Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Monday, Sept. 8, the 251st day of 2025. There are 114 days left in the year.

🚨 You need to know

The Narragansett Bay Chorus will perform its 13th annual concert at St. Columba’s Chapel in Middletown on Sept. 28, bringing four-part harmony and barbershop tradition to the historic venue.

The 43-member male chorus, officially known as the Providence Chapter of the Patriot Division of the Northeastern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society of America, will perform at 3 p.m. in the chapel’s Parish Hall at 55 Vaucluse Ave. The group draws singers from Rhode Island and Massachusetts and performs a mix of popular songs, traditional tunes, show music and gospel.

The chorus brings championship credentials to Sunday’s performance. In April, the group placed first in their category at the Patriot Division competition in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Over their 70-year history, they have won the Northeastern District chorus competition 15 times and performed throughout New England and as far away as California and England.

Three quartets will join the chorus on Sunday’s program. Trade Secret has won the Northeastern District Seniors Championship and medaled at international competition. Nantucket Sound captured the Novice Quartet Championship for the Northeastern District Patriot Division in 2024. BAMM Tack!! won the Northeastern District Patriot Division Novice Men’s Quartet Championship in April.

Admission costs $20 for adults and $10 for students, payable at the door by cash, check or credit card. Advance tickets are available through the parish office at (401) 847-5571 or from chorus members. A reception will follow the performance. The concert is part of St. Columba’s Concert Series, which features four to five performances annually across various musical genres.

Here’s what else you need to know

🚨 A Middletown woman remains in serious but stable condition at Rhode Island Hospital following a bicycle-vehicle collision on Greene Lane Wednesday afternoon.

🏛️ The Newport City Council will consider major IT contracts and board appointments at their Sept. 10 meeting, including multiple technology service agreements and new commission member appointments.

🔊 What’sUpNewp has launched a new audio reading feature, allowing readers to listen to select stories with AI-powered audio technology starting today.

📉 The local and regional economy is being described as “sluggish” following a troubling national jobs report, with Rhode Island showing signs of economic weakness.

🏠 A Newport carriage house in the historic Kay Catherine neighborhood recently sold for $4.1 million, highlighting the continued strength in luxury real estate markets.

🚢 Up next on the cruise ship schedule: The Sojourn is scheduled to visit Newport on Saturday, followed by the Enchanted Princess and Insignia on Sunday. Cruise Ship Schedule

🏈 ICYMI: Here are the latest sports highlights;

📰 The Latest from What’sUpNewp

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📈 Yesterday’s most-read

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

  1. Downton Abbey finale to debut in Newport, benefit PBS
  2. Obituary: Sadie Emma Asher
  3. Middletown woman seriously injured in bicycle-vehicle collision on Greene Lane
  4. Listen up, Newport: What’sUpNewp adds audio reading feature
  5. What Sold: A look at 23 recent sales across Newport County (Sept. 1 – 5)
  6. Things to do this weekend in Newport: Sept. 5 – 7
  7. Newport carriage house in historic Kay Catherine neighborhood sells for $4.1 million
  8. Local and regional economy: ‘Sluggish’
  9. Salve Regina opens season with dominant 34-13 win over UMass Dartmouth
  10. Middletown defeats Tiverton 22-6 behind Williams’ two-touchdown performance

📅 What’s Up Today

Weather Forecast

  • Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 6 to 9 mph.
  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

Marine Forecast

  • Today: N wind 5 to 8 kt. Partly sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: Variable winds 5 kt or less. Partly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 68 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 6:19 am. Sunset at 7:06 pm. 12 hours & 47 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 8:42 am & 9:03 pm. Low tide at 2:29 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

  • 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
  • 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

  • Little Compton: Little Compton Free Public Library Trust at 3 pm
  • Tiverton: Tiverton Zoning Revision Committee at 5 pm
  • Little Compton: Little Compton Housing Trust at 6 pm
  • Newport: Newport Planning Board at 6:30 pm
  • Portsmouth: Portsmouth Town Council at 7 pm
  • Tiverton: Tiverton Town Council at 7 pm

Organizing an event? Submit your event 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...