Business is down 40 to 50 percent. The medical center is overtaxed; the Town does not have enough ambulances. Boudreau also said he would welcome the governor’s help in ridding the island of mopeds. Leone said the security officers turn away about 180 mopeds a day from attempting to drive up High Street to the Mohegan Bluffs. More than 16,600 people have tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 900 people have died of complications in Rhode Island, according to data compiled by … Latest COVID-19 coronavirus data and map for Block Island, RI The ferries and the town are blanketed with signs appealing to people to respect social distances and wear masks. “If there is an outbreak, the Town Council will be responsible.”. On Wednesday, members voted 3 to 1 to suspend outdoor entertainment licenses. On Saturday afternoon, Jessica Willi was on the phone with a Globe reporter when a wailing ambulance rushed by her to the island’s only medical center. And everyone from town officials to the local tourism industry are feeling the pressure to do something. “I am a hundred percent positive that there are people who support this decision,” said Jessica Willi, executive director of the Block Island Tourism Council. (No motorcycle license is required to operate 50cc mopeds.). However, as restrictions have made life tense on the mainland, the strain is magnified on Block Island, as thousands of tourists have descended here. Travel: As of June 30th, Rhode Island will implement a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone coming to Rhode Island from any state with 5% or greater positivity rate. States with Current RI Travel Restrictions. Residents were complaining about the crowds. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled late Wednesday that restrictions previously imposed on New York places of worship by Gov. Service Alert: All trips are running on schedule for Wednesday, December 16th. Furious over the abrupt action, five of those businesses filed a complaint Friday at Washington County Superior Court, saying the vote happened without notice and without the opportunity for them to be heard. We’ve had a summer where it’s gone wild, probably because people have been cooped up for a long time.”, Second Warden André Boudreau agreed. Bob Edme/AP Show More Show Less 12 of 20 FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2020, file photo, people wait in a line stretching around a block, outside a CityMD urgent care clinic offering COVID-19 … (Positivity rates are calculated using the average daily positivity rate for the last seven days.) Call (401) 783-7996 or book your trip on-line. . Published Mon Jun 01 2020 20:55:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Block Island is beginning to reopen this week after more than two months under tight restrictions aimed at … The early ferries limit capacity to 50 percent to cut down on the number of day trippers. France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Bulgaria all announced restrictions on U.K. travel, hours after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Christmas shopping and gatherings in southern England must be canceled because of rapidly spreading infections blamed on the new coronavirus variant. Block Island has had just eight cases of COVID-19. Its volunteer fire and rescue squad has one-third fewer members this summer because so many declined to serve because of the pandemic. Prior Updates . On Tuesday, governors in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts updated the list of states included in their COVID-19 travel advisories to include Rhode Island. DUP’s use of veto to block extension of Covid-19 restrictions ‘appalling’ Department reports 14 more deaths and 331 more cases in Northern Ireland on … What to do in Rhode Island now. She said since Tuesday’s announcement, there is continued “learning, modifying and adapting.”. “I understand what the governor is trying to do, but it’s not working out here. In any other time, a summer of flawless hot weather and the resulting boom in tourism would be welcomed… That’s not likely this year, as the town faces a projected deficit of $800,000 from the loss of tourism-related revenue. But in general, we all need to be respectful of each other during the pandemic.”. The Town Council objected to the complaint on Monday, arguing to the court that they were acting in the interest of public health and welfare because “the situation is out of hand.”, “The island is being flooded by tourists with vacation mentality who congregate, drink, and appear to forget that we are in the middle of [a] pandemic,” the councilors said. “All cancellations are quickly being re-booked with a surge of fellow Rhode Islanders,” Filippi wrote in an email to Eyewitness News Wednesday morning. This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in. Under the orders, Rhode Islanders visiting one of those states would have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, and residents of those states would also have to quarantine after returning home from Rhode Island. Alaska. It is certainly worth the trip! © 1998 - 2020 Nexstar Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Rhode Island is sparkling like a holiday with decked halls and twinkling lights. If the governor does reinstate the numerical restrictions the applicants can return to this court, and we could act quickly on their renewed applications." Test results … Just about a thousand people live here full-time, but summers swell the town’s population by 15,000 to 20,000 people a day. . He’s seeing many young customers, especially Rhode Islanders, discovering Block Island for the first time. Gina Raimondo. Alaska Airlines creates 'Safety Dance' video about flying during pandemic, ‘This really happened’: Customer leaves $5,600 tip at Ohio restaurant, Watch Christmas Morning Mass on WPRI 12 and WPRI.com, Untraditional Holidays: How the pandemic has compelled