Cotter proposes sales tax holiday weeks for restaurants

Gives customers and restaurants a welcome break

Rep. Megan L. Cotter has introduced legislation to create two tax-free weeks each year for restaurants in the state.

“This is a bill to help boost small businesses,” said Representative Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton). “Mom-and-pop businesses make up a substantial portion of the restaurant industry. A tax-free week is a great way to encourage people to visit a restaurant they’ve never tried, hopefully one they’ll want to visit more often. This will put more money directly into the hands of servers and small business owners alike and encourage Rhode Islanders to enjoy the many fantastic restaurants we are fortunate to have all over the state.”

The legislation (2026-H 8512), which Representative Cotter introduced May 1, would establish one sales tax-free week in the summer and one in the winter for restaurants statewide. The specific dates would be determined by the General Assembly.

The tax holiday weeks could essentially create statewide “Restaurant Weeks” which several communities in Rhode Island currently organize. Such weeks usually include special menus and deals to entice customers who might not otherwise visit.

The legislation is supported by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

Community dinners in Westerly, 2nd Tuesday of the month

Restaurant angst

If you're looking for a distraction from real problems, here it is

By City St George’s, University of London

Restaurants and dinner hosts may be able to create more comfortable dining experiences by ensuring that everyone at the table is served at the same time, according to a new study.

Most people recognize the familiar moment at a restaurant or dinner party when their meal arrives, yet they hesitate to begin eating because others are still waiting. This long-standing custom was the focus of new research co-authored by Bayes Business School. The findings show that individuals tend to worry more about breaking this norm themselves than about others doing so.

The study, conducted by Irene Scopelliti, Professor of Marketing and Behavioural Science, and Janina Steinmetz, Professor of Marketing at Bayes, together with Dr Anna Paley from the Tilburg School of Economics and Management, explored how people judge their own behavior compared with what they expect from others in the same situation. Their work drew on six separate experiments.

Participants were asked to imagine sharing a meal with a friend. In some scenarios, they received their food first; in others, they watched their dining partner receive a meal before them. Those who were served first rated, on a numerical scale, how long they felt they should wait or whether they should start eating. Those who were still waiting evaluated what they believed their companion ought to do.

The results showed a clear gap between how people judge themselves and how they judge others. Individuals served first thought they should wait significantly longer than their dining partners actually expected them to.

Matunuck Oyster Bar is back!

Matunuck Oyster Bar debuts outside dining starting tomorrow, July 1

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

From their website, how outside dining was before the fire

Matunuck Oyster Bar will welcome diners to slurp oysters and sample seafood in a makeshift, outdoor space across the street from its acclaimed restaurant starting July 1, Perry Raso, restaurant owner, announced Wednesday.

The reopening of the acclaimed South County dining destination on its 16th anniversary comes less than two months after a fire forced the restaurant to close. Ahead of a permanent rebuild, Raso cooked up a temporary solution relying upon the marina parking lot across the street from his restaurant.

The tented dining space required sign-off from state and local officials to ease restrictions governing outdoor eateries. The Rhode Island General Assembly unanimously approved changes to state regulations on June 12, clarifying that pandemic-era allowances for al fresco dining also extend to restaurants closed due to floods, fires or other disasters.

Separately, the South Kingstown Town Council OK’d details including operating hours, parking plans and capacity caps for “Matunuck Marina,” Raso said in an emailed statement.

He thanked state and local officials for helping revive the famed seafood restaurant overlooking Potter Pond, allowing 50 of his 300-person staff to keep working over the summer.

The revival includes tableside dining and grab-and-go options, preserving the existing reservation and takeout system via the restaurant website. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal. A preliminary investigation suggested it was accidental, and not caused by commercial cooking equipment.

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Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com.

Lawmakers approve outdoor dining change to help Matunuck Oyster Bar after devastating fire

Saves some jobs, gives some breathing room to recover

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

Appreciation for South County’s acclaimed Matunuck Oyster Bar transcends political party, evidenced by the Rhode Island General Assembly’s universal support to change state outdoor dining regulations on the restaurant’s behalf.

