Celebrate!

THANK YOU to all those brave Antifa soldiers who stormed the beaches at Normandy 82 years ago in the fight against fascism

Former Rep. Donna Walsh to be honored by the League of Women Voters tomorrow

2026 Community Impact Award recognizes her decades of service to South County

By Will Collette

My good friend Donna Walsh will receive a lifetime honor from the League of Women Voters of South County tomorrow at the League's Annual Tea Fundraiser from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 11. The event will be held at the Peace Dale Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, 261 Columbia St., in Wakefield.

When Cathy and I returned to Rhode Island in 2001 to live in Charlestown, Donna became one of our first friends and remains so these 25 years later. We were proud supporters of her as she ably represented House District 36 which includes all of Charlestown. I worked on her campaigns and during each legislative session as a volunteer researcher.

During that time, Donna became a legislative leader and one of the most stalwart defenders of the environment. But whether it was getting major legislation passed, constituent service or getting grants for local charities, Donna Walsh got the job done through hard work with people in the district and with integrity and determination.

Before her decade representing Charlestown in the General Assembly, she also served as state Senator and member of the Charlestown Town Council. She is fondly remembered by many in the area as “Mrs. Walsh” for her 38 years as a teacher at Chariho.

Though she no longer holds elected office, Donna now serves on the boards of numerous local non-profit charities such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul where she serves as President.

Congratulations, Donna!

R.I.P. Rev. Jesse Jackson, died today at age 84

 

Charlestown legend dies

Janice Falcone dies at age 94

By Will Collette

Janice at the podium at a Charlestown Council
meeting. Photo by Will Collette

Janice Falcone was a force of nature. Against all odds, she kept the General Stanton Inn going long after her beloved husband Sonny passed away. 

She was an active part of Charlestown's political scene speaking up at Town Council meetings on a variety of issues especially during the ten-year reign of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA).

I admired the way she kept her cool every time that CCA leader and Council President Tom Gentz would try to belittle her.  Janice always stood her ground.

She will be missed.

Here is her published obituary:

Janice Elaine Falcone, 94, beloved mother and grandmother passed on January 28, 2026, in the comforts of her home in Charlestown RI surrounded by loved ones. Born on May 28, 1931.

She was a hard-working woman. She was employed with Westerly cleaners and Ladd School. She also owned several businesses: The Charlestown Lounge and The General Stanton Inn and Flea market - with her husband, Angelo (Sonny) Falcone.

She was an avid traveler and collector.

She is survived by her daughter, Beth (Coon) Sherman and her husband James Sherman. 5 Grandchildren- Angela (Coon) Durfee, Robert C Bitgood, Angelique (Coon) Vargas, Jan (Scarber) Perry, and Jason Lee Scarber. 11 great grandchildren. 6 great great grandchildren. Numerous siblings and friends.

She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years Angelo (Sonny) Falcone, her Son Roland S. Coon and his Wife Simone (Poole) Coon, her daughter Lisa Ann (Coon) Scarber and her Husband Tyrone Scarber.

A memorial service to celebrate Janice's life will be held at Avery Funeral Home Hope Valley on Wednesday evening 4-6 pm. Funeral services at St. Pius church Westerly 12:30 pm.

The medal he deserves

R.I.P. Reggae great Jimmy Cliff

 

Celebrate today!

Great woman, life well lived

Charlestown's long-time animal rescue chief Kathleen McA'Nulty dies at age 63

She served Charlestown with distinction for 36 years 

CHARLESTOWN - Charlestown, RI's beloved Animal Control Officer, Kathy McA'Nulty died peacefully at home surrounded by friends and family on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 62 years old.

Kathy grew up in Maynard, MA, one of four children of Daniel and Donna McA'Nulty. With the help of her sister, Susan, Kathy mounted a concerted campaign to adopt her first dog, Bingo, who launched her life-long passion for animals. During her high school years, she volunteered at Buddy Dog Humane Society. After graduating from Becker College in Worcester, MA, with a degree in Animal Care, she went to work at a local RI kennel and began to develop her expertise for handling animals of all kinds. It wasn't long before she found the community and position that would become her happy place for the next 36 years as the Animal Control Officer for Charlestown, RI.

