By Ryan Blessing — A Superior Court judge this week ruled against a Bonnet Shores Fire District policy that prevents residents who own less than $400 of property in the district from voting in its elections…

By Brian Amaral — A Rhode Island shoreline fire district can’t restrict voting in its elections solely to people who own property, including beach cabanas, a state judge ruled Thursday in a decision hailed by civil rights advocates as a major win for the right to cast a ballot.

By Alex Nunes — In South County, several shoreline fire districts bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and other revenue annually but spend much of it on expenses more in line with a private beach club, not a fire department. That has drawn the ire of beachgoers who are being blocked from the shore.

Jul 6, 2019 — By Tom Mooney — A month after Charlestown resident Scott Keeley was arrested for trespassing, he and about 100 other protesters returned to the same swath of beach on Saturday to raise awareness to what they say is the erosion of Rhode Islanders’ state constitutional right to the shore.

By Edward Fitzpatrick — The ACLU blasts Bonnet Shores Fire District for limiting voting rights to those who own more than $400 worth of property

By Steve Ahlquist — “Until every one of our local governments are elected by the people they serve, our work is not done” said ACLU of RI cooperating attorney James Rhodes. “Participation in free and fair elections, whether it be for president, state legislature or local fire district, is the cornerstone of our democracy.”