Companion bills sponsored by South Kingstown Democrats, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski were each approved by their respective chambers in separate, unanimous votes Thursday. 

Each chamber must still give the rubber stamp to the other’s bill — a process known as concurrence — before the legislation heads to Gov. Dan McKee’s desk. McKee has already indicated his support.

The eleventh hour proposal, introduced in the Rhode Island State House one week earlier, offers a temporary solution after a fire permanently closed Matunuck Oyster Bar on May 20.

Perry Raso, restaurant owner and oyster farmer, has cooked up a plan to host diners in a neighboring marina parking lot this summer, which requires a few tweaks to existing state regulations governing al fresco eateries.

Rep. McEntee, Sen. Sosnowski introduce bill to help Matunuck Oyster Bar ‘Take It Outside’

Sounds like a great idea!

After the devastating fire that ripped through Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski have introduced legislation that would enable the restaurant to reopen on a limited basis.

The legislation would allow the restaurant to serve customers across the street in a parking lot that is owned by Perry Raso, who owns Matunuck Oyster Bar, and keep 50 employees of the restaurant working during the busy summer months.

The House bill (2025-H 6392) is expected to be heard by the House Committee on Small Business on Tuesday.  Representative McEntee chairs the committee. The Senate bill (2025-S 1139) is also expected to be heard by the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government on Tuesday.

“The award-winning Matunuck Oyster Bar is a beloved part of the South Kingstown and Rhode Island community and everyone was devastated when the fire broke out a few weeks ago.  Its success elevates the town and both locals and tourists alike have made this restaurant a true destination in Rhode Island.  This legislation is the least we could do to help weather the difficulties resulting from the fire, including keeping some of the restaurant’s workers employed during the busy summer season.  Perry has been a tremendous partner with the town and state and I am proud to help him and his employees out during this trying time,” said Representative McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett).

“Our community was heartbroken by the fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar, and so many people have rallied behind Perry Raso and his employees during this difficult time. The fact that this happened on the cusp of the busy summer season is particularly devastating for Perry, the restaurant’s workers, and our entire community. As this cherished establishment works to rebuild, it’s important we do everything we can to support that process and the many people who rely on the restaurant for their livelihood. Utilizing the successful approach of the ‘Take It Outside’ law is a common-sense step that will help immediately. I am grateful to Perry for his commitment to our community, and to the many people who have stepped forward to lend a hand following the fire,” said Sen. Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown). 

The General Assembly’s leadership has expressed its strong support for this legislation, and for Matunuck Oyster Bar as it plans to rebuild.

“I met with Perry Raso yesterday and he is deeply committed to keeping his thriving restaurant open and retaining at least some of his dedicated workers during his busiest time of the year.  He is understandably devastated by the fire and I give him tremendous credit from developing this creative approach.  I pledged my strongest support to expedite this process with the House members and I will be working with our partners in the Senate and with the Town of South Kingstown to make this happen quickly,” Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), who is the second co-sponsor of the legislation.

“Matunuck Oyster Bar is nationally recognized for its culinary excellence, and Perry Raso is an outstanding member of Rhode Island’s business community. While the news of the fire was truly devastating, the way Rhode Islanders have responded to support Perry and his employees has been extraordinary. I want to thank Sen. Sosnowski and Rep. McEntee for introducing this important legislation. Along with our partners at the State House and in South Kingstown, we will continue working to support everyone impacted as the restaurant rebuilds,” said Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence).

The legislation amends the “Take It Outside” law by allowing a food service establishment to provide temporary outdoor dining services any time a building or other structure used as a food service establishment is rendered uninhabitable by virtue of a casualty including, but not limited, to fire or flood for 18 months or the building is fit for occupancy. The act would sunset and expire on June 30, 2027.

