Rhode Island’s economy slipped against the rest of the country over the past decade, weighed down by lower-productivity industries and heavy reliance on government spending, according to a new report released Tuesday by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. RIPEC’s Economic Prosperity Scorecard uses six measures drawn from federal economic data to compare Rhode Island’s […]
Newport County
Posted inCity & Government
Edwards files 10 bills seeking housing carve-outs for Tiverton
Rep. John G. Edwards has introduced a package of 10 bills aimed at giving Tiverton more local control over how new housing is built, arguing the state’s recent housing laws have not accounted for the town’s geography or demographics. Edwards, D-Tiverton, testified on the bills before the House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing. “The […]
Posted inCity & Government
Man who killed Brown students, MIT professor targeted symbolic victims tied to grievances, FBI says
By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Federal investigators say they believe the man who carried out a mass shooting at Brown University and later killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor did not act randomly. Instead, former Brown student Claudio Neves Valente, 48, appeared to target places and people for what they represented in his […]
Posted inCity & Government
Smyth seeks second term on Newport City Council
Newport City Councilor Steph Smyth announced Wednesday she will run for a second term in the At-Large seat on the Newport City Council. Smyth, whose surname is pronounced sm-EYE-th, was elected in 2024 as Newport’s second-highest vote earner. She is framing her re-election bid around a first-term record she says is built on transparent budgeting, […]
Posted inNews
Norman Bird Sanctuary launches free field trips for 7th graders
The Norman Bird Sanctuary is rolling out a new program that will bring 7th-grade students onto its 300-acre campus for free, blending field science, exercise and mental wellness into a single morning outdoors. The initiative, called “Ecosystem Explorers,” is funded by a grant from the Frederick Henry Prince Memorial Fund at Newport Hospital. The sanctuary […]
Posted inNews
RIPTA expands 231 Flex on Demand service to northern Aquidneck Island
State and local leaders gathered Wednesday to mark the launch of an expanded RIPTA Flex on Demand pilot that stretches the 231 Flex Zone north to take in major Aquidneck Island employers and residential sites. The expansion, which runs April 29 through June 30, brings on-demand, app-based public transit to riders headed to Raytheon, the […]
Posted inSports
Rogers boys lacrosse shuts out Tiverton 14-0 at Braga Park
NEWPORT, RI – Rogers boys lacrosse rolled past Tiverton 14-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Braga Park, riding a balanced offense and a stingy defense to a wire-to-wire home victory. Brady McCombe paced the Vikings with four goals, finding the back of the net repeatedly to lead all scorers. Aidan O’Connell and Luke Mathews chipped in […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Louis G. Virgadamo
Louis G Virgadamo, Jr, 88, of Portsmouth, July 17, 1937 – April 26, 2026. Another precious child of God has returned to the Kingdom of Heaven. My beloved father has returned home after his valiant battle with dementia. Born in Boston, MA he was a lifelong Rhode Islander, living in Newport and later in Portsmouth. […]
Posted inCity & Government
General Assembly passes Jamestown senior property tax relief bill
The Rhode Island General Assembly on Tuesday passed legislation that would expand Jamestown’s senior property tax relief program, sending the bill to Gov. Dan McKee for consideration. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer, D-Newport, and Rep. Alex Finkelman, D-Jamestown, was requested by the Jamestown Town Council. It would extend the town’s existing tax-relief program […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical to close Chamber Series with pianist James Zijian Wei and a flute-piano duo
Newport Classical will wrap its 2025-2026 Chamber Series with two concerts at the Newport Classical Recital Hall, beginning with a solo recital by pianist James Zijian Wei on Friday, May 8, and closing with a flute-and-piano program by Amir Hoshang Farsi and Mika Sasaki on Friday, June 5. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Newport Vineyards to open Farm & Barrel Bistro on May 8
Newport Vineyards will debut a new on-site restaurant, Farm & Barrel Bistro, on Friday, May 8 at its Middletown property. The bistro replaces the vineyard’s previous dining program with a farm-to-table concept built around ingredients from the winery’s own farm and greenhouses, paired with estate-grown wines and beers from Taproot Brewing Co., the on-site brewery […]
Posted inCity & Government
Sen. Dawn Euer launches reelection bid for Newport, Jamestown Senate seat
Sen. Dawn Euer will seek reelection to the Rhode Island Senate’s District 13 seat, which covers Newport and Jamestown. Her campaign is set to kick off Saturday with a fundraiser that will also collect food donations and grocery store gift cards for the Housing Hotline. Euer, a Democrat first elected in a 2017 special election, […]
Posted inNews
Newport School Committee to review superintendent applications
