Good Morning! Today is Friday, December 8, 2023.
š Last night, the New England Patriots ended a five-game losing streak while damaging Pittsburgh Steelersā increasingly brittle playoff hopes. Read More
š§ Tonight, RIDOT will permanently close the old downtown Newport exit on Route 138 East off the Pell Bridge. All traffic coming from the Pell Bridge into Newport will need to take the new ramp system. Read More
š A push to develop affordable housing on publicly owned land and a requirement that renters receive a four-month notice of planned rent hikes are just two of the ideas being pitched to Rhode Island lawmakers to help address rising housing costs in the state. Read More
š« A new report finds that enrollment in Rhode Island schools has declined significantly since 2019. The study, conducted by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC), shows that public school enrollment has fallen by more than 7,000 students, and district school enrollment has fallen by more than 10,000 students. Read More
š On tap this weekend: SantaCon, Holiday Arts Market, Sparking Lights at The Breakers, Elf, and more. Read More
WHATāS UP TODAY
WEATHER
- Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 44. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
- Extended Forecast: 7-Day Weather Forecast
- Surf Forecast: 3-day Surf Forecast
MARINE FORECAST
- Gale Watch in effect from December 10, 1:00 PM until December 11, 7:00 PM
- Today: Variable winds 5 kt or less. Increasing clouds. Seas 1 ft or less.
- Tonight: Variable winds 5 kt or less. Partly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
- Coastal Water Temperature: 50Ā°F.
SUN, MOON, & TIDE
- Sunrise: 6:58 am | Sunset: 4:15 pm | 9 hours and 16 minutes of sun.
- High tide at 3:48 am & 4:01 pm | Low tide at 10:02 am & 9:49 pm.
- Moon: Waning Crescent. 24.6 days, 25% lighting.
THINGS TO DO
- Christmas in Newport throughout Newport
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions
- 4:30 pm: Sparkling Lights at The Breakers: An Outdoor Magical Wonderland
- 5 pm: Harvest Night Market at Harvest Market
- 5:30 pm: IYRS Community Holiday Party at Restoration Hall
- 6 pm: Holiday Art Market at Newport Pride Center
- 7 pm: Holiday Choral Concert at Ochre Court
- 8 pm: Improv with the Bit Players at The Firehouse Theater
Organizing an event? Submit events to WhatāsUpNewp!
LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
- Buskerās Irish Pub: Live music at 9 pm
- Johnnyās Restaurant: Sean Couto at 6 pm
- JPT Film & Event Center: Napoleon at 4 pm & 7:30 pm
- La Forge Casino Restaurant: Dave Manuel at 6 pm
- Midtown Oyster Bar: Live music at 9:30 pm
- Narragansett Cafe: Take It To The Bridge Trio at 8:30 pm
- Newport Blues Cafe: Zeneth at 9 pm
- Newport Playhouse: Miracle on South Division Street at 6 pm
- One Pelham East: Timeless Duo at 8:30 pm, DJ Nook at 11:30 pm
- Speakeasy: Justin Pomfret at 9:30 pm
- The Firehouse Theatre: Live improv comedy with The Bit Players at 8 pm
- The Reef: Joe Sabourin at 6 pm
- Top of Pelham: Dueling Pianos at 8 pm
- Vieste: Live music at 7 pm
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Jamestown: Jamestown Bike Path Committee at 9 am, Jamestown Technical Review Committee at 11 am
- See the agendas and a complete list of public meetings across Rhode Island here.
HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND
Stories that recently appeared on WhatsUpNewp.com that are relevant to this week.
Whatās Up this weekend in Newport: Dec. 8 ā 10
RIDOT to permanently close old Downtown Newport exit on Dec. 8
Jamestown Arts Center to host Holiday Arts Market Dec. 8 ā 9
SantaCon returns to Newport on Dec. 9
Choral Collective of Newport County will present its annual Winter Concert on December 9
ESPNās College GameDay to broadcast Dec. 9 show from Army-Navy Game at Gillette Stadium
ON WHATSUPNEWP.COM
THE LATEST
Pell Bridge Downtown Newport Exit permanently closing Friday
Old Newport Exit on Route 138 East off Pell Bridge to Close Permanently Friday
Bailey Zappe throws for 3 TDs, Patriots damage Steelersā playoff hopes with 21-18 win
The wins used to come so easy and so often for David Andrews early in his career with the New England Patriots, the veteran center barely noticed them.
Sabres snap 4-game skid with a 3-1 win over Atlantic Division-leading Bruins
JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson and Victor Olofsson scored and the Buffalo Sabres snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Where to dine on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day in and around Newport
Hereās what restaurants are open and serving up something special on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2022.
Rhode Island lawmakers and advocates working to address soaring housing costs
A push to develop affordable housing on publicly owned land and a requirement that renters receive a four-month notice of planned rent hikes are just two of the ideas being pitched to Rhode Island lawmakers to help address rising housing costs in the state.
Rhode Island has a long way to go to fix problems caused by short-term rentals
In the meantime, Tiverton official sounds alarm on ambiguity in state law.
Governor McKee: Hanukkah symbolizes resilience, hope
Governor McKee offers Hanukkah greetings to Rhode Islandās Jewish community
Adopt Rocky: A loving, social dog ready for his rorever home
Meet Rocky! A loving, senior dog looking for his forever home
Enrollment in Rhode Island schools declines significantly
Enrollment in Rhode Island Schools Declines Significantly Since 2019
Portsmouth Police: Woman arrested on fentanyl trafficking charges
Portsmouth Police arrest woman on fentanyl trafficking charges
Two networks announce GOP presidential debates just days apart at same New Hampshire school
Two television networks on Thursday announced they would hold separate Republican presidential debates at the same location in New Hampshire just ahead of that stateās GOP primary next month, but officials at Saint Anselm College said they were only aware of one of the events.
Whatās Up this weekend in Newport: Dec. 8 ā 10
SantaCon, Holiday Arts Market, Sparking Lights at The Breakers, Elf, and more.
Best Christmas movies of all time, according to critics
Keep reading to learn about what critics consider to be the very best in the holiday genre.
10 different foods used in New Year’s Eve traditions and the stories behind them
As New Yearās approaches, Stacker looked at specific food practices from around the world. Where did they come from? What are the meanings behind these time-tested recipes? What makes these traditions so special to the cultures or communities they came from?
The Ocean Race wins Sustainability Award
The Ocean Race wins Sustainability Award for its efforts to put ocean protection at the heart of the round-the-world sailing competition
RECENT LOCAL OBITUARIES
Jerome āJerryā R. Kirby Jr.
Constance āConnieā Sullivan McAuliffe
ICYMI: POPULAR ON WHATSUPNEWP
- Nearly 9,000 Rhode Islanders to get $2.4 million in unclaimed property checks
- Portsmouth Police: Woman arrested on fentanyl trafficking charges
- Newport Police arrest five on Wednesday, early Thursday
- Portsmouth waterfront home sells for $2.7 million
- Whatās Up this weekend in Newport: Dec. 8 ā 10
FURTHER READING
East Bay RI: East Main improvements on Portsmouth Town Council agenda for Monday at PHS
RIDOH: Chicken Fried Rice Products Recalled
WJAR: Portsmouth firefighters respond to boat fire on tractor trailer
