John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, talks with WUN’s Frank Prosnitz about the challenges that COVID – 19 puts on state and local government open meeting and ethics laws. John Marion, Executive Director of the Common Cause in Rhode Island They also talk about the census, its importance to Rhode Island, which faces […]
Coronavirus Disease
Posted inCity & Government, News
Coronavirus Update – March 29th: 294 positive cases in R.I., more than a dozen on Aquidneck Island
Governor Gina M. Raimondo today made several announcements about the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Watch: Governor provides COVID-19 update (March 29th) Domestic Travel: Starting today, Rhode Island will have highway signs directing all out-of-state drivers to pull over at information stations on the southern border with Connecticut. State police will ensure that anyone planning […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Watch: Governor provides COVID-19 update (March 29th)
Governor Raimondo hosting her daily COVID-19 press briefing today at 1 pm. Updates as they happen; Gov: Reports 3rd death due to COVID-19. 55 new positive cases of COVID-19 in state, brings total to 294. 35 hospitalized. Gov: Asks public to two things today – do a kind thing for someone today and write down […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Coronavirus Update – March 28th: 239 positive cases in R.I., 5 in Newport
Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Dr. Alexander-Scott today made several announcements about the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Stay At Home: The Governor has issued a stay-at-home order until April 13. This means that all Rhode Islanders should stay home unless getting food, medicine, gas, or going to work.Domestic travel: Earlier this week, the Governor ordered anyone coming […]
Posted inBusiness, Style & Shop
Non-essential retail businesses order closed March 30 – April 13
Governor Raimondo announced today several new executive orders including an order that all non-essential retail businesses must close starting on Monday, until April 13. The Governors says that his does not apply to manufacturing or other industries and that authorities will be doing doing spot checks on manufacturers, retailers, etc. In accordance with Governor Raimondo’s […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Watch: Governor, Director of Health COVID-19 update (March 28th)
Governor Raimondo and Director of Health Dr. Alexander-Scott will host their daily COVID-19 press briefing today(March 28th) at 1 pm. Updates From Press Conference (as they happen, refresh for the latest). Two persons with underlying medical conditions are the first Rhode Islanders to die from COVID-related illness, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) confirmed […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Boys & Girls Clubs across RI open registration to provide childcare for essential hospital workers’ children
The Boys & Girls Clubs in Rhode Island have partnered with the Department of Human Services and Lifespan to provide quality, school age childcare for health care workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. They will be offering care from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm at the following locations throughout Rhode Island – and here in Newport! […]
Posted inBusiness, News
Small Business Administration: Notice about changes & updates to the SBA Disaster Loan Website
What’s Up Newp is passing on the following information on behalf of the Rhode Island Small Business Administration. Please Note: There are some who are attempting to defraud people in need by sending emails and various other communications about their need to file for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) before a fictitious deadline. To be […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Coronavirus Update – March 27th: 203 positive cases in R.I., 5 in Newport
Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Dr. Alexander-Scott today made several announcements about the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Note – Watch the press conference and see What’s Up Newp’s notes from the press conference here. The following orders are extended until April 13: Gatherings: All gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited everywhere.Work […]
Posted inNews
Unsung Heroes: Katie Imswiler
Citizens throughout the state are rapidly mobilizing in all sorts of creative, innovative and unexpected ways to help the fight against COVID-19. For Rhode Islander and swimwear designer Katie Imswiler, mobilizing meant an abrupt change from designing bikinis to designing protective face masks for healthcare workers. Imswiler owns IMSY Swimwear, a Providence-based company with a […]
Posted inNews
COVID-19 Response Fund awards $1.2 million in first round of grants to local nonprofits
The following was written and submitted by the Rhode Island Foundation and United Way of Rhode Island. Less than two weeks after the Rhode Island Foundation and United Way of Rhode Island jointly established the COVID-19 Response Fund, the organizations today announced a first round of crisis response grants to local nonprofit organizations. Twenty-seven organizations […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Watch: Governor, Director of Health COVID-19 update (March 27th)
Governor, Director of Health will host their daily press briefing today at 1 pm. In response to a question from What’s Up Newp earlier this week, the Governor stated that she will provided guidance today on a lot of her executive orders (restaurants take out/dine-in only, education, etc). Updates as they happen (refresh for updates […]
