Regional

Artists and fine crafts people sought: Artisans By The Bay will hold its annual Open Juried Art & Fine Craft Summer Show Aug. 10. Artists and fine crafts people are being sought to participate. For information, e-mail trez88@aol.com or call 683-0146 or 683-3447.

Talent show: The East Bay Chamber of Commerce will hold its first “Rhode Island’s Got Talent” show Aug. 16 at Barrington High School, Lincoln Avenue, Barrington. A total of $1,750 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners. Tickets, sold at the door, will be $10 per person, or $6 for children younger than 10.

Anyone interested in entering the contest must complete an entry form and submit an application along with a nonrefundable fee of $25 and a DVD or VHS of the performance. Contest rules, deadlines and applications are available at www.rhodeislandsgottalent.com.

Also, sponsors are being sought for the event. For more information, call the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, 245-0750 or visit www.eastbaychamberri.org.

Barrington

T-Ball League: The Bayside Family YMCA is offering a T-ball league this spring. Children will be grouped into teams based on skill level. Emphasis is on fun and individual improvement.

T-ball begins April 25, rain or shine. Class time is from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. The program is open to children ages 4 to 6 years. The fee for the eight week program is $48 for members and $96 for nonmembers. For more information or to register call 245-2444. Financial assistance is available. A minimum of five children is needed for the class to run.

Cherry blossom festival: Barrington Community School is offering a trip to celebrate Hanami, the cherry blossom festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Friday. After a guided tour, there will be free time to visit other horticultural displays in spring bloom. Lunch at the garden, served in the Steinhardt Conservatory is included in the trip fee. This full day in Brooklyn continues next door at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, for a guided tour of the special exhibition Utagawa: Masters of the Japanese Print, 1770-1900.

The trip fee of $92 includes admission to the botanical garden and guided tour, lunch at the garden, admission to the museum, escort, motorcoach and driver tip. For more information on BCS courses and trips, consult the winter/spring brochure, call 245-0432 weekday mornings or visit the Web site, www.barrcommschool.com.

Bristol

Talk on Middle East: Al-Jazeera International correspondent Josh Rushing will be the keynote speaker tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the Recreation Center gymnasium, Roger Williams University, Old Ferry Road. His talk is part of the Middle East Colloquium, “Intellectual Freedom in the Middle East: Perspectives and Opportunities.” To reserve tickets to Rushing’s event, call 254-3067.

Benefit spaghetti dinner: The Friends of Foley, an all volunteer organization focusing on raising money for a new state of the art animal shelter in Bristol, will host a benefit spaghetti dinner Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Franklin Court Center, 150 Franklin St. Tickets, at the door, will be $8 for adults, $6 for ages 12 and under. Those who purchase tickets in advance will receive a $1 discount. Advance tickets are available at the Bristol Animal Shelter, 10 Minturn Farm Rd.; A Leg Up Boutique & Barkery, 54 State St.; and Alfred’s Gifts and Antiques, 331 Hope St. For more information, visit www.friendsoffoley.org.

East Providence

Vacation week activities: The Weaver Library, 41 Grove Ave., has planned a week of drama related activities for students in elementary through high school (grades 3 to 12) this week, during spring vacation.

The schedule is as follows:

Today – Stage Makeup, apply and use stage makeup to create different characters. The library will provide face cream and soap. Students are asked to bring their own towel. Session I, 10 to 11:30 a.m., 3rd to 6th grade students, and Session II, noon to 2 p.m., 7th to 12th grade students.

Tomorrow – Stage Combat, learn and practice basic stage moves — how to fall, punch, slap, kick, pull hair, drop and roll — and incorporate them into a brief improvisation. Session I, 10 to 11:30 a.m., 3rd to 6th grade students, and Session II, noon to 2 p.m., 7th to 12th grade students.

Thursday — Improvisation, practice and perform various improvisations while critiquing and improving them. Session I, 10 to 11:30 a.m., 3rd to 6th grade students, and Session II, noon to 2 p.m., 7th to 12th grade students.

All classes will be taught by instructor Judy de Perla, who has been involved in theater activities with students of all ages. Space is limited. Call 435-1978 to register for the classes of your choice. Depending on interest, students may be limited to two classes each.

