Gallery 4 of Tiverton 4 Corners is pleased to present the first exhibit of Harry Nadler’s work since a solo show at New York’s David Findlay Gallery in 2006. This remarkable retrospective of work done by one of the great abstract expressionists of the last century begins with an opening reception on Saturday, July 25 from 4 to 7 in the afternoon. The showing continues through August16. Gallery 4 is located at 3848 Main Road in Tiverton, Rhode Island. The gallery is open from 10 to 5 Monday through Saturday and 11 to 5 Sunday. The gallery phone number is 401 816-0999 and website www.gallery4tiverton.com.

Of Mr. Nadler’s work, Vivian Raynor, of The New York Times wrote, “Mr. Nadler’s geometry is jauntier (than Mondrian)…his brushwork closer to Cezanne’s.” Hilton Kramer, also of The New York Times, wrote, “The attempt to capture in a purely abstract imagery the quintessential quality of light and color…is a hazardous pictorial ambition, but Mr. Nadler has met the challenge…with remarkable success.”

Mr. Nadler’s work is in numerous museum collections including the Cincinnati Art Museum; The Fine Arts Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Storm King Art Center of New York. Two site specific triptychs, Gates of Light and Night Kingdom will soon be installed in the newly constructed Meditation Chapel at The University of New Mexico Cancer Center. A story that the artist told throughout his short life was about a “golden bird.” One day, when he was 8, Harry was walking home carrying a picture he had made in school. He came to a dark tunnel and was afraid. His painting of a beautiful, golden bird radiating tropical colors shone in the dark and he lost all his fear.That image of beauty, flight, darkness and the power of his own image-making stayed with Harry Nadler all his life. Mr. Nadler spent most of his career painting in Amagansett, New York and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

PAWTUCKET – Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island’s Pediatric Unit accepted a generous donation from two eighth grade students from Joseph Jenks Junior High School in Pawtucket. As part of a community service project for one of their classes, Miriam Cardenas and Jocelyn Pacheco, both 14 years-old, collected new books, stuffed animals, canned goods and other items for various organizations.

The students donated 30 books to Memorial Hospital’s Pediatric Unit. The other items were donated to a children’s shelter, soup kitchen and animal shelter in the local area. The students began their project in February and presented the hospital with the donated items at the end of June.

“The books will bring many happy smiles to young patients,” noted Nancy Amedee, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager of the Pediatrics Unit at the hospital. “We appreciate the students’ kindness,” she added.

The Pawtucket Family YMCA, with the support of the City of Pawtucket, is operating a “Learn to Swim” Program at Vets Pool this summer. The Vets Pool is located at the Fairlawn Family Recreation Complex on Smithfield Avenue in Pawtucket. The curriculum will focus on non-swimmers and beginners while teaching them basic swim skills and water safety. Participants should not be members of the YMCA. Lessons at Vets Pool will take place Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by open swim until 8 p.m. Youth ages 6-14 are invited to participate in this program starting July 6th through August 14th. All children must be accompanied by an adult relative. Friday evenings at Vets Pool will feature “Family Fun Night where everyone is invited to the join the YMCA for a night filled fun and swim and also held from 6 to 8 p.m. Once again, all children must be accompanied by an adult relative. All participants must pre-register for all Y programs at the Pawtucket Family YMCA on 20 Summer Street in Pawtucket to be eligible to attend these programs.

Samantha Knight (Family Y Aquatics) commented that the program will be a safe place for kids to go while teaching them valuable skills that will follow them into adulthood. The swim program is free and open to the public. Learning to swim by the YMCA is more than just stroke development. Children are taught in groups to facilitate the students’ socialization skills. Instructors use a child-centered approach which offers more active involvement and a better understanding of swimming, thus more learning and more fun. Of course, YMCA Character Development is at the core of each lesson. Be a part of it all, and experience swim lessons the YMCA way at Vets Pool this summer!

For more information about these and other swim programs offered by the Pawtucket Family YMCA call 401-727-7900 and ask for Samantha Knight, Director of Aquatics.