us to change how we celebrate, World’s carbon dioxide emissions dropped 7% in pandemic-hit 2020. Hours after her comments, councilors wrestled with what to do. Gatherings with a licensed caterer can have up to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. “We should sit down as friends and neighbors and work it out,” said Filippi of Ballard’s. Alerts and Latest Guidance. “I understand the town is grasping at straws to deal with what’s going on, but I don’t know if that’s the solution,” said Chief Vincent Carlone. The North’s First Minister and Deputy First Minister disagreed in the Assembly on Monday over the DUP’s use of a cross-community veto last week to block the extension of … The previous weekend, Ballard’s had hosted a free Reggae Fest that drew throngs of people to the beach concert. Public drinking and partying on the beaches, vandalism and disrespect of others, and a free-for-all of cars, mopeds, bicycles, and pedestrians in the small commercial area has stressed the island’s easygoing nature, locals say. Andrew Cuomo's COVID-19 restrictions. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images “The governor might reinstate the restrictions. Supreme Court denies request to block Covid restrictions at Kentucky schools. Advertencia de viaje - Coronavirus Town Service Methods During Closure Town Clerk Office Services, Court and Public Meetings Dog Licenses “It’s not safe. Most of the venues weren’t causing problems, he said, and the issue of unruly crowds needs a more comprehensive solution. Their selfies and videos of wild times on Block Island are posted on social media, drawing more young crowds and the kind of publicity islanders want to avoid. “It’s extremely important for us to have outdoor entertainment. A church stands in the Staten Island neighborhood of Tottenville on November 20, 2020 in New York City. Steven Filippi, who owns Ballard’s Beach Resort, said the resort has so far seen “minor cancellations” for hotel lodging, but said it’s not all bad news. On the advice of Dr. Mark Clark, the doctor at the time at the Block Island Medical Center, town leaders issued an emergency order restricting travel on and off the island. But the afternoon and evening ferries back to the mainland are crowded, and people often remove their masks when they take in the salt-air breezes above deck. Yet Governor Gina M. Raimondo acknowledged Wednesday that “Block Island isn’t doing well.”. “Now they have a taste of it, and they’ll keep coming back,” Leone said. The money comes from $770,437 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants the Town of Hilton Head Island received this year. Published Mon Jun 01 2020 20:55:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Block Island is beginning to reopen this week after more than two months under tight restrictions aimed at … Social gatherings will be limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors. This is a lot for a small town with a just handful of police officers. NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WPRI) — Newly announced travel restrictions involving visits to and from Rhode Island are swiftly impacting tourism on Block Island. Now they are scrambling to get a handle on a season that seems to be spiraling out of their control. “Something’s got to give. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. You may shorten quarantine to 7 days if you have a negative result from a test taken at least 5 days after you were exposed. Local Nonprofits Awarded $159,612 in COVID-19 Relief Funds In a fourth round of COVID-19-related grant-making, three local nonprofits received $159,612. This worry helps explains why the Block Island Town Council this week unanimously adopted a draconian emergency ordinance, summoning what authority it has to shut down the island … So, get ready for adventure; the only way to travel to the island is by boat or plane. It marks the first time U.S. airports have screened more than 1 million passengers since Nov. 29. Andrew Cuomo (D) during the coronavirus pandemic violated the First Amendment. The town council on Block Island, which has about 900 year-round residents, concluded that an outright ban would be illegal. 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People on mopeds zip along dirt roads, where they’re banned; ride on sidewalks, where they dodge walkers; and blare their horns in a way that’s “like nails on a chalkboard for islanders,” Lacoste said. It’s sort of a way to make Block Island less appealing,” she added. Instant Poll: Snow days, or snow days no more? Council member Martha Ball proposed pulling all of the outdoor entertainment licenses, making an exception for weddings. What happens on Block Island doesn’t happen in Providence, Cranston, Johnston, and other places.”. Anyone coming to Rhode Island from a state with current travel restrictions will need to quarantine for 14 days or provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. Filippi is also the president of the Block Island Tourism Council. If you live year-round on Block Island, like I do, it could be very simple. Police say the bar, located in a COVID hot spot, repeatedly defied restrictions. State police officials have sent troopers to help the small police force on weekends. Staten Island Councilman Joe Borelli had 11 people around his Thanksgiving table Thursday, defying Gov. The announcement was “concerning,” Willi said, noting that the majority of vacationers on Block Island are typically from those states imposing the travel restrictions. ... or else additional restrictions … John Willis. More than 16,600 people have tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 900 people have died of complications in Rhode Island, according to data compiled by … Last week, two young tourists were killed in separate crashes on the island. Lacoste, the first warden on the council, voted against pulling the licenses. Council member Chris Willi