Photo by timnewportri on Instagram. Tag your photos with #WhatsUpNewp for a chance to be featured by us.

What’s Up In Newport County Today

Thursday, December 31

Good Morning,

2019 was our busiest year every for What’s Up Newp and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how we would ever “beat it”. I mean, what could possibly happen that would see our website traffic more than double, our team produce at least 10 stories every single day of 2020, and a year of accomplishments, growth, and challenges that I could never dream of.

I could not be prouder of what our team accomplished in 2020, especially during a difficult time balancing work, family, and the pandemic. I think it’s important to share with you some of our 2020 highlights;

  • What’s Up Newp more than doubled our readership in 2020 – more than 1,126,470 users visiting our site, racking up more than 3.05 million page views. Our busiest year ever.
  • We published more than 3,612 stories in 2020 – 52% more than in 2019. Many of these stories we broke. Many more of these stories you won’t find anywhere else.
  • What’s Up Newp doubled our contributing team in 2020 – seasoned journalists to college graduates from all corners of Newport County, and the state, now regularly contribute to our website. Providing us with a wide arrange of opinions, knowledge, voice, and experience.
  • When digital advertising all about dried up in March and our revenue was changed forever, hundreds of you – our readers – became What’s Up Newp Supporters – literally making what we do possible and allowing us to do more and provide more news, information, and journalism.
  • When restaurants and bars closed, we set up our virtual tip jars. Raising thousands of dollars for out-of-work hospitality workers, musicians, and artists.
  • When live events and political campaigning wasn’t possible, What’s Up Newp hosted live virtual concerts, virtual cocktail classes, nearly 85 live video conversations with political candidates, and hundreds of other videos with newsmakers, authors, and other members of our community.
  • For the third year in a row, What’s Up Newp was named Best Local News Blog – Statewide by Rhode Island Monthly readers.
  • The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County awarded their 2020 Dominique Award to me. According to the ACA, the Dominique Award annually recognizes an individual who has contributed above and beyond to the cultural community.
  • What’s Up Newp was honorably mentioned by Rhode Island Monthly and the Rhode Island Foundation in the 2021 Common Good Awards, recognized the resources and help we provided to our readers and community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With more than 1.1 million users, more than 22,000 daily newsletter subscribers, and more than 102,000 followers on our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), we’re more confident than ever with saying that our newsroom reaches the largest daily audience in Newport County.

All of this is possible because of you – our readers- and our loyal advertisers. Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for supporting our locally-owned, independent newsroom.

We’re not done yet. So join us for the ride in 2021 as we continue to grow as a newsroom, launch a new website for whatsupnewp.com, and continue to bring you all the news, information, and journalism that we can in any and every way that you want it.

Have a wonderful New Year’s and a peaceful and healthy 2021,

~ Ryan 

The latest headlines from What’s Up Newp

What’s Up Newp’s most-read stories in 2020

From The Editor: A year of accomplishments, growth, and challenges – 2020 was a year that What’s Up Newp won’t soon forget

People to Watch in 2021 – Newport County

Edward King House to serve as COVID-19 Rapid Test Site

Newport City Council will interview three residents for vacancies on Planning Board

Rhode Island General Assembly will open its 2021 session on January 5

Audrain Group acquires Park Place Holdings in Portsmouth, announces the launch of Audrain Motorsport

Department of Health releases updated COVID-19 data by city, town

‘Rock Camp: The Movie’ coming to JPT virtual screening room in January

45 job opportunities available right now in the Newport area

Norman Bid Sanctuary to host a virtual workshop on ‘Hygge, Friluftsliv, and Winter’

COVID-19 in Rhode Island: The latest data

DEM will begin taking 2021 reservations for picnic areas, covered shelters, and recreational fields at state parks beginning on Jan. 4

Six Picks Music – New Year’s Eve Streaming Concerts: Ward Hayden, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell and more!

How locals plan to bring in the New Year

Home on Bluff Avenue in Westerly sells for $11.8 million

Obituary | Wendy Ann Rydberg

For the very latest news and information, visit www.whatsupnewp.com.

A look at what’s happening In Newport County today

Weather

  • Hazardous Weather Outlook
  • Today – Showers, mainly before 10am. High near 47. Southwest wind 10 to 17 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
  • Tonight – Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 30. North wind 7 to 9 mph.
  • New Year’s Day – Increasing clouds, with a high near 40. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon.

Marine

  • Small Craft Advisory until December 31, 10:00 AM EST
  • Today – WSW wind 12 to 15 kt becoming NW 9 to 12 kt in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 27 kt. Showers, mainly before 10am. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight – NNW wind 6 to 8 kt. Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • New Year’s Day – N wind around 6 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt in the afternoon. Increasing clouds. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The current water temperature in Newport is 45°F.

Sun & Moon 

  • Sunrise: 7:12 am | Sunset: 4:26 pm
  • High tide at 8:15 am & 8:43 pm | Low tide at 1:22 am & 2:25 pm
  • Moon: Waning Gibbous, 16 days, 99% lighting

Things To Do 

Want more? Visit What’s Up in Newport County this week: Dec. 28 – Jan. 3

JPT Film & Event Center Virtual Screening Room 

City & Government

Live on WUN (on our Facebook Page and website)

  • 11:30 am – WUN’s Author Series presented by Charter Books – Meet The Author: A conversation with Julien Ayotte

We’ll See You Out There

Photo by timnewportri on Instagram.
Tag your photos with #WhatsUpNewp for a chance to be featured by us.