The bill requires municipal approval and the South Kingstown Town Council is scheduled to consider a resolution of support at a meeting to be held on Monday. 

The legislation, if approved by the General Assembly, would allow the restaurant to establish a mobile kitchen on the site and serve patrons at outdoor tables.  Other aspects of the business remain open, such as catering and oyster farm tours.

For more information about business operations, please visit https://rhodyoysters.com/.

Fire marshal’s office says Matunuck Oyster Bar fire appears accidental

Out of the ashes

By Janine L. Weisman, Rhode Island Current

Preliminary findings by the Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal suggest the early Tuesday morning fire that seriously damaged the Matunuck Oyster Bar and displaced its 300 workers was accidental.

The investigation into the cause of the blaze continues, but several possible causes have been ruled out, according to a release from the state fire marshal. Commercial cooking equipment was not the direct cause of the fire.

Owner Perry Raso has vowed to rebuild the popular pond-to table seafood restaurant he opened in 2009 on Succotash Road in South Kingstown. Matunuck Oyster Bar employed about 300 workers.

“I want to focus on getting that building repaired so we can open our doors again,” Raso said in an interview Thursday afternoon. “I haven’t wrapped my head around everything that’s happened. I just know what the goals are, and I’m just trying to take one step at a time.”

Raso lives down the road from the restaurant and received a call around 3:45 a.m. about the fire from a truck driver who was sleeping in his truck in the parking lot. The driver had hauled a delivery of chairs to be received when the restaurant’s workers started arriving by 6 or 7 a.m.

Raso expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of community support since the fire. Restaurants across the state have reached out to connect with staff who are looking for work, he said.  

EDITOR'S NOTE: A GoFundMe appeal has been set up for the Matunuck Oyster Bar Recovery Fund. As of Saturday afternoon, $171,567 been raised.   -Will Collette

As fire investigation continues, DLT expedites outreach for Matunuck Oyster Bar employees

After the shock, the question is "now what?"

By Janine L. Weisman, Rhode Island Current

 Employees at the Matunuck Oyster Bar hug. (Photo by Laura Paton/Rhode Island Current)

The Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of Tuesday’s early morning fire that engulfed the popular Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown and left more than 300 full-time and seasonal employees out of work.

No injuries were reported from the blaze that seriously damaged the waterfront restaurant on Succotash Road ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Heavy smoke and flames were coming from the restaurant at the time firefighters arrived at approximately 3:45 a.m., according to Associated Press reports.

Restaurant employees surrounded Perry Raso, the restaurant’s owner, in a group hug outside the burned out building late Tuesday morning as firefighters continued to work at the scene.

“While the damage to our building is devastating to me, our patrons, and our employees, we are very thankful no one was injured,” Raso said in a statement Tuesday night. “I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our neighbors, patrons, partners, colleagues and friends from Rhode Island and beyond, who have reached out over the last several hours with selfless offers to help. We are humbled and grateful for what Matunuck Oyster Bar represents to so many people. While we are heartbroken that our doors will be temporarily closed, we are committed to opening them back up and welcoming guests back to our tables as soon as possible.”

Tariffs won’t just hit your wallet. They could also increase food waste.

Wednesday, on April 2, Trump plans to announce major new tariffs

Frida Garza, Staff Writer

Spring has sprung, and you can tell by looking at Dig’s online menu. The fast-casual chain known for its bountiful salads and bowls is promoting a new sandwich for the spring — the “avo smash,” wherein a hearty piece of chicken or tofu is embraced by a brioche bun, pesto aioli, and plenty of bright-green avocado. 

The lunch spot’s seasonal menus are planned at least three months in advance, said Andrew Torrens, Dig’s director of supply, meaning the avo smash has been in the works for a while. However, if the United States decides to escalate a global trade war next month, Dig will have to come up with a backup plan fast.

“If avocado prices explode, what’s our backup? How do we pivot?” said Torrens on a recent phone call. 

