The Town of Bristol is hosting two workshops for business owners to further explain the tangible tax audit forms.

The workshops will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, Feb. 22 and March 1, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m, at Town Hall. No appointment is necessary. 

In a letter sent to Bristol business owners Dec. 30, Bristol Tax Assessor Chris Belair stated that her office would be conducting an audit of  the tangible tax forms on all Bristol businesses. The reason, Ms. Belair explained, is to ensure that the town was taxing the businesses fairly.

“I’ve gone through these files, and some forms have just $500 on them,” Ms. Belair told councilors Wednesday during their regular meeting. “Well, what is $500? I can’t tax that or explain that if we get audited.”

Councilor Mary Parella said that several business owners had approached her, as well as Councilor Tim Sweeney, confused about the entire audit and questioned the town’s motives.

In her letter, Ms. Belair asked for copies of businesses’ IRS filings over the past three years. If someone was uncomfortable handing that over, she said insurance information would suffice.

“We’re not out to get anyone,” Ms. Belair said. “This will help the businesses, and make sure that  we’re taxing them on what they actually have.”

Two men were transported to Rhode Island Hospital early Monday morning, following a head-on collision with a telephone pole.

Police responded to an area of Broadcommon Road just before 1:30 a.m. Feb. 17, for a report of a car accident with injuries. Upon arrival, Officer Barry Carinha noted a silver Volvo with disabling front-end damage near Peckham Drive. There was a telephone pole about 15 feet from the car, “sheared in two places, creating a direct hazard to all parties involved,” Officer Carinha stated in his report.

The driver, Benjamin D. Minior, 21, of 17 Casey Drive, Bristol, was sitting the driver’s seat. He appeared to be “disoriented and was drooling from the side of his mouth,” Officer Carinha reported. Both airbags deployed.

When asked if he was hurt, Mr. Minior allegedly told police that his “ankle hurt from hockey,” but was otherwise “fine.”

Mr. Minior’s passenger, a 25-year-old Warren man, was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries — apparent broken bones and possible internal injuries, the report states. He was found laying outside of the car, holding his legs.

Mr. Minior was asked several times if he was involved in the crash, to which he allegedly replied, “I don’t know. I was walking down the street and saw my buddy was in a crash so I went to the car.”

At that point, Officer Carinha reported that Mr. Minior looked back at the car and said, “Is that my car? Why is my car smashed up? I wasn’t driving.”

While being interviewed, Officer Carinha reported Mr. Minior smelled like alcohol as he talked. He allegedly denied participating in a field sobriety test, and was transported to the hospital for treatment of a large cut on his head.

Police searched Mr. Minior’s car and allegedly found a large amount of marijuana and multiple pieces of paraphernalia that would suggest his intent was to distribute it.

He was arrested on two felony charges of DUI resulting in serious bodily injury, and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

The Town of Bristol is soliciting purpose bids for its three downtown school buildings — Walley, Reynolds and Byfield.

The RFP, due by noon March 5, is a blank canvas; ideas for the buildings’ future use could be determined entirely by the bidder.

“What we’re looking for is a proposal for all three, but specifically the Walley school because that’s currently vacant,” said Town Administrator Tony Teixeira.

The town has been renting out rooms in the Reynolds and Byfield school buildings for the past two years to private businesses, such as artists, a yoga studio, textile sales, and medical instrument sales. The town generates $64,200 a year in revenue from the tenants at Byfield, and $71,040 from the tenants at Reynolds — specifically the English as a Second Language program, which pays $68,040 yearly for space.

“We want to make sure that the folks who are there can also put in (a bid) for it as well,” Mr. Teixeira said. “We don’t want to chase them away, that’s not our intent. We want to maximize the use and hopefully incorporate all the folks who are currently there.”

The RFP process started last December when the town was approached by a tenant with a purpose proposal for one of the buildings. The town couldn’t legally entertain the idea, unless it put out a RFP, opening up the opportunity for anyone interested.

“We are in the process of meeting with all the people in (Byfield) to put together a plan,” said Dawn Oliveira, owner of Oliveira Textiles, and a Byfield tenant. “We definitely want this to stay as an art and design building, but we want to put it together as a benefit to the town. We want to show that we are serious artists and want to stay here.”

Depending on the proposal, current tenants could package a RFP showing interest in the entire building or just rooms, Mr. Teixeira said.

A RFP for repurposing the Walley school went unanswered last year. A representative of the Colonial Theater based in Westerly had met with several town officials over the summer about converting the building into a performing arts hub.

However, nothing was ever submitted, Mr. Teixeira said.

Mr. Teixeira is currently gathering information about the town’s cost to operate each building, ensuring the town is “on target with whatever the offer may be.”

Roger Williams University will break ground on its new sailing center this spring.

University officials could have a shovel in the ground by the end of May, signaling the start of construction on a new 6,000-square-foot sailing center, should their application with the town proceed smoothly.

“The push to get this done as soon as possible is to benefit the people who are funding it,” said Peter Wilbur, Associate Vice President of University Relations.

