Regional

Contest to raise awareness in teens: The Women’s Resource Center of Newport and Bristol Counties is hosting its second “Have You Heard? Domestic Violence Awareness Month Teen Contest!” as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month this month.

Students will have the chance to compete for prizes that include a limousine ride worth $500, a spa day worth $250, dinner at a local restaurant and tickets to the movies. Teams of up to six teens are encouraged to help increase awareness about teen dating violence and raise proceeds to support the free and confidential services provided by The Women’s Resource Center of Newport and Bristol Counties.

All proceeds will go directly to the Resource Center to help families in your community live free of violence. For information on how this contest works or to register call Jessica Walsh, 846-5263, or by e-mail at Jessica@wrcnbc.org.

Barrington

Comedy film series: The Barrington Public Library’s will continue its latest film lecture series, Screwball Comedy, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. with Midnight (1939), starring Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche. Each film is preceded by commentary from Doug Swiszcz, librarian. The series is free to the public.

Here’s the rest of the lineup:

October 22nd – The Lady Eve (1941), director Preston Sturges’ comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. October 29th – What’s Up Doc (1972), directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Ryan O’Neal and Barbra Streisand.

Bristol

Community Concert Series: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Hope and Church streets, will open its concert season with Schola Cantorum of Boston, Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. Schola, under the direction of L. Frederick Jodry, director of choral activities at Brown University and music director for the First Unitarian Church, Providence, will perform works by Byrd, Weelkes and Gibbons.

Other performers in the series include Aurea, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. and the Flickers Gilbert & Sullivan Ensemble, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets will be available 30 days prior to each concert at Paper, Packaging and Panache and Coggeshall Jewelers, Hope Street, as well as at the door the night of the concert. For information, call 253-9626.

Special theater performance: 2nd Story Theatre will present a special performance of The Faith Healer, by Brian Friel, at the Bristol Statehouse, 240 High St., from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2. Performances will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets, which are $20 each, can be purchased at 2nd Story Theatre box office, 28 Market St., Warren or by phone 247-4200. Information can be found at www.2ndStoryTheatre.com.

Bayberry Garden Club: The club will meet Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Burnside Building, 10 Court St. Debbie Bottomley, an Attleboro floral designer and flower show judge, will demonstrate several arrangements using autumn elements and colors. There will also be a fall perennial plant exchange, so bring labeled perennials to trade and share. Guests are invited for a $5 fee.

East Providence

Family Resource and Educational Fair: Bradley Hospital will host its third annual Family Resource and Educational Fair Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Ruggles gymnasium, 1011 Veterans Memorial Parkway.

Attendees will meet and hear from children and adolescent mental health advocacy, support and information resources in the state. The fair will provide information about services available for parents, families, teachers, and children and adolescents with special mental health needs.

This event is free to the public, and is sponsored by Parents Helping Parents, the Bradley Hospital Parents Association, Bradley Hospital Family Liaison Program, and the Lifespan Health Connection. Registration is requested by calling Chris Brown, 432-1205.

Little Compton

Award received: Members of the Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust were presented with the National Award for Excellence in Land Conservation at the National Land Conservation Conference in Pittsburgh, Sept. 19, in recognition of the trust’s success and innovation in preserving the active working landscapes of Little Compton. Over 2,000 people attended this nationwide conference.

The trust has protected to date, either directly or with its partners, a grand total of 1,650.4 acres of land (about 11 percent of Little Compton). This represents an increase of 25 percent in trust holdings in just over a year’s time.

Middletown

Public meeting: The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council will hold a public informational meeting on the Aquidneck Island Special Area Management Plan Oct. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Middletown Town Hall, East Main Road. The plan is being developed for the west side of the island with the cooperation of Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth and URI’s Coastal Resources Center/Rhode Island Sea Grant. Staff from the agency and university will be attending, as will planning officials from the city and towns.

Public attendance is encouraged, and those interested will have an opportunity to ask questions about the SAMP and the standards.

For information on the Aquidneck Island SAMP, visit www.crmc.ri.gov/samp/aquidneck.html. For information on the CRMC’s other special area management plans, visit www.crmc.ri.gov.