Since his inauguration in January, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada — creating confusion for restaurant owners, food distributors, grocers, and consumers who rely on the United States’ neighbor to the south for fruits and vegetables year-round. 

On February 1, Trump signed an executive order levying a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. However, he has twice pushed back the start date; earlier this month, he paused tariffs on most goods coming in from Mexico and Canada until April 2. What will actually happen on that date — which Trump has dubbed “Liberation Day” — is still largely unclear.

A tariff on goods from Mexico, the single largest supplier of horticultural imports to the U.S., would almost certainly mean higher prices at the grocery store. It could also, according to experts, increase food waste along the supply chain.

Dig sources most of its avocados from Mexico, where the warm climate is ideal for growing these fruits. This is common — in fact, about 90 percent of avocados consumed in the U.S. come from Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Using Fungi to Transform Food Waste Into Culinary Masterpieces

I'd give it a try (but I'll try anything)

By University of California – Berkeley

The East Javan food called oncom is made by growing orange Neurospora mold on soy pulp left over from making tofu. In about 36 hours, the soy pulp is turned into a tasty and nutritious food. Credit: Vayu Hill-Maini, UC Berkeley

Chef-turned-chemist Vayu Hill-Maini has a passion: to turn food waste into culinary treats using fungi.

One of his collaborators is Rasmus Munk, head chef and co-owner of the Michelin two-star restaurant Alchemist in Copenhagen, who serves a dessert — orange-colored Neurospora mold grown on rice — inspired by Hill-Maini.

For the past two years, Hill-Maini has worked with a team of chefs at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Pocantico Hills, New York, to generate tasty morsels from Neurospora mold grown on grains and pulses, including the pulp left over from making oat milk. At Blue Hill, you may soon be served a patty of grain covered with orange Neurospora with a side of moldy bread — orange Neurospora grown on rice bread that, when fried, smells and tastes like a toasted cheese sandwich.

A sauteed patty composed of soy pulp innoculated with Neurospora mold and left to ferment for several days. UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow Vayu Hill-Maini prepared and cooked the patty, plating it with a cashew cream sauce, baked yams and a fresh cherry tomato and cucumber salad. Credit: Vayu Hill-Maini, UC Berkeley

Robot-phobia could exacerbate hotel, restaurant labor shortage

“Robot-Phobia?” No kidding

Washington State University

Using more robots to close labor gaps in the hospitality industry may backfire and cause more human workers to quit, according to a Washington State University study.

The study, involving more than 620 lodging and food service employees, found that "robot-phobia" -- specifically the fear that robots and technology will take human jobs -- increased workers' job insecurity and stress, leading to greater intentions to leave their jobs. The impact was more pronounced with employees who had real experience working with robotic technology. It also affected managers in addition to frontline workers. The findings were published in theInternational Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Victory for SK legislators on outdoor dining

Chairs McEntee and DiMario’s outdoor dining bill passes General Assembly

Legislation (2024-H 7064A, 2024-S 2028A) sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Alana M. DiMario that establishes standards for municipalities to regulate outdoor dining was approved by the General Assembly.             Representative McEntee, chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, and Senator DiMario, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee, have introduced several new laws that allowed outdoor dining since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.             “In the dark days of the pandemic, expansion of outdoor dining across the state proved to be a bright spot that brought our communities back together on those warm summer nights to enjoy one of Rhode Island’s finest assets – our culinary and hospitality community.

Burgers and fries with a side of PFAS

Nothing's sacred

EHN Staff

OK, let’s start with the bad news: a new report from Mamavation found evidence of PFAS chemicals in food packaging including a McDonald’s filet-o-fish carton, a Starbucks’ sandwich wrapper and a KFC bucket of fried chicken.

That’s not good. But many of these fast-food and fast-casual restaurants have announced plans to ban the “forever chemicals” and for some — Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Sweetgreen and others — it seems to be working. 