There will be a Rehoboth contra dance on Friday, August 14, at 8:00 p.m. at Goff Memorial Hall, 124 Bay State Road, Rehoboth, MA. All dances will be taught by caller Lisa Greenleaf. Music will be performed by Rumblestrip, with Nat Hewitt, Liza Constable, and Glen Loper. Beginners welcome. Partners not necessary. $8. For information, call 508-252-6375; http://www.contradancelinks.com/rehoboth.html.

Cordova is a 12-year-old, 80-pound adult female Northern fur seal who is a part of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, opening July 1 at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the New England Aquarium proudly announces the opening of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center on July 1. Five northern fur seals will make this architecturally-striking structure on Boston Harbor their new home. The goals of the new center are to educate all visitors about wildlife conservation and to innovatively present these charismatic marine mammals as role models for children in developing and maintaining healthy, active lifestyles.

Driven by the New Balance Foundation’s lead gift of more than $3 million, the Aquarium designed an open-air structure overlooking a rejuvenated Boston Harbor that will allow visitors to interact up-close with the northern fur seals. A primary objective of the New Balance Foundation is to promote childhood fitness and activity. Programs in the new Center will reflect that objective by encouraging young people to “Move It” with an innovative New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center guide that highlights exercises that mimic the seals activities.

“The New Balance Foundation is committed to encouraging childhood fitness and activity, and there is no better way to connect with children than through animals,” said Anne Davis, managing trustee of the New Balance Foundation. “Our partnership with the New England Aquarium through the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center will help kids get moving and active through exposure to the northern fur seal, one of the most engaging sea creatures on the planet.”

Young visitors to the Center will learn how Aquarium trainers keep the seals healthy with regular, vigorous play and exercise and by feeding them a closely monitored protein-rich fish diet. Trainers will demonstrate how they help the seals learn behaviors that maintain their health and hygiene, such as opening their mouths so that trainers can brush their teeth or lying still so that veterinarians can perform physical exams.

The exhibit will open with three adult female northern fur seals named Ursula, Cordova and JD. A fourth seal, a young adult male named Isaac will remain in a behind-the-scenes holding area for several weeks as he adjusts to his new habitat. Later this summer, a 450 pound adult male named Baranov will add his significant majesty to the Center. Fur seals were nearly hunted into extinction in the 19th Century as they have the second thickest fur in the world. In coming years, California sea lions may also join the exhibit.

Howard “Bud” Ris, the Aquarium’s president and chief executive officer, said the opening of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center is a major step in advancing the Aquarium’s mission: “Visionary community partners like the New Balance Foundation are vital in helping us to creatively maximize the magnetism of marine mammals in our effort to help shape the next generation of healthy kids for a healthier planet.”

The New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center is located on the harbor-side of the Aquarium and is connected with the Rose Kennedy Greenway via an entirely rebuilt HarborWalk that runs along the perimeter of Central Wharf. The publicly-accessible walkway has been elevated and resurfaced with a new wooden deck. Several small utility buildings have been removed to create better views of Boston Harbor, and passersby will be able to catch glimpses of the marine mammals through the glass walls that surround the new exhibit.

The covered but open space will feature shallow pools and large decks. The shallows with water depths from six inches to two feet are a training and interaction area for staff and some lucky visitors. Most of the remaining pool area is seven feet deep, and the entire exhibit will contain more than 68,000 gallons of water. Construction of the center began last September. The cost of the entire project including both the marine mammal center and the renovated HarborWalk and new public spaces was approximately $10 million.

About the New Balance Foundation The New Balance Foundation is a charitable foundation established in 1981 and funded by New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. The Foundation’s mission is to support effective charitable organizations which perform humanitarian services for the betterment of our children and our local community. Please visit www.newbalancefoundation.org

About the New England Aquarium Located on the Boston waterfront, the New England Aquarium is one of the most prominent and popular aquariums in the United States. Hosting more than 1.3 million visitors each year, the Aquarium is a leading ocean conservation organization with research scientists working around the globe yet is also a major public education resource in New England.