Mr. Wilbur, along with university officials and project architects, met with the town’s planning department Tuesday for a technical review of the sailing center plans. The two-story building would offer ample storage space for the university’s sailing team’s boats on the first floor; and provide about 900 square-feet of room space on the second floor with an attached outdoor deck.

The 6,000 square-foot building features a deck overlooking the bay.

Other features include mens and women’s bathrooms/locker rooms, an upstairs kitchen, and a drying closet for sailing gear.

With the building site located remotely from the university’s main campus, providing access for emergency personnel was a necessity.

“We have put in an access roadway and will install a fire hydrant,” said Ms. Tully. “We know that the town has struggled with emergency access to the waterfront, and this will help with that.”

Last May, after the university raised $1.7 million toward the project’s $3 million price tag during its 10th Annual Captain’s Cup Regatta, it announced its plans for the center.

Upon completion, the sailing center will be the hub for the university’s sailing team, a coed program started in the late 1970s that in recent years, under the leadership of Coach Amanda Callahan, has become a national powerhouse. The team has been ranked No. 1 nationally since May 2011.

Mr. Wilbur estimated that the sailing center could be up-and-running by Spring 2015.

Members of the Bristol Police Department were presented with a plaque for their in-state accreditation award at a Feb. 12 Town Council meeting.

“It’s very much like hospital accreditation,” explained Christine Crocker, executive director of the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission (RIPAC). “An agency has to provide proof and documentation that they adhere to the policies and standards set forth by the commission.

“You wouldn’t have surgery done in a hospital that wasn’t accredited would you?”

Ms. Crocker presented Bristol Police Chief Josue Canario with a plaque during the Town Council meeting Feb. 12.

The in-state accreditation program was initiated by the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association in 2009, as an effort to bring uniformity to all police departments, Ms. Crocker said.

RIPAC was formed as a non-profit organization under the RI Police Chief’s Association, and in 2012, the Rhode Island Law Enforcement Accreditation Program was officially established. Rhode Island is the 25th state to create such a program.

“This does not happen by accident or luck,” Chief Canario told councilors. “This is all done through hard work, dedication and professionalism from each and every member of the Bristol Police Department.”

There are 43 agencies that have signed on to participate in the program. To achieve accreditation, the agencies will have to show their adherence to RIPAC’s 200 standards and policies.

The five agencies that have earned in-state accreditation have also earned national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA). Bristol was re-accredited by CALEA for a third time last November.

A CALEA accredited agency needs to show compliance with 480 standards.

“Those agencies only have to show adherence to 12 of our standards, which are state-specific,” Ms. Crocker said. “One standard that (Rhode Island) has that CALEA does not is that agencies need to set a policy on social media that addresses the use of social media by officers on and off duty.”

Like CALEA, participation in the state program is voluntary.

The following items are among those in the Bristol police log Feb. 10 – 16, 2014:

Monday, Feb. 10

Police were called to a Sherry Avenue home for a report that the door may have been tampered with and some items in the house were allegedly missing. A box of mail had been misplaced, and there was no damage to the door.

Jason Richard Murphy, 43, of Fall River, Mass., was arrested on charges of shoplifting, and habitual shoplifting offender.

Luis Carlos Silva, 27, of Fall River, Mass., was arrested on Warren Police Department affidavit for larceny under $1,500.

Animal control was called to Coggeshall Farm for a report of loose livestock.

Tuesday, Feb. 11

A St. Louis Avenue resident reported being harassed by an ex-boyfriend.

Police were called to Midland Farms twice for “suspicious activity.” It was just a patron.

Tia M. Bevilacqua, 35, of Riverside, was arrested on charges of DUI second offense, and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

Wednesday, Feb. 12

Jonalee Arruda, 40, of 45 Richmond St., Bristol, was arrested on charges of domestic/simple assault.

A Wood Street resident reported that their landlord allegedly turned off the heat to the apartment.

A caller reported seeing a man, allegedly intoxicated, sitting on the steps of Colt apartments. He then walked over to the Herreshoff apartments to “relieve himself.” Police called for EMS to evaluate him.

Thursday, Feb. 13

Police were called to Revival on Hope Street for a report of possible embezzlement.

A Highland Road resident reported possible damage to their property by a National Grid truck.

Police responded to an area of State Street because two women were arguing.

Firefighters put out a car fire on San Juan Drive.

Friday, Feb. 14

An Annawamscutt Drive resident reported getting a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS.

A Robin Drive resident spoke with police about concerns he had regarding this teenage daughter.

A Jane Lane resident reported hearing a woman screaming outside at 11:32 p.m.

 Saturday, Feb. 15

Police were called to a home on Opechee Drive for a report that a neighbor was playing loud music.

An Everett Street caller reported seeing a rowboat in the water. There were no issues. Just a buoy that broke loose.

A caller reported seeing a car in the area of High and Cottage streets pulling a sled.

 Sunday, Feb. 16

Michael DoCouto, 37, of 7 San Francisco St., Bristol, was arrested on charges of domestic vandalism.