In total 35% of 81 pieces of fast-food packaging showed detectable levels of organic fluorine, an indicator of the group of chemicals known as PFAS, according to a new report from Mamavation.

Pizza!

Fellow Residents of Charlestown,  Charlestown Residents United invites you, your family, and friends to an afternoon of food, drink and discussion at The Breachway Grill, Saturday, September 23, from 2 - 4 pm.     As the season changes from summer to fall, please join Charlestown Residents United to give us an honest review of how we are doing. We’d love to hear from you on a list of topics, especially your feedback on the items listed below:  ·    Do you like the newfound accountability and availability of your elected officials? ·    Do the workings of town government appear more transparent than ever? ·    Are more people being included in how things get done? ·    And doesn’t it feel like the whole town is more cohesive, showing up at events like the annual bonfire and PVD Food Truck events?  So please, join us in the relaxed setting on the patio at the Breachway Grill on Saturday, Sep. 23 from 2-4 pm to support the team that helped bring about change and help put the “Town” back in Charlestown!   Pizza and soft drinks provided; cash bar.  Suggested donation $25. (Donate page on our website.)  With thanks, Tim Quillen, Chair Charlestown Residents United   Charlestown Residents United P.O. Box 412 Charlestown, RI 02813   Visit our Website

Charlestown Residents United | PO Box 412, Charlestown, RI 02813

What is the current etiquette about tipping?

Here’s how you can avoid feeling flustered or ripped off

Nathan B. Warren, BI Norwegian Business School and Sara Hanson, University of Richmond

Digital payment methods may automatically prompt you
to leave a gratuity. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Tipping has gotten more complicated – and awkward – in North America.

The ever-growing list of situations in which you might be invited to tip includes buying a smoothie, paying an electrician, getting a beer from a flight attendant and making a political donation.

Should you always tip when someone suggests it? If yes, how do you calculate the right amount? And if you don’t, are you being stingy?

As marketing professors who specialize in customer interactions, we’re researching how digital payment technologies have changed how and when customers tip. Our research suggests that asking for tips before service and suggesting tip amounts that are too high can frustrate customers and be bad for business.

What’s new

U.S. customers historically tipped people they assumed were earning most of their income via tips, such as restaurant servers earning less than the minimum wage. [In Rhode Island, the minimum wage is only $3.89 an hour compared to the $12.25 minimum wage for non-tipped workers. - W. Collette].

Congratulations to local heroes

Let’s give a round of applause to local folks doing good things

By Will Collette

Over the past 12 years that I’ve written in Progressive Charlestown, I must admit that most of the things I write go after people and organizations who, in my opinion, deserve to be criticized. This article is different as it celebrates a crop of local heroes who have, again in my opinion, made life a little better for all of us.

Earlier this year, I flagged Charlestown’s own gourmet spot, the Sly Fox Den Too, at the junction of Routes 2 and 112, and Chef Sherry Pocknett for winning this year’s James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Northeast. I’m looking forward to congratulating her again when she gets her first Michelin star.

In this article, I will feature South County Hospital, our intrepid town staff who came up with a way to save lives at the beach, opening the beach to the public and two guys who worked hard to make that happen, including one who has been giving Charlestown some of its best coverage since Cynthia Drummond stopped being our town’s go-to reporter.

Thank you, South County Hospital. 

As a recent patient (read my review HERE), I was not surprised to see that South County is the only hospital in Rhode Island to receive a double-five-star rating from Medicare. They earned this top rating for “Hospital Quality” and “Patient Experience.”

In a separate rating done by US News and World Report, South County was rating as “High Performing” in three categories of orthopedic care: back surgery, hip and knee replacement. This is probably due to their affiliate, Ortho RI.

I can add my amen to both those rankings after my four days as an inpatient, where even the quality and taste of the food was great. South County has been earning top marks for a very long time, a tradition I trace to their long-time legendary administrator, the late Donald Ford. If you must go to the hospital, South County is the place to be.

Using drones to save lives. 

