East Bay

01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

REGIONAL

Kick off party: Off the Curb was recently awarded a grant from the Newport County Fund and Rhode Island Foundation to create an urban art center for youth. The organization will kick off the new programming with an open house Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Off the Curb Studio, 390 West Main Rd., Middletown. The event will feature performances by Off the Curb, Ground Effects Break Dance Crew & JADA (Boston R&B/pop group).

Off the Curb has also invited all the grantees that are expanding their youth programs to come and let the youth know what's available to them. HOT 106 radio station will be present to help promote the event. This party is free to the public and will lead off the new programming Off the Curb will be providing. The Off the Curb Urban Art Center will hold DJ, air brushing and break dancing classes. All classes will be free next month. For more information, call (401) 849-1118.

Breast Health Awareness program: The GFWC Bristol County Women's Club will host a Breast Health Awareness program tonight at 7 in the auditorium of the Barrington Public Library, 281 County Rd. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend to learn more about breast health. The guest speaker will be Jennifer Gass, clinical director of the Women's Breast Health Center at Women & Infants Hospital. She is board certified in general surgery, specializing in diseases of the breast. Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be awarded. For more information, contact Sandy Pannone, (401) 245-1694.

Big Brothers benefit: The annual Michelob Ultra Classic Golf Tournament for Big Brothers of Rhode Island will be held May 16 at Rhode Island Country Club with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Paul Moran, a member of the board of directors of Big Brothers of Rhode Island, is the honorary chairman and McLaughlin & Moran Inc. will sponsor the event as it has for the past 20 years.

The tournament will include a full day of activities, including dinner and trophies, presented for net low and low gross. Each player will receive a gift that includes a hat, golf balls and tees. There will be many prizes awarded. One lucky golfer would win a new automobile or a hole-in-one on a designated hole. There will also be a sports/celebrity auction.

Proceeds raised will benefit the Big Brothers of Rhode Island, which has 300 boys waiting for Big Brothers. For more information, call Val Sinesi, executive director, (401) 432-9955.

BARRINGTON

Vietnamese dinner: The Barrington High School Interact Club will hold a Vietnamese dinner prepared by Mai Donohue March 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria, Lincoln Avenue. The dinner is to raise money to build a stone bridge in a remote village in Vietnam, which will allow the village children to get to school even during flooding season.

The Interact Club is a service and social club for 14- to 18-year-olds, sponsored by the Rotary Club, which guides in the development of local and international service projects. Last year the Interact Club joined up with Donohue and raised over $3,000 for the purchase of computers and hearing aids in order to benefit an orphanage and school for the deaf in Vietnam. Tickets for the "Building Bridges" fundraiser may be purchased through the Barrington High School, (401) 247-3150. Tickets are $16 per person and seating is limited.

BRISTOL

Little League tryouts: King Philip Little League will hold tryouts Saturday at Mt. Hope High School, Chestnut Street. Any player alread on a major division team does not have to attend. Players ages 11 and 12 will try out from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; ages 9 and 10, from 10:30 a.m. to noon; and ages 13, 14 and 15, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Easter egg hunt: The Bristol Department of Parks and Recreation will hold its annual Easter egg hunt for Bristol children in kindergarten through grade five, at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum, Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The hunt will go off at noon sharp. In case of rain or snow, this event will be held indoors at the Bristol Community Center, Thames Street. In addition to the hunt, there will be a visit from the Easter bunny, face painting, refreshments and potting of a plant that the children can take home. For more information, call (401) 253-7000, ext. 149.

Veterans meet: The Anthony C. Almeida Post 237 VFW will hold its monthly meeting March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Post Home, 850 Hope St. All members are encouraged to attend this important meeting.

Trip to PPAC: The Bristol Department of Parks and Recreation will take a trip to the Providence Performing Arts Center to see the hit show Crazy for You, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are reserved in the rear orchestra section of the theater. The cost is $27 per person, which includes transportation if needed. Participants will leave from the Town Hall parking lot at 6:15. Call (401) 253-7000, ext. 149, to reserve a seat.

LITTLE COMPTON

Grange news: At the March 16 meeting of the Little Compton Grange, Portsmouth Grange members visited and brought the program and refreshments for the evening. The meeting also included visitors from Kickimuit Grange.

A donation was made to Melissa Minto, who is visiting Nicaragua to teach children how to make raised gardens. Anyone wanting a ride to the third Wednesday get-together at Rumford Grange March 30 should call (401) 635-4749.

