Legislation is still pending at the State House over a bill that would lift the state mandate on school bus monitors for kindergarten through fifth graders. If passed, it would be up to cities and towns to keep them or cut them. Rhode Island reportedly is the only state nationwide to require that school bus monitors be on all school buses for grades K to 5. A family in Middletown has vowed to fight to keep the monitors, and earlier this week the Moms Council voiced in about the issue. Also, school districts in Rhode Island (like Johnston in this 2009 Providence Journal article) and across the…

After taking a recent drive around Tiverton to look at the condition of its roads, Department of Public Works Director Stephen Berlucchi pointed out numerous areas of concern, such as on residential roads in North Tiverton, the Nanaquaket Road neighborhood, King Road and Fish Road. Most town-owned roads are in the roughest shape, while the state-owned roads are somewhat better, although, still present issues. What roads in Tiverton would you prioritize as in most need of repair and, how would you grade Tiverton's roads?

Lent is a time for Christians to reflect and rejuvinate. It began on March 9, Ash Wednesday. It is a time of observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. Seeing as Lent is in full swing until Easter Sunday on April 24, we ask: What have you given up for Lent, and are you sticking to it?

It was reported earlier this week that the Tiverton and Little Compton public school districts will end school on June 27 and June 24, respectively. Tiverton schools took four snow days off, while Little Compton took off five because of a leaking roof. Tiverton was considering using April vacation days, and possibly May 30, to make up for lost classroom time. However, they decided to let the academic year end naturally. Also, Tiverton started their academic year around Labor Day, while Little Compton started in August. Wilbur-McMahon Principal James Gibney said it gave them more flexibility. …

Gov. Lincoln Chafee's budget asks to lower the state sales tax from 7 percent to 6 percent in order to boost Rhode Island's economy and slow residents from traveling to nearby Massachusetts businesses to purchase big-ticket items. However, he has two other proposals that would supposedly counter Rhode Islander's paying a lesser sales tax rate: A 1 percent tax on currently exempt items, such as clothing, and a proposed expansion of the number of goods and services taxed. Rep. John Edwards has also introduced legislation to reduce the state sales tax from 7 percent to 3 percent, while …

With Gov. Lincoln Chafee unveiling his budget proposal soon, local legislators and residents await to hear if there will be a proposal to put tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge once it's completed. Local legislators have put forth bills to prohibit that from happening, but the state's former governor and Department of Transportation argue that all potential options must be explored to help maintain the state's infrastructure. So we ask, should the Sakonnet River Bridge have tolls in the future?

With the Little Compton School Committee currently soliciting responses from parents in order to come a decision on where the district will contract to send their high school students, Tiverton-Little Compton Patch asks: To which high school would you send your student? The current contract with Portsmouth High School is expiring, and the 2012 freshmen will be the first to attend either Tiverton, Portsmouth or Middletown under a new, 10-year contract. But which one?