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Good Morning! Today is Thursday, June 8, 2023.

👉 Rhode Island Governor John Collins was born on this day in 1717 in Newport. In 1786, he became the third Governor of the State of Rhode Island, and was the last independent chosen until Lincoln Chaffee was elected in 2010. Read More

⚾ The Newport Gulls won 3-1 against the Bristol Blues in their home opener at Cardines Field on Wednesday night. The hometown kid earned the win. Game Recap

⚾ Amed Rosario and Josh Naylor each had three hits and an RBI, Josh Bell drove in a run for the sixth consecutive game and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Wednesday night. Read More

🚢 The unusual-looking ship in the harbor/on Narragansett Bay is the Bokalift 2. In a Facebook post, the City of Newport says that the ship is part of a contingent of support vessels building one of several planned offshore wind farms just offshore from Aquidneck Island.

👏 Newport Festivals Foundation has announced a new initiative to provide free private music lessons for up to 80 students on the island in the next year. Read More

🎵 Join The JPT Film & Event Center this evening for a unique concert/film event featuring original Blood, Sweat, and Tears member Fred Lipsius and his band-trio performing live before a screening of What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat, & Tears?

🚴 On tap for this weekend → Hospitality Days, Bike Newport’s Elliot’s Ride for Everyone, Newport Gulls, Newport Polo: Bentley vs. Rolls-Royce, Summer Kick-Off Bash at Rejects Beer Co., and much more. Get the full rundown

What’s Up Today

☀️ Weather

⛵ Marine Forecast

  • Today: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming S 5 to 7 kt in the afternoon. Isolated showers after 3 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: Variable winds 5 kt or less. Isolated showers before 7pm. Patchy fog after 3 am. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Coastal Water Temperature: 56°F.

🌊 Sun, Moon, & Tide

  • Sunrise: 5:11 am | Sunset: 8:17 pm | 15 hours & 6 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 12:08 pm | Low tide at 5:30 am & 5:22 pm
  • Moon: Waning Gibbous. 19.1 days, 80% lighting.

🎭 Things To Do

🎶 Entertainment

  • JPT Film & Event Center: Somewhere In Queens at 3 pm, What The Hell Happened to Blood Sweat & Tears? with 3-time Grammy Winner Fred Lipsius & His Band at 6:30 pm
  • Landing: Giles Ober at 1 pm, Justin Pomfret at 4:30 pm, Timmy Smith at 8 pm
  • Midtown Oyster Bar: John Erikson at 8 pm
  • Narragansett Cafe: Kidd Katy from 8 pm to 11 pm
  • Newport Blues Cafe: Angelus Hall at 9 pm
  • Newport Playhouse: Spreading It Around at 11 am
  • O’Brien’s Pub: Derrick Keane playing Irish tunes from 5 pm to 8 pm
  • One Pelham East: Adam Go from 8:30 pm to 12 am
  • Pour Judgement: Live music at 10 pm
  • Perro Salado: C-Note & Company at 10 pm
  • Ragged Island Brewing: Trivia from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
  • The Reef: Mel from 7 pm to 10 pm
  • Top of Newport at Hotel Viking: Live music from 6 pm to 9 pm

🏛️ City & Government

On WhatsUpNewp.com

📈 Popular Stories

We published 23 stories on WhatsUpNewp.com yesterday. Here’s what grabbed the most attention on our website;

  1. ‘Six Picks’ best strawberry picking in Rhode Island 2023
  2. Newport County Real Estate Market: A look at the 25 homes that sold last week
  3. Westerly Council rejects attempt to have it endorse anti-obscenity bill
  4. Lead, rodents, put tenants at risk, Rhode Island says in lawsuit against major landlord
  5. Ticket packages are now on sale for the 44th U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club

🆕 The Latest

Smoky haze blanketing US, Canada could last for days as wildfires rage, winds won’t budge

On air quality maps, purple signifies the worst of it. In reality, it’s a thick, hazardous haze that’s disrupting daily life for millions of people across the U.S. and Canada, blotting out skylines and turning skies orange.