Kathy's unwavering compassion and tireless care for animals made an immeasurable impact on all the animals and people she worked with. Alongside dogs and cats, she embraced horses, rabbits, chickens, pigs, goats, guinea pigs, ferrets, birds, and even pet rats. In more than three decades, she improved the lives of thousands of animals and always sought to bring people and animals together in the most healing and meaningful ways.

Beyond her work for the Town, every aspect of her life involved animals. From dog sledding to horseback riding, to her own constantly evolving family farm, Kathy's heart and soul were dedicated to animals. Her other great love was music, and she followed her favorite band, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, in concerts throughout New England. Kathy loved her life, and she will be forever celebrated and missed by her many friends and all the caring people she touched.

She is survived by her sister, Susan Racine, her nephews Jeffrey and Matthew Racine, and her two nieces Sabrina and Regina McA'Nulty. A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Friends of the Charlestown Animal Shelter, 50 Sand Hill Road, Charlestown, RI 02813.

For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

In Memoriam: David Mars, Chief Sachem, tribal official and Charlestown Council candidate

Respected Narragansett Tribe elder David Mars died on August 26 at age 87.

By Will Collette

Mr. Mars was one of the first people I interviewed after the launch of Progressive Charlestown. I spoke to him about the 2012 Charlestown Town Council election that featured notorious Charlestown curmudgeon Jim Mageau’s second attempt to redeem his 2008 loss to the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA).

At the time, Mr. Mars was running for the second time for Town Council on Mageau’s 2012 ticket and had decided prior to the General Election to withdraw his name. Mageau went on to his third defeat in a row.

Mageau picked Mr. Mars as his running mate in his 2010 comeback attempt. Mageau again came in last, this time in a field of 11 with only 520 votes, a drop of almost 40% from 2008. Mr. Mars, his running mate, barely campaigned at all, but still outpolled Mageau by 50%.

His family wrote a wonderful tribute to his life and work in the following obituary. I have rarely read an obituary that so joyfully captured a person's life - and it's also pretty funny! Please read on.

Robert Redford, you will be missed

So many great movies. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Sting. All the President's Men. Plus, his support and advocacy for quality film-making, the environment and a civil society.

Donald Trump reacts:

RIP, Rippy Serra

Popular store owner and community leader dies in his sleep

The following is from Charlestown's website: It is with deep sadness that the Town shares the news that Councilman Richard “Rippy” Serra passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Charlestown.   Rippy was a devoted public servant, a committed member of our community, a loving father, and a proud grandfather. He was also the proud owner of Rippy’s Liquor and Market for many years, a local business that became a familiar and trusted part of Charlestown.   His unwavering dedication to serving others and his kind, generous spirit touched the lives of many and will be deeply missed.   Over the years, Vice President Serra served multiple terms on the Town Council. He was actively involved in the Memorial Day Parade Committee, served for many years on the board of the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce, and acted as the Council’s liaison to the Senior Center.   His legacy of service, community, and compassion will not be forgotten Town Council President Deborah Carney commented:   I knew Rippy for over 25 years, and I am grateful to have called him a friend.  I had the pleasure of serving on the Town Council with Rippy in 2002 and again from 2022 to the present.   Rippy was generous and continually contributed to local groups. He volunteered both his time and made financial contributions to many organizations. Rippy was dedicated to helping others. He was passionate in his beliefs and stood by his convictions. He was never afraid to speak his mind.   Rippy was a tireless advocate for Charlestown, his constituents and friends.     His passing is a tremendous loss to our community and all that knew him. He was a friend and I will miss him. Paid for by Charlestown Residents United P.O. Box 412 Charlestown, RI 02813 Visit our Website   Charlestown Residents United | PO Box 412 | Charlestown, RI 02813 US

RIP Tom Lehrer, singer, satirist, mathematician, aged 97

 

'We Have Lost a Giant': Broadcast Legend Bill Moyers Dies at 91

"Moyers believed that journalism should serve democracy, not just the bottom line."

Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams

The life and work of journalist Bill Moyers was being celebrated across the world of independent and public media on Thursday as news of his death at the age of 91 spread across the United States and beyond.

"RIP Bill Moyers, one of the greatest of the greats," Press Watch's Dan Froomkin said on social media as remembrances and celebrations of the legendary broadcaster, democracy defender, and longtime Common Dreams contributor poured in.

