Venus reopening; fence viewers; T.F. Green ad; federal shutdown: Top stories this week
Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read stories for the week of Sept. 24, supported by your subscriptions.
Will there be a Government Shutdown? With the Oct. 1 deadline for federal lawmakers to reach an agreement rapidly approaching, federal offices in Rhode Island, along with state government are bracing for the worst. Among the actions taken in advance of a potential shutdown, the head of Rhode Island's Office of Management & Budget has issued a memo asking state agencies that rely on federal funds to prepare.
A Rhode Islander may soon find herself in the national spotlight and maybe even with a fiancée. A sneak peek of the contestants for Season 28 of "The Bachelor" revealed that Sydney Gordon, owner of Folk Vintage Co. in Newport, may be one of the contenders in the upcoming season.
For the latest on the Patriots' Week 4 matchup with the Cowboys, and news on high school and college sports, including the winners of the Storm Works Athlete of the Week, go to providencejournal.com/sports.
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Here are the week's top reads on providencejournal.com:
The Venus de Milo is reopening. Here's what's happening.
Big events, memorable moments and all the familiar food and drink needed to celebrate them will be back on Route 6 in Swansea, Massachusetts, very soon for the rebirth of the iconic Venus de Milo.
After a multimillion-dollar renovation that's underway, the Venus will reopen its huge ballroom as well as the Athena, Venus and Empire rooms and the Apollo Lounge in the coming months. They will resume takeout five days a week Oct. 4. The Journal's Gail Ciampa caught up with Monte Ferris Jr., the third-generation owner of the Venus, to get all the details.
Dining: The Venus de Milo in Swansea is reopening. Here's what's happening.
Meet the fence viewer, Rhode Island's quaintest government position.
Earlier this month, Portsmouth appointed former councilman Andrew Kelly as the town's new fence viewer.
Yes, fence viewer.
Back in Colonial times, most Rhode Island towns had a "viewer of fences" whose job was to adjudicate boundary disputes. Portsmouth – along with Exeter, Foster, Hopkinton and New Shoreham – is one of the few that still do.
Antonia Noori Farzan spoke with a couple of the remaining fence viewers in this state to learn more about one of the most obscure positions in local government, that typically doesn't come with any pay or prestige. But people who take the job tend to hold on to it for decades.
Political Scene: Meet the fence viewer, Rhode Island's quaintest government position.
Not-so-friendly skies? T.F. Green takes a shot at Logan, and Mark Patinkin is on board
Most of us have been there: the moment of horror when facing one of the worst meat grinders on earth.
Journal columnist Mark Patinkin doesn't have a great appreciation of New England's largest airport, so when T.F. Green airport recently unveiled a television commercial calling out the B.S. @ BOS that comes with flying out of Logan, he was on board with the message.
While there are plenty of people who agree with him, it turns out there are others who would rather bypass the short security lines and easy parking in Warwick for the conveniences that Logan offers, such as cheaper and more direct flight options. They were also happy to let Mark know.
Columns: Not-so-friendly skies? T.F. Green takes a shot at Logan, and Mark Patinkin is on board
'A linchpin between the two trails': New trail to help connect bike paths in Providence
Officials celebrated the completion of another section of the network of biking and walking trails across Providence with a ribbon-cutting Monday for a multi-use path along the Woonasquatucket River behind the Gotham Greens greenhouse on Harris Avenue.
Alex Kuffner was on hand for the ceremonial opening of the new riverfont path leading from De Soto Street to Atwells Avenue that is considered essential to a long-term plan to eventually tie together the Woonasquatucket River Greenway, which runs north to Johnston, to the Washington Secondary Bike Path, which extends south to Coventry.
Environment: 'A linchpin between the two trails': New trail to help connect bike paths in Providence
Bundle up: RI electric bills will rise 25% this winter due to rate increase
Electric rates for most Rhode Islanders come Oct. 1 will climb nearly to last winter’s record levels, after state regulators approved a proposal put forward by the state’s largest energy utility.
Under the plan unanimously approved Tuesday by the Public Utilities Commission, customers who buy their power from Rhode Island Energy will see a 25% increase in their monthly bills. The bill for a typical household that uses 500 kilowatts hours a month will go up $33, to about $167, when smaller changes to surcharges are also factored in.
Kuffner reports ratepayers will see some relief under a provision in the state budget that suspends the 4% gross earnings tax on electric and natural gas bills this winter. It would save the typical electric customer $6.70 a month between December and March. The McKee administration is also channeling $3 million from a regional cap-and-trade program for power plant emissions to Rhode Island Energy's low-income electric customers. They will receive a $27 credit on each of the bills for December, January and February.
News to use: RI electric bills will rise 25% this winter due to rate increase
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Journal top stories: Venus de Milo reopens; fence viewers; T.F. Green
