OPINION/LETTERS: Newport needs to be more accommodating when it comes to events
Make a plan to vote
Do you remember how you voted in the last election in 2020 during the pandemic? At your neighborhood polling location? Early voting at your city or town hall? By mail ballot that you dropped in a postal mailbox or in a drop box outside your city or town hall or other convenient location? Did you find that one of these options made it more convenient for you to vote and ensure that you could vote?
Well, good news! Because of the Let Rhode Island Vote legislation sponsored by Sen. (Dawn) Euer and co-sponsored by Rep. (Lauren) Carson that became law during this past General Assembly session, these options are now permanently in place for all primary and general elections beginning in with the Sept. 13, 2022, primary and Nov. 8 general election.
The change in voting opportunities also allows registered voters to cast their ballots before the date of the primary election on Sept. 13. Early voting at your local city or town hall begins on Aug. 24 and ends Sept.12. Aug. 23 is the deadline for applying for a mail ballot from your local Board of Canvassers for the primary and Oct. 18 for the general election. Once you submit your mail ballot, you can track its status at vote.ri.gov and sign-up for Ballottrax. And if going to the polls on Election Day is an important tradition for you, that option still exists.
Despite all of the unfounded accusations of voter fraud that are circulating around the country, be assured that voting in Rhode Island is safe and secure. You can trust the integrity of local canvassing authorities, the Office of the Secretary of State and the state Board of Elections. In fact, one way of understanding the validity of the process would be to volunteer as a poll worker.
Please make your plan to vote – how, when and where – and then vote.
Judy K. Jones, Newport
Newport needs to be more accommodating
My friends and I were attending the Newport Film Festival at The Elms last Thursday night. The big lawn was packed with hundreds of attendees.
The movie was enjoyable.
When we returned to our car, we saw a ticket on the car windshield.
After cruising around the streets, trying to find a parking space, to no avail, we joined the others who parked on the street with a "No Parking" sign.
Surely when there is a big event like Newport Film Festival, the organizer and the City (and Police) should consider the parking situation. I have bad legs, so walking to the movie area from the street was very difficult.
Newport, depending on the tourism yet treating visitors like this, we were shocked and upset with the base treatment by the City.
Reiko Wimbush, Kingston
Show respect for the Stars and Stripes
Almost daily driving past the New York Yacht Club one’s eyes are drawn to its flag pole— The US colors flapping awkwardly from a yardarm beneath what appears to be a yacht club flag flying well above on the mast pole.
Ugly display and demeaning to the Stars and Stripes. Nothing should fly above it. Similar display at Ft. Adams? Is this some kind of nautical allowance? If so, it should be corrected.
Bob Mathieu, Jamestown
Education is a community effort
In my haste to get my first letter of appreciation to meet the word requirement, and to get it off to the presses in a timely fashion, I realized after having my son recently read aloud the letter as part of his "summer reading" (Struggle!), that I inadvertently omitted a few organizations that contribute to the education of our fifth grade students at Thompson Middle School each and every year.
I'd like to recognize the Newport Public Education Foundation for all of their hard work raising money for special projects for our students. This year they funded a grant to create mini vermicomposting jars in our classroom. Students tended to their worms by giving them food scraps each week. It was amazing to see how fast they ate it up. They also funded some modern day balances for our science classroom. (Thanks, Emily Loftus!)
Lastly, the Newport Community School is another behind the scenes organization that does so much for our students. Whether it be providing after-school interventions, homework help, supplies and clothing for students, or fun and creative after-school activities, they can always be counted on to get kids what they need. Newport Public Schools, but especially Thompson Middle School, is so lucky for their commitment to children. Traci Shea and her incredible staff do an amazing job each year!
Our Veterans' Day Assembly each November is one of our favorite things our team does! Each year we rely on Rep. Marvin Abney to deliver our keynote address, and each year he does a better job than the year before. Special thank you to him for making time each year to help us honor our local veterans.
Educating our children really is a team effort! Teachers are asked to wear so many different hats these days, that without the help and support of our community members and organizations, we'd be lost. Also, to our parents as well, for being their child's most important teacher of all!
I sincerely appreciate the local papers (Newport Daily News and Newport this Week) for publishing my letters each year!
Melissa Turner, Thompson Middle School Grade 5 teacher
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Newport needs to be more accommodating when it comes to events: LETTERS