Moyers died of complications from prostate cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

He began his long media career as a teenager, reporting for his local newspaper in Texas. He was also an ordained Baptist minister and former President Lyndon B. Johnson's press secretary.

A joint statement from the LBJ Presidential Library, his foundation, and the Johnson family noted that "Moyers played a central role in developing and promoting Johnson's Great Society agenda, an ambitious domestic policy program to eliminate poverty, expand civil rights, and improve education and healthcare nationwide."

Moyers left the White House and returned to journalism in 1967. He served as publisher of Newsday, then launched his award-winning television career, from which he retired in 2015. His website, BillMoyers.com, went into "archive mode" in 2017.

With his television programming—much of which aired on PBS—Moyers took "his cameras and microphones to cities and towns where unions, community organizations, environmental groups, tenants rights activists, and others were waging grassroots campaigns for change," Peter Dreier wrote for Common Dreams a decade ago.

Save $45 million - no King Donald parade

King Donald loves a parade

Best wishes to Joe Biden

And get well

By Will Collette

I am proud of our 46th President Joe Biden. A good and decent man who worked hard to really make America great through care, compassion and some terrific policies.

As a teenager, I reconciled myself to the likelihood that there will never be a president who did everything I wanted. But I do expect each of them to try - to listen, learn, study, think, take advice and make decisions to do the greatest good for the greatest number.

As President, that's what Joe did.

He took a beating for being old and showing the frailty of age from time to time. Now that we have heard of his serious prostate cancer diagnosis, we can reasonably assume that the cancer was working its way through his body at least some amount of time during his term.

I hope that critics from my side of the political spectrum will leave the guy alone, judge his service for what it was and stop second-guessing his 2024 decisions.

Anyone who decides to run for president has a quality that most of us do not have. They have such a strong belief in themselves that they dare to presume they can do a good job in what is probably the hardest job on the planet. A certain amount of egotism and at least a dash of narcissism is part of the job description. Having a malignant cancer growing in his body didn't help.

It's part of why I understand why Joe was so reluctant to step down in 2024. He thought he had done a good job - and he did - and figured he could do some more in a second term - which as it turns out was pretty unlikely.

So we ended up with the worst-case scenario of all time. 

At least in these initial hours after Joe's cancer prognosis went public, the public words coming from Trump have been calm and decent. And almost certainly ghosted for him. 

His idiot elder son Don Jr. showed no such restraint nor any scintilla of compassion or decency posting this garbage on social media. I leave it to you to decide if Don Jr. is saying what his Daddy is thinking.

The vast majority of Americans to the left of MAGA have a tough road ahead. I hope that Joe gets treatment for his cancer and that he is able to join in the fight.

But regardless, thank you Joe for making the good of the people your highest priority.

Francis − a pope who cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church

Steadfast advocate for migrants, stood up to Trump. Requiescat in pace

Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross

Pope Francis, the Catholic Church’s first Latin American pontiff, has died, the Vatican announced on April 21, 2025. He was 88. Francis had served as pope for 12 eventful years, after being elected on March 13, 2013 after the surprise resignation of Benedict XVI.

Prior to becoming pope, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, and was the first person from the Americas to be elected to the papacy. He was also the first pope to choose Francis as his name, thus honoring St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century mystic whose love for nature and the poor have inspired Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

The Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio,
ordained for the Jesuits in 1969 at the
Theological Faculty of San Miguel. 
Jesuit General Curia via Getty Images

Pope Francis chose not to wear the elaborate clothing, like red shoes or silk vestments, associated with other popes. As a scholar of global Catholicism, however, I would argue that the changes Francis brought to the papacy were more than skin deep. He opened the church to the outside world in ways none of his predecessors had done before.

Care for the marginalized

Pope Francis reached out personally to the poor. For example, he turned a Vatican plaza into a refuge for the homeless, whom he called “nobles of the street.”

He washed the feet of migrants and prisoners during the traditional foot-washing ceremony on the Thursday before Easter. In an unprecedented act for a pope, he also washed the feet of non-Christians.

He encouraged a more welcoming attitude toward gay and lesbian Catholics and invited transgender people to meet with him at the Vatican.