The next meeting of the grange, April 6, will begin with a potluck supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7:30. This meeting will include Youth Night with local youth participating in the program. All are welcome to attend.

Community First Aid & Safety course: The American Red Cross will lead a Community First Aid & Safety course March 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Little Compton Community Center, the Commons. Learn or refresh your lifesaving skills. The course will include adult, child and infant CPR and practical first aid for common injuries. All written materials included and certificates available the evening of the last class. Participants must attend both classes to receive certification. A minimum of four students is required for the class to be held. The fee is $55 for center members, $60 for others. Call (401) 635-2400 to register.

MIDDLETOWN

Annual lecture: Jonathan Isham, assistant professor in the department of economics and the program in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College, will be the guest speaker at the annual Burnett Lecture at St. George's School, April 1, at 1 p.m. The lecture, part of a series of talks focusing on environmental issues, will take place in Madeira Hall at the William H. Drury and Richard Grosvenor Center for the Arts.

Isham served in the Peace Corps in Benin under a government program to promote more fuel-efficient cook stoves and was a consultant to the World Bank where he oversaw education and credit products in Chad and Mali. He joined the Middlebury College faculty in 1999 and his current work focuses on building the new climate movement, the demand for water in poor households in Cambodia, and the effects of local social capital on environment outcomes in Vermont.

His talk at St. George's will focus on how students, teachers and community members can help to solve the climate crisis. The lecture is free, but reservations are required. Call the St. George's School event hot line, (401) 842-6636.

NEWPORT

Annual Artists' Ball: A Night at the "Oscars" is this year's theme for the Newport Art Museum's annual Artists' Ball scheduled for April 2 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the museum. Guests are encouraged to come as their favorite movie character or star to the black-tie party. Tickets are $35 for museum members, $40 for others, and $50 at the door.

A Night at the "Oscars" features music by DJ Butch, a walk down the red carpet, a Silent Art Auction, costume awards and a media show in the museum's newly renovated Ilgenfritz Gallery.

Artists from Newport County and surrounding towns have been invited to contribute art for the silent art auction that will be held upstairs in the Griswold House during the ball. The preview reception for contributing artists will be held March 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. An auction preview for the public will be held March 29 through April 2.

The first "artists' ball" was held in 1919 and was known as the "Fancy Dress Ball and Bazaar."

This year's committee includes Fred Abong, Dominique Alfandre, Clive Anderson, Rachel Balaban, Fud Benson, Karen Benson, Catherine Bowen-Brophy, Gary Brophy, John Burnham, Arthur Chapman, Meredith Chapman, Chad Detwiller, Kim Fuller, Natasha Harrison, Laurie Kirby, Shiva Kunz, Beverly Little, David Little, Jim Miller, Rupert Nesbitt, Sandy Nesbitt, Lindy Nettleton, Thomas Palmer, Ben Randall, Lynne Rey, Tony Rey, Joe Ruggeri, Gretchen Schlottman, Mary Talbot, Alden Tucker, and Lisa Valentine.

To learn more about the Artists' Ball or to reserve your place for the gala evening, call Megan Burns, marketing associate, at the Newport Art Museum, (401) 848-8200.

The Wardrobe of Doris Duke: The Newport Restoration Foundation will open an exhibit "Jet Set to Jeans: The Wardrobe of Doris Duke," this spring.

Doris Duke was born to a life of privilege and wealth, traveling as part of the jet set, and living a life in high society from 1912 until the day she died in 1993. At almost 6 feet tall she could and did wear the most fabulous fashion the world could offer. Yet she was also an extremely private and quiet person who shunned the spotlight and hid from photographers behind sunglasses and scarves. Followed by photographers and reporters from childhood, her couture was a source of constant public comment.

Rough Point's 2005 season begins April 14 and continues until May 17, Thursdays through Saturdays, when the full tour schedule, Tuesdays through Saturdays, begins and runs through Nov. 5.

Since tickets are limited, early reservations, which can be done online, are suggested. Tickets are $25 each and free for children under 12. Group tours are available by appointment. Tickets are available at the Newport Gateway Visitors Center, (401) 845-9130 and online at www.newportrestoration.org. For more information call (401) 849-7300, ext. 10.

