Newport City Councilor Steph Smyth announced Wednesday she will run for a second term in the At-Large seat on the Newport City Council. Smyth, whose surname is pronounced sm-EYE-th, was elected in 2024 as Newport’s second-highest vote earner. She is framing her re-election bid around a first-term record she says is built on transparent budgeting, […]
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
Norman Bird Sanctuary launches free field trips for 7th graders
The Norman Bird Sanctuary is rolling out a new program that will bring 7th-grade students onto its 300-acre campus for free, blending field science, exercise and mental wellness into a single morning outdoors. The initiative, called “Ecosystem Explorers,” is funded by a grant from the Frederick Henry Prince Memorial Fund at Newport Hospital. The sanctuary […]
Posted inNews
RIPTA expands 231 Flex on Demand service to northern Aquidneck Island
State and local leaders gathered Wednesday to mark the launch of an expanded RIPTA Flex on Demand pilot that stretches the 231 Flex Zone north to take in major Aquidneck Island employers and residential sites. The expansion, which runs April 29 through June 30, brings on-demand, app-based public transit to riders headed to Raytheon, the […]
Posted inCity & Government
Euer files bill to cap utility capital spending hikes, shield ratepayers from lobbying costs
Sen. Dawn Euer has introduced legislation aimed at slowing the rapid climb in utility-driven costs on Rhode Islanders’ energy bills, capping how much public utility companies can grow their capital spending plans each year and barring them from passing certain business expenses on to customers. The bill, 2026-S 2779, would limit annual increases to a […]
Posted inCity & Government
General Assembly passes Jamestown senior property tax relief bill
The Rhode Island General Assembly on Tuesday passed legislation that would expand Jamestown’s senior property tax relief program, sending the bill to Gov. Dan McKee for consideration. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer, D-Newport, and Rep. Alex Finkelman, D-Jamestown, was requested by the Jamestown Town Council. It would extend the town’s existing tax-relief program […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical to close Chamber Series with pianist James Zijian Wei and a flute-piano duo
Newport Classical will wrap its 2025-2026 Chamber Series with two concerts at the Newport Classical Recital Hall, beginning with a solo recital by pianist James Zijian Wei on Friday, May 8, and closing with a flute-and-piano program by Amir Hoshang Farsi and Mika Sasaki on Friday, June 5. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the […]
Posted inNews
Carson bill would create state fund for Newport Hospital birthing center, with strings attached
Rep. Lauren H. Carson on Tuesday introduced legislation to create a state-supported fund for Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center, conditioning any public money on the hospital keeping the center fully staffed and open to community oversight. The bill is Carson’s response to Brown University Health’s announcement earlier this month that it will keep […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Newport Vineyards to open Farm & Barrel Bistro on May 8
Newport Vineyards will debut a new on-site restaurant, Farm & Barrel Bistro, on Friday, May 8 at its Middletown property. The bistro replaces the vineyard’s previous dining program with a farm-to-table concept built around ingredients from the winery’s own farm and greenhouses, paired with estate-grown wines and beers from Taproot Brewing Co., the on-site brewery […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jamestown Arts Center to host third annual Mark S. Weil lecture on Gauguin’s influence
The Jamestown Arts Center will host the third annual Mark S. Weil Art History Lecture on Sunday, May 3, featuring art historian Elizabeth C. Childs of Washington University in St. Louis. The lecture, titled “Why Gauