Matunuck Oyster Bar could reopen temporarily outdoors this summer. Here's how.
The bills, H6392 and S1139, allow any licensed food service establishment closed by a flood, fire or other "casualty" to provide outdoor dining services for 18 months, or until the outdoor structure is rehabilitated. The temporary outdoor restaurant would need municipal approval but would not require any further relief from local ordinances and codes.
Introduced respectively by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Susan Sosnowski, both of South Kingstown, the bills do not mention Matunuck Oyster Bar by name but are clearly intended as a response to the May 20 fire.
"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," a news release announcing the bills said, and would "keep 50 employees of the restaurant working during the busy summer months."
McEntee described the legislation as "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.
Sosnowski said the idea of temporary outdoor operations is built on the "Take It Outside" laws pioneered during the COVID pandemic.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi "pledged his strongest support" for the bill in a post on the social media site X, leaving little doubt that it is expected to pass before the end of the annual General Assembly legislative session.
The bills would allow Matunuck Oyster Bar to serve alcohol while open in the parking lot.
The provisions of the bill would expire June 30, 2027.
Hearing on the legislation are scheduled in the House Small Business Committee and Senate Housing Committee Tuesday, June 10.
Raso has vowed to rebuild the restaurant on Succotash Road off Potter Pond.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Matunuck Oyster Bar could reopen outdoors this summer under new bills
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
38 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
22 Scary Ways Kids Have Changed According To Teachers
I often hear about how American kids today are doing worse in school and having more struggles with socializing and behavior. I was curious to hear some specific examples of how this is showing up in students today, so I asked a few teachers to fill out a questionnaire. The ones who answered ranged from preschool to fourth-grade teachers. Here are some of the ways they've seen how students today have declined in intelligence or changed behaviorally: "I've noticed the attention loss amongst children. What people don't realize is that a lot of the social media that's getting to the students is through school devices that they're allowed to bring home, not just the ones that have at home." "Less consistent physical activity during the COVID lockdown has affected the kids' endurance and energy regulation." "The majority of my students this year did not possess the fine motor skills needed for writing. Most of them went to different schools before my class, so I do not know how they were taught. While students were able to identify letters and corresponding sounds, they had to strengthen their ability to blend letter sounds together in order to read. Students also had trouble with comprehension. They needed time to learn more about story elements, main ideas, and key details." "After the pandemic, the kids didn't know how to play with each other because of all the isolation. So in school, they had to be given an opportunity to learn how to play respectfully." "I hear 7 and 8-year-olds making references and discussing content from right-wing content creators." "One way I've noticed a decline in literacy amongst students today is that a lot of them need to build vocabulary. This will automatically boost reading, speech, and any other academic scenario." "A change I've noticed since I've been a teacher is that students are starting the school year below grade level and have difficulty accessing the new EL (Expeditionary Learning) curriculum." "A basic life skill my students should've known but didn't was how to say common polite courtesies like please and thank you or excuse me." "I've noticed a decline in penmanship due to the kids' use of the internet and social media." "Because of the internet and social media, I hear second graders making references I understand, but they're too young to, and it's alarming." "Post-COVID, students have struggled more with separation when having to leave their parents for school." "I teach first grade, and I've had students who didn't know basic things they should, like letter and number recognition." "Kids today are not given enough opportunities to read for enjoyment, and it's affecting their literacy." "Some basic life skills my preschoolers didn't possess was basic hygiene skills, toileting, cleaning up their own messes, and dressing themselves." "Some students missed foundational skills during the COVID lockdown, especially in literacy and math." "There were many children who had not been socialized during the pandemic. These children are easy to spot as it was difficult for them to settle into a classroom of 16 children. They have to learn how to be around big groups of people, share toys, hold conversations, and so much more." "I teach pre-school, and sometimes I've had students who didn't know their own name." "I've noticed that students today are more apathetic towards other classmates, teachers, and subjects." "I teach kindergarten and I've had students who didn't know basic flat shapes, primary colors, numbers 1-10, or how to write their name." "Since I've been a teacher, I see that there are more children who are addicted to screen time." "I have kindergarteners who don't know how to wash their hands or blow their nose." And finally, "Post-COVID, I think kids are used to running things much more often. For example, if they were at home with siblings or guardians who were always working from home, there wasn't a lot of supervision, which has led them to being rude to adults and other classmates." If you're a teacher, use the form below to tell us about the realities and struggles of teaching today. You can answer as many or as few questions as you'd like.