Posted inNews
The Reef and Stoneacre Brasserie Offer Free Meals to Hospitality Professionals
Two Newport restaurants – The Reef and Stoneacre Brasserie – are stepping up to help local hospitality professionals through the COVID-19 crisis. Starting today, Friday, March 27th, the Reef will begin offering free Family Meal Fridays to those who work or have recently worked in the hospitality industry. Orders can be placed on Fridays between […]
Posted inArts & Culture
6 things you can do to cope with boredom at a time of social distancing
Erin C. Westgate, University of Florida More and more of us are staying home in an attempt to slow down the spreading coronavirus. But being stuck at home can lead to boredom. Boredom is a signal that we’re not meaningfully engaged with the world. It tells us to stop what we’re doing, and do it […]
Posted inColumns
Those with developmental disabilities, in group homes, at higher risk warn R.I. advocates
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo announced March 26 that the state will soon release a total of $15.4 million in state and federal Medicaid “retainer payments” to shore up private service providers facing unprecedented challenges in the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement came hours after representatives of private service providers and a prominent advocacy group expressed […]
Posted inNews
Unsung Heroes: Rebecca Killian
Editor’s Note: What’s Up Newp and What’s Up Rhode Island are asking readers to nominate unsung heroes from the community during this COVID-19 crisis. Rebecca Killian was among those nominated. Rebecca Killian, a local artist and owner of the award-winning paint party business Mermaid Masterpieces, usually maintains a busy schedule of events like children’s birthday parties, fundraisers, ladies’ […]
Posted inNews
Coronavirus Update – March 25th: 165 positive cases in R.I., 5 in Newport
Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Dr. Alexander-Scott today made several announcements about the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Travel from New York: Today the Governor signed an executive order mandating that anyone who has traveled to New York by any form of transportation must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Rhode Island. This applies to anyone […]
Posted inNews
18th Clagett Regatta moved from June to September
In the interest of keeping sailors, supporters and volunteers safe and healthy, the board of the C.Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta today announced that they have made the decision to postpone The Clagett due to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta dates for the 18th Clagett Regatta […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Representative Carson voices support for emergency borrowing
Rep. Lauren H. Carson added her support today for the decision of the Disaster Emergency Funding Board to establish a short-term $300 million line of credit for the State of Rhode Island in order maintain financial liquidity for the state. This line-of-credit decision includes oversight and reporting requirements outlining how the money is used and does not create any […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Watch: Governor, Director of Health COVID-19 update (March 26th)
Governor Gina Raimondo and Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott will host their daily press briefing on Rhode Island’s response to COVID-19 today at 2:30 pm. Updates as they happen; Gov: 33 new coronavirus cases in Rhode Island, brings statewide total to 165. Director of Health says they will share much more data this afternoon, but […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Distance Learning Begins: A view from two Superintendents
We saw images of kids on Facebook exercising at the direction of teachers over the internet and others hunkered down behind computers as both students and teachers began practicing distance learning, the new normal for education during the COVID-19 crisis. School systems throughout Rhode Island, and much of the nation, have changed the way they […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Video: Why social distancing is one of the best tools we have to fight the coronavirus
The Conversation US, CC BY Anurag Papolu, The Conversation This video is based on an article written by Thomas Perls, professor of Medicine at Boston University. Social distancing is a tool public health officials recommend to slow the spread of a disease that is being passed from person to person. Simply put, it means that […]
Posted inCity & Government, Food & Drink, Things To Do
RI Hospitality Association, RI Hospitality Education Foundation establish “RI Hospitality Employee Relief Fund”
The RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) and RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF) announced yesterday that it has established the RI Hospitality Employee Relief Fund to benefit statewide foodservice, lodging and tourism employees who have been laid off due to the COVID-19 situation. Rhode Island-based hospitality workers who have recently been laid off due to business closures and statewide restrictions imposed as part […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Governor plans to extend prohibition of on-premise food consumption at restaurants and food establishments
Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH announced on March 16th that, effective March 17th and continuing through March 30th, there will be no on-premise food consumption for restaurants, bars, coffee shops, or other food establishments in Rhode Island. Establishments with a food license were allow to continue to conduct […]