Foster Town Council Meeting December 28, 2017

Glocester Residents

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PHENOLOGY CALENDAR

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

First Week of January

Crows scatter across the land in search of food by day, but gather in large groups at night.

Shaking the straight stalks of mullein will release a shower of tiny black seeds on the snow.

Mink tracks along streams often disappear as the animal takes to the water in search of fish, crayfish, or insects.

Second Week of January

Hibernating black bears reabsorb nitrogen from their urine and use it to build new cells.

Short-tailed shrews stay in their warmly-lined nests eating hoarded food when it's cold. They forage under the leaf litter during warmer times.

White tailed deer will remain yarded up beneath hemlock boughs on south-facing slopes when snow is deep.

Foster Town Council Meeting December 14, 017

Foster Zoning Board Meeting December 13, 2017

DEM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY TREE PROGRAMS

Posted  by Wayne G..Barber

Informational meeting to be held next Wednesday in Providence

 

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in partnership with the United States Forest Service and the Rhode Island Tree Council, today announced $30,000 is available in matching grants to support local tree programs.  A Request for Proposals is now open - with a deadline of January 31, 2018.  Over the past 25 years, DEM has awarded more than $5 million in grants under the America the Beautiful Tree Rhode Island program.

      

The grant program, which covers 40 percent of a project’s cost, supports urban forestry efforts, including tree plantings, community forestry planning, invasive species management, and related education and outreach.  Grant requests between $2,000 and $4,000 will be considered.  An informational workshop will be held next Wednesday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m. at DEM Headquarters, 235 Promenade Street, Room 300, Providence to review program details.

 

Additional information about this grant opportunity is available on DEM’s website.   For questions, contact Tee Jay Boudreau, deputy chief of DEM’s Division of Forest Environment at 222-2445 ext. 2059 or via email at teejay.boudreau@dem.ri.gov.  Proposals should be mailed to DEM's Division of Forest Environment, 235 Promenade Street, Suite 394, Providence, RI 02908. Final proposals and supporting materials are due by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. Government and non-profit agencies, along with recognized community groups, are eligible to apply.  Selection of grants will be determined on a competitive basis.

 

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.

Foster Planning Board Meeting December 6, 2017

Bartomioli named to North Smithfield council

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

NORTH SMITHFIELD – Teresa Bartomioli, a current member of the Charter Review Commission and the president and co-owner of North Smithfield Fence has been appointed to Town Council seat formerly held by Daniel Halloran.
Council members unanimously named Bartomioli to the seat Monday night after a motion by Councilor Paul Zwolenski to appoint Lucien Benoit, the sixth highest vote getter in the 2016 election, died for lack of a second. She was immediately sworn in and joined the council for the remainder of the meeting.
A Taylor Drive resident, Bartomioli has worked for the North Smithfield, Smithfield and Woonsocket School departments as a teacher assistant and clerical substitute. She served on the town's Budget Committee in 2012 and 2013 and is a current member of the group that recently proposed potential amendments to the Town Charter for inclusion of town residents' 2018 election ballot. She ran for the Town Council in 2012, coming in eighth out of nine candidates for the board with 2,213 votes.
Halloran, who was elected last November, resigned effective Dec. 1 citing health issues. Bartomioli will fill the remaining year of his term. Source: Valley Breeze News

A.T.Levy Teacher: Golden Apple Award on WJAR Channel 10

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

This week's Golden Apple Award goes to Joan Surprenant of Austin T. Levy School.
Surprenant’s whole family, including her father George Ducharme, longtime principal and teacher, joined in the celebration as Commissioner of Education Dr. Ken Wagner bestowed the award.

This week's Golden Apple Award goes to Joan Surprenant of Austin T. Levy School.
Surprenant’s whole family, including her father George Ducharme, longtime principal and teacher, joined in the celebration as Commissioner of Education Dr. Ken Wagner bestowed the award.

"I love working with the students and staff. My father and brother worked here as educators, as well. It does, it feels good to give back to this town,” Surprenant said.

Surprenant is known for making sure that every student feels loved and safe, while they're being given the highest level of education possible. She has been teaching for 18 years and before that, she was a substitute.