A Collins Street resident reported that a neighbor was putting snow in her yard with a snow-blower.

Police got a call from a Lang Avenue resident who reported that jewelry was stolen from the house.

A Dolly Drive resident reported that a snow plow operator was moving snow into the road.

Police were called to a Michael Drive home for a report that someone might have been playing ding-dong-ditch.

Sr. Almerinda Costa, 92, a member of the congregation of the Sisters of St. Dorothy who taught for many years at both the Academy of St. Dorothy in Grasmere and St. Patrick’s School, Richmond, died Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, in Carmel-Richmond Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Dongan Hills.

Born and raised in Bristol, Sr. Almerinda arrived on Staten Island, age 14, to attend the former St. Patrick’s Academy, a boarding school in Richmond.

She entered the Sisters of St. Dorothy in 1937 as a postulant and took her final vows in 1946.

Sr. Almerinda earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the former Catholic Teachers College in Providence. She attended both Fordham University and Boston College, where she earned a master’s degree in education. She also earned a master’s degree in theology from St. Louis (Mo.) University.

She served in many capacities within the congregation. She was director of novices from 1962 to 1969 and was provincial of the order from 1970 to 1980.

She began her teaching career at St. Dorothy’s, where she taught from 1956 to 1962. She returned to St. Dorothy’s in 1969, and served as principal for a year. She taught eighth grade at St. Patrick’s from 1984 through 1994, when she retired. She continued to live in the convent of St. Patrick’s, serving as convent coordinator, until 2006, when she became a resident of Carmel-Richmond.

Sr. Almerinda is remembered by her fellow sisters as faith-filled and as an avid reader who kept abreast of current events and enjoyed discussing religious topics. She was also known for her keen mind and sharp wit.

Sr. Almerinda is survived by two sisters, Philomenia Palmeri and Sr. Dorothy Costa.

Nancy pals around with Duke, her 1-and-a-half year old mixed breed dog. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has been offsetting the rental cost for Nancy’s one-bedroom apartment through the housing choice voucher program (Section 8).

They’re not entirely comfortable, but eight years ago, that’s all Nancy had to sleep on — and they weren’t even hers. She was homeless.

Then, at 48, the Bristol-Warren native had envisioned something drastically different for her life. She came from a typical blue-collar family, graduated from high school, and landed a local job collecting tolls from drivers crossing Mt. Hope Bridge.

She fell in love, got married and had three children.

“I’ve always wanted to be a mom,” said Nancy, now 56. “Back in the 60s, women didn’t have that many options.”

But somewhere along her life’s path, the road got a little bumpy. Her marriage ended in a divorce, and she became a single mom, the sole caretaker of her three young children.

“I’d work the overnight shift the guys didn’t want,” said Nancy, who declined to give her last name. “I’d be there in the morning to make them breakfast, sleep while they’re at school, and then be there for them when they got off the bus and make them dinner.

“I tried the best I could.”

She eventually made it through that rough patch, only to have life toss her another curve ball. She fell in love again, moved to Florida, and later returned to Bristol broken-hearted.

In the process, the house she and her husband had in Barrington was lost to foreclosure.

“We had a renter who we thought was paying the mortgage,” she said. “Apparently they weren’t.”

To make matters worse, Nancy also lost her job when the bridge toll went away. She tried working odd-jobs, even secured a waitressing gig. However, her ailing health didn’t allow for her to be on her feet very long. The economy didn’t help either and soon she was laid-off.

Jobless, homeless, and nearly hopeless, Nancy had just about given up when she learned she qualified for a federal housing assistance program.

Through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Nancy was able to rent her own apartment under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, more commonly known as Section 8. Qualifying participants can have their rent offset, and in some cases entirely paid for, by HUD.

Locally, the Bristol Housing Authority (BHA) manages the voucher program. Working off a waiting list, the BHA issues housing vouchers to families whose income is either “very low” or “low” regarding the area’s median income, according to HUD guidelines.

Getting on the waiting list, however, isn’t as easy as making a phone call, said Candace Pansa, BHA Executive Director.

“We can only give out as many vouchers as federal funding will provide,” Ms. Pansa said.

BHA adds new families to the waiting list every few years because the need exceeds demand. The last time BHA opened its waiting list in August 2010, they received more than 1,700 applications.

“The waiting list was only open for a short period of time,” Ms. Pansa said. “Just four hours. We were shocked to see that in that short period of time, we had so many people.”

The line of applicants snaked from BHA’s main office on Hope Street up to Metacom Avenue.

“People did camp out overnight at the door,” she said. “And it just shows you the need and desperation of people looking for subsidized housing.”

That waiting list has dwindled to 229 applicants, enabling the BHA to once again open the list and solicit applications. Ms. Pansa is hopeful to open the waiting list in April, but a specific day and time had not yet been set.

“We go through and purge the list monthly,” said Juliann Giusti, coordinator of BHA’s housing voucher program. “Someone may no longer be interested, for whatever reason, or they’ve moved or no longer qualify.”