Charlestown's drone drops rescue device, not bombs

Congratulations to Charlestown GIS Coordinator Steve McCandless and the Parks & Recreation lifeguards for deploying rescue drones at each of the town’s beaches. Unlike the Russo-Ukrainian war where drones play a Terminator role, our drones watch for swimmers in trouble, missing kids, debris in the water and sharks.

They can drop a flotation device to a swimmer in distress. The importance of beach safety was recently highlighted after a 15-year old from New London drowned off a Westerly beach. While a system like Charlestown’s would not have saved that boy (he died after hours when no lifeguard was on duty), it can and will save others.

DEM also has a single drone, but according to WPRI, hasn’t figured out how to use it. I don’t know if WPRI intended to make DEM look bad or if DEM did it to themselves.

DEM admitted they: (a) can’t come up with trained operators, (b) don’t have a plan for where to deploy it and (c) admit the obvious problem of only having one drone for all the waters DEM covers. DEM has not been able to hire enough lifeguards either. Hmm, maybe they should buy a few more drones. Or pay lifeguards more.

DEM told WPRI they will study what Charlestown is doing to see if there are lessons they can learn. Duh.

Public use of the beach.

Scott Keeley, beach crusader (photo by Steve Ahlquist)

Congratulations to the RI General Assembly for finally passing legislation that clarifies where the public’s right of beach access begins on Rhode Island’s coast. Though snotty beachfront owners, fake fire districts and the Filippi family are still fighting as well as flouting the law, the tide has turned, if you’ll pardon the pun.

I credit passage of the new law to the years of relentless fighting by Charlestown activist Scott Keeley, whose recent run-in with private security had a happy ending. I also credit South County public radio reporter Alex Nunes for his frequent, in-depth stories on beach access in general and the role played by fake fire districts in worsening the problem.

What missing from this picture from the Central Quonnie
Fire District? Answer: fire trucks cuz they don't have any

Fake fire districts are misnamed organizations because they have no capacity to fight fires. Instead, they operate as upscale homeowners’ associations as well as tax shelters for millions of dollars’ worth of prime coastal land – for which they pay little or no property taxes.

They own lots of beachfront land and are among the most tenacious in trying to keep the public off “their” beaches. Next, the General Assembly should enact legislation stripping fake fire districts of their undeserved tax status. How can you honestly call yourself a “fire district” when you have nothing to do with fires. Except for the barbeque at the tennis club.

Shining a light on Charlestown affordable housing

Alex Nunes

Congratulations again to The Public’s Radio’s Alex Nunes for an in-depth look at Charlestown’s affordable housing crisis. 

I can’t remember any other major media outlet taking such a detailed look at this Charlestown issue in the 20+ years Cathy and I have lived here.

It’s an open secret that Charlestown’s near complete lack of affordable housing either for sale or rent is largely due to blocking efforts by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) and their de facto leader, Planning Commissar Ruth Platner. 

Through the CCA’s exclusionary zoning, rapacious land deals and the use of arbitrary standards, “affordable housing” has become anathema in Charlestown.

But maybe that will change now that the CCA is out of power. 

Nunes interviews the pro- and anti- sides of the affordable housing debate, giving ample time to proponents such as Affordable Housing Commission chair Evelyn Smith and commission member Thom Cahir time and space to build the case for affordable housing.

Nunes also gave Ruth Platner the most time and space I’ve ever seen in an article she didn’t write herself to expound on her philosophy of aesthetics, astronomy and what she sees as the common good. 

This is just a summary - this article is a must-read for anyone living in Charlestown.

Thank you South County Hospital for saving my life

Now I understand why they get such high rankings

By Will Collette

I’ve been a fan of South County Hospital going back fifty years to the late Donald Ford, the hospital's long-time CEO. I was proud to consider a friend and mentor. For the second time in 20 years, I was an inpatient at SCH with a life-threatening ailment.

