aftermath of her death, there were calls for the city to improve its communications with residents to increase public awareness of such incidents. (NTW, Feb. 16, 2012)

March

And the Winner Is …

81-year-old Louise White of Newport became the winner of the sixth-largest lottery jackpot ever awarded in the United States when she won Powerball for $336.4 million. In a statement, White recalled that she purchased three Powerball tickets while on a trip to Stop & Shop to pick up some Rainbow Sherbet. One of them contained the winning combination of numbers. (NTW, Mar. 8, 2012; photo by Tom Shevlin)

April

Lower Thames Street Improvements Underway

Lower Thames Street got a smooth new look as crews got to work on long-awaited improvements to the heavily-trafficked downtown road. The $275,000 project was funded through the state Department of Transportation and took about a month to complete. Grinding down the existing pavement exposed much of the original cobblestone that once ran the length of the road. A new layer of asphalt was poured on top. (NTW, Apr. 26, 2012)

May

So Long, Salas'

Crews dismantled the former home of Salas’ Restaurant. Although the owner had hoped to save the 175-year-old structure, as construction progressed, it became clear that the building would have to be taken down. Plans on file with the city show that the new building – which also will house a restaurant, the Midtown Oyster Bar – will resemble the former landmark, which in its heyday was a favorite of America’s Cup crews, dignitaries, and generations of Newporters. (NTW, May 31; photo by Tom Shevlin)

June

Catching Some World Series Air

Championship racing by world-class sailboats in the America’s Cup World Series was held in the waters off Newport from June 28 through July 1. In photo: Team Oracle practiced for the America’s Cup World Series in Newport Harbor off of Fort Adams. Spectator action for the races centered on the Race Village that was set up on the North Lawn at the fort. (NTW, June 28, 2012)

July 

Principal Sues District Decision Against DiCenso

Former Rogers High School principal Patricia DiCenso filed a suit against the Newport School Department with the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training, seeking to be compensated for 72 unused vacation days that she claimed she accrued during her six years at Rogers.

DiCenso resigned in October 2011 after taking a job as chief school performance officer in Pawtucket. In November, attorneys representing DiCenso requested that she be paid a total of $35,417.60 for unused vacation days plus the remaining amount of her final paycheck, $4,157.34, for a total of almost $40,000. (NTW, July 12, 2012) In September, the suit was decided in favor of the School Department. (NTW, Sept. 20, 2012)

Mayor to Resign

Newport Mayor Stephen C. Waluk, an 11-year council veteran, resigned following his confirmation as clerk of Rhode Island’s District Court. Former Councilor Stephen R. Coyne, as the fifth-highest vote-getter in the city's At-Large race, would serve the remainder of Waluk’s term, despite having narrowly lost out on a fourth term in 2010. (NTW, July 19, 2012)

August

Raising Pell

Crews from Providence-based Bacon/Agostini Construction attached the first steel beam to the foundation of the new Claiborne deB. Pell Elementary School on Dexter St. The school is expected to be completed in time for the start of the academic year in September 2013, when it will house all of Newport’s elementary students. (NTW, Aug. 30, 2012; photo by Rob Thorn)

September

City Enforcing No-Chickens Law

With its densely populated neighborhoods, Newport leaves little room for domestic chicken populations. According to ordinance, “No livestock or poultry are to be kept on any lot of less than three acres in size” and “Any building used for housing livestock ad poultry or the storage of fertilizer or manure is to be located not less than 100 feet from any property or street line.” This month, the city continued its crackdown on illegal livestock, as homeowners including Bill Murdock were brought into court over complaints about keeping backyard chickens in violation of the ordinance. (NTW, Sept. 20, 2012)

October

Heaven and Earth-Moving

Construction began at Queen Anne Square, where a controversial project called “The Meeting Room,” designed by landscape architect Maya Lin for the Doris Duke Monument Foundation, will memorialize the late heiress and Newport benefactor. The project includes a trio of simulated building foundations, as well as new trees, landscaping, lighting, and benches. it is expected to be complete in spring 2013. (NTW, Oct. 25, 2012; photo by Rob Thorn)

Sandy Wreaks Havoc in Glancing Blow

A glancing blow by Hurricane Sandy caused enough damage to Newport’s Cliff Walk that a section of the walk from Ruggles Avenue to Ledge Road had to be closed to the public. Other areas that sustained damage included the Rotunda at Easton’s Beach, the road to Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge, and large sections of Ocean Drive. (NTW, Nov. 1, 2012)

November

Newport Says 'No' to Casino

Voters in Newport dashed the hopes of casino advocates who had hoped to install table games at Newport Grand. In a decisive vote, Newport residents voted 54 to 45 percent to reject a ballot question that would have given local approval to convert Newport Grand into a full-scale casino. (NTW, Nov. 8, 2012)

December

Sakonnet Bridge Toll Fight Continues

Hundreds of people rallied at Tiverton High School (photo) and at Portsmouth High School in opposition to a proposal by the state’s Turnpike and Bridge Authority to add tolls to the new Sakonnet River Bridge in Portsmouth. (NTW, Dec. 6, 2012; photo by Annette Desrosiers)

Hopedene Sells for $16M

Hopedene – an estate of more than 6-acres on Bellevue Avenue – sold for $16 million, the highest selling price for a Rhode Island residence in 2012. The 25,000-square-foot house and estate was originally listed in 2008 with an asking price of $22.5 million. (NTW, Dec. 20, 2012)