In Bristol, the BHA spends $110,000 per month on 156 housing voucher leases, which helps 353 people. Those benefiting from the program range from senior citizens and disabled residents, to families or single parents.

“I believe that most of those people are good and don’t take advantage of the situation,” Nancy said, who recently earned disability status with the Social Security Administration. “It’s there to help you when you need it, and most people would rather be making it on their own.”

BHA housing vouchers can be used for any apartment where a landlord has been approved to accept them. In most cases, it requires that the landlord takes a hit on rental income. The BHA pays out rental assistance well below market value for Bristol, Ms. Pansa said. And renters are not allowed to make up the difference out of their pocket.

“The problem is that our rental guidelines are based on what you’d pay in Providence,” she said. “And we’re more in line with Newport County.”

Paul G. Bullock crossed over at Sturdy Memorial Hospital on Feb. 18, 2014.

He was born in Fall River, Mass., the son of Harry H. Bullock Sr., and Pauline Sylvester Bullock.

He was raised and educated in Bristol, and graduated from Colt Memorial High School in 1949.

Paul was the husband of Harriett Mulligan Bullock.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters and four sons: Elizabeth Bullock and her husband Gary Krofta, Andrew and his wife Janyte, Christopher and his wife Carolyn, Daniel and his wife Jean, Edward and his wife Michelle, and Faith Bullock.

He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1952 to 1954, during which time he was a marksmanship instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Founder and first president of The Wandering Bull, Inc., he continued to be active with the company until the time of his passing. Paul was known in Native American circles as Whirling Thunder, a name given to him by a Mohawk elder many years ago.  A well-known Native American Master of Ceremonies and dancer, Paul was a charter member of several Native groups in the area.  He spent much of his semi-retirement presenting school programs in an effort to bring the Native perspective to the students and foster heightened awareness of the contemporary Native.  His Wampanoag heritage was an important part of his life.

Paul was employed by Carpenter Technology Corp for 25 years, as an inside salesman. Following his retirement in 1985, he devoted his time and energy to the family business and Native affairs.

He was a member of North American Indian Club, Willimantic, Conn., (Council Member); American Indian Federation, Lafayette, (Past Chief); Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness; The Order for the Preservation of Indian Culture, Weymouth, Mass.; Wollomonuppoag Indian Council, Plainville, Mass., (Charter Member); Indian League of the Americas, Barryville, N.Y.; Indian Cultural Art Lodge, Worcester, Mass., (Charter Member).

He also served the Jaycees as president and was an assistant Scout Master of Troop 37 Boy Scouts of America.

Paul is predeceased by two brothers, Harry H. Bullock Jr., and Robert H. Bullock.

His funeral was held on Saturday, Feb. 22.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum or the Wounded Warriors Project would be appreciated.  MKIM at indianmuseum.org or by mail to Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum,

P.O. Box 142 Warner, NH 03278.  Wounded Warriors can be found online at woundedwarriorproject.org or mail to Wounded Warrior Project   P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675.

The Bullock family would like to thank Dr. Raymond Petit, Dr Steven Flood, and the entire staff of Sturdy Memorial Hospital ICU.

Virginia B. Kinder, age 92, of Poppasquash Road, Bristol, died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, at the St. Elizabeth’s Manor, Bristol.

She was the wife of the late Ralph Kinder.

Born in East Providence, she was a daughter of the late Raymond S. and Alice A. (Dixon) Brightman.

Virginia worked with her husband at the former Samuel Kinder & Brothers Florist, formerly in Bristol. She also was a telephone switchboard operator for former New England Telephone.

She was a member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, and a member of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee. She was believed to be their oldest member.

Virginia is survived by her brother Raymond S. Brightman, Jr., of Bristol; a step-son, Joseph Kinder; several nieces and nephews; and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a step-son, Robert Kinder; two sisters, Alice F. Hampton and Gladys M. Brightman.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a grave side service on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 at 10 a.m. in Juniper Hill Cemetery, Sherry Avenue, Bristol.

Visiting hours are respectfully omitted.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Bristol Animal Shelter, 11 Broadcommon Road, Unit 155, Bristol, RI 02809.

Mary C. (Almeida) Sardinha, 87 of Low Lane, passed away Feb. 16, 2014 at Silver Creek Manor.  She was the wife of the late Louis G. Sardinha.

Born in Bristol, she was the daughter of the late John and Herminia (Sousa) Almeida.

Mary is survived by her sisters, Elizabeth Cehelsky of Fla., and Dolores Howard of W.V., and her brother James Almeida of Rehoboth, Mass.

She was the loving mother of the late Mary Elizabeth Sardinha and sister of the late John, Anthony, Joseph, Alice, Arthur, George and Raymond.

Her funeral services were held Feb. 20, from the George Lima Funeral Home with a Mass of Christian Burial concelebrated by Rev. Richard Narciso and Rev. Charles Lintz SSC at St. Elizabeth Church. Burial followed in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were David Almeida, David Almeida Jr, Douglas Almeida, John Brando Jr, Robert Almeida and Dennis Cehelsky.

