Doris Duke's rough Point

Good Friday 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: Areas of fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 66 degrees. South wind 3 to 8 mph.
  • Tonight: A slight chance of showers after 1 am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 57 degrees. South wind 5 to 7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%.

Marine Forecast

  • Today: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming S 5 to 7 kt in the morning. Areas of fog before noon. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: SSW wind around 6 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt after midnight. A slight chance of showers after 1 am. Patchy fog. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 54 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:24 am. Sunset at 7:58 pm. 14 hours & 34 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 11 am & 11:12 p.m. Low tide at 4:26 am & 4:10 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waning Gibbous.

🚨 You need to know

Two Newport museums are opening their doors to active-duty military members and their families at no cost this summer as part of the Blue Star Museums program.

The Newport Restoration Foundation and Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame are joining this nationwide initiative, which runs from May 17 to Sept. 1.

This program, a team effort between the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Blue Star Families, offers free museum entry to current U.S. military personnel and up to five family members.

Beyond Newport, six other Rhode Island museums are taking part, including venues in Bristol, Providence, Westerly, and Woonsocket.

  • Bristol Art Museum and Coggeshall Farm Museum, Bristol.
  • Newport Restoration Foundation and Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame, Newport.
  • Providence Children’s Museum and RISD Museum, Providence.
  • Living Sharks Museum, Westerly.
  • Museum of Work and Culture, Woonsocket.

The program covers members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, as well as Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps.

To get in free, eligible visitors need to show a Geneva Convention common access card, DD Form 1173 ID card, DD Form 1173-1 ID card, or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card.

Now in its 15th year, this initiative aims to create a sense of community and cultural enrichment for military families across the country.

The Blue Star Museums program is just one of several NEA efforts supporting military personnel and their families, including the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network.

Here’s what else you need to know

Today is Bike To Work Day in Newport. Join Bike Newport and RIPTA outside City Hall this morning for a Bike Commuter Breakfast and for some announcements and group ride downtown this afternoon. Event Details

Middletown is set to celebrate the start of construction on its new Middle High School on June 9.

On tap this weekend: Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival, Swing Into Spring, Spring Migration Celebration, and more. Weekend Roundup

📈 Yesterday’s most-read

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

  1. Newport City Council takes aim at non-owner occupied short-term rentals
  2. Newport City Council rejects Chomp’s outdoor seating plan
  3. Obituary: Donna Pimental-Levesque
  4. Newport’s $92 million budget put on hold after unexpected City Council vote
  5. Things to do in Newport County this weekend: May 16-18
  6. Upscale dining returns to Newport Harbor Island Resort
  7. Newport swears in new K9 Officer Bo
  8. Newport Planning Board to host special meeting on proposed Waites Wharf hotel project
  9. Movies and TV shows casting in Rhode Island
  10. SeaMist MedSpa unveils new Newport location with grand reopening

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s happening today in Newport.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Newport County Public Meetings

Organizing an event? Submit it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar.

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...