This Just In: Oyster wars, and a possible vaccine mandate for state workers

Also, theater fans snap up tickets for 'Hamilton' [providencejournal.com]( This Just In Thursday, August 5 [A plate of oysters at Matunuck Oyster Bar, cultivated in South Kingstown's Potter Pond, seen in the background. Proposed oyster farms have sparked fierce opposition from coastal homeowners, with the latest battle line being drawn in Tiverton.]( [Oyster wars, and a possible vaccine mandate for state workers]( Also, theater fans snap up tickets for 'Hamilton' Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal, and I'm still drying out from [the storms of last night and this morning](. How hard did it rain? I got water in my basement, and that never happens. Oh wait, actually my dishwasher is broken, so never mind. They're a Rhode Island tradition, and also a growing business, and also extremely delicious. So why are oysters at the center of so much controversy in some otherwise quiet oceanfront communities? Antonia Noori Farzan investigated the state's [oyster wars]( which pit would-be shellfish farmers touting the benefits of sustainable aquaculture against oceanfront property owners who say they are trying to stop an "industrial" invasion. Gov. Dan McKee is considering [a requirement that state workers get vaccinated for the coronavirus]( His administration floated the idea to union leaders this week, at about the same time that McKee was publicly saying that such a mandate was [not immediately in the cards]( The Rhode Island Department of Health today reported 240 new coronavirus cases, along with 8,442 negative tests, for a 2.8% positive rate. There were no additional deaths, and the number of COVID-positive patients in Rhode Island hospitals ticked up to 39 at last count, on Tuesday, from 38 reported yesterday. The state has reported an average of 196 new cases a day over the last seven days, up 72% from a week ago and 221% from two weeks ago. Concerns about the coronavirus did not stop theater fans from heading to the PPAC box office today, or from going to the theater's web site, [to buy tickets for "Hamilton,"]( which is set to return to Providence just after Thanksgiving. But some who spoke to The Journal said that, with the rise of the delta variant, they were less than confident that the show would go on as scheduled.   Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, told The Journal's G. Wayne Miller that delta is going to "[spare no one]( “If you are unvaccinated," he said, "you are almost surely going to encounter this virus up close and personal. All of us will — but for those of us who are vaccinated, we're going to encounter it as a vaccinated person and most likely will not get infected.” Two men, with help from the ACLU,[are suing Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt]( alleging that she violated their First Amendment rights by blocking them from commenting on her official Facebook page. Motorcycle riders have made up [nearly one-third of all the highway fatality victims]( in Rhode Island this year, police and transportation officials say. Meanwhile, the quasi-public agency that operates the Jamestown and Pell bridges is [considering speed cameras]( to crack down on aggressive driving. Speaking of Jamestown and Newport, here is a helpful guide to [the six breweries of Newport County](. But if you visit all six, just don't drive back across those bridges that I mentioned in the previous item. This will be the final edition of This Just In this week; I'm taking advantage of the holiday weekend to see some family. I'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Until then, if you enjoy This Just In, remember to [encourage a friend to sign up]( [Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.]( [click here]( Problem viewing email? [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( • [Manage Newsletters]( • [Terms of Service]( • [Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights]( • [Privacy Notice]( • [Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy]( • [Feedback]( © 2021 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902