The following items are among those in the Bristol police log Feb. 17 – 24, 2014: 

Monday, Feb. 17

A caller reported that their car was damaged from ice that fell off a building at K&R Apartments.

An elderly woman called police to report that a “safe” was in her home. She appeared distraught and police responded for a well-being check.

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Kerry Bergeron, 27, of Scituate, R.I., was arrested on two charges of possession of narcotics.

Police were called to a Hope Street apartment to settle an argument between the first and second floor tenants.

A Carol Avenue resident was reportedly standing in the middle of the road, blocking a snow plow.

Wednesday, Feb. 19

Gil’s TV and Appliance reported that a tour bus was parked in the parking lot, and that it had been there since Tuesday. The bus belonged to Joseph’s Limousine of Massachusetts. The bus was disabled and the company was sending a tow truck to remove it.

A Vernon Avenue resident reported that someone had broken into his house and fled.

Police received a report that a car was driving around Michael Drive at 9:12 p.m., ringing door bells.

Thursday, Feb. 20

A Charlotte Drive resident called police to report that a constable had showed up at their home looking for someone who hadn’t lived there in four years. The resident just wanted police to verify his information.

A Sowams Drive resident called police because he was having trouble with a neighbor.

Jason P. Derobbio, 33, of 1 Sheffield Ave., Bristol, was arrested on a 3rd District Court bench warrant charge.

A Bradford Street resident reported that a picture was stolen.

Police were called to an apartment on Wood Street three times for a landlord/tenant dispute.

Friday, Feb. 21

Peter H. Rodrigues, 24, of 322 Wood St., Bristol, was arrested on charges of obstructing a police officer in execution of duty and resisting arrest.

Joshua L. Audette, 33, of 8 Sachem Road, Bristol, was arrested on charges of domestic/simple assault.

Police got a call about a possible animal cruelty report on Wood Street.

A Bay View Avenue resident reported seeing a suspicious man walking past her home on a cell phone.

Saturday, Feb. 22

Michael J. Leger, 27, of Warren, was arrested on a 6th District Court bench warrant charge.

Deidre M. Mosher, 48, of 8 Seaview Ave., Bristol, was arrested on charges of domestic/simple assault.

Police were called to a Bay View Avenue home for a report of a suspicious car parked in front of the home.

A caller reported seeing two possibly drunk men get into a car near Aidan’s Pub. They were transported to Newport Hospital.

Sunday, Feb. 23

Police were called to a home on Opechee Drive for a report of loud music at 3:24 a.m.

A man was seeing crossing the Mt. Hope Bridge. He had apparently missed the bus back to Portsmouth. Police transported him over the bridge.

Police helped a Hillside Road resident remove a squirrel that had gotten stuck in the walls of her home.

Police were called to a Smith Street home to settle an argument between a husband and wife.

Frank Massa, age 88, of 160 Franklin St., and formerly of Prospect Street, Bristol, died Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, at Newport Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

He was the husband of the late Theresa V. (Vollaro) Massa.

Born and raised in Providence, he was a son of the late Fioravante and Rosa (Marrone) Massa.  Frank was a Tec. 5 in the U.S. Army during WWII serving in the Pacific Theater.

Mr. Massa was a Wire Worker for the Carol Cable Co. in Lincoln for 20 years, retiring in 1986.  He had previously worked for Kaiser Aluminum in their former Bristol plant.  He also did home delivery of baked goods from Sal’s Bakery in the Bristol area, for many years.

Frank was a communicant of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Bristol, a former member of the Cup Defenders Association and an avid Red Sox fan.

He is survived by a daughter, Donna S. Poissant and her husband, Oliver of Bristol; three grandchildren, Paul R. Sousa, Courtney, and Ryan Poissant, all of Bristol.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph Massa.

His funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, from the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood St., Bristol. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 141 State St., Bristol.

Burial with Military Honors will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Chestnut Street, Bristol.

Visiting hours will be Saturday morning only from 8 – 10.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Bristol Animal Shelter, 11 Broad Common Road, Unit 155, Bristol, RI  02809.

This home at 458 Poppasquash Road just sold for $5.25 million, the most expensive in Bristol’s history.

Newport’s Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty just sealed the deal on a four-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom home at 458 Poppasquash Road for a cool $5,250,000.

The sale is the second-most expensive in Rhode Island this year, and the most expensive sale ever recorded in Bristol, according to the Multiple Listing Service. This sale is second to a $6.8 million home sold in Newport in January by the same company.

The gated home is situated on 2.78 acres and features two fireplaces, a three-car garage, sweeping waterfront views over three levels, a library, great room, recreation room, media room, an elevator, and a wet bar — all within 7,500 square feet of living space.

The home features four bedrooms, and five-and-a-half bathrooms, spanning 7,500 square-feet.

Typically, high-end homes are on the market for years, Mr. Leys said.

