NEWPORT, R.I. – This week, we’re asking our online readers to weigh in on two separate poll questions. Both deal with healthcare – albeit of two different sorts.
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NEWPORT, R.I. – As the school year comes to a close, the School Committee is set to embark on a public relations campaign aimed at convincing voters to invest in a state of the art elementary school in the city’s North End.
The Claiborne d. Pell Elementary School would be located on Dexter Street at the site of the current Sullivan School. It would serve as a K-4 facility with two distinct wings acting like separate schools, and would replace the city’s existing network of four smaller schools.
The cost is currently estimated at $30 million, with the state expected to fund upwards of $10 million and voters asked through bond referendum to finance the remainder.
The alternative? To spend somewhere around $30 million to upgrade the existing facilities.
Loading ...What’s your opinion? Have your say above. Voting will run until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, and the results will be posted in next week’s edition of Newport This Week.
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Which beach would you be more likely to buy a pass for this year?
- Sachuest (Second) Beach. Good waves, good sand and good times. (45%, 45 Votes)
- Gooseberry Beach. Soft sands and protected swimming, plus the feel of a private club. (19%, 19 Votes)
- Easton's (First) Beach. Family activities, bath houses, and lobster rolls: what more could you ask for? (17%, 17 Votes)
- Bailey's East/Reject's Beach. It's a Newport tradition. (10%, 10 Votes)
- Third Beach. Quiet relaxation and family friendly. The best of both worlds. (8%, 8 Votes)
- Other (1%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 100
Loading ...NEWPORT, R.I. – Beach season is just around the corner, and it seems like everyone has a stretch of sand they like to call their own. Sometimes it’s easy to tell where people like to spend their sunny days; emblems of summer, beach stickers not only provide smooth access to one’s beach of choice, but for some can also carry with them an implicit declaration: “My beach is best.”
That’s why we’re curious to know whether you plan on purchasing a beach sticker this year, and if so, to what beach?
Weigh in on your favorite sandy stretch all this week. Voting will be open until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18. Results will be reported in next week’s edition of Newport This Week.
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NEWPORT, R.I. – For the last several weeks, Wall Street has been tickled with news of better than expected indicators from across the economic spectrum. Some say that the “Great Recession” has begun to come to an end. Meanwhile, here on Aquidneck Island, the taste of summer is tantalizingly close. Warm weather has filled area beaches, golf courses, and outdoor restaurants in recent weeks.
So, with the season now creeping closer, we want to know: How do you think the island’s tourism season will fare? Do you see cause for optimism, or are you bracing for a down year?
Have you say in this week’s poll. Voting will be open until Tuesday, May 11 at noon. Results will be published in next week’s edition of Newport This Week.
How do you think this summer's tourist season will compare to years past?
- I'm optimistic. It all depends on the weather, but I think things are picking up. (78%, 50 Votes)
- I'm less than optimistic. I hope the season is a strong one for local businesses, but there's still too much uncertainty in the market. (17%, 11 Votes)
- I'm pessimistic. The economy is still in tough shape and people are still hurting. (5%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 64
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NEWPORT, R.I. – Parking meter season is fast approaching. Paid parking in and around the downtown area goes into effect May 1 and will last until through Oct. 31. Over the last couple of years, the city has gone to great lengths to maximize revenue from its parking lots and metered spaces –with fair results.
Now, with the prospect of reduced state aid and mounting infrastructure needs, the question arises: Should the city consider extending its metered parking season? Proponents say that parking meters help turn over spaces more quickly and provide needed revenue for city coffers. Opponents argue that meters diminish the historic character of an area, discourage shoppers from frequenting businesses in metered zones, and unfairly penalize employees and year-round residents.
Should the city consider extending the parking meter season to increase revenue and help turn over parking?
- No. I would not support any extension of the parking meter season. (68%, 72 Votes)
- Yes. The city should consider extending metering from March 1 - Dec. 1. (22%, 23 Votes)
- Yes. The city should consider extending metering for the entire year. (10%, 11 Votes)
Total Voters: 106
Loading ...What’s your opinion? Have your say above. Voting will run until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, and the results will be posted in next week’s edition of Newport This Week.
