Soups On! p.10
Vol. 39, No. 2 What’s Inside
BORN FREE
THURSDAY, January 13, 2011
Snow Day!
If We Build It, Will They Come? Workshop to examine Newport’s proposed Armory Wharf project By Tom Shevlin
NATURE Page 9
Table of Contents CALENDAR 12 CLASSIFIEDS 18 COMMUNITY BRIEFS 4 CROSSWORD 17 EDITORIAL 6 NATURE 9 POLICE LOG 5 REALTY TRANSACTIONS 6 RECENT DEATHS 18 RESTAURANTS 10 SPORTS 14 www.Newport-Now.com Twitter.com/newportnow Facebook.com/newportnow
John Caufield and his son dig out from the latest round of winter weather to hit the area. The storm dumped more than six inches of heavy white snow on the island prompting wide-spread closures. (Photo by Michelle Palazzo)
Gluten-Free Goodness Project One Gears Up for 2011 at EvaRuth’s By Andrea E. McHugh According to research by The Neilsen Company, sales of gluten-free foodstuffs rose 74 percent from 2004 to 2009, and it’s no wonder, considering reports credit gluten-free diets with aiding everyone from children with autism spectrum disorders to those suffering with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neuro-behavioral developmental disorders. A gluten-free diet is also the mainstay of people with Celiac disease, a gluten intolerance that increasingly more Americans are learning they live with every day. Disease, allergies, and special diets have been the inspiration Eva Flynn of EvaRuth’s Bakery behind EvaRuth’s, a wheat- and gluten-free bakery on Middletown’s Aquidneck Avenue that opened in October 2010. “It’s a specialty bakery,” explains owner Eva Ruth Flynn, who has lived with Celiac for the past 16 years. “We also do dairy-free, low-sugar, and vegan desserts.” The Newport native says there has been a demand from customers with allergies, those who have to maintain a special diet due to Celiac, and those who choose gluten-free or vegan lifestyles. She says Celiac is one of the more under-diagnosed diseases, but with figures increasing from 1 in 133 people living with the disease back when she was diagnosed to 1 in 100 today, more and more people are learning they have it. “It’s unbelievable,” says Flynn. “People don’t even realize they’re having allergic reactions to wheat and gluten.” Since opening her shop directly behind Custom House Coffee, Flynn says there has been an overwhelming reaction from the community. “Oh my gosh, you should be here on any given day and just see the stories that walk in,” she says. Pastry, cookies, cupcakes, and muffins are just some of the gluten-free goodness Flynn bakes from scratch on site each morning, and she says there has been a huge response to the bakery’s new line of breads. Parents of children with nut allergies have also found solace there, as EvaRuth’s is a nut-free facility and completely wheat-free
See Bakery on page 3
King Park was transformed into an open-air gallery this past fall for Project One’s Viewport installation.Here, a contribution from Alexander Nesbitt is carved into the park.
Coming on the heels of a well-received installation at King Park, and the return of the traveling Art-OMat, team leaders from Project One are preparing to roll out an ambitious series of events for the next 12 months. Project One will present overviews of different projects and outline ways that area residents may become involved in these upcoming events during a public meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 18 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Newport Public Library’s program room. The group is hoping for feedback and input about recent and pending projects, and actively soliciting artists, event organizers, and other volunteers to participate in upcom-
ing projects. Projects currently planned for 2011 include: VIEWPORT 2011–a proposed temporary sculpture installation at King Park on Wellington Avenue in September, 2011; Newport’s new Art-O-Mat–a cigarette vending machine that has been converted into a traveling fund-raising, art-vending machine available to community organizations; a developing mural project–a substantial mural being planned for Hunter Park; and the Ghost Box–a mailbox for posting letters to the departed For more information contact, Ben Ellcome or Kate Dana at Project1Newport@gmail.com.
Council Meeting Moved to Thursday Due to the snow, the City Council meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 12, was postponed until Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. For details on the night’s meeting, visit us online at www.Newport-Now.com
LOCAL NEWS MATTERS PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
NEWPORT – Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Sen. Jack Reed stood outside the Armory building on Lower Thames Street on a cool March morning in 2008, city and state officials flanking them on each side. A smattering of press and interested members of the public had gathered for what at the time was heralded the start of a new era of waterfront access for the area. Thanks to a $713,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Grant, the lower level of the building was to be converted into a transient boating center. Along with it would come a 290foot extension and upgrade to the Ann Street Pier – arguably one of the city’s most under-utilized public dock spaces. Once complete, this new complex – dubbed Armory Wharf – would be a hub for visiting boaters, boasting expanded tie-up space, along with showers, laundry, lockers, and Internet access.
See Armory on page 16
Kelley Takes The Reins By Meg O’Neil NEWPORT – Patrick Kelley was officially elected to serve as chair for the Newport School Committee on Tuesday. In a brief organizational meeting held just before this month’s regular school committee meeting, former chair Jo Eva Gaines handed over the gavel to Kelley, who will be charged with leading the committee through what is shaping up to be a very busy twoyear term. Rebecca Bolan was seated by Kelley’s side as the new ViceChairwoman. In the organizational meeting, members of the school committee gave their thanks to their families and members of the community for their votes. Bolan expressed her dedication to the position, “I don’t take this commitment lightly. I’m committed to every decision being to the well-being of the students of Newport. It’s an exciting time in education. I feel privileged to be sitting here and be able to work with the people of Newport for the next two years.” One of their main points of discussion in the organizational meeting was the school committee goals for 2011. Kelley described them as, “five broad but specific areas; goals that are very aggressive but achievable.” The five goals, in order of priority are: to improve student proficiency and graduation rates, deliver the high quality Pell School on time and within budget, to develop a balanced budget that invests resources wisely, to enhance community involvement in Newport Pub-
See Schools on page 7