“I had a house on the market in Jamestown that sold for $7 million, which was on the market for two years,” Mr. Leys said. “Sometimes it takes awhile to find the right buyer.”

Poppasquash Road has had several sales above $3 million, with the second highest sale, the Point Pleasant Inn at 333 Poppasquash Road, selling for $3.5 million in 2000.

The gated home is situated on 2.78 acres.

“I think Bristol is becoming a very desirable destination for some of these high-net worth individuals,” he said. “It’s an up-and-coming town, attracting lots of these types of buyers. We don’t see a lot of activity out there mostly because of the lack of inventory.”

Nick Amoroso and Vinny Campagna inspect a steam-filled pipe before inserting wooden frames.

This Warren boy wanted craftsman tools, all kinds.

“I’m really interested in construction,” Gaetano said.

Gaetano’s love of wood-working was cultivated in a little-known boat building program for middle school students offered at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. He learned about the program from participating in the museum’s sailing class over the summer.

Wooden boats? Hand tools? Gaetano was hooked.

“I was asking everyone for the different tools we use in the (program),” he said of his family’s Christmas presents to him, “so that I can build my own things at home.”

Gaetano is one of three boys participating in the 16-week Middle School Mentorship Program, which has been meeting every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon since November. Guided by museum shipwright Keith Brown, the eager, young craftsmen are studying the concepts of wooden sail boat construction while learning basic hand tool skills.

“We try to give them the experience of working on traditional boats, the maintenance and repair that goes into it,” Mr. Brown said. “It’s a specific skill set that’s not common these days.”

Wooden sail boats largely drove the sailing industry until the mid 50s and 60s, Mr. Brown said. At that time, manufacturing companies were beginning to make boats out of aluminum. It was easier and less expensive to maintain.

“People were tossing their wooden boats aside,” he said.

Now, sailors are beginning to see the value in the aesthetics of wooden boats and the way they’re built, Mr. Brown said. At the museum, shipwrights maintain their boats in the same manner they did decades earlier.

“It’s a bit of a history lesson, too,” Mr. Brown said.

On one particular Tuesday afternoon, Vinny Campagna (an eighth-grade student at Kickemuit Middle School), and Nick Amoroso (an eighth-grade student at Barrington Middle School), were learning how to steam-bend frames for the inside of a boat. Wooden sticks about two-inches thick were stuffed into a hollow PVC pipe with two openings — one pumping in hot steam and the other was the stick entry point.

The temperature in the PVC pipe will reach about 200 degrees, Mr. Brown told the two boys. Gaetano was at home, recovering from a stomach bug.

“This is just really awesome,” Vinny said, his eyes traveling the length of the rubber hose feeding the steam into the pipe.

Vinny signed up for the mentorship program when he wasn’t able to take wood-working at KMS. The class at school is an elective and students are chosen to participate based on a lottery system.

“When I found out about this, I told my parents that I definitely wanted to do it,” he said.

When Nick’s dad went to Newport to check out a boat-building school over the summer, Nick tagged along.

“My dad is retiring soon and wanted to look at other things to do,” he said. “When I saw all that they learned in the school, and then heard about this, I knew I wanted to do this. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Mr. Brown taught Vinny and Nick how to properly paint the side of a boat with special boat paint. First, the two primed the surface; then, as Nick used a roller to roll the paint on, Vinny followed close behind with a painter’s brush, smoothing the paint onto the surface.

The threesome have also made toolboxes and a pulley, utilizing hand tools and learning about each one in the process.

There is a cost for the program, which is minimal due to a grant funded by the Hagerty Education Program. The grant is given to programs providing hands-on training of the skills and trades for classic cars and boats.

Those interested in Herreshoff’s program should contact Larry Lavers, Chief Operating Officer, at 253-5000.

To the editor:

I would like to take exception to Alayne White’s letter in your recent edition of Feb. 20, 2014. Ms. White shows a complete lack of respect for the experience of one of our town’s senior political leaders and lack of understanding of the principle of majority rule. Mr. Faria had the good sense to admit that the party may have made a mistake in endorsing a certain candidate who broke his word at the very first opportunity. Most of us registered Democrats will respect Mr. Faria all the more for his speaking up at this time. An endorsed candidate who broke his word on a very important issue after being elected is not unusual, but he definitely does not deserve the continued support of his political party.

Ms. White unfortunately completely misses the point of majority rule. Her unwarranted attack on Mr. Faria also shows a complete disregard for the honesty and integrity which we expect from our politicians.

George Burman

66 Highland Road

Twenty-five students at Mt. Hope High School will be performing at the All-State Concert March 23.

Junior Band

Samuell Campanella, trumpet, grade nine; Emily Cupolo, flute, grade nine; Morgan Kane, mallets/percussion, grade nine; Luke Cabral, trombone/winds, grade nine; and Laura Iacono, flute/winds, grade nine.

Percussion

Michael Contente, snare drum, grade 10.

Winds

Elisabeth Iacono, trumpet/second, grade 12; Nicholas Kirby, French horn/second, grade 11; Jonathan Medeiros, trombone/third, grade 11; and Ryan Shorey, tuba, grade 12.