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
CNBC Daily Open: Most people don't start a political party after separation
When they find themselves without a significant other, most men finally start living: They pay attention to their personal grooming, hit the gym and discover new hobbies. What does the world's richest man do? He starts a political party. Last weekend, as the United States celebrated its independence from the British in 1776, Elon Musk enshrined his sovereignty from U.S. President Donald Trump by establishing the creatively named "American Party." Few details have been revealed, but Musk said the party will focus on "just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts," and will have legislative discussions "with both parties" — referring to the U.S. Democratic and Republican Parties. It might be easier to realize Musk's dream of colonizing Mars than to bridge the political aisle in the U.S. government today. To be fair, some thought appeared to be behind the move. Musk decided to form the party after holding a poll on X in which 65.4% of respondents voted in favor. Folks, here's direct democracy — and the powerful post-separation motivation — in confirms tariffs will kick in Aug. 1. That postpones the deadline by a month, but tariffs could "boomerang" back to April levels for countries without deals. Trump on Friday said letters with "take it or leave it" offers will go out to 12 countries Monday. U.S. stock futures slipped Sunday. Despite the White House pushing back the return of "reciprocal" tariffs, some investors could be worried trade negotiations would result in higher-than-expected duties. Europe's Stoxx 600 index dropped 0.48% Friday. OPEC+ members to increase oil output. Eight members of the alliance agreed on Saturday to hike their collective crude production by 548,000 barrels per day, around 100,000 more than expected. Elon Musk forms a new political party. On Saturday, the world's richest man said he has formed a new U.S. political party named the "American Party," which he claims will give Americans "back your freedom." [PRO] Wall Street is growing cautious on European equities. As investors seek shelter from tumult in U.S., the Stoxx 600 index has risen 6.6% year to date. Analysts, however, think the foundations of that growth could be shaky. The CEO mindset is shifting. It's no longer all about winning CEOs today aren't just steering companies — they're navigating a minefield. From geopolitical shocks and economic volatility to rapid shifts in tech and consumer behavior, the playbook for leadership is being rewritten in real time. In an exclusive interview with CNBC earlier this week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown outlined a leadership approach centered on urgency, momentum and learning from failure.
Business Upturn
4 hours ago
- Business Upturn
With Debt Concerns Mounting, Resurfacing Presentation from Jim Rickards Suggests U.S. May Already Own What It Needs to Fund Trump's Economic Revival
Washington, D.C., July 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As negotiations intensify over how to pay for President Trump's sweeping economic legislation—dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill' by those close to the administration—a released presentation from economic strategist Jim Rickards details a resource that could ensure this needed windfall does not come in the form of taxes or borrowing at all. Instead, Rickards discusses a hidden reserve of national wealth that has remained buried—both literally and politically—for generations. And now, for the first time in half a century, the doors may be opening. A Financial Resource Buried in the American West Rickards' presentation outlines the vast holdings of critical materials beneath federally owned land—resources essential for energy, defense, technology, and modern infrastructure. While the U.S. Geological Survey has long documented these deposits, Rickards says their potential value has never been fully recognized as a financial tool. According to the presentation, this resource base spans across every state, with extraordinary concentrations in key regions. '$516 billion is here in the Salton Sea area of California… $3.1 trillion is held in Nome, Alaska. And $7.35 trillion is here, in Midland, Texas' . He says that what's most remarkable isn't the size—but the fact that it's never been touched. 'The nature of this 'trust', as I call it, is such that politicians haven't been able to raid it… which has allowed it to grow untouched… for decades' . An Alternative to Debt, Hidden in Plain Sight Rather than relying on new bond issuances or foreign capital, Rickards proposes that America's next economic chapter be funded using what it already owns. 'We've had this rich 'endowment' right under our feet… yet for years, we refused to touch it'. He insists this is not a stimulus check or a new federal program. 'It's not some kind of government program like those COVID relief checks a few years back,' Rickards says. 'But it is a chance for the average American to become richer than they ever imagined'. Trump's Shift Toward Domestic Wealth The presentation positions Trump's current resource policies as a historic pivot. Rickards notes that, unlike past presidents who kept these resources off-limits, Trump is now unlocking them. 'Trump is re-opening our mineral-rich Federal Lands. And fast-tracking companies that could recover trillions of dollars' worth of resources, right here in America' . Even Trump's own comments suggest a new direction. 'There are certain areas where we have great, raw earth… and we're not allowed to use it because of the environment. I'm going to open them up,' Trump said. Projects Delayed for Generations Now Moving Forward Rickards points to specific projects—some sitting dormant for decades—as early signs of movement. 'The Resolution Copper Mine has been sitting for 29 years… Pebble Mine in Alaska has been stalled since 1990… and Thacker Pass Lithium Mine in Nevada has been blocked since 1978' . He says the barriers were never technical—they were political. 'For the past 50 years, fake-experts have strangled us from within the government,' he says. 'They tied us down with reams of regulation' . Now, that's changing. 'We know exactly where these minerals are. We know they're worth trillions of dollars. And now—for the first time in half a century—we can go get them' . A Moment of Reckoning Rickards says that this moment is not just about policy—it's about recognizing what America already has. 'America is anything BUT broke,' he writes. 'And if you understand what's bound to happen next? You could watch your own net worth soar in the years ahead' . He emphasizes that the resource isn't theoretical or abstract. It's real, verifiable, and already owned by the American public. 'It's not earmarked for any specific individual,' Rickards clarifies. 'I'm just trying to use terminology that will make the most sense to viewers' . About Jim Rickards Jim Rickards is a former advisor to the White House, CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury. He played a key role in the original Petrodollar Accord and has been involved in the federal response to numerous global crises. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