Newport’s School Committee will begin reviewing applications for an interim school superintendent on Wednesday to replace Colleen Burns Jermain, who announced in October that she will be leaving at the end of the school year. Rebecca Bolan, the School Committee’s vice chair, said the committee advertised for an interim superintendent on Schoolspring, a primary online […]
Posted inReal Estate
What Sold: A look at 13 recent sales across Newport County (April 20 – April 24, 2026)
We can expect to see more strong sales and a competitive Spring market ahead. Recent sales across Newport County continue to reflect a market that is active, competitive, and still driven by limited supply. The week was highlighted by the off-market sale of 381 Gibbs Avenue in Newport for $5,700,000, a significant transaction that underscores […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
NIMFest returns to Newport’s King Park Gazebo with free Sunday concerts in July and August
The Newport Independent Music Festival is back for another summer of free waterfront concerts, with eight Sunday afternoon shows on tap at the King Park Gazebo in July and August. Better known as NIMFest, the series will run from 3 to 6 p.m. each Sunday, weather permitting, at the gazebo at 125 Wellington Ave. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Quononoquott Garden Club’s annual plant sale returns to Jamestown May 9
One of Jamestown’s most beloved springtime traditions returns next month, as the Quononoquott Garden Club hosts its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9. The sale will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fort Getty Pavilion on Fort Getty Road and will be held rain or shine, according to the club. Shoppers can […]
Posted inSports
Middletown edges Barrington 10-9 on Lisella walk-off single
Michael Lisella’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh lifted Middletown past Barrington 10-9 Saturday at Gaudet. Tied 9-9 entering the seventh, Middletown held Barrington scoreless in the top half before Lisella drove in the winning run, capping a 12-hit afternoon. Middletown scored once in the first, four times in the second and twice […]
Posted inNews
Trees are magic. In Newport, volunteers are working to expand their healthy reach
By JENNIFER McDERMOTT and JOSHUA A. BICKEL Associated Press NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — On Newport’s south side, historic and opulent mansions sit on an avenue with mature trees that help cool the neighborhoods, clean the air and foster wildlife. On the city’s poorer North End, where some streets are dotted with subsidized housing, big trees […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the Editor: Is Sweet Berry Farm’s proposal a working farm — or an events business on one?
To the Editor, What’s Up Newport: The Aquidneck Island Land Trust recently published a letter regarding the Sweet Berry Farm proposal. But it may have left readers more reassured than the facts warrant, because it does not answer the central question: will a project that destroys more than 1,300 mature fruit trees to construct an […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Six animals test positive for rabies in Providence County, health officials warn
At least six animals in Providence County have tested positive for rabies over the past six weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Health said Friday, prompting a renewed warning to residents to steer clear of wildlife and keep pet vaccinations current. Since March 12, three raccoons in Burrillville, one bat and one coyote in Lincoln, […]
Posted inInstagram
On the Market: A look at 38 homes hosting Open Houses this weekend in Newport County
There’s a solid lineup this weekend with 38 homes hosting open houses across Newport County. That many doors give buyers a real chance to get out, compare, and understand what’s happening in person, not just online. We’ll be hosting at 32 Houston Avenue in Newport on Saturday from 11:00-12:30 PM. This is a rare three-family […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Brigid M. Walsh
Brigid M. Walsh of Portsmouth, RI, departed this life on April 21, 2026, at the age of 80. Brigid was born on July 21,1945, in Ireland and came to the United States at the age of 23. She was the youngest of eleven children and, true to her Irish heritage, embodied a unique blend of […]
Posted inNews
Rough Point earns Level 1 arboretum accreditation
Rough Point has achieved Level 1 arboretum accreditation through ArbNet, the Newport Restoration Foundation announced Thursday. The designation recognizes the approximately 11-acre landscape on Newport’s rugged Atlantic Coast, which preserves the legacies of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and philanthropist, preservationist and conservationist Doris Duke. ArbNet unites arboreta, botanic gardens with woody plant collections and […]
Posted inSports
Patriots select Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu with 28th pick in NFL draft
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots spent a bit of their vast NFL draft capital to move up in the first round and fill one of their biggest needs. The Patriots selected offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the 28th pick Thursday night, sliding up by dealing the 31st overall pick and one of […]