Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
👉 The Newport Zoning Board of Review denied a petition from Harbour Realty to build a proposed hotel plan on Waites Wharf in a 3+ hour meeting last night. Two members voted to approve; three members voted to deny. Watch the meeting here.
⛴️ On Monday, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced that it has contracted with SeaStreak, Rhode Island Fast Ferry, and the Block Island Ferry to offer free ferry service to travelers who need to commute between the Bristol area and Providence starting Wednesday, December 20, 2023 weather permitting. Read More
🌡️ Lucy’s Hearth in Middletown is among eight nonprofits across the state to receive $20,000 grants from the Rhode Island Foundation to help residents stay housed this winter. Read More
🍽️ As the final meal of its 2023 program year, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is offering a free holiday lunch on Friday at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 12 Marlborough St in Newport. The meal is being donated by McGrath’s Clambakes & Catering. Read More
🏠 As we move into the bustling week before Christmas, and less than 2 weeks from 2024 – the local real estate scene remains relatively active despite the challenges with limited inventory. Tyler Bernadyn has a look at what homes sold last week here.
WHAT’S UP TODAY
WEATHER
- Today: A slight chance of showers after 4 pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low of around 30. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
- Extended Forecasts: 7-Day Weather Forecast & 3-day Surf Forecast
MARINE FORECAST
- Today: SW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming WNW in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers after 4 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
- Tonight: NW wind 7 to 9 kt. Mostly clear. Seas 1 ft or less.
- Coastal Water Temperature: 49°F.
SUN, MOON, & TIDE
- Sunrise: 7:07 am | Sunset: 4:17 pm | 9 hours and 10 minutes of sun.
- High tide at 12:31 am & 12:54 pm | Low tide at 6:04 am & 6:48 pm.
- Moon: Waxing Crescent. 6.5 days, 41% lighting.
THINGS TO DO
- Christmas in Newport throughout Newport
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions
- 10 am: Preschool Dance Party at Newport Public Library
- 6 pm: Sip N’ Shop at Utility
- 6 pm: Celebrate the Gilded Age at Bar 12
- Organizing an event? Submit events to What’sUpNewp!
LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
- Gas Lamp Grille: Karaoke at 10 pm
- JPT Film & Event Center: Maestro at 4 pm, The Holiday at 7:30 pm
- Newport Playhouse: Miracle on 34th Street at 11 am
- O’Brien’s Pub: Trivia at 7 pm
- The Fifth Element: Meg Chenot at 7 pm
- The Helmway Restaurant: Open Mic at 7 pm
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Little Compton: Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee at 9 am
- Middletown: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee at 5:30 pm
- Portsmouth: Board of Canvassers at 3 pm, Water and Fire District at 7 pm
- Tiverton: Conservation Commission at 2:30 pm, Building Code Board of Appeals at 5 pm
- See the agenda for meetings here
ON WHATSUPNEWP.COM
THE LATEST
Meet Baccara, a sweet ‘little wiggle-bomb’ available for adoption
Wiggly 4-year-old Baccara is looking for her forever home
Comic – Sour Grapes: Cold Call
Sour Grapes is a comic about “Aesop”, a miserable flying dog and his odd friends, all living in a problematic and troubled world.
Deadly storm batters Northeastern US, knocking out power, grounding flights and flooding roads
In Rhode Island, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed parts of Providence’s hurricane barrier system to prevent flooding from storm surge, Mayor Brett Smiley said.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick beaten and then praised by another New England opponent
As Bill Belichick finishes up what could be his final month as the New England Patriots coach, he’s drawing some effusive eulogies from the opposing sideline.
Lucy’s Hearth receives $20,000 to help residents stay housed this winter
Lucy’s Hearth in Middletown is among eight nonprofits across the state to receive $20,000 grants from the Rhode Island Foundation to help residents stay housed this winter.
RIDOT to offer free ferry service between Bristol and Providence beginning Dec. 20
The service is offered as one more choice for people affected by the closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge.
Best-performing Rhode Island stocks last week
The highest-performing stock on the list returned +4.5% last week. Read on to see which companies made the list.
How gas prices have changed in Providence in the last week
Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Providence-Fall River-Warwick (RI only) metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of December 17.
Portsmouth to continue 0% Interest Septic Loan Program
Town of Portsmouth receives $2 million loan to continue offering 0% interest loans to homeowners for septic tank and cesspool replacements
DEM to host First Day Hike at George Washington State Campground
First Day Hike at George Washington State Campground
MLK Center will offer a free community holiday lunch on Dec. 22
The meal is being donated by McGrath’s Clambakes & Catering.
What Sold: Newport County Real Estate Recap (Week of Dec. 11 – 15)
As we move into the bustling week before Christmas, and less than 2 weeks from 2024 – the local real estate scene remains relatively active despite the challenges with limited inventory.
10 old-school Christmas traditions that are no longer practiced
Using various sources, Stacker found 10 Christmas traditions that are the stuff of history today. Do any of these traditions deserve to be revived at your Christmas celebration this year? Read on to find out.
Obituary: Mary E. (Laranjo) Williams
January 19, 1925 – December 17, 2023
Greenlove Foundation donates water bottle filling station to Forest Avenue Elementary School
This collaboration marks the Greenlove Foundation’s 31st water bottle filling station donation since it began its plastic waste-reduction efforts in 2016.
2 Tiverton men arrested by State Police on larceny charges
Two Tiverton men arrested on charges of receiving stolen goods
Newport Police make 3 domestic-related arrests over weekend
Newport Police make 5 weekend arrests
Obituary: Michael Kent Ervin
July 20, 1962 – December 17, 2023
ICYMI: POPULAR ON WHATSUPNEWP
- Weather-related closings and delays in Rhode Island
- 2 Tiverton men arrested by State Police on larceny charges
- UPDATE: RITBA lifts bridge restrictions
- Newport Police make 3 domestic-related arrests over weekend
- Newport Restaurant Group to open Celeste in Narragansett in early 2024
FURTHER READING
East Bay RI: Portsmouth cagers down E. Providence for first win, 50-31
NDN: RIDOT to construct roundabout in Portsmouth by Clements Market
PBN: BankRI celebrates opening of first Newport branch
WJAR: Newport Police Department seeks new recruits
WJAR: Jury finds man guilty of driving to endanger in crash that killed wife