abstained; he owns Captain Nick’s, which has an outdoor entertainment license. On Friday afternoon, the outdoor stages on the beach were empty, and a band played ‘80s covers inside the restaurant. All visitors entering Alaska must complete a traveler declaration form, and either arrive with … On the advice of Dr. Mark Clark, the doctor at the time at the Block Island Medical Center, town leaders issued an emergency order restricting travel on and off the island. The State of Rhode Island COVID-19 Notice and Addendum to be included with all real estate rental and sales agreements remain unchanged. The state Department of Business Regulation has regularly inspected local businesses and, for the most part, found them in compliance. Visit ny.gov/vaccine to get the facts on the COVID-19 Vaccine in New York.. A new Micro-Cluster Strategy is addressing COVID-19 hot spots that have cropped up across the state.. Look up an address to see if falls into a Red, Orange, or Yellow Zone. NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WPRI/AP) — A summer worker on Block Island has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Block Island Medical Center. For a town that’s managed to keep its positive coronavirus cases in single digits, the usual bustle of summer tourism has made locals worried about an outbreak. Latest COVID-19 coronavirus data and map for Block Island, RI When they continued the meeting Monday, they announced that the State Police had agreed to send more troopers for weekend patrols to crack down on all traffic violations, and Superintendent Colonel James Manni said he will go to the island as well. Andrew M. Cuomo said Tuesday. The council, according to Willi, is encouraging hotels and home renters “to be as flexible as reasonably possible, as well as the visitors, understanding that Block Island aims to cultivate good will and good hospitality for the long term.”, “At the end of the day, it is up to each business owner to make their own decisions, however,” she added. While most places were open this summer, with Covid-19 restrictions, some have started closing for the season. It is certainly worth the trip! John Leone, owner of the Old Harbor Bike Shop, has heard that before. “Boats aren’t made for social distancing,” said Bill McCombe, the town emergency management co-director and chief of security for the Interstate Navigation Company, which runs the Block Island Ferry. Anyone coming to Rhode Island from a state with current travel restrictions will need to quarantine for 14 days or provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. States with Current RI Travel Restrictions. Copyright 2020 Nexstar Inc. All rights reserved. Test results … Compliance seems to wane as the day wears on and visitors start drinking. The volunteer rescue squad was stressed from responding to medical calls and crashes. They asked for a temporary restraining order to stop the ban. Travelers from Rhode Island must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in New York because of high levels of coronavirus in that state, Gov. Why it matters: The decision in a 5-4 vote heralds the first significant action by the new President Trump-appointed conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who cast the deciding vote in … Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival. Gov. We’re barely surviving.”. “The town just isn’t set up for this kind of pandemic response,” said Willi of the tourism council. The lawyer for a New York City bar owner was arrested for opening his business in defiance of coronavirus restrictions. This is a town laid out during horse-and-buggy days, as the police chief points out, with narrow, winding streets and a tiny commercial district by the ferry docks. ”It’s crowds and bars that are the most dangerous things, the biggest spreaders of this disease,” he said. She found out later it was coming from the fatal moped crash. There are COVID-19 travel restrictions in Rhode island. The diocese argued the COVID-19 restrictions … Carlone wants to call state child welfare authorities on parents who allow their children under 18 to come to the island unsupervised. The school is undergoing a “deep cleaning,” according to Supt. Covid-19 holidays at the farm. UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced stricter COVID-19 measures in London, the South East and East of England amid concerns about the spread of a new strain of the virus which may be up to 70% more transmissible. SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — More than 1 million people have passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints in each of the past two days in a sign that public health pleas to avoid holiday travel are being ignored, despite an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases. That left young people: fearless, restless from lockdowns, and restricted by coronavirus rules at the mainland’s public beaches. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini sided with town officials and kept the ban on outdoor entertainment in place. Meanwhile, a petition is circulating online asking state legislators to enact tougher licensing standards for mopeds and to name the bill in honor of Corey Sanville, the young man who died on Saturday. Summer is waning, but with the school year delayed in Rhode Island, it’s possible that the crowds will continue to visit Block Island. See the restrictions that correspond to each color-coded level of cluster zone. It became the latest addi Council member Sven Risom wondered about the impact on businesses that were following the rules, before ultimately siding with the majority. ... to make half of Staten Island an orange zone, meaning that a block … As New COVID Restrictions Loom Citywide, Schools Reopen In Staten Island’s Orange Zone December 9, 2020 at 12:15 pm Filed Under: Coronavirus , COVID , education , … Category: News. 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