Good morning, Newport! Today is Monday, June 23, the 174th day of 2025. There are 191 days left in the year.
🚨 You need to know
Newport City Council will consider awarding a contract for a digital parking permit program and a mobile license plate recognition (LPR) enforcement system at its meeting on Wednesday (June 25).
The council will consider awarding a contract to Passport Labs, Inc. for the implementation of hardware and software. The cost is $63,344.41, with an annual recurring fee of $20,869.16. There is also an optional four-year warranty available for $9,928.38 after the first year.
Newport Police Chief Ryan G. Duffy, who is also the Director of Public Safety, recommends Passport Labs based on their response to Request for Proposal #2025-POL-002.
This new system would allow residents to apply for and manage parking permits online, integrating existing resident license plate data.
The proposal includes a mobile LPR system for a city-owned 2025 Ford Maverick. This tech would help enforcement officers check valid parking permits and paid parking sessions in real-time.
The system supports various permit types, including resident parking, guest parking, beach permits, and specialty permits for fishing and loading zones.
If approved, the Parking Fund will cover the recurring costs of the program.
The council is also looking at ordinance changes to ban parking on parts of Spring Street and Poplar Street, based on Internal Traffic Committee (ITC) recommendations.
Other agenda items include budget amendments for fiscal year 2025-2026, changes to personnel classifications and pay schedules, and updates to sewer service charges.
See the full docket and attachments here.
The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on June 25 at the City Council Chambers, 43 Broadway, Newport.
What else you need to know
👉 Contributor Michele Gallagher presents part one of a two-part series featuring the voices and origin stories of a few Adventure and Experience Women Entrepreneurs who are making Rhode Island even more fun and exciting for both residents and visitors alike.
❌ Rhode Island’s Democratic-controlled state House on Friday approved legislation that would ban the sale and manufacturing of many semiautomatic rifles commonly referred to as assault weapons.
🆓 Reminder: Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry from any location are invited to “Be Our Guest” and enjoy free admission or discounts at 19 participating attractions in Newport and Bristol Counties through the end of today.
🆓 Reminder 2: This spring and summer, history buffs can step back in time at the Eisenhower House. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is offering free self-guided tours every Monday through September 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
📈 Yesterday’s most-read
The following were yesterday’s most-read What’sUpNewp articles.
- Procaccianti Companies gets green light for The Bellevue Hotel
- Morning Notes: Free museums, live music, and strawberry festival mark Newport’s summer weekend kickoff
- In Rhode Island, women-led ventures are redefining adventure and innovation
- Explore 19 Newport area attractions for free, June 21-23
- Friends Of The Waterfront Concert Series returns to King Park for five shows this summer
- What’s Up in Newport County this weekend: June 20 – 22
- Sly Fox Den Too forced to close Charlestown location
- Obituary: Judith Davison
- Letter to the Editor: Don’t waste $250,000 on redundant study…fund schools!
- New Hampshire city in ‘Jumanji’ marks 30th anniversary with animal costume race
📅 What’s Up Today
- Extreme Heat Warning until June 24, 08:00 PM EDT
- Today: Patchy fog before 7 am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
- Tonight: Patchy fog between 1 am and 3 am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 7 mph.
- Today: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming SSE 5 to 8 kt in the afternoon. Patchy fog before 7 am. Seas 1 ft or less.
- Tonight: SSW wind around 6 kt. Patchy fog between 1 am and 3 am. Seas 1 ft or less.
- The coastal water temperature is 65 degrees.
- Sunrise at 5:12 am. Sunset at 8:23 pm. 15 hours & 11 minutes of sun.
- High tide at 6:28 am & 6:57 pm. Low tide at 12:24 am & 11:42 pm.
- The lunar phase is a Waning Crescent.
Things To Do
- 10 am: Free self-guided tours at Eisenhower House
- 3 pm: Jamestown Farmers Market at Jamestown Recreation Center
- 3:15 pm & 7 pm: Newport MFA craft talk with Laura Lippman at Ochre Court
- 6 pm: Book talk with author Jennifer Safrey at Charter Books
Live Music & Entertainment
- Landing: Justin Pomfret at 12:30 pm, Mark Flynn at 4 pm, The Naticks at 8 pm
- Newport Craft: Bingo at 6 pm
- Newport Harbor Island Resort: Music Bingo at 6:30 pm
- Newport Pickleball Club: The Newport Groove Merchants at 6:30 pm
- One Pelham East: Bruce Jacques at 9 pm
- Perro Salado: John Monllos at 5:30 pm
- Stoneacre Garden: Mah Jongg Monday at 6 pm
- The Fastnet Pub: The Ubiquitones at 10 pm
Newport County Public Meetings
- Jamestown: Library Board at 5 pm
- Little Compton: Housing Trust at 6 pm, Recreation Committee at 6:30 pm
- Newport: Zoning Board of Review at 6 pm
- Portsmouth: Town Council at 7 pm
- Tiverton: Personnel Board at 4 pm, Town Council at 7 pm
Cruise Ship Schedule
- Next up on the cruise ship schedule is the Queen Mary 2 on July 5.
