Photos of the Day: Raytheon Gives Technology Tour to Middle School's Female Students

Get a glimpse of daily life around Portsmouth.

Do you like to take pictures? Have you recently captured a shot of something neat in town? Send us your favorite shot from around Portsmouth and it could become our Photo of the Day! E-mail photos and a few sentences with information including when the photo was taken, where it was taken and who is in it, to Sandy@patch.com or text them to (401) 207-7811. Want to be notified when there is a new Photo of the Day? Click the "keep me posted" link below!

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Congressman David Cicilline Pays Tribute to Raytheon Employees

Congressman David Cicilline talks about the accomplishments of Raytheon workers.

Congressman David Cicilline made a special tribute this week to the employees of Raytheon.  Cicilline praised the company and its workers during a speech given on the U.S. House of Representatives' floor.  "Everyday, the innovators at Raytheon strive to develop new technologies to defend our country and insure the safety of our men and women in uniform," Cicilline said. "Raytheon, a defense research firm, employs 75,000 employees throughout our country and 1,300 in the town of Portsmouth in my home district of Rhode Island."  To view Cicilline's speech on the House floor, view the YouTube video here. 

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Raytheon Awarded $80 Million More for Contract With Australian Navy

The Raytheon Co. in Portsmouth is being awarded $80.8 million more to a previously awarded contract to provide an Airborne Low Frequency Sonar systems for the Royal Australian Navy.

Raytheon Awarded $10 Million Defense Contract for Engineering Services

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems is being awarded a more than $10 million firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previous agreement for non-recurring engineering services.

Raytheon Lays Off Unknown Number of Workers

Raytheon has reduced its workforce at the Portsmouth facility due to "skill mix requirements and program timing," says a company spokesperson.

Raytheon, one of the largest employers on Aquidneck Island, has reduced its workforce at the Portsmouth facility, a spokesperson for the company confirmed Tuesday. Jon Kasle, director of media relations for Raytheon, referred to the layoffs as a "small reduction." "The small reduction at Portsmouth is mostly due to skill mix requirements and program timing," Kasle wrote in an e-mail. "Employees affected by the action will have the opportunity to apply for other jobs within Raytheon. Those who leave the company will receive a standard severance package, including access to career counseling and employment services." When asked how many employees were laid off, Kasle responded in e-mail by stating "we are not providing further information." …

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Video: Students Test Power of Suggestion, Softball Bats at Portsmouth Middle School's First Science Fair

Portsmouth Middle School held its first science fair on Wednesday at the school.

Sports equipment tests and the "power of suggestion" were among the more than 200 projects featured at Portsmouth Middle School's first science fair held Wednesday at the school. The science fair was open to the public on Wednesday. A judges' only viewing will be held on Thursday at the school. The winner of the science fair will proceed to compete in the state science fair, which will be held in February. Featured below is a video highlighting a few of the projects exhibited during Wednesday's science fair:

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Portsmouth High's Young Scientists Wow Raytheon, War College Judges

Judging for Portsmouth High School's science fair took place Tuesday at the school. However, the public viewing was canceled Wednesday due to the snowstorm.

Portsmouth High School's freshmen, sophomores and juniors wowed judges from Raytheon, the Naval War College and other local companies this week at the school's annual Science Fair. The students worked for long hours perfecting their science fair projects, but in the end, only seven of those projects will proceed to the state science fair to be held in March. Approximately 111 projects, completed by 117 students, filled the high's schools former gym on Tuesday for judging. Students were given the option to work in teams or on their own. The number of projects included 61 from grade nine; 49 from grade 10; and one project from a junior, who volunteered to complete the project. The 70 judges, who visited the school on Tuesday, are employees …

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U.S. Navy Contract Caps Big Month for Portsmouth-Based Defense Contractor

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems has won a $56 million contract to provide sonar equipment to the U.S. Navy.

In what represents another major triumph in a streak of recent successes, Portsmouth-based defense and aerospace government contractor, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, has won a $56 million contract to provide sonar equipment to the U.S. Navy. Designed and manufactured for use aboard the Navy's MH-60R multi-mission helicopter, Raytheon's Airborne Low Frequency Sonar, or ALFS, is primarily used to detect and track enemy submarines. Earlier in the month, the U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon with a $450 million contract to engineer and manufacture the air-launched, precision-strike weapon known as the SDB II. The Navy contract brings the total amount of new government business that Raytheon has won during the current month to more than …

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Portsmouth Living

No Place Like Home in Portsmouth

One woman discusses why she loves living in a small town.

I'll be honest, I never thought I'd live in Portsmouth as an adult.  As a child and young teenager, Portsmouth was smaller than it is now and all I dreamed of was "the big city."  I yearned to live in a town with a movie theater or a music store or, heaven forbid, a mall.  I swore that the moment I was old enough, I'd leave and never look back. Portsmouth was just a town in which you grew up. I'm not the only one.  I grew up in a time in Portsmouth's history where the post office was next door to Nedeau's and everyone's parents seemed to work for Raytheon, Transcom or the military.   Kal's was a family restaurant and Kaufman's Hardware always had the part you needed. Everybody knew you or your parents. The truth is, Portsmouth does have a …