Hurricane? No Big Deal; End of Summer? No Way

Melville Campground takes precautions for Hurricane Earl, but still plans for a successful Labor Day weekend. Campers look forward to fall camping and fun despite the storm.

It's a time in New England when that sunny, warm feeling begins to slip away. Nights grow cooler; leaves begin to turn shades of brown, orange, red, and yellow; and schools begin session. It's Labor Day weekend. Bill Bryant, manager of Melville Campgrounds in Portsmouth, called Labor Day weekend the "last hurrah." Bryant and his wife have seen many Labor Day weekends on the campground, as this will be their 20th year as managers of the campground for the town.  Gray skies were visible Friday morning in town. What seemed to haunt news stations, conversation, Twitter and Facebook  was on its way—Hurricane Earl. Driving to Melville Campgrounds around 10:45 a.m., rain slowly started to fall. Earl was here. In the main office of the campgrounds…

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Major Water Line for Aquidneck Island Bursts Overnight

A major water line connecting Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport breaks late Friday night on West Main Road. A large section of the road has caved in near the Lawton Valley Reservoir.

A major water main line broke late Friday on West Main Road, Route 114, near the Valley Inn Restaurant and the Lawton Valley Reservoir in the southern section of town. Crews at the scene said they were called in about the break around 11:30 p.m. Some workers only had a few hours, if any, of sleep. This water main is the major line feeding water to the communities of Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport, said Jeff Sullivan, heavy equipment operator for Newport Water. "It's a major blowout," Sullivan said. "This is the main transmission line for the whole island." According to Sullivan, the break occurred on a 24-inch transition line that feeds water from the Laurent Valley Reservoir to the water plant at 2154 West Main Road, and all adjoining…

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First the Calm, Then the Rain

Early signs of Hurricane Earl appear in Portsmouth, while residents stock up on water and avoid local beaches. The hurricane has also claimed its first victim—a tree on East Main Road near St. Mary's Church.

First came the calm, then the downpours. Early signs of Hurricane Earl have already appeared in Portsmouth. Heavy rain began to fall around 11:30 a.m. Friday on the northern end of East Main Road, near Sprague Avenue. From there, the rain continued and pockets of water began filling quickly on the road. A tree fell across two lanes of traffic on East Main Road shortly before 11:30, according to a dispatcher at the Portsmouth Police Department. The tree was removed from the area near St. Mary's Episcopal Church quickly. No injuries were reported.  Branches could be seen fallen on roadways. Trucks from National Grid could be seen on several streets. No power outages are reported at this time. This rain from Hurricane Earl, now downgraded to …

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Priscilla Smyth Thayer

6:40 pm on Friday, September 3, 2010

My husband just brought home clam cakes and fish-n-chips...gotta love living in Island Park!   more ›

Portsmouth Makes Final Preparations for Hurricane Earl

Town Administrator Robert Driscoll is monitoring the hurricane closely, but says he expects only a "very stormy night."

"We have the chipper all ready to go," said David P. Kehew, director of the Department of Public Works (DPW). Kehew, along with other town department heads, have been busy preparing for Hurricane Earl as the storm moves quickly up the eastern coast.  Town Administrator Robert Driscoll and Fire Chief Jeffrey P. Lynch, the acting emergency management director, recently met with department heads to make the final preparations before the storm arrives. "Right now, we're monitoring the storm closely," Driscoll said. "We expect a pretty good storm. We will continue to monitor the conditions." Hurricane Earl, expected to be a Category 2 storm when it passes by Portsmouth, will bring heavy rain and winds to the region. But how much? "They are …

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Projo.com: DOT Preps Sakonnet River Bridge Project for Hurricane

Projo.com reports that the DOT has brought in extra barges to brace bridge project for Hurricane Earl.

Projo.com is reporting that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) is preparing the Sakonnet River Bridge project for Hurricane Earl. The DOT has tied the largest barge to pilings, added extra lines and brought in smaller barges to a nearby cove to block waves and winds, according to Projo.com.  For the complete story, click here.  

Delayed Reaction; Marinas Busy as Residents Prep Boats Before the Storm

On Wednesday, local marinas reported relaxed activity. The next day, busy offices and ringing phones proved residents were starting to heed storm warnings.

Bob Sharkey barely had time Thursday to finish his sandwich and take a sip from his box juice. Between answering calls from customers and keeping a close watch on the hurricane radar filling up all corners of his computer screen, the project manager at New England Boatworks was extremely busy. "We're flat out," Sharkey said. "There are many boats still needing to be pulled out. People are calling us and asking about the storm. We have three travel lifts that will be running from dawn to dusk to haul boats out." New England Boatworks, a private marina with roughly 100 employees, was jammed with employees Thursday working to prepare for the impending Hurricane Earl. People ran in and out of the office as the phones continued to ring. "Most …

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