NORTH KINGSTOWN â On Monday night, a motion to extend the townâs state of emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic sparked debate among town council members along party lines. Despite the extension being endorsed by the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce and being necessary to, according to town officials, bolster small, local businesses, Republicans on the council rejected the proposal while Democrats ultimately approved it in a 3-2 vote.
The motion comes after Governor Dan McKee last week announced a number of relaxations on existing pandemic-related restrictions, including lifting the outdoor mask mandate by May 7, along with no limits for social gatherings and businesses and places of worship being allowed to return to full capacities on May 28. Meanwhile, metrics around the pandemic, such as new cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations resulting from the virus, continue to fall in Rhode Island as more and more vaccines are administered to people living and wo