Woonsocket Radio News Room

Sen. Lawson to introduce resolution calling on city to preserve Metacomet Golf Club

 

STATE HOUSE – Sen. Valarie Lawson will introduce a Senate resolution calling upon the City of East Providence to purchase Metacomet Golf Club to preserve it as open space. 

“One thing that has become quite clear is that people of East Providence value the green space and beauty of Metacomet. I see this moment as an opportunity to create a gorgeous recreational and environmental asset for East Providence, one that would be enjoyed immensely for generations,” said Senator Lawson, a Democrat whose District 14 includes the 105-acre golf course. “Keeping Metacomet green would benefit the public and the environment, and I’m confident our community would be proud to support such an investment.” 

The senator said she plans to introduce a Senate resolution matching a House resolution that will be introduced by Rep. Gregg Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence) calling on the city, through eminent domain, to purchase Metacomet for public use. The proposal calls for a municipal bond that could be supplemented through Department of Environmental Management grants, federal aid, various conservation organizations’ support and the forming of the Metacomet Conservancy Land Trust.

The historic Donald Ross-designed golf course features rolling hills overlooking Narragansett Bay. It could be connected to the nearby East Bay bike path to create a recreational resource that could be easily accessed and enjoyed by Rhode Islanders. 

“This is a creative, outside-the-box idea, one that could be a turning point in our city’s development. I sincerely hope that our city will explore this possibility and look into every possible resource that could make the preservation of Metacomet a reality. This is a rare opportunity to not only save a green space, but turn it into an asset that everyone can enjoy,” said Senator Lawson.

House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with Jewish students today at Columbia University in New York City. His visit comes as the school faces massive protests against Israel's actions in the Palestinian territories. Hundreds of students have been protesting for days against the Biden administration's response to the Israel-Hamas war, calling for an end to support for Israel.        A new foreign aid bill will be signed into law by President Biden today. The Senate passed the 95-billion dollar emergency foreign aid package yesterday. It includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and the Indo-Pacific as well as the groundwork to ban the social media app TikTok in the U.S.        A case involving emergency abortions is being heard by the Supreme Court. The high court is hearing arguments currently on whether emergency rooms in Idaho can provide abortions to a woman whose health is at risk. Idaho's law makes it a felony for physicians to perform most abortions except to save the life of the mother.        The national average price for a gallon of gas is holding steady. Triple A reports the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is still three-dollars-and-66-cents across the country. That's the same as it was a week ago, but 13 cents more than a month ago.       The older people get, the later they think old age starts. A German study published this week in the American Psychological Association's Psychology and Aging journal checked in with thousands of people over the years born between 1911 and 1974. The longer the study went on, the further away people saw the start of old age.       Former University of Southern California running back Reggie Bush is getting his 2005 Heisman Trophy back, according to a report from ESPN. Bush had his trophy taken away in 2010 after the NCAA [[ N-C-Double-A ]] imposed sanctions on USC for infractions including Bush receiving improper benefits. The Heisman Trust told ESPN the "reinstatement" of Bush's trophy comes as there has been "enormous changes in the college football landscape."       

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