Lecture series: The Museum of Newport Irish History's next Michael F. Crowley lecture will be held March 30 at 6 p.m. at LaForge Casino restaurant, Bellevue Avenue. The lecture will be presented by Christopher Kennedy, history professor at Providence College, where he teaches Modern Irish and British History. He will speak on "When the Drink is in, the Truth Comes Out," Exploring the Nature of Irish Nationalist Opinion 1914-16. He will present highlights from one of the chapters of his forthcoming book from Cork University Press on the true nature of public opinion among Irish nationalists in the period immediately before the Easter Rising in 1916.

Space is limited and reservations are required. Call Rita Clarke, (401) 848-7142 to reserve a seat. The lecture is free for members, $5 for others. A reception will follow the lecture.

Neighborhood Association to meet: The next meeting of the Off Broadway Neighborhood Association will be held March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 20 Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland Blvd. The association meets the last Tuesdays of each month at the same location.

This month, Chief Golden from the Newport police station will be the guest speaker. Neighbors are asked to bring any concerns they may have about the neighborhood to the meeting.

Also, neighborhood volunteers will get together Saturday at 9 a.m at Malbone and Warner streets to pick up litter along Warner Street. Garbage bags and gloves will be provided.

All neighborhoods within the parameters of Broadway to Van Zandt and Malbone to Gould/Tiley are welcome to attend. For further information, contact Ellen Nichols, (401) 841-9134.

Soap Box Derby: The 10th Annual All American Newport Lions Soap Box Derby will be held May 14 along Memorial Boulevard.

Sponsors will give a child the chance to experience the thrill of racing a car in the All American Soap Box Derby and the potential opportunity to represent Rhode Island in the National Soap Box Derby held in Akron, Ohio, on July 30, where the winner will be sent to compete at the expense of the Newport Lions Club.

There will be Soap Box Derby Clinic meetings at the Boys & Girls Club of Newport tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. and again April 2 and 16, at 10 a.m., at the same location. The deadline to apply is April 20.

There are three categories this year: Stock Division -- car and driver total 200 pounds; Super Stock Division -- car and driver total 230 pounds; and the new Masters Division -- car and driver total 255 pounds. Children between the ages of 9 and 16 are welcome to participate.

The Derby is sponsored by the Newport Lions Club with help from the Viking Riders. Winners will receive an expense paid trip to race in the Nationals in Akron, Ohio.

For information and to sign up for the upcoming clinics, contact Bruce Wigton, director of The Newport Lions Club Soap Box Derby, (401) 423-9994 or by e-mail at bewigtonAT aol.com.

PORTSMOUTH

Library presentation: The Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Rd., will present "How to Speak Rhode Island-ese" with Roberta Humble, March 31 at 7 p.m. Roberta Humble teaches technical writing and oral communications at the Community College of Rhode Island. Her Rhode Island-ese presentation is an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek talk about the strange accent, grammar and word usage of native Rhode Islanders.

This program is sponsored by Portsmouth Free Public Library and is free. Additional parking is available at BankNewport. To register call the library at (401) 683-9457.

TIVERTON

All-Bands concert: Nearly 225 students in the Tiverton High School and Middle School bands will present their annual All-Band Concert as part of the March "Music In Our Schools Month" celebration.

The All-Bands concerts will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Tiverton High School auditorium.

That concert will feature the Fifth Grade Band the Sixth Grade Band, the Seventh and Eighth Grade Concert band and the Tiverton High School Concert Band in a performance designed to showcase the skills and abilities of students at each of the various age levels.

The High School Band and Seventh and Eighth Grade band will perform selections that will be presented for adjudication at the Rhode Island Music Educators Association Band Festival March 31 and April 1.

The Middle School Bands are directed by Paul Anderson and the High School Band is directed by Michael Alves. Admission is $5 per adult and $4 for students and seniors.

WARREN

Community blood drive: St. Mary of the Bay Church, 645 Main St., will hold a Warren Community Blood Drive March 30 from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. The drive will be conducted by the Rhode Island Blood Center.

Painting workshop: IMAGO, 16 Cutler St., a gallery of art and fine craft founded by artists for artists, will offer a three-day open air landscape painting workshop April 28 to 30 (rain dates, May 5 to 7). The class will be taught in various mediums by Eileen Mayhew, a founding member of the gallery.

For more information, call Mayhew, (401) 253-4342 or send inquiries to the gallery, 16 Cutler St. Information and an application form will be sent upon request. For other information, call IMAGO during gallery hours Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. at (401) 245-3348.