Good Monday morning, Newport!

Here’s our daily rundown of what’s happening out there today, plus all that you need to know; enjoy!

Weather Forecast

  • Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
  • Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Northwest wind 13 to 15 mph.

Marine Forecast

  • Small Craft Advisory until May 19, 11:00 PM EDT
  • Today: NNW wind 12 to 16 kt, with gusts as high as 27 kt. Partly sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: NNW wind 11 to 13 kt. Mostly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 54 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:21 am. Sunset at 8:02 pm. 14 hours & 40 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 12:54 am & 1:30 p.m. Low tide at 6:34 am & 6:40 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waning Gibbous.

🚨 You need to know

The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center (The JPT) and What’sUpNewp are gearing up for a three-day “Jaws” celebration this Memorial Day weekend, from May 23-26.

Fans of the summer thriller can catch multiple screenings of Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster, along with live music, beer and wine tastings, and community activities.

The fun starts Friday, May 23. Doors open at 6 p.m., with The TeleDynes playing live at 6:30 p.m. The movie begins at 7:30 p.m., and Save The Bay will have a shark touch-tank in the lobby for those brave enough to get up close and personal.

Sunday’s showing kicks off at 7 p.m., with Los Duderinos warming up the crowd from 6 p.m. The final screening on Monday, May 26, starts at 4:30 p.m.

Narragansett Beer is backing the event, offering merch, promo items, and beer tasting at Friday’s screening. Lucky moviegoers who attend all three showings will be entered into a raffle for a Narragansett X Jaws prize pack and two VIP summer experiences.

For wine enthusiasts, the theater’s new vendor, Juggernaut Wines, will be pouring samples in the lobby during all screenings.

Tickets and more info

Here’s what else you need to know

Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong conferred 508 bachelor’s degrees upon the Class of 2025 at Salve Regina University’s 75th Commencement on Sunday. A separate ceremony was held Thursday, May 15, for recipients of graduate degrees — 206 master’s degrees, 18 doctoral degrees, and 11 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees. 

Traffic Advisory: Bellevue Avenue will have 24-hour concrete roadway repair work done this week (May 19 – 2#). Between Ruggles Avenue and Rovensky Avenue, Bellevue Avenue will be reduced to one lane for northbound traffic only. Southbound traffic approaching Ruggles will be detoured onto Ruggles Avenue. Large trucks and buses southbound on Bellevue Avenue will be allowed through with detail officer assistance.

Tyler Bernadyn examines what to expect in Newport County’s real estate market in the second half of 2025.

In his latest column for What’sUpNewp, Dr. Michael Fine writes about what’s crazy about the Surgeon General of the United States.

Jaws is the QUINTessential movie to kick off the Summer season! The JPT and What’sUpNewp are celebrating like never before with three screenings of JAWS, complete with killer live music from local bands, beer and wine tastings, and excellent community partners! Join us on Friday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 7 pm, or Monday at 4:30 pm! Tickets and more info

📈 Yesterday’s most-read

The following were yesterday’s most-read What’sUpNewp articles.

  1. Things to do in Newport County this weekend: May 16-18
  2. What to expect in the second half of the 2025 real estate market in Newport County
  3. NIMFest returning to King Park with star-studded summer lineup
  4. This Day in RI History: May 18, 1652 – Rhode Island becomes the first colony to pass an anti-slavery law
  5. Obituary: Bruce McCarter
  6. On the Market: A look at 62 homes hosting Open Houses this weekend in Newport County (May 17 – 18)
  7. Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about the Surgeon General of the United States
  8. ‘Little Clam’ to open at Wayfinder Newport
  9. Obituary: Anthony Agostinelli
  10. Morning Notes: Newport native Troy Ramey returns home for a sold-out concert

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s happening today in Newport.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

  • Landing: Justin Pomfret at 12:30 pm, Mark Flynn at 4 pm
  • Newport Craft: Bingo at 6 pm
  • Newport Harbor Island Resort: Musical Bingo at 6:30 pm
  • Perro Salado: John Monllos at 5:30 pm
  • Rejects Beer Co.: Trivia at 6 pm
  • The Fastnet Pub: The Ubiquitones at 10 pm
  • The Firehouse Theater: NEE Jam at 7 pm
  • The Quencher: Groove Merchants at 6:30 pm

Newport County Public Meetings

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...