Patty Schilling works with the Northern fur seals in the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, opening July 1 at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

“National health care reform is happening now and will not wait for Rhode Island to be ready to respond. As President Obama and Congress develop national health care reform, I will work all day, every day, to ensure that federal policies reflect the reality of the struggles of everyday Rhode Islanders,” Roberts said. “Given the urgency of the national health care reforms coming to Rhode Island at a time when our economy is so seriously distressed, Rhode Islanders need leadership on this issue now.”

“As Lieutenant Governor, I have visited every Rhode Island city and town,” Roberts continued. “What I have heard time and again from small businesses, working families and seniors is the desperate need for high quality, affordable health care that is accessible to everyone. My career, both in private life and as a public servant, has been focused on improving health care. It is clear that this fight must continue, and I am committed as Lieutenant Governor to making affordable health care a reality for all Rhode Islanders.”

From 1997 to 2007, Roberts served as a State Senator, where she worked to reform Blue Cross and create the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner. Most recently, Lieutenant Governor Roberts’ leadership was crucial to saving the Health Insurance Commissioner’s position and the critical protections for affordability and fairness that the office provides. The Commissioner is credited with saving over $150 million dollars in health insurance premiums for Rhode Islanders, but was slated for elimination in the General Assembly’s budget. Her leadership also proved pivotal in stopping the state’s health insurers’ request for double-digit rate increases last month.

“These rate increases would have come at a time when Rhode Island’s small businesses and families simply could not afford them,” Roberts explained. “They had to be stopped.”

“I’ve spent the past few months exploring a run for governor, and I want to thank all of my supporters and let them know that I will continue to work to turn the page on politics as usual in Rhode Island,” Roberts said. “I will continue to fight for quality health care for all; a stronger, more diverse Rhode Island economy; and honest, open and effective government. These have been, and will continue to be, the focus of my public service.”

RIDOC Correctional Officer Michael LaPlume of Warwick says he hasn’t seen anything like the camaraderie and support he’s witnessed since deciding to launch the Correctional Officers Search and Rescue (COSAR) Team about a year ago. Designed to assist in woodland searches for missing or lost children, Alzheimers patients, or even hikers and hunters who lose their way, the team is the only one of its kind in the state. It is on call 24/7.

Officer LaPlume initially received 110 applications (all RIDOC Correctional Officers) for the 42-person team. He made his selections based on an interview process which determined the commitment level and experience of the applicants. He has donated some of his own money and has received support from the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers (RIBCO) to get the non-profit team up and running. The team has been trained and certified by the Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Association (RIEMA). Officer LaPlume recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Police outlining how the team will operate.

COSAR is a multi-agency group called Task Force Two (TF-2), which is led by the State Police. Each member of COSAR winds up spending up to $400 between equipment and uniforms. Officer LaPlume is looking into grant funding to help defray some of these costs.

Officer LaPlume says forming the team has been a “huge endeavor,” but one he is pleased and proud to have undertaken. He has set up a website (www.mycosar.com), training schedule, ordered all equipment, formed a board of directors, and just recently incorporated the team (with help from C.O. Jason Messier of the RIDOC’s Women’s Division). COSAR has a treasurer, recording secretary, and even a photographer. Officer LaPlume recognizes his team members for their dedication. “I couldn’t do any of this without them. With their help, hopefully we can save a life someday,” he says.

All members must complete a 16-hour course with the RISP, offered as two eight-hour days, as well as a 16-hour land/navigation course. There are 12 drills per year and some classroom sessions. The most recent training was held on Wednesday, June 24th, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Training Academy. The team will participate in a multi-agency drill conducted by the Rhode Island State Police on Sunday, August 30th.

Because of the enthusiastic response, Officer LaPlume is in the process of recruiting more members, hoping to add another 20 new positions to the team. So far, he has three medics, one nurse, and two EMTs on the team. He has about eight female members and males with the title of Captain, Lieutenant, and C.O., ranging from two years on the job to over 30. All members are current active duty Correctional Officers who have been trained in crime scene preservation through the rigorous nine-week Correctional Officer Training Academy.

