The Outer Element at Fifth Element

Governor Dan McKee will host a bill signing ceremony on Monday for legislation which will allow restaurants to continue to use COVID-19 modifications, including outdoor dining.

The legislation imposes a moratorium on the enforcement of any municipal ordinance or zoning requirement that penalizes owners for those modifications.

The moratorium will be effective until April 1, 2022.

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...