The most recent hospitalization started with a classic flu-like illness. Despite having gotten my annual flu shot, I was able to check off nearly every box on the Mayo Clinic’s list of flu symptoms. After a couple of weeks, it got worse. A wracking cough, intermittent fever and debilitating fatigue knocked me on my ass. But I thought I could tough it out helped by CVS’s strongest over-the-counter cough syrup.

Idiot.

My wife Cathy knew I was bad off and began to push me to go get help. After some resistance, one morning, I just knew that I was well past my ability to ride this out.

I went to South County Hospital’s Westerly annex on Route 1 and got quickly taken into their Express Care unit. After checking me out, they took an Xray whereupon I heard some of the most dreaded words any patient can hear: “you have a mass on your right lung.”

Dr. Jill Volk told me gently but firmly that I needed to be hospitalized. She said the top suspects were (a) an abscess, (b) tuberculosis and (c) cancer. At that point, I didn’t need much convincing. After a quick stop at home to talk to Cathy, Donna Walsh drove me to the hospital (thank you, Donna) where the emergency room was ready to take me in immediately.

They did a boatload of blood tests and a CAT scan that confirmed the “mass in the lung” part. They quizzed me on my exotic travels to see if I had visited places that had a lot of TB and other infectious diseases. Of course, I did but none in the past twenty years. Still, there was a slim chance that I had been carrying something that lay dormant but could have been activated by the flu.

As I was about to transition from the ER to inpatient, hospitalist Dr. Sal Abbruzzese sat with me and told me candidly that the odds of my illness being TB or cancer were very slim. After looking at the images, he called it a “cavitating lesion” almost certainly caused by a bacterial infection. By that time, they had begun giving me IV antibiotics.

Dr. Sal said that while it was bad, it could be completely resolved with IV antibiotics and that he was admitting me. I waited until after I was discharged before Googling how dangerous this thing was. I’m glad I waited because, untreated, gangrene and sepsis were in store for me.

When they brought me upstairs to Frost 2 (telemetry), my room was an isolation unit. I called it the “plague room” and asked if the last occupant went out in a body bag (didn’t).

It was private, quiet, with a negative air flow that made a perfect white noise for pleasant sleeping. There was an airlock for staff to suit up in full PPE before coming in. They were pumping me with saline and IV antibiotics and generally taking very good care of me.

I woke up that first morning feeling better and grateful to Cathy for nagging me to go get help.

Then over the remaining three days of my hospital stay, I came to really appreciate all those high ratings SCH has earned over the years. The nurses and treatment staff were really great – kind, attentive, and consummate professionals.

I hacked up three sputum samples for the state lab to check for tuberculosis. Those have been slow to come back, but the first sample was clear, confirming the consensus that I did not have TB. The results for the other two must come back clear for it to be official.

The antibiotics were knocking down the infection, getting my white cell count down to normal and dramatically improving my breathing. I was able to sleep soundly in my single isolation room with the blissful white noise from the negative air pressure. I also enjoyed some shockingly good hospital cooking (more on that below).

I had a couple of visits with infectious disease specialist Dr. Brian Cilley who was pleased with my progress.

While blood tests findings still hadn't identified what bacterial organism was responsible, the official diagnosis ended up being pneumonia. Obviously the IV antibiotics were working, enough that he felt confident about discharging me a day earlier than originally scheduled and going with oral antibiotics, rather than outpatient IVs. Plus, I felt so much better.

I did hold some lingering resentment about catching the flu despite the flu shot and pneumonia despite being vaccinated for that. I found out later from CVS that my last pneumonia shot was in 2014 so I really needed a new one. Despite my experience, I remain a diehard pro-vaxxer.

So, after four days of great treatment, I was able to go home without having to struggle to breathe. I have been recovering well and hope to have that confirmed when I see Dr. Cilley in a few days, followed by another CAT scan.

Beyond a doubt, the SCH team, ranging from Express Care to the ER to the staff of the Frost 2 unit, were primarily responsible for saving my life.