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Which would you support to balance the FY2011 budget?
- Cuts in city services (56%, 35 Votes)
- Alternative fees (27%, 17 Votes)
- A higher property tax rate (17%, 10 Votes)
Total Voters: 62
Loading ...NEWPORT, R.I. – Any day now, City Manager Edward F. Lavallee is expected to release a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. It’s going to be a tough one and some hard decisions will have to be made. Translated: Don’t be surprised if some city services are cut or tax increases proposed.
So the question needs to be asked: Which would you support to balance the budget? Cuts in city services or higher taxes?
Have your say above. Votes will be accepted until Tuesday, March 20 at 2 p.m. and the results will be published in next week’s edition of Newport This Week.
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NEWPORT, R.I. – By a wide margin, readers of Newport Now and Newport This Week came out opposed to a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Mount Hope Bay.
In a poll conducted Wednesday, March 31 – Tuesday, April 6, 79 percent of respondents said that they felt that the potential costs outweighed the benefits of an LNG terminal in Mount Hope Bay, while 16 percent felt that facility would be a good thing for the region, and five percent said that they were unsure.
The online poll allowed for one vote per computer, and the above results do not account for four votes that were received after 3 p.m. on Tuesday as reflected in the graphic shown below.
Do you support the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Mount Hope Bay?
- No. The potential costs to the economy and environment outweigh the benefits. (78%, 116 Votes)
- Yes. The facility would create needed jobs and help reduce energy prices. (17%, 25 Votes)
- Undecided. I haven't formed an opinion on the proposed terminal. (5%, 8 Votes)
Total Voters: 148
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NEWPORT, R.I. – The late Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil is attributed as making famous the phrase that “All politics is local.” With election season beginning to gear up, we’re curious to know how you feel about your local elected officials – from city and town council and school committee and up to the General Assembly. How likely are you to vote to re-elect? Are you happy with your elected representatives? Or is it time for a change?
Have your say below. The poll closes at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and the results will be published in this week’s edition of Newport This Week, hitting new stands at over 300 locations across Aquidneck Island and beyond!
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In this week’s edition of Newport This Week, we pose the question “Are you ready to run?”
Newport, Rhode Island, and indeed the nation, are faced with many challenges. As we enter into the 2010 election cycle, the people we vote into office will be charged with trying to solve some of those problems. In Newport, that means coming to grips with the city’s aging infrastructure, contending with cuts in state aid, and trying to ensure that the city remains an attractive place to work, call home, and raise a family.
On the state level, there’s a gaping hole in the state’s budget that needs to be closed, a business climate that many believe is one of the worst in the nation, and as a result, an unemployment rate hovering at around 12 percent.
So, the question needs to be asked: How likely are you to re-elect your local elected office holders – be they on a city or town council, school committee, or a member of the General Assembly?
Have your say in the poll below, and in the comment section.
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NEWPORT, R.I. – There’s some controversy on Thames Street, where one area merchant is being accused of being insensitive to the Irish community by selling what some feel are T-shirts that denigrate their heritage.
The shirts, being sold in the run-up to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, feature various sayings and graphics playing off of stereotypes that those in the city’s Irish community say are insensitive and downright false. The store owner, on the other hand, says that he’s long supported both the parade and the Irish community, and that the shirts meant no offense.
How do you feel about the issue? Are the shirts over the top, or do you think it’s all in good fun?
Do you find St. Patrick's Day T-shirts like the ones being sold on Thames Street to be offensive?
- Yes. The Irish have a proud heritage. The T-shirts in question only further an offensive stereotype. (56%, 149 Votes)
- No. St. Patrick's Day is synonymous with alcohol and celebration. The shirts are all in good fun. (44%, 117 Votes)
Total Voters: 266
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BMW Oracle took back the America's Cup for the U.S. But where will the next edition be held? (AFP/Getty Images)
NEWPORT, R.I. – The America’s Cup is coming home. Riding a high tech wing sail and massive trimaran to victory, BMW Oracle Racing, representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club, trounced Cup defender Alinghi in a head-to-head best of three off the coast of Valencia, Spain over the weekend.
