Accidental Sisters, a women’s world music a cappella ensemble based in Jamestown, will make its Newport debut at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10 at Channing Memorial Church, 135 Pelham St. The concert, titled “About Time,” runs through 5:30 p.m. and is free by donation. Founded in September 2009 and directed by Julie Beth Andrews, the […]
Ryan Belmore
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 is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Online News Association, and Local Independent Online News Publishers. He is committed to the codes of ethics of these organizations: accuracy, independence, accountability, and transparency.
In Newport, Ryan served on the boards of the Fort Adams Trust and Potter League for Animals, and hosted a daily radio talk show for four years.
In 2021, Ryan moved to Alexandria, Virginia, to support his wife Jen's career. He launched The Alexandria Brief in 2025, applying what he learned in Newport to a new community. With the help of some talented on-the-ground contributors, he still runs What's Up Newp — and always will.
Contact: ryan@whatsupnewp.com.
Posted inNews
Newport Little League to host annual fundraiser at O’Brien’s Pub on May 14
Newport Little League will hold its 2026 annual fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at O’Brien’s Pub, 501 Thames St., with tickets priced at $20 and including a drink and light appetizers. The event, which is open to all guests 21 and older, will also feature a raffle and silent auction. O’Brien’s […]
Posted inNonprofit
Newport Restoration Foundation calls for nominations for 20th annual Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards
The Newport Restoration Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2026 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards, marking the 20th anniversary of the joint program between the NRF and the City of Newport. The annual awards recognize exemplary historic preservation projects that carry forward the legacy of Doris Duke and have had a significant impact on the […]
Posted inNews
Rogers High School PTO to host cornhole tournament at Newport Elks Lodge
Rogers High School’s Parent-Teacher Organization will host an amateur cornhole tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at the Elks Lodge, at the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Pelham Street, with a rain date of May 3. The tournament can accommodate 16 teams of two, with spots expected to fill quickly. The winning team will […]
Posted inNews
Salve Regina, Tennis Hall of Fame upgrade historic Casino Theatre with $710,000 in improvements
Salve Regina University and the International Tennis Hall of Fame have completed a series of upgrades to the Casino Theatre, revitalizing the 144-year-old venue with improved sound, lighting and technology systems. The improvements were funded by $650,000 in gifts from the Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust and the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, along with $60,000 […]
Posted inInstagram
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day returns to Newport on April 14
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day returns to Newport on April 14, with the Thames Street location offering free scoops to the public from noon to 8 p.m. The annual tradition, which began in 1979, has grown into a global event spanning more than 35 countries. Last year, Ben & Jerry’s served more than 1 […]
Posted inNews
Your Newport County weather forecast: 7 days on land and sea
Whether you’re heading out on the water, planning a weekend event, or just trying to dress for the day, here’s your full 7-day forecast for Newport County — pulled live from NOAA’s National Weather Service and refreshed automatically. Weather Forecast Marine Forecast
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island’s indie bookstore passport program returns, sending readers on a statewide literary road trip
Three Rhode Island independent bookstores are relaunching a statewide program that challenges readers to visit every indie bookshop in the state — and rewards those who pull it off. The Rhode Island Independent Bookstore Passport Adventure, first launched in 2019, returns April 18 and runs through April 26. Passports are free and will be distributed […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum hosts artist panel tied to ‘Springboard’ exhibition April 16
The Newport Art Museum will host the second installment of its two-part InConversation panel series on April 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Ilgenfritz Gallery, bringing together four artists from its current Members’ Juried Exhibition Springboard for a wide-ranging moderated discussion. Voices of Springboard will be led by Julie Keyes, the show’s juror and founder of Keyes Art, a global art […]
Posted inCity & Government
EPA honors Rhode Island drinking water project among nation’s best
A drinking water infrastructure project in Scituate that brought safe, reliable water to 23 elderly residents has earned national recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA this week named the consolidation project at the Scituate Housing Authority’s Rockland Oaks Senior Housing Community, Scituate High School and Scituate Middle School as one of five […]
Posted inNews
Newport Prevention Coalition and police to host DEA Drug Take Back Day on April 25 at the Salvation Army
The Newport Prevention Coalition and the Newport Police Department will host the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 51 Memorial Blvd. A Newport police officer will be on hand to collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Rhode Island Spirits and Save The Bay launch new gin made with botanicals foraged from Narragansett Bay’s shoreline