Classical Guitar

Daniel Arruda, grade 12; John Bracone, grade 12; Matthew DeWolf, grade 12; Taylor Foster, grade 12; Jennifer Kulak, grade 12; Bryce O’Brien, grade 10; Kayla Placido, grade 10; and Justin Slocumb, grade 11.

Vocals

Brenden Barboza, bass, grade 11; Kristin Brzozowy, alto, grade 12; Carl Gerhard, bass, grade 11; Anthony Murgo, tenor, grade 12; Alexandra Brassard, soprano, grade 10; Rose Pansa, alto, grade 10; and Sara Slusarski, alto, grade 10.

Drug-sniffing dogs from the Rhode Island State Police Canine Corps swept the interior of Mt. Hope High School this morning, checking lockers and the corridors while students were in class.

The sweep was conducted at 9:15 a.m., and parents and students were not notified before it took place. At no time did the dogs have contact with the students.

Citing an increase in disciplinary actions at the high school over the past three years, school administrators along with the Bristol Police Department and the Rhode Island State Police Canine Corps, conducted the sweep as part of the administration’s action plan to address the problem.

“It’s a deterrent,” said Melinda Thies, Superintendent of the Bristol Warren Regional School District. “It sends a very strong message to students that we’re watching over them and protecting them.”

In a press release posted to the school district’s website today, Ms. Thies said that there had been an increase in students being suspended at the high school “for being under the influence or in possession of controlled or illegal substances.”

This is the first time in the school’s history that drug dogs have been used as a preventative measure at Mt. Hope, Ms. Thies said.

The results of the sweep were not readily available. If the dogs did find anything, school administrators would follow the district’s disciplinary protocol, which can be found in the school’s handbook.

The entirety of the superintendent’s letter is below:

The Bristol Warren Regional School District’s first priority is the health and safety of its students. Without an optimum learning environment, students cannot access a quality education. Due to an increase over a three year period in the number of disciplinary incidents at Mt. Hope High School that involve students being suspended from school for being under the influence or in possession of controlled or illegal substances, the high school administrative team, the superintendent, and the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Bristol Police Department have been meeting on a regular basis to develop an action plan to identify intervention strategies to deter such incidents at Mt. Hope High School.

In partnership with the Bristol Police Department, the administrative team developed an action plan to conduct canine sweeps of MHHS in 2013-2014 to ensure that the school is a substance-free campus. Research for this action included data collection of disciplinary infractions, outreach by Principal Donald Rebello to his administrative colleagues in the state regarding the use and protocols for canine sweeps, and contact with the RI State Police Department by Bristol Police Chief Canario. Through this research, it was determined that the following districts conduct regular canine sweeps of their high school campuses utilizing the RI State Police Department: Chariho, Coventry, Narragansett, North Kingstown, Smithfield, Warwick and Westerly.

On Feb. 26, 2014 at approximately 9:15 am, the RI State Police Canine Corps conducted a canine sweep of the interior of the MHHS campus. Search dogs guided by certified State Police personnel and a MHHS administrator conducted sweeps of the corridors and lockers while students were retained in their classrooms. At no time did the RI State Police Canine Corps make physical contact with students.

Per the directive of the Bristol Police Department, the administration did not communicate the date or time of the canine sweep to students or their families. The Bristol Warren Regional School District abided by the Bristol Police Department directive, as well as the protocols of the RI State Police Department. In order maintain a substance-free campus; the Bristol Warren Regional School District will be conducting canine sweeps of the Mt. Hope High School campus periodically.

The canine sweep which occurred on Feb. 26 was one step in an action plan that entails therapeutic intervention, student support services, and pro-active positive lifestyle awareness.

To the editor:

Over the past two weeks, Bristol Democrat Party Chairman John Faria has been criticized for essentially requiring “loyalty” and being “old school,” based on a Bristol Democrat Town Committee decision to not accept Councilor Tim Sweeney onto the committee and likely not endorse him as a Democrat in this year’s election.

The debate over the past two weeks is a bit confusing, so I would like to add some perspective, as a member of the local Democrat Party and former elected councilor and state representative who often “thought and acted outside the box.”

Political parties develop a political philosophy and matching programs that define their ideology and set out the agenda they would pursue should they win elective office.

Our country and its electorate are moving away from political party activism, and more people consider themselves “independents” who want their elected representatives to be independent thinkers. We increasingly vote for “the person,” rather than the party or the party’s philosophy.

Part of what has disconnected people from a political party, is the parties themselves have, in their effort to seek more voters and sell themselves, become “all things to all people.” Frankly, it’s all a big mess, which is what has driven people away from identifying with either party.

But since there is no formal “Independent Party,” which represents a specific philosophy and ideology, with matching government programs, the Democrat and Republican parties have had a field day. Voters can call themselves independents or unaffiliated all they want, but at the end of the day, there are only two political parties standing, the Democrats and the Republicans, locally, statewide and federally.