Now, with the Auld Mug coming back to the U.S., speculation is running high about where the next Cup will be held. And with BMW Oracle head Larry Ellison’s recent purchase, Newport is on the short list of potential venues.
Meanwhile, Doug Riggs, a Newporter who normally delights bibliophiles with his insights as books editor at the Providence Journal, today pens a piece about the efforts of the local sailing community to lure the Cup back to the City-by-the-Sea.
So we put it to you: Where should the next America’s Cup be held. It’s our poll of the week!
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NEWPORT, R.I. – Residents turned out in force last Wednesday for a special workshop detailing proposed improvements to the South Eastons’ Pond berm. Over the course of the meeting, engineers from city consultants Fuss & O’Neill sought to explain their reasoning behind the selection of some controversial materials and design components which neighbors argued would detract from the history and beauty of the area.
Loading ...Primary among the design’s appeal, according to the engineers, is cost and time. Under the proposed plan, which would include the installation of a steel coffer-dam with a concrete cap on the western embankment, and a 42-inch high fence along the same section, construction costs would run roughly $3.3 million, with an estimated completion time of 4-6 months.
But residents who attended the Jan. 20 meeting, said that they would be willing to pay more and wait a few months longer for an alternative plan that would eliminate the fence and coffer-dam with a more traditional graduated slope design. That plan, engineers estimate, would cost at least an estimated $3.4 million and would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4 months longer to complete.
In the end, whichever plan is chosen by city councilors, the cost of the repairs is destined to be worked into the bills of ratepayers of the Newport Water Division, which includes not only Newport, but Middletown, the Navy, the Portsmouth Water & Fire District, as well.
So what do you think? Should the city pursue the more economical option, or the plan that best retains the character and beauty of the Easton’s Pond area?
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NEWPORT, R.I. – There’s no shortage of issues facing the city this year. From major sewer repairs to a state funding gap, 2010 promises to be perhaps one of the most challenging years in recent memory. But what’s the one issue that you think needs the most serious attention?
Have your say in our first poll of 2010.
What is the most pressing issue facing the city in 2010?
- Our water and sewer infrastructure. Repairs need to made to ensure clean drinking and swimming water. (47%, 42 Votes)
- Our business climate. With the state among the worst in unemployment, Newport needs to create a more business-friendly climate to lure in new employers and keep the ones that are here. (23%, 21 Votes)
- City finances. The city needs to shore up its finances, finding savings where it can, and raising taxes if need be. (14%, 13 Votes)
- Our roads. Newport's roads are in rough shape, and the city needs to squeeze every dime out of the voter-approved road bond. (8%, 7 Votes)
- The school question. Newporters must decide on a new elementary school plan. (4%, 4 Votes)
- Other. (4%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 90
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Currently used as an antiques center, proposals for the redevelopment of the Armory property have ranged from a museum to retail space. (File Photo)
NEWPORT, R.I. – Proposals for the development of the Lower Thames Street Armory were due in to City Hall one week ago today.
The city is already moving on plans to convert the lower level into a transient boating facility, and several city officials have expressed a desire to see the main floor used to complement that use. Others, including the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation are proposing that the building remain as an antiques center. What do you think should be the fate of this landmark building?
Today is your last chance to vote on what you think the best use of the facility should be. If you haven’t already, have your say below.
What's the best use for the Armory building on Lower Thames Street?
- As one of the city's only public waterfront properties, the facility should be developed to reflect a maritime use such as a marine museum. (43%, 42 Votes)
- The space should be converted into a mixed retail-restaurant facility similar to Boston's Faneuil Hall. (33%, 32 Votes)
- The Armory Antiques Center is an asset to the area and should be maintained. (16%, 16 Votes)
- Other. (8%, 8 Votes)
Total Voters: 98
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Newport, RI