But before ending my little medical travelogue, I want to tell you about the food. It’s a cliché that hospital food is terrible. At South County Hospital, the food far exceeded my expectations. Though they can’t match Charlestown’s Sly Fox Den Too, they served me some dishes that were excellent.

I spoke with the dietician at least once a day where I gave her a review of the earlier meal and ordered the next. The meals were crafted to fit my needs as a diabetic and as an ill patient who needed to regain strength (I had lost 15 pounds over the previous month). I also got menu tips from the ward staff.

Breakfasts included such taste treats as nice, scrambled eggs, tasty French toast and, on the last morning, an excellent spinach, mushroom and Swiss cheese omelet. Usually there was fresh fruit, twice in the form of a cup of perfect plump fresh blueberries.

Lunches and dinners featured cooked from scratch soups, including an excellent clam chowder. The entrees were also cooked with care with nice sauces. One standout was poached salmon. A couple of nights, I had sugar-free lemon Italian ice (made by Hood) that was surprisingly delicious.

None of the good things I experienced during my stay in South County Hospital were accidents. They are Rhode Island’s last free-standing independent hospital, the only one not gobbled up by some corporate chain. They work hard to earn those high rankings they regularly receive from the various rating services. 

I don’t know how much my poor condition on admission or my natural charm had to do with the great way the staff treated me. I’d like to think everyone gets the same treatment and I truly believe they do.

What I can say with certainty is that, aside from being sick, it was a great experience. I feel a great debt to everyone I met and thank them all.

Matunuck Oyster gets OK to farm scallops

CRMC narrowly approves scaled-down version of Matunuck aquaculture farm

by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

A half-decade-long dispute over an oyster and scallop farm in a South Kingstown pond was put to bed Tuesday, with coastal regulators narrowly approving a scaled-down version of the project.

The Rhode Island Coastal Resource Management Council’s 4-2 vote allows acclaimed restaurateur and oyster farmer Perry Raso to make his foray into the world of scallops with a 2-acre farm in Potter Pond, near his Matunuck Oyster Bar restaurant. Council Chairman Ray Coia and members Don Gomez, Patricia Reynolds and Stephen Izzi voted for it. Members Catherine Robinson Hall and Ron Gagnon voted against it.

The decision comes after more than five years of public meetings, hundreds of written letters and a “float-in” protest staged on the pond by property residents who opposed the aquaculture farm.

“I am just happy the process is over,” Raso said in an interview after the meeting. “It was a very difficult process. I never would have imagined it would go on for so long.”

As for the decision to scale back his proposal, Raso said, “I wish I had the whole project permitted. But I accept the reduction.”

Raso originally pitched a 3-acre oyster and scallop farm in his 2018 application to coastal regulators. He described the project as a way to grow his venture, and in turn, the state’s nascent aquaculture industry.

It’s official! Charlestown has a genuine gourmet chef.

Congratulations to Sherry Pocknett and Sly Fox Den Too

By Will Collette 

Last night, the final awards were given by the James Beard Foundation for this year’s best chefs around the country. 

The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Northeast went to Sherry Pocknett, chef and owner of Sly Fox Den Too restaurant just north of Town Hall on Route 2.

The Beard awards are the top honors awarded in the culinary profession, akin to Pulitzers in journalism, so this is a really big deal. 

This is the first time in the 30 years that a Rhode Island chef has won this honor, the last being Al Forno’s win in 1993.

Ms. Pocknett opened Sly Fox Den Too in 2021 at the long-time site of the Gentleman Farmer of fond memories, but with a menu unique to the area.

She and her family present delicious indigenous dishes that reflect her Mashpee Wampanoag roots but with lots of artistic flare.

I’ve eaten there and enjoyed every dish.

I think the main problem I foresee is seating capacity – 30 seats, plus outdoor picnic tables like the old Gentleman Farmer.

We’re lucky to have her and I wish her long life and prosperity.