Hometown kid earns win in Newport Gulls home opener at Cardines Field

The Newport Gulls won 3-1 against the Bristol Blues in their home opener at Cardines Field on Wednesday night. 

This Day in RI History: June 8, 1717 – Former RI Governor John Collins born in Newport

Served during Revolutionary War period

Rosario, Naylor each have 3 hits and RBI, Guardians beat Red Sox 5-2

Amed Rosario and Josh Naylor each had three hits and an RBI, Josh Bell drove in a run for the sixth consecutive game and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Wednesday night.

Newport School Superintendent provides weekly community update

Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain today provided the following weekly community update for Newport Schools parents, families, and staff.

World’s top Court Tennis professionals to compete for Schochet Cup at National Tennis Club

Nine of the top ten players in the world will be participating, including world champion and twelve-time Pro Singles winner Camden Riviere.

6 injured after car crashes through front of Subway sandwich shop in Rhode Island

Six people were taken to Rhode Island hospitals after a car crashed into a Subway sandwich shop on Wednesday.

Senator Reed announces $178,000 in Federal Aid for Rhode Island Air Quality Monitoring

As Rhode Island’s air quality continues to be impacted by significant wildfires in Canada, the Ocean State is getting another $178,046 in federal funding this week to help detect bad air quality from events like wildfires and industrial pollution and keep the public informed.

What’s On The Agenda: Newport City Council Meeting on June 14

Here’s what’s Newport City Council will be discussing during their next Regular City Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 14.

Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County to host ‘Raise Up The Arts’ reception on June 21

During the reception four awards and scholarships will be presented to Newport County residents.

Millions breathing hazardous air as smoke from Canadian wildfires streams south over US

Smoke from Canadian wildfires poured into the U.S. East Coast and Midwest on Wednesday, covering the capitals of both nations in an unhealthy haze, holding up flights at major airports, postponing Major League Baseball games and prompting people to fish out pandemic-era face masks.

On the Market – A California-inspired ranch on an acre of land in Middletown

74 Honeyman sourced much of its inspiration from the classic California ranch, also known as a rambling ranch.  

Celebrating Local Music and Community – Providence Porchfest debuts Saturday, June 10

Free concerts on East Side porches with over 50 local and regional acts

Newport Festivals Foundation announces free music lessons and instrument rentals for Aquidneck Island students

The initiative, a partnership between Newport Festivals Foundation and The Gruben Charitable Foundation, will allow students to apply to receive ten, half-hour-long lessons at the Newport Music Shop, located on Bellevue Ave.

What’s Up This Weekend: June 8 – 11

Hospitality Days, Bike Newport’s Elliot’s Ride for Everyone, Newport Gulls, Newport Polo: Bentley vs. Rolls-Royce, Summer Kick Off Bash at Rejects Beer Co., and much more.

France’s Sailor of The Decade joins 11th Hour Racing Team for coastal Leg 6 to The Hague

Franck Cammas joins 11th Hour Racing Team for three-day coastal dash to The Hague, The Netherlands

The Ocean Race: Aarhus Leg start preview – the most complex leg yet

See our leg preview for the IMOCA and VO65 fleets and a how to follow guide…

Theatre By The Sea’s 90th Anniversary continues with ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ on June 14

In celebration of 90 years of Theatre By The Sea, owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to present the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which will be presented from June 14 – July 8, 2023.

🙏 Recent Local Obituaries

Claudia H. Bell

December 09, 1953 – May 22, 2023

Artemis G. Adamedes

July 04, 1936 – June 06, 2023

🗞️ Further Reading

DEM teaching local crews how to fight wildfires (WPRI)

Taxpayers Pay $600K in RIDOT Rent Annually to Owners of Business Polluting Providence Neighborhoods (ecoRI News)

Rhode Island General Assembly

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...