Little Compton

Grange news: Little Compton Grange recognized the following people at its March 19 meeting: Tyler and Karla Young and family, Agriculturist of the Year; Acting Chief Randall Watt, Fireman of the Year; Sue Cressman, Policeman of the Year; and Lois Almy, Teacher of the Year. The next meeting of the Little Compton Grange will be held tomorrow. It will be “bring a hat and decorate it” night. There will be a potluck supper at 6 p.m. with the meeting at 7.

Middletown

Eco-Depot collection: Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will hold its next Eco-Depot and computer recycling collection Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Second Beach. To reduce customer waiting time, an appointment must be made by calling 942-1430, ext. 241, or sign up online at www.rirrc.org and click on the Eco-Depot logo. Appointments are not needed if dropping off computer equipment only.

Poster contest: The Potter League for Animals is inviting children in grades one through four to enter its Be Kind to Animals poster contest. Awards will be given during an event being held May 8 to celebrate the league’s 25th anniversary. The poster theme for students in grades one and two is “Give a Shelter pet a Forever Home.” The theme for grades three and four is “Prevent a Litter — Spay or Neuter Your Critter.”

The deadline to enter is April 25. For complete entry rules visit www.potterleague.org or call Lynne Mallonee, 846-0592.

Newport

Live exotic animal program: Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St., will present Jungle Encounters Live Exotic Animal Program Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the lower level program room. Geared for children ages 4 and up, zookeeper and wildlife educator Debi Willoughby will present a Bengal cat, ringtail cat, fennec fox and Patagonian cavy. The event is free and registration is not required, just drop in. For information, call 847-8720, ext. 204.

Chafee to speak: Former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee will discuss his book, Against the Tide: How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President, Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Redwood Library, 50 Bellevue Ave. His talk is free to all.

Lunch with the Artist: The next Lunch with the Artist program at the Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave., will be held today at noon. The topic will be “Gustav Klimt: The Most Expensive Painting Ever Offered at Public Auction.” The informal noontime discussion is free for museum members, with a $3 charge for nonmembers. Participants may bring bag lunches. For more information call 848-8200 or visit www.newportartmuseum.org.

Concert: Newport Baroque Orchestra will present a Royal Tea and Recital Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Hotel Viking, 1 Bellevue Ave. The menu will include freshly made tea sandwiches, assorted scones served with lemon curd, assorted tea breads, truffles and petit fours, champagne or kir royale as soprano Mary Therese Royal de Martinez sings Italian arias accompanied by period instruments. Tickets are $45 and reservations should be made by tomorrow. Tickets may be ordered online, www.newportbaroque.org, or by calling ArtTix, 621-6123. Discounted tickets are available to groups of six or more by calling Newport Baroque Orchestra, 855-3096.

Portsmouth

Dinner dance: The Portsmouth Senior Center, 110 Bristol Ferry Rd., will host a spring dinner dance Saturday. A French meat pie dinner will be served from 6 to 7 p.m., with dancing to the music of Jes We Three from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets, at $13 per person, are nonrefundable and will not be sold at the door. Call 683-4106 for information and to reserve tickets.

Warren

In-Sight to meet: The Bristol County Chapter of In-Sight will meet Thursday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Youth Activity Room, lower level, Town Hall, Main Street. All blind, visually impaired and interested persons are welcome. For information, call Fred Rounds, 253-5577 or Al Finger, 253-7176.

Benefit opening day: Frerichs Farm, 43 Kinnicutt Ave., will open for the season today with its second benefit for the Autism Project of Rhode Island. A portion of all sales this month will be donated to the charity. Also, in an effort to be environmentally conscious, the farm is working to recycle used plastic containers that cannot be reused at the farm. And customers can take advantage of more “green” options such as Bugz band products which support a microfinance society for an African Zulu tribe and Biopots, which are biodegradable but look like traditional terracotta pots.

The Farm has introduced a new Web site, www.FrerichsFarm.com with helpful information for area gardeners. For more information, contact Barbara Frerichs at DBFFarm@aol.com or call 245- 8245.