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How Should Rhode Island Respond to the Great Barrington ‘Awokening’?

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How Should Rhode Island Respond to the Great Barrington ‘Awokening’?


In recent times, the woke left has taken management within the prosperous small city of Barrington, Rhode Island, dominating the seats of energy on each the city council and the college committee, secretly and defiantly imposing its radical and divisive agenda upon its personal taxpayers, veteran teams, college students, and academics.

The disdain these elected and appointed political supremacists repeatedly display in opposition to involved residents is now clearly evident for all to see. However, have they gone too far, and is their woke rule about to be put to sleep? Has the current nationwide and worldwide information protection of the city’s harmful insurance policies additional motivated mother and father to get entangled?

This isn’t the primary time {that a} “Barrington” locality has made information for the reason that onset of the pandemic.

In the summertime of 2020, when it grew to become clear that the more and more tyrannical and arbitrary worldwide governmental responses to COVID-19 weren’t based mostly on analysis or science, and had been unnecessarily infringing on the liberties of individuals throughout the globe, a gaggle of high-profile epidemiologists and public well being scientists revealed an open letter, describing extra commonsense, science-based, and efficient prescriptions for coping with the virus. The letter grew to become generally known as the “Nice Barrington Declaration,” named for the small Massachusetts city through which it was signed.

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And now, nearly two years later, a Nice Barrington Awokening is underway in neighboring Rhode Island, as city residents have gotten woke up to the foolishness and hazard of overly privileged and over-educated woke public officers. They’re now brazenly rising as much as retake their colleges and city.

The Nice Barrington Declaration was largely quashed by big-COVID-19 advocates in authorities and in conventional and social media circles. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear to be this group of involved mother and father and taxpayers main the Nice Barrington Awokening shall be equally silenced. Its principled name for change will stay a clarion name all through the 2022 election cycle, and sure past.

Included in an extended practice of woke abuses that had been detailed in their very own open letter, signed by nearly 500 Barrington voters—Democrats, Republicans, and independents—and revealed within the city newspaper, had been the ultimate straws that triggered mother and father to awaken: a significant curriculum coverage change and the arbitrary firing of three valued public college academics. All the signers’ names are listed on the letter in order that they could publicly avow their pledge to vote the city’s woke incumbents out of workplace.

Paradoxically, the fired academics, who had been friends on an April episode of my “In The Dugout” video podcast, grew to become victims of the precise type of nonsensical insurance policies that the Nice Barrington Declaration letter warned of, after their private non secular exemptions from the college district’s arbitrary vaccine mandate had been denied by the college committee and college system. They had been by no means notified, nor might they’ve ever imagined, that submitting a spiritual exemption to the vaccine would result in their merciless dismissal.

In current many years, younger mother and father flocked to Barrington, Rhode Island, largely resulting from its extremely regarded public college system. Now, that college system has been reworked into social-equity morass, and its rankings are steadily declining.

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The general public letter that signaled the onset of the Nice Barrington Awokening cites quite a few examples of different “self-inflicted wounds” by the city’s woke college district; most carried out secretly, with out due discover, and “with out regard for stakeholder enter.”

This cavalier, nontransparent, and tyrannical method towards authorities is wholly in keeping with the left’s perception that it and solely it is aware of higher what’s or isn’t in one of the best pursuits of the folks it guidelines over.

Certainly, simply days after the academics had been formally fired, their lawyer filed an Open Conferences Act criticism with the Rhode Island lawyer basic, claiming a violation of an Oct. 14, 2021, assembly in government session the place the political supremacists on the Barrington College Committee made the choice to contemplate, and subsequently deny, the non secular exemptions, with out offering the statutorily required public discover of their intentions.

Maybe essentially the most obtrusive and offensive instance cited within the open letter was the sudden elimination of honors-level English and historical past programs by the “fairness”-obsessed college committee, believing it’s unfair for high-achieving college students to have entry to superior curriculum that’s not accessible to everybody else.

This main instructional coverage change—“excellence” sacrificed for “fairness”—was unilaterally carried out with none public debate, with no justification or said aim, and with no enter from mother and father or academics.

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Mother and father had been notified after the actual fact and have become outraged by this “debacle,” which robbed a lot of their very own kids from precious superior studying and achievements of notice for his or her future school functions. The left’s “warfare on kids” is in full gear in Barrington.

At a broader city stage and outdoors of the college district, the Barrington City Council has additionally demonstrated related ranges of woke disdain, hypocrisy, and anti-patriotism, by insulting its personal native veterans group.

In August 2020, the Barrington city supervisor, once more with none public debate, ordered that the Black Lives Matter flag be raised on exact same flag pole with the USA flag, simply outdoors of city corridor at a veterans memorial. Flying political flags on the identical pole as “Previous Glory” is a violation of the U.S. flag code, however such points don’t matter to the social-equity-driven city council.

The native Barrington United Veterans Council public protested, with Lt. Col. Paul Dulchinos as the first voice, they usually initiated a “Preserve Politics Off the Flagpole” marketing campaign.

