Press & News
The Public’s Radio — Feds complete Watch Hill Lighthouse transfer, and public access guarantees aren’t included
By Alex Nunes — The official transfer of the property deed to a private nonprofit comes after months of delays and legal research that didn’t result in public access protections to the historic property and popular fishing grounds.
The Public’s Radio — Watch Hill Lighthouse transfer on hold now amid questions over shoreline access
By Alex Nunes — The U.S. General Services Administration now says the deal to transfer the lighthouse to the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association won’t be finalized until Westerly investigates concerns about public access to the land.
Projo — Citing concerns about public access, Westerly seeks to acquire Watch Hill Lighthouse
By Antonia Noori Farzan — The Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association, which has maintained the property since the 1980s, says it will continue to provide public access once it takes over. But some in Westerly have doubts.
WRPI — RI expected to assume ownership of 3 historic lighthouses
By Michael DeFusco — The National Park Service is recommending transferring ownership of three historic Rhode Island lighthouses from the federal government to the state government.
ABC 6 — 3 R.I. lighthouses to be turned over to state organizations, nonprofits for preservation
By Gino DeAngelis — Sen. Jack Reed said that three historic Rhode Island lighthouses are expected to be turned over to new owners for preservation. The trio of lighthouses are currently owned by the federal government, but were deemed “excess property” and needed to be sold or demolished.
The Public’s Radio — Watch Hill Cove: How Congress changed the law to benefit private interests
By Alex Nunes — The Watch Hill Yacht Club controls more than half of the moorings in Westerly’s exclusive Watch Hill Cove, a flashpoint for public access to Rhode Island’s coast. A new investigation found local, state and federal officials worked to change U.S. law to help keep it that way.
Boston Globe — Shoreline regulator and partners to canvass R.I. communities about what they need and want on shore access
By Brian Amaral — Powered by a federal grant, the effort will lay the groundwork for long-term goals including a 5-year shore access management plan, and one right-of-way for every mile of Rhode Island’s coastline.
ecoRI News — Shellfish Farming Industry in R.I. has ‘Enormous’ Opportunity for Growth
By Colleen Cronin — The sound of thousands of mussels moving on conveyor belts and clanking through sorting machines almost drowned out Greg Silkes as he tried to explain how the shellfish get from the ocean, through the processing plant, to plates around North America.
Boston Globe — Reed, Whitehouse don waders to recognize $1.6M aquaculture earmark
By Brian Amaral — The money will help make growing oysters and other shellfish more effective and accessible to would-be farmers.
The Independent — Officials see no easy fix as erosion hammers SK beaches
By Bill Seymour — Erosion is a fight, and this town’s beach seems to be losing it. This year, again, chunks of sand have disappeared.