On other contentious issues, Francis reaffirmed official Catholic positions. He labeled homosexual behavior a “sin,” although he also stated that it should not be considered a crime. Francis criticized gender theory for “blurring” differences between men and women.

How the next pope will be picked.

While he maintained the church’s position that all priests should be male, he made far-reaching changes that opened various leadership roles to women. Francis was the first pope to appoint a woman to head an administrative office at the Vatican. Also for the first time, women were included in the 70-member body that selects bishops and the 15-member council that oversees Vatican finances. He appointed an Italian nun, Sister Raffaella Petrini, as President of the Vatican City.

Not shy of controversy

Some of Francis’ positions led to opposition in some Catholic circles.

One such issue was related to Francis’ embrace of religious diversity. Delivering an address at the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan in 2022, he said that members of the world’s different religions were “children of the same heaven.”

While in Morocco, he spoke out against conversion as a mission, saying to the Catholic community that they should live “in brotherhood with other faiths.” To some of his critics, however, such statements undermined the unique truth of Christianity.

During his tenure, the pope called for “synodality,” a more democratic approach to decision making. For example, synod meetings in November 2023 included laypeople and women as voting members. But the synod was resisted by some bishops who feared it would lessen the importance of priests as teachers and leaders.

In a significant move that will influence the choosing of his successor, Pope Francis appointed more cardinals from the Global South. But not all Catholic leaders in the Global South followed his lead on doctrine. For example, African bishops publicly criticized Pope Francis’ December 2023 ruling that allowed blessings of individuals in same sex couples.

His most controversial move was limiting the celebration of the Mass in the older form that uses Latin. This reversed a decision made by Benedict XVI that allowed the Latin Mass to be more widely practiced.

Traditionalists argued that the Latin Mass was an important – and beautiful – part of the Catholic tradition. But Francis believed that it had divided Catholics into separate groups who worshiped differently.

This concern for Catholic unity also led him to discipline two American critics of his reforms, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, and Cardinal Raymond Burke. Most significantly, Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Vatican ambassador, or nuncio, to the United States was excommunicated during Francis’ tenure for promoting “schism.”

Recently, Pope Francis also criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants. In a letter to US Bishops, he recalled that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had been emigrants and refugees in Egypt. Pope Francis also argued that migrants who enter a country illegally should not be treated as criminals because they are in need and have dignity as human beings.

Writings on ‘the common good’

In his official papal letters, called encyclicals, Francis echoed his public actions by emphasizing the “common good,” or the rights and responsibilities necessary for human flourishing.

Pope Francis washes the foot of a man during the foot-washing
ritual at a refugee center outside of Rome on March 24, 2016. 
L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP

His first encyclical in 2013, Lumen Fidei, or “The Light of Faith,” sets out to show how faith can unite people everywhere.

In his next encyclical, Laudato Si’, or “Praise Be to You,” Francis addressed the environmental crisis, including pollution and climate change. He also called attention to unequal distribution of wealth and called for an “integral ecology” that respects both human beings and the environment.

His third encyclical in 2020, Fratelli Tutti, or “Brothers All,” criticized a “throwaway culture” that discards human beings, especially the poor, the unborn and the elderly. In a significant act for the head of the Catholic Church, Francis concluded by speaking of non-Catholics who have inspired him: Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu and Mahatma Gandhi.

In his last encyclical, Dilexit Nos, or “He Loved Us,” he reflected on God’s Love through meditating on the symbol of the Sacred Heart that depicts flames of love coming from Jesus’ wounded heart that was pierced during the crucifixion.

Francis also proclaimed a special “year of mercy” in 2015-16. The pope consistently argued for a culture of mercy that reflects the love of Jesus Christ, calling him “the face of God’s mercy.”

A historic papacy

Francis’ papacy has been historic. He embraced the marginalized in ways that no pope had done before. He not only deepened the Catholic Church’s commitment to the poor in its religious life but also expanded who is included in its decision making.

The pope did have his critics who thought he went too far, too fast. And whether his reforms take root depends on his successor. Among many things, Francis will be remembered for how his pontificate represented a shift in power in the Catholic Church away from Western Europe to the Global South, where the majority of Catholics now live.

Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Happy International Women's Day