Rhode Island Spirits has partnered with Save The Bay to release a new gin made with botanicals foraged directly from the shoreline of Save The Bay’s Providence Bay Center, with a portion of every bottle sold going back to bay conservation. Rhodium Save The Bay Gin is the latest release from Rhode Island Spirits, New […]
Posted inArts & Culture
newportFILM to screen ‘Lowland Kids’ at Rogers High School’s new auditorium on April 16, with proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund
newportFILM will present a special screening of “Lowland Kids” on Thursday, April 16, at Rogers High School Auditorium, 15 Wickham Road — marking the organization’s first screening in the school’s newly built auditorium. Presented in partnership with the Rogers High School PTO and the Newport Public Education Foundation, the event will benefit the Rogers High […]
Posted inCity & Government
Coalition rallies at State House, releases new report as fight to secure Newport’s birthing center enters new phase
Nearly a year after the threat of closure first galvanized Aquidneck Island families, advocates for Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center took their fight to the State House on Thursday — this time armed with legislation, a new 53-page white paper and a message that welcoming Brown University Health’s announcement last week was not […]
Posted inNews
AARP Rhode Island to host free document shredding event in Newport on April 24
Newport County residents can safely dispose of sensitive personal documents at a free shredding event hosted by AARP Rhode Island on Friday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at Edward King House Senior Center, 35 King St. The drive-thru drop-off event is part of AARP Rhode Island’s “Fraud Fighting Fridays” initiative, which aims to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Cynthia Nixon to discuss ‘The Gilded Age’ and her career at An Evening with Cynthia Nixon at The Breakers on April 26
Cynthia Nixon, the Emmy, Tony and Grammy award-winning actor known for her roles in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and “Sex and the City,” will appear in conversation at The Breakers on Sunday, April 26, in an event hosted by the Preservation Society of Newport County. The evening will feature Nixon discussing her portrayal of Ada […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Salve Regina University dance program to present ‘Currents’ at the Casino Theatre April 16-18
The dance program at Salve Regina University will bring its spring concert, “Currents,” to the Casino Theatre, 9 Freebody St., for three performances April 16-18. The program is described as a journey through the forces and undercurrents that shape human experience, with faculty and student choreographers exploring themes of resistance, personal freedom and collective empowerment […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Barbara C Risso
Barbara Cerra Risso, born on July 8, 1939, in Newport, Rhode Island, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family and friends.Barbara was predeceased by her husband Thomas E. Risso, sister Gloria Albro, and brother Joseph Medeiros.She will be greatly missed by her son John Liptak and his wife […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Sings to present annual Song Fest on May 2 in Portsmouth
Newport Sings will present its annual Song Fest on Saturday, May 2, at 4 p.m. at Portsmouth Middle School, 125 Jepson Lane. The concert will feature four ensembles. The Newport County Youth Chorus, made up of students in grades one through six, will perform songs about nature from their session “Songs of the Earth.” The […]
Posted inCity & Government
McKee announces $60M bond proposal for CCRI workforce training center in Warwick
Gov. Dan McKee on Wednesday announced a proposed $60 million general obligation bond to build a Workforce Innovation Center at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick campus, part of a broader $600 million infrastructure bond package included in his fiscal year 2027 budget. The proposed 44,000-square-foot facility would feature industry-standard labs, simulation spaces and […]
Posted inCity & Government
Secretary Amore launches ‘Play Ball for RI250’ initiative at Rumford Little League
Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and the RI250 Commission on Wednesday officially launched Play Ball for RI250, a statewide initiative linking youth baseball and softball with Rhode Island’s Semiquincentennial commemorations ahead of July 4, 2026. The kickoff event was held at the Kimberly Ann Rock Complex in Rumford and brought together Little League players, […]
Posted inInstagram
Publisher’s Note: It’s a News Day. Start Local.
Today is Local News Day. More than 1,300 newsrooms across all 50 states are showing up for it. States including Colorado and North Carolina have issued formal proclamations. So have cities and counties from Helena, Mont., to Waltham, Mass. It is, by any measure, a genuine national moment for local journalism — and What’sUpNewp is […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rolling Stones tribute band Classic Stones Live coming to The JPT on June 26
Classic Stones Live, a Rolling Stones tribute act, will perform at The JPT Film & Event Center in Newport on Friday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. The eight-piece band is led by Keith Call, who portrays Mick Jagger, alongside Bernie Bollendorf as Keith Richards. The show recreates the Rolling Stones’ catalog in original tunings, with attention […]
Posted inCity & Government
Sen. Euer’s bill to protect contraceptive coverage regardless of federal law heard in committee
Legislation that would require Rhode Island health insurers to cover contraceptives at no cost, independent of federal law, was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer, who represents Newport and Jamestown, is aimed at preserving contraceptive coverage for Rhode Islanders even if the Affordable Care […]