On occasion, an “Independent” candidate wins an election, but that independent has to work with the Democrat or Republican Party if they want to get anything accomplished. They must give up some of their beliefs to get something accomplished for the greater good. Nobody, but nobody gets their way in democracy; they all get something less. I didn’t make up this system, but having observed it from afar and up close, this is how it works, right or wrong.

The local Democrat Party is active in shaping government policy. It is their purpose, and there is nothing wrong with that or to be ashamed of. The committee seeks out candidates who can work together, be cohesive, who are philosophically and ideologically akin and can act as a coalition … a team … to get things done to move this Town of Bristol forward.

All in all, it has done a pretty damn good job. Just look around. We should be proud of this town and what the Democrats have done in part to successfully manage its growth and direction. Perfect, no, but neither is democracy.

So while we all want elected officials to be independent thinkers, there are two requirements that are basic to the party structure. The first is loyalty and the second is discipline. Without either, the entire system breaks down.

Councilman Sweeney, while an independent thinker, is neither loyal nor disciplined. The Bristol Democratic Town Committee has every right and every expectation, that those Democrat candidates it supports will do just two things if elected.

The first is to elect leadership within the party. The second is to reach agreement on a budget. The committee neither directs nor expects or tries to enforce anything else, and accusations or assertions to the contrary are simply not true

While inexperience has its trappings, so does leadership fatigue from someone who has been in office too long. If one of the freshmen councilmen were to have been voted chairperson of the Bristol Town Council, it would not have been the first or last time in this town’s long and storied history.

So before judging Chairman Faria too harshly, based on overly broad generalizations and lack of understanding of a changing and imperfect democrat process, please consider the facts, the process and the concepts of loyalty and discipline.

Before you make Councilman Sweeney a martyr, who was ostracized “by the good old boys,” consider loyalty and discipline in your everyday life and how important those concepts are to a successful life and moral compass. The town committee has decided to wish Mr. Sweeney all the best, with no disrespect to either him or Council Chairwoman Mary Parella.

I have voted many times in the past for Ms. Parella, as many other Democrats have also voted for her. She is a competent and honest elected representative of the people of Bristol, but I do not support Councilman Sweeney’s decision to vote for her as council chairwoman.

If he wants to be a Republican, be a Republican and be loyal to the Republicans, as Chairman Faria said, not a “party pretender.”

Douglas W. Gablinske

45 Kickemuit Ave.

To the editor:

Following the recent bombshell of Councilman Sweeney being bounced from the Democrat town committee, it’s time to hear some hard truths of who the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ are.

Mr. Sweeney clearly demonstrated the judgement of a statesmen. One who puts principle-above-party, and whose loyalty to his constituents of all political stripes out-ways petty loyalties of ‘Party First.’

By supporting Mary Parella (an even-handed moderate in her own right) as Town Council Chair, it shows experience trumps ideology — a mindset the public has wanted from its officials for some time.

The fact remains that voters are clearly looking for open-eared leadership as opposed to dyed-in-the-wool Democrat loyalty.

In 2010, Bristol elected its first Independent to the town council in Mr. Teixeira. They later rewarded his pragmatism two years later by making him Bristol’s first Independent Town Administrator (to which he has been doing an admirable job).

But the real Hall of Shame in this debacle lies greatly with Bristol Democrat Committee Chair John Faria and his followers. Forcing Councilman Sweeney out of his own party is the biggest act of low-life dirty pool and unethical political fascism since the days of the Mayor Daley machine in Old Chicago.

This stunt is such a perversion of the JFK-style governing: The party mantra should be ‘Ask not what The Democrats can do for you, ask what you can do for the Democrats.’

Such behavior is not unexpected. When then-candidate Sweeney first announced his run, I recall Mr. Faria and company opting not to endorse him pre-primary. With such a lack of warm reception from the beginning, can anybody blame the councilman putting principal above party?

Sadly, such a lack of bi-partisanship is pretty routine from most R.I. Democrats. During the then-Chairman Barboza era of the Bristol Town Council, partisan pot-shots would often be doled out to citizens of opposing views (especially during the budget season, as I came to experience).

On a more state-wide level, East Bay-area centrist-Democrat Rep. Jan Malik was similarly stripped of his role as chairman of the House Committee of Environment and Natural Resources back in 2010 (he held the chairmanship for over two years), after backing a different candidate for Speaker of the House then party-old boy Gordon Fox (the same speaker responsible for 38 Studios “investment” and Sakonnet Bridge Toll). Today, Rep. Fox still reigns as speaker and holds the defacto-most-powerful position in RI.

When will the disconnected Democrats look beyond their own political interest and reward leadership that reflects the will of ‘we-the-people’?!

As a Republican, I can say with great certitude, that the part of Lincoln and Reagan fosters a welcoming environment of open-mindedness and fesh perspectives – beyond petty politics -and if Councilman Sweeney or any Bristol voter ever want to give the ‘Rs’ consideration – our door is always open.

Will Sousa Grapentine,

10 Monterey Drive