Feed-A-Friend Food Drive: Middletown residents can expect a visit from a St. George’s School student Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as part of the 24th annual Feed-A-Friend Food Drive.

About 150 volunteer students, along with parents and faculty members, will canvass neighborhoods to collect canned items and dry goods to help stock the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center’s food pantry. Middletown residents who would like to donate may leave items in a bag marked “Feed-A-Friend” ready for pickup in front of their homes.

Some of the items especially requested this year include: canned or boxed potatoes, boxed stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, gravy, canned peas, and beans.

About 1,300 holiday food baskets are made from the items collected from this drive alone. More than 9,000 local residents are helped each year.

For information, contact Lara Freeman, coordinator of community service programs, St. George’s School, 848-4033, or the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 846-4828.

Newport

A Night of the Opera: As part of the 14th annual Newport Festa Italiana, “A Night at the Opera” featuring These Three Tenors, will be held Sunday at First Beach, Memorial Boulevard. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the performance at 7. There will also be a silent auction. Tickets are $25. Call 849-7464 or 847-4444. Seating is limited. Proceeds will benefit the Sen. John O. Pastore Cultural Scholarship.

Historical lecture: The Newport Historical Society will sponsor “Black Baseball in Rhode Island, 1883-1948: a lecture by Dr. Robert Cvornyek,” Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Colony House, Washington Square. This event is free to the public. During the late 19th and early 20th century, baseball occupied an important social and cultural space in Rhode Island’s African-American community. Black athletic clubs, fraternal and civic organizations, and local neighborhoods sponsored semi-pro and amateur teams that regularly competed against each other and nearby white teams. Cvornyek is a professor of history at Rhode Island College. He is also the curator of a traveling exhibit titled “Black Grays and Colored Giants: Black Baseball in Rhode Island” and is codirector of the program “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got that Swing: Black Baseball and Jazz.” The talk is free to the public.

Fortress of Nightmares: The Fort Adams Trust will hold its fourth annual Fortress of Nightmares Oct. 17 to 19 and 24 to 26 starting at 7 p.m. each night. Making their way through areas of the fort not explored on regular tours, visitors will encounter the resident “spirits” themselves and hear tales from the fort’s long history and legends, from those who lived and died within it walls. Admission will be $10 per person. Tours are weather-dependent with ticket sales from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Food and hot beverages will be available for purchase. Sturdy footwear is required. Fortress of Nightmares is not recommended for children under 12. For information, visit www.fortadams.org or call 841-0707.

Portsmouth

Quilt show: Quilters by the Sea will host a quilt show, Sea n’ Stars, Oct. 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Portsmouth Middle School, Jepson Lane. More than 100 bed quilts, quilted wall hangings and quilted clothing made by guild members will be on display. Quilted pieces and other items made by members will be sold in a boutique and there will be vendors selling fabrics, books and supplies.

Admission will be $5, children under 12 accompanied by an adult will be admitted free of charge.

Warren

Welcome Home reception: The following Warren soldiers who just returned from Iraq will be honored with a formal “Welcome Home” from the Town Council on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. Soldiers honored will be Staff Sgt. Brian Ferreira, Staff Sgt. Edward Lombardi, Staff Sgt. Robert McAdam, Specialist Brent Miranda, Specialist Arlin Nebiker and Specialist Charles Martel.

See Our School and open house: Students and parents are invited to tour Fatima High School, 360 Market St., during upcoming “See Our School Days” and “Open House” events.

Visiting students will shadow current students for the day, share activities and tour the school during “See Our School” days, today , Oct. 24 and Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. To register, call 245-4960.

Parents and students are invited to tour the school, speak with students and faculty, view displays and learn about Fatima High School during “Open House,” Oct. 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Nov. 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For information, call 245-4960.

Walk for Educational Excellence: The Kickemuit Education Foundation will hold its benefit Walk for Educational Excellence Oct. 19 at Colt State Park, Hope Street, Bristol. This family event will include incentive prizes and raffle items, music, fun and food. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the Town Beach. Registration forms are available on the KEF Web site, www.kickemuiteducationfoundation.org or by calling 253-4000, ext. 5103.

Last year’s inaugural event saw the allocation of nearly $10,000 in enrichment grants to deserving applicants throughout the Bristol Warren school district.