PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — Portsmouth’s town council voted Monday night to delay approving the license for the Portuguese American Citizens Club’s annual St. Anthony’s Feast.
Last year’s feast was postponed indefinitely after the concrete base of a staircase at the entrance to the club’s Power Street building collapsed during a graduation party, killing 15-year-old Kelly Nevitt and injuring four other people.
BACKGROUND: Records don’t show when Portsmouth club was last inspected
A petition with more than 1,200 signatures circulating online argued that “due to ongoing criminal/civil investigations, negligent safety protocols, and inadequate insurance requirements, public safety is not guaranteed” if the license were to be approved.
An attorney for the club told the council the stairs have been rebuilt and safety inspections are underway, but the council opted to wait until those inspections are complete before revisiting the matter.
The 2026 feast is scheduled to take place in July.
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