With Gov. Gina Raimondo extending shelter-in-place guidelines until May 8, the annual Financial Town Meeting will be delayed until a date closer to the end of the fiscal year, which closes out on June 30, 2020, if it can be held at all, according to town Financial Manager Amy Land. The town’s finances through the […]
“I think we need to start the discussion now, and start reaching out.” Councilor Chris Willi was talking about contacting island businesses, which usually start seeing at least some of their seasonal workforce arrive on the island at this time, to get their ideas on how to open the island safely for the upcoming summer
Council juggling summer and resident employment needs Read More »
Trivia question: What was the first newspaper on Block Island? Answer: The Block Island Star, copies of which were discovered by island resident Chris Blane. Blane found the newspapers one day when he was cleaning the attic of the home his mother Edie Blane grew up in. “In March of 1987, I moved to the family
The Block Island community is coming together during this daunting time, a show of how resilient and uplifting this small island can be. Island residents Sven Risom and Amy Doran started a project to get island residents involved in making facemasks for those who did not have one or could not find one. After they
A community of volunteers joins to make facemasks Read More »
The first thing Bill Penn wants to tell the island is how sorry he is. Sorry for exposing people to the coronavirus, which he tested positive for, and he’s apologetic for making people uncomfortable. The second thing he wanted people to know is that the Medical Center has tested everyone Penn may have come in
We’ve extended Women’s History Month into April. Here are profiles of Jessica Willi, Megan Hennessy, Carrie Johnson, and Cindy Kelly, in their own words: Jessica Willi: Executive Director of the Block Island Tourism Council My parents brought me to Block Island as a baby. As they were both school teachers, they had the summers free and they came
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts submitted the following announcement to The Block Island Times: The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), in cooperation with the Rhode Island Foundation and the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, is launching a fund to help Rhode Island artists who have lost
Grants available to artists due to health crisis Read More »
A note to our readers from the staff of the Hotel Manisses: As we navigate through a challenging time together, we extend our deepest appreciation for our Hotel Manisses friends and family. We continue to receive and follow guidance and directives from the Centers for Disease Control and the R.I. Department Of Health, and will
Hotel Manisses staff offers to shop on the mainland Read More »
Handmade masks are available to the public at the Harbor Baptist Church in town. All masks are free and “made with love . . . [and] about 100 handmade masks have been given out on Block Island already,” said island resident Amy Doran, who has helped spearhead this initiative. “There is a batch ‘brown bagged’ at
The following message was issued by Interim Town Manager Jim Kern: This notice is distributed as a reminder to all persons that the Town has not issued any hotel, rooming house or boardinghouse licenses. It is not anticipated that any such licenses will be issued during the effective period of the Town’s Emergency Ordinance. Accordingly,
Businesses told not to bring seasonal workers to the island Read More »