In public assembly after public assembly, defiant of the outcry, the city council repeatedly backed the illicit flag-flying and voted to fly the BLM flag indefinitely. In a transparent demonstration of its hypocrisy, the city council rejected the veterans council’s request to fly the “Again the Blue” flag.

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And it will get worse. In March 2022, in an overt act of vengeance in opposition to the veterans group that dared problem its energy, the Barrington City Council voted to strip the Barrington United Veterans Council from working its personal annual Memorial Day Parade. The veterans council had been working the parade in Barrington since its formation in 1954—rain or shine—to honor people who sacrificed for his or her nation.

In keeping with Dulchinos, “They handed a movement instructing the City Supervisor to run the parade after which specified that their very own hand-picked Grasp of Ceremonies be positioned in cost (as a substitute of me). Whose spouse occurs to be an area College Committee Member of their similar political get together. Though he’s a Veteran, he has by no means been a member of our group nor has he ever participated in any of our earlier actions. This was a slap within the face for all those that have faithfully served this group from our group over the past 68 years.”

However sufficient was sufficient. By the early 2022, mother and father and residents in Barrington began organizing and rising up. Within the hope of returning to some semblance of sanity for his or her city, the residents and fogeys behind this Nice Barrington Awokening have pledged to switch woke council members, both through recall petition or within the November elections.

On the time of this writing, the group had already recognized six native candidates to run for public workplace in opposition to all woke incumbents below its “Mother and father United Barrington” slate: two every for the native college committee and city council, and two for the state’s Normal Meeting, with a number of fundraisers already within the works.

Not too way back, Barrington was considerably of a crimson island within the very blue Ocean State. After a decade or two of citizen complacency that allowed a progressive tide to roll in, there has now arisen a brand new power of “awokened” citizen vigilance—as residents throughout the city are awakening to the illogic and divisiveness of the woke-left agenda.

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It stays to be seen whether or not or not these behind the Nice Barrington Awokening shall be profitable of their bid to show the tide—and the city—again to frequent sense or purple. However it’s nearly sure that the woke agenda will now not be allowed to be carried out, unabated, on this small Rhode Island city.

The Every day Sign publishes quite a lot of views. Nothing written right here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Basis. 

Have an opinion about this text? To hold forth, please e-mail letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll take into account publishing your edited remarks in our common “We Hear You” characteristic. Keep in mind to incorporate the URL or headline of the article plus your identify and city and/or state. 





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Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of State hosts poll worker recruitment event for veterans | ABC6

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Rhode Island Department of State hosts poll worker recruitment event for veterans | ABC6


Veterans and military families get information on how they can serve as poll workers during the 2024 election cycle. (Rhode Island Department of State)

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of State hosted a poll worker recruitment event for veterans and their families on Saturday.

The event was in partnership with Vet the Vote, which works to get more military veterans and families involved with working during elections.

Attendees heard from state officials on how Rhode Island runs its elections and were given information on where they could work as paid poll workers this election cycle.

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“Our country’s veterans and military families understand the importance of service, and their commitment to our democracy and our nation’s values align perfectly with the responsibilities of poll workers,” Secretary of State Gregg Amore said.





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Cost of living in RI, Biden’s ballots, golf courses worth the drive: Top stories this week

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Cost of living in RI, Biden’s ballots, golf courses worth the drive: Top stories this week


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Here are some of The Providence Journal’s most-read stories for the week of July 21, supported by your subscriptions.

• It doesn’t get more Rhode Island than a tour of a lighthouse, except maybe if you brought along a Del’s. While some of the state’s lighthouses have been accessible for years, the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse – after years of renovations – is now open to view. The Journal’s Antonia Noori Farza recently toured the site and talked with the volunteers who made it happen.

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• We finally got a break from the heat and humidity this week even if it meant a couple of gray days – apologies if you were on vacation – were in the mix. If you’ve grown tired of summer temperatures and are dreaming about sweater weather and pumpkin spice the Old Farmer’s Almanac says you might get some relief this fall.

• For the latest sports news, including The Providence Journal’s coverage of the Little League championships in softball and baseball as well as the latest in high school sports go to providencejournal.com/sports.

Here are the week’s top reads on providencejournal.com:

How expensive is it to live in Rhode Island?

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How expensive is it to live in Rhode Island?

According to a new Forbes.com report, it’s really expensive and it’s housing costs – both mortgages and rent – driving up the cost of living in the state.

Forbes looked at several data sources to see how every state ranked in various measures ranging from cost of living to income taxes. Still, in Rhode Island, a lack of housing supply proved to be costly as rent and the cost to buy a house keep going up.

The good news? It is not as expensive as one of our neighbors.

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Cost of living: Forbes pegs RI as one of the most expensive states to live in. Here’s what is driving that ranking.

Rhode Islanders who have a Rhode Island Energy account for electricity or natural gas will notice a slew of changes starting Aug. 19, the most noticeable of which will be that their bill will look different.

In addition to a different looking bill, RI Energy will have a redesigned website, a new bill-processing system and a single phone number to reach the company’s new 300-person customer service center in Cumberland.

Customers will also be able to send a text to alert the company about an electrical outage.

Here’s why these changes are happening.

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Electricity: Big changes are coming for RI Energy account holders. Here’s what to know.

This headline is going to make some people laugh, but they don’t live here. They’re not like us.

If you’re from out of state and happen upon this, these golf courses are not out of the way. They’re actually all very convenient to get to compared to what you’re used to.

But if you’re from Rhode Island, the idea of playing one of these spots might give you a second thought. Only in the Ocean State is a spot that is not directly off the highway or takes more than 40 total minutes of driving considered “out of the way.” It’s a stereotype, but it’s a stereotype for a reason.

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So who made the list? The Journa’s Eric Rueb has played all these courses at one point or another — including two recently — and can tell you, without a doubt these are the five courses that are worth the drive.

Golf: Ready for a road trip? Here are five out-of-the-way golf courses in RI you need to play

If you want to build a granny flat, a carriage house or an accessory dwelling unit here, what are the rules?

After a new state law passed legalizing what’s known as ADUs statewide, there are fewer rules than than city leaders would like.

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“It put us in a bit of a tricky situation, as it didn’t give us any time to revise local ordinances,” Providence Deputy Planning Director Bob Azar said. “We will have to evaluate new applications based on what’s in state law.”

Providence is trying to craft an ordinance that still complies with the state law and will put some strictures and limits on accessory dwelling units. Here’s the plan.

Housing: With granny flats now legal, Providence looks to pass restrictions. Here’s what the city wants.

The biggest news of the week was President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race for president.

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The decision does raise the question for Rhode Islanders: Who will replace him on the ballot?

Biden quickly endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee.

LeeAnn Byrne, chief of staff to Secretary of State Gregg Amore, said ballots have not yet been created in Rhode Island.

“September 12th is the deadline for each national party to certify to the RI Department of State Elections Division the names of individuals nominated as the party’s candidates for president and vice president,” Byrne said. “Federal law requires us to send ballots to military and overseas voters 45 days before the election, so those ballots are finalized well in advance of Election Day. Once those ballots are printed and sent to military and overseas voters, we would be unable to change the ballot.”

Election 2024: What happens to ballots in Rhode Island now that Biden has dropped out of the race?

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To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.



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Oregon wildfire explodes to half the size of Rhode Island

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Oregon wildfire explodes to half the size of Rhode Island


By Rich McKay

(Reuters) -Winds and lightning strikes have sparked and fanned wildfires across the Pacific Northwest this week, including the largest fire currently burning in the U.S., which was rapidly expanding near the Oregon-Idaho border on Friday.

The Durkee Fire near Huntington, Oregon, has scorched 600 square miles (1,600 square km), an area more than half the size of Rhode Island’s land mass, authorities said. It is threatening several towns.

The blaze was set off by lightning on July 17, and wind gusts up to 60 mph (100 kph) drove the flames across brush, timberland and ranches, killing hundreds of cattle. The fire was only 20% contained on Friday, officials said.

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While there is zero chance of rain through next week, winds have dropped and cooler air is in store, said meteorologist Marc Chenard of the National Weather Service.

“Hopefully it gives firefighters a break,” he said.

As of Thursday, wildfires this year have burned almost 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) in Oregon and 125,900 acres in Washington, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland, Oregon.

In 2020, the worst year in recent memory, Oregon wildfires scorched more than 1.14 million acres, according to a tally by CBS TV affiliate KOIN.

In California, the Park Fire, believed to have been started by an arsonist, has forced the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents in Butte County, about 100 miles northeast of Sacramento.

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A suspect was arrested on Thursday, accused of pushing a burning car down a bone-dry gully.

The fire grew uncontrolled overnight from 125,000 acres on Thursday to 178,090 acres on Friday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than a hundred buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

“The biggest challenge with this fire is getting to it,” said Fire Captain Dan Collins. “It’s steep land with almost no roads. It’s hard to get our people and equipment to the fire lines.”

More than 1,600 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze, CalFire said.

Forecasters warned that winds would reach 30 miles mph (50 kph) on Friday and through the weekend. Combined with low humidity, it is a recipe for rapid growth, officials said.

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Smoke from fires in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest have brought hazy skies and unhealthy air from the Rocky Mountains to Minneapolis and as far east as Detroit, weather reports said.

Denver had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Friday and ranked the 30th worst in the world, according to IQAir, a group that tracks air pollution across the globe.

Much of the smoke coming into the Central and Eastern U.S. comes from a raging wildfire in the mountainous Jasper National Park in the Canadian province of Alberta.

The park and the town of Jasper, which draws more than 2 million tourists a year, were evacuated on Monday, displacing 10,000 residents and 15,000 park visitors. As much as half of the structures in the town could be damaged or destroyed, officials said, as the blaze burned more than 89,000 acres as of late Thursday.

Videos posted on social media show entire streets leveled by the blazes in the Alberta province, with scorched trees, charred metal skeletons of cars, and nothing but rubble where homes and businesses had stood.

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(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Rod Nickel, Sandra Maler and William Mallard)



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