Rhode Island State House Illuminated Blue and White in Honor of Nurses Week (Credit: Andrew Moran, Brown University Health)

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: Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 4 pm. Patchy fog before 4 pm, then patchy fog after 5 pm. High near 60. East wind 6 to 11 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
  • Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms before 4 am, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog after 7 pm. Low around 52. East wind 6 to 14 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch are possible.

Marine Forecast

  • Today: E wind 5 to 10 kt. Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 4 pm. Patchy fog before 9 am, then Patchy fog between 2 pm and 4 pm, then Patchy fog after 5 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: E wind 9 to 12 kt becoming SE 5 to 8 kt after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 22 kt. Showers and thunderstorms before 4 am, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog after 7 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 48 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:31 am. Sunset at 7:51 pm. 14 hours & 19 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 6:33 am & 6:53 p.m. Low tide at 12:08 am & 11:53 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

🚨 You need to know

In recognition of National Nurses Week, the Rhode Island State House is illuminated in blue and white through May 12. This symbolic gesture honors nurses’ essential contributions, dedication, and compassion across Rhode Island and the nation.

Brown University Health sponsors this year’s illumination, joining the state in expressing gratitude to nurses for their tireless work and unwavering commitment.

According to Brown University Health, “the lighting serves as a visual tribute to the critical role nurses play in safeguarding the health and well-being of our communities. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6 through May 12, ending on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing”.

Here’s what else you need to know

On this day in 1861, the U.S. Naval Academy was moved to Newport. When the Civil War broke out, Newport was seen as a secure location in the North, and Narragansett Bay was valued as a good training ground. When the Civil War ended in 1865, the Academy returned to its original home in Annapolis. However, one instructor, Commodore Steven B. Luce, remained in Newport to establish the Naval War College in 1881.

Middletown Town Council’s Special Meeting, which was scheduled for Saturday, to discuss regionalization with the Newport City Council, has been cancelled. “A special meeting Saturday on school regionalization called by the #middletownri Town Council has been cancelled after local leaders learn their counterparts in Newport won’t be able to attend,” the Town of Middletown shared on Facebook.

Sean Landers: Lost at Sea, an evocative exhibition by acclaimed contemporary artist Sean Landers, opens today at the Newport Art Museum. Featuring symbolically charged, introspective paintings, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on ambition, memory, legacy, and loss.

Rick Atkinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, will be in Newport today to talk about his latest book on the American Revolution at The Colony House.

Newport City Council will host their next Regular Council Meeting on Wednesday. Here’s a look at the docket.

📈 Yesterday’s most-read

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

  1. Charles L. Roberts: I dream of my mother on Mother’s Day
  2. Newport prepares for 2025 Cruise Season: Full schedule and peak visit times revealed
  3. ‘The Real Housewives of Rhode Island’ is coming soon
  4. Rickie Lee Jones captivates sold-out JPT, leaving audience spellbound
  5. Obituary: Linda Shoe
  6. Obituary: Linda Iafrate
  7. Middletown Town Council cancels Special Meeting to discuss regionalization with Newport City Council
  8. Listing of the Week: 2 Defenders Row offers unobstructed harbor views and luxury condo perks
  9. Obituary: Constance Briosi
  10. Morning Notes: Week-long roadwork to impact Bellevue Ave traffic flow next week

📅 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...