Newport Hospital, which for the last three years received top ratings for safety from a national organization that measures patient safety, slipped in the spring 2026 rankings from the top A rating to a B. In the latest rankings, released today by the Washington, D.C. Leapfrog Group, three hospitals in Rhode Island – The Miriam, […]
Frank Prosnitz
Frank Prosnitz brings to WhatsUpNewp several years in journalism, including 10 as editor of the Providence (RI) Business News and 14 years as a reporter and bureau manager at the Providence (RI) Journal. Prosnitz began his journalism career as a sportswriter at the Asbury Park (NJ) Press, moving to The News Tribune (Woodbridge, NJ), before joining the Providence Journal. Prosnitz hosts the Morning Show on WLBQ radio (Westerly), 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday, and It’s Your Business, also on WBLQ, Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Prosnitz has twice won Best in Business Awards from the national Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), twice was named Media Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Administration, won an investigative reporter’s award from the New England Press Association, and newswriting award from the Rhode Island Press Association.
Posted inNews
Kids Count: Newport among leaders in child poverty in Rhode Island
The disparities between the haves and have nots among Rhode Island’s youth impacts everything from education to safety to mental health and economic opportunity. It’s all contained in the annual Kids Count Factbook being released this morning at the annual Kids Count event. Among the major changes is that Newport has been added to a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Public Schools facing $2M shortfall, with restructuring and possible layoffs ahead
Newport Public Schools are facing a roughly $2 million budget shortfall heading into the 2026-2027 school year, Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain said in her weekly update to families Wednesday evening — a gap she said the district is trying to close without cutting staff, but that will likely require restructuring. The figure marks a shift […]
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Newport Public Schools draw about 12 applicants for interim superintendent
About a dozen people have applied to serve as Newport’s interim superintendent of schools, Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain said Wednesday, with the school committee on track to name her one-year successor next month. Jermain, who announced in October that she will step down June 30 after more than 12 years leading the district, said the […]
Posted inNews
Newport School Committee to review superintendent applications
Newport’s School Committee will begin reviewing applications for an interim school superintendent on Wednesday to replace Colleen Burns Jermain, who announced in October that she will be leaving at the end of the school year. Rebecca Bolan, the School Committee’s vice chair, said the committee advertised for an interim superintendent on Schoolspring, a primary online […]
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Federal filings: Newport Performing Arts Center lost money three of the last five years
In three of the last federal tax filings, the Newport Performing Arts Center (NPAC) reported net income losses while it continues to try and raise millions of dollars to renovate and reopen the former majestic opera house on Newport’s Washington Square. What’sUpNewp (WUN) reviewed all 990 forms filed by the Arts Center since 2002. The […]
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Chariho board approves bond, denies superintendent extension
The Chariho School Committee last night (Tuesday) approved language that likely will lead to a $116 million district-wide bond referendum in November to build one unified school to replace three aging elementary schools, all with considerable problems. Meanwhile, the board also voted to deny School Superintendent Gina Picard an extension on her contract, which expires […]
Posted inCity & Government
Crucial vote slated on proposed Chariho school bond
Recent resignations from the Chariho Regional School board may be jeopardizing a potential vote this fall for a bond issue that would lead to the replacement of three aging elementary schools. A critical vote is scheduled for Tuesday (April 14) at which the school committee is being asked to approve language for the bond referendum, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Vague on specifics, NPAC executive confident of raising millions to reopen opulent former opera house
In multiple exchanges of emails, we posed several questions to Melissa Caldwell Quinn, managing director of the Newport Performing Arts Center. This is another in our ongoing series on the opera house restoration project that is now approaching 25 years. WUN: Is this still a viable project? If not, what happens now? If it is, […]
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Millions spent, doors still closed: Inside the stalled Newport Performing Arts Center
Farrar Associates of Newport has been the general contractor for the Opera House project (Newport Performing Arts Center) and is responsible for a considerable amount of work completed under phase one and funded by a 2014 state Council of the Arts Bond Referendum. James Farrar, President of Farrar Associates, after some initial confusion on our […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport’s Opera House has been under renovation for 25 years. It’s still not open.
When first conceived, organizers were exuberant about the possibilities a reopened historic opera house on Newport’s Washington Square would bring to the community. The Newport Performing Arts Center project received more than $4.2 million, second largest of nine grants from a 2014 Creative and Cultural Economy Bond. Randy Rosenbaum, then executive director of the Rhode […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rep. Lauren Carson breaks down her 2026 constituent survey live with What’sUpNewp
State Rep. Lauren Carson (D – District 75, Newport) joined What’sUpNewp Thursday at noon for a live conversation to walk through the results of her 2026 constituent survey — and the discussion covered just about everything Newport residents are talking about right now: housing costs, the Newport Hospital Birthing Center, healthcare access, climate resilience, short-term […]
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Newport schools superintendent discusses budget gap, retirement, and merger talks
Newport Public Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joined What’sUpNewp on Wednesday for her monthly one-on-one conversation, the first in several months after weather and scheduling conflicts forced postponements. Owner and publisher Ryan Belmore and editor Frank Prosnitz led the discussion, which covered the blizzard’s impact on the school calendar, a projected budget shortfall, the ongoing […]
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Just My Opinion: Assuring an adequate blood supply following the Blizzard of 2026
The blizzard we are now experiencing can have a devastating impact on a lot more than just safe driving and power outages. It becomes incredibly disruptive to maintaining an adequate blood supply that translates to saving lives. Today, all Rhode Island Blood Center blood drives and donor centers are closed, and it’s a fair guess […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Councilor again cited for campaign filing violation
One local councilman, Newport’s David Carlin III, apparently continues to ignore state campaign finance filing requirements, while another, Xaykham “Xay” Khamsyvoravong is raising significant funds as he’s rumored to be considering a run at a significant statewide office. Meanwhile, legislators in powerful positions are padding campaign accounts as elections now are only months away. These […]
Posted inCity & Government
State to apply for funds to upgrade rail traffic in Southern Rhode Island
Rhode Island is expected to seek federal funding for a rail project that will initially improve Amtrak service in Westerly but potentially lead to closing the only gap in commuter rail in the Northeast. That gap is from New London, Connecticut to Wickford. For years, Rhode Island legislators and rail advocates, principally from the Westerly […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: What is the United States of America?
What is the United States of America? We are white, black, brown, red, yellow … we are a rainbow. We are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, evangelicals, atheist, agnostic. We embrace all who worship and those that do not. We are Latino, American Indian, Asian, German, French, English, Italian, Irish, African, Portuguese, Iranian, Israeli, multi-racial. We […]
Posted inCity & Government
McKee: URI Medical School possible by 2030
It is possible that a medical school could open on the campus of the University of Rhode Island by 2030, with the expectation that 70 percent of graduates would remain in Rhode Island, helping address the state’s primary care physician shortage, according to Gov. Dan McKee. McKee said on WBLQ’s Morning Show that the study […]
Posted inCity & Government
Elections Board forgives hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines
Over the last four months, the state Board of Elections has excused hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for candidates who have failed to file quarterly finance reports or filed them late. This flurry follows years in which the Board has been frustrated by the courts, which, when asked by offenders, have regularly significantly […]
Posted inCity & Government
Legislative Outlook: Carson sees healthcare and housing as critical issues
With the Rhode Island General Assembly now in session, WhatsUpNewp has reached out to the area’s legislators to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. Today, we focus on State Rep. Lauren Carson, D-Dist. 75, who is a Deputy Majority Leader. […]
Posted inCity & Government
Legislative Outlook: Gu – Key concerns—primary care access; ripple effects from ending ACA subsidies
With the Rhode Island General Assembly session scheduled to begin today (Jan. 6), WhatsUpNewp and WBLQ have reached out to the area’s legislators to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. State Senator Victoria Gu, D-Dist. 38 Today, we focus on […]
Posted inCity & Government
Legislative Outlook: Azzinaro – ‘Fully fund the Veterans Home in Bristol’
With the Rhode Island General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, WBLQ and WhatsUpNewp have reached out to legislators in the Newport and Westerly areas to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. Today, we focus on State Rep. […]
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Legislative Outlook: Finkelman – the economy and environment critical issues in 2026
With the Rhode Island General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, WhatsUpNewp has reached out to the area’s legislators to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. Today, we focus on State Rep. Alex Finkelman, D-Dist. 74, He is […]
Posted inCity & Government
Legislative Outlook: DiPalma sees healthcare, affordability and transparency as critical issues
With the Rhode Island General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, WhatsUpNewp has reached out to the area’s legislators to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. Today, we focus on State Sen. Lou DiPalma, D-Dist. 12, who holds […]
Posted inNews
Newport School Superintendent discusses school safety, regionalization progress
Newport Public Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain provided updates on multiple district initiatives during her monthly conversation with What’sUpNewp Thursday, including ongoing safety measures following a recent incident at Rogers High School and progress toward potential regionalization with Middletown. Burns Jermain confirmed that an independent investigation into an assault at Rogers High School remains ongoing, […]