Gov. Gina Raimondo, at her regularly scheduled daily briefing on Wednesday, April 29, stated that large gatherings and events for this coming summer, such as the Newport Folk Festival and Fourth of July parades, were likely not going to happen. It was a decision made, she said, “with a knot in my stomach.”
She noted that this decision will impact those coastal towns that rely on the tourism industry, but did not specifically mention Block Island. While the island does not rely on single events of any real size to bring visitors here, during the summer the island can see as many as 20,000 people present on a bright, sunny day.
Raimondo said there may be a point when groups of up to 50 people can meet, according to her preliminary phased opening plan. The Block Island Town Council also met on Wednesday where there was the beginning of a discussion on how to safely reopen the island, but no decisions were made.
Dr. Mark Clark, and his successor, Dr. Tom Warcup, who both participated in the Town Council’s online meeting on Wednesday, stated there is a plan in place for the medical center to