While the team hasn’t yet been pressed into service for an actual search, they held a mock search recently and were pleased when 35 of the 42 members reported. All members must participate on the team on their own time.Officer LaPlume credits his comrade Lt. Michael Reis with inspiring him to start COSAR. Lt. Reis launched a dog rescue team and has been “a great inspiration.”

Realizing running the team was taking up more time than he’d ever imagined, Officer LaPlume recruited 18-year RIDOC veteran Stephen Aceto to serve as assistant team leader. Officer Aceto, also of Warwick, recently held a class for team members on map reading and plotting. He designed the team patch, ordered all of the uniforms, and shares in making team decisions. He works in Maximum Security and Officer LaPlume in Minimum Security, but the team members come from every building within the ACI.

Corrections Director Ashbel T. Wall recently wrote to Officer LaPlume, commending him for his effort and congratulating him for forming a volunteer team with a common mission. “The public spiritedness and professional manner in which the team conducts itself will reflect well on the Department of Corrections,” Wall wrote.

Front row (l. to r.): Coach Paul Petit, Brenna Levesque, Andrea Luisi, Mary McBride, Ally Larson, Lindsay Petit. Middle row (l. to r.): Emily Truesdale, Kaitlyn Clement, Stevie-Rae Travers, Sam Laliberte, Megan Huppee, Kaileigh Petit, Alexis Sangermano. Back row (l. to r.): Coach Darin Laliberte and Manager Steve Truesdale.

The RI Thunder 10U Team won the ASA National Qualifier Tournament held in Tewksbury MA on the weekend of June 6th. The team, comprised mainly of players from the Blackstone Valley area, went undefeated during the two-day tournament and took home top honors.

Z-2000, the “light up” Space Robot, will make a special guest appearance during this show.  This program is free and is open to the public.  It has been generously sponsored by The Friends of Seekonk Public Library.       

For over thirty five years the Pumpernickel Puppets have captivated audiences of all ages.   John McDonough and his puppets present over two hundred fifty shows a year at schools, libraries and private parties throughout the New England area.  For each production, McDonough creates all of his own puppets, which range from small hand puppets to larger than life size figures.  He also manipulates the entire cast alone and provides the voices as well.  His puppet creations have been included in an exhibit of African American puppetry that toured major museums throughout the country.

 The Pumpernickel Puppets have had the honor of appearing at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, The Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, GA and the prestigious International Festival of Puppetry sponsored by the Jim Henson Foundation in New York.

 For more information on this or any other program at Seekonk Library, please call (508) 336-8230.

Four Corners Arts Center is pleased to present Yorick’s Marionettes Thursday July 9^th 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at the Meeting House 3850 Main Road, Tiverton Four Corners, RI 02878.  This event is free and open to the public!

This adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale is beautifully presented with hand carved wooden marionettes. The King and Queen of a beautiful kingdom rejoice in the birth of their baby daughter, who they name Aurora. At the celebration marking the event, three fairies bestow good wishes for the baby’s future when a witch appears. The witch announces that Aurora will prick her finger to the needle of a spinning wheel and then falls in to eternal sleep.  The God-mother fairy counters the curse: A handsome, charming Prince from a far away kingdom will find Aurora, fall in love and wake her with a kiss. Adaptation: Agnes Novak-Marionettes carved by Dusan Petran.

Yorick’s Marionettes carry a folk tradition as well as explore theatrical dynamics within the context of the marionette theater to create magical performances.  While bringing beauty and humor to all, marionettes are a catalyst for enrichment and a magical kind of story telling.

Marionettes are puppets activated by strings.  Those used by Yorick’s Productions are hand carved by artist Dusan Petran, a native of the former Czechoslovakia.  Mr. Petran studied the Theater Arts at the Janacek Academy of Arts in Brno and was a theater stage actor prior to founding his own marionette theater.  His carving skills earned him a Folk and Traditional Fellowship from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.  All his marionettes are perfectly balanced and perform movements that are precise, elegant and artful.   (http://home.earthlink.net/~puppetry/frames_index.htm)

For more information please visit our website www.FourCornersArts.org