For the graduates at The Prout School’s Class of 2021 commencement ceremony Tuesday, the scaffolding around the outside of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul offered a lesson.

While life is often marked by change that might not always be pretty, what comes after is stronger and more resilient.

After calling off last year’s ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Main Street in Wakefield was once again filled with the sights and sounds of the annual South Kingstown Memorial Day parade, with civilians, politicians, public safety personnel, active duty service members and veterans turning out to honor the memory of those from South Kingstown and around the country who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

In December 2001, the 143rd Airlift Wing of the Rhode Island Air National Guard became the first wing to receive the then new C-130J-30, the stretch version of the C-130J transport plane. 

Now, almost 20 years later, the Rhode Warriors have received another first with the addition of a new, state of the art simulator designed to test and prepare pilots and load masters for any conditions, environments or errors at any airfield in the world. 

The new east berth of Pier 2 at the Port of Davisville was ceremoniously opened Monday morning, with Gov. Dan McKee cutting the ribbon to celebrate completion of the modernization process the pier underwent to allow it to be a staging ground for future offshore projects.

It was important, David M. Dooley said, to leave the University of Rhode Island in a better place than when he arrived.

Looking at URI today, that made Dooley’s decision to retire as its president next month easier.

“I felt that we had a magnitude of momentum and success and newfound prominence, and I think a much better reputation, a much broader global footprint,” Dooley said. “I thought, ‘I could step down now and feel good about what the university’s done,’ … the university accomplished this, I didn’t.”

University of Rhode Island graduates soaked up the sun and reveled in the opportunity to graduate alongside their classmates at Sunday’s 135th commencement.

The state eased most COVID-19 restrictions just in time for URI to modify its plans enough to allow students to mingle and gather at the Kingston campus to receive their diplomas.

Rhode Island Secretary of State and North Kingstown resident Nellie Gorbea has entered the 2022 gubernatorial race.

Gorbea announced her candidacy Sunday evening in two videos, one in English and one in Spanish, posted to YouTube and a press release sent out Monday morning.

Free of the worst of COVID-19 and with vaccinations on the rise, the University of Rhode Island is bringing back in-person graduation for 2021, with nine ceremonies spread over three days this weekend.

The timing of the commencement comes just as the state is poised to end its remaining COVID restrictions and just a week after the federal Centers for Disease Control advised that fully vaccinated people — those who have had their second shot for two or more weeks — can gather in small groups without masks.

With some adjusting of venues and carefully planned arrangements, the four high schools in The Independent’s coverage area, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Narragansett and The Prout School, will pull off what they couldn’t last year – in-person graduation ceremonies for their seniors.

The Prout School announced that it will hold its graduation on June 8 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, in Providence. The cathedral is the traditional graduation venue for the Catholic, co-educational high school off of Route 1 in Wakefield.

Local building permits required for many home renovation and construction projects show significant increases this April compared to the same time in the last two years, and in spite of a pandemic that recoiled jobs and lifestyles of many people.

“Business is great. People stayed home and used their money on their home. There has been no slowdown since the pandemic started,” said Buz Gileau, manager of the West Kingston-based Arnold Lumber also with outlets in Wakefield, Bristol and Westerly.

Christian D’Agostino, executive chef and owner of Tavern on Main in Wakefield and East Greenwich, as well as the soon-to-open Coastal Cabin on Boston Neck Road in Narragansett, said a shortage of help is seriously affecting his businesses.

“A month ago I was literally getting zero applications, now I’m getting some,” he said, but is still having trouble finding waiters, waitresses and managers.

Like other business owners, he pointed to the extra federal unemployment bonus, but also a post-pandemic environment that finds many workers left the industry due to shutdowns and no work for the last year, they said.

At Stone Cove Marina on Salt Pond Road, the winter blanket of shrink wrap has come off several boats.

A hot sun Saturday reminded Jeff Robbins that enjoying his watercraft is just around the corner. Before that can happen, though, this South Kingstown resident has the buffer out, polishing the hull of his 40-foot Luhrs cabin cruiser named “Ohana.”

Gov. Dan McKee told The Independent this week that helping the state’s small businesses — noting especially those in tourism-dependent South County — anchors his strategy to throw open the doors Memorial Day weekend on the state’s re-opening.

 Beginning May 28, South County — and the rest of the state —  will return to a “near normal,” ending over a year of many state-imposed restrictions.

 “South County is right in the middle of that. It’s going to benefit by jumping up the date from early June to Memorial Day,” the governor said during a one-on-one interview Tuesday about how he wants his policies to help revive the region’s struggling small businesses and invite residents and tourists to engage once again in activities.

In March, BankRI conducted its annual children’s book drive and finished the month with its most successful year yet, collecting 7,078 books through its 20 branches and corporate offices, with their Wakefield office contributing more than any other with 721, all of which were donated to Providence-based non-profit Books Are Wings.

The main stage curtain will remain down for the 2021 summer season at Theater by the Sea, which for a second-consecutive season will postpone producing award-winning plays.

Theater spokeswoman Karen Kessler told The Independent Tuesday that the decision came because of various COVID restrictions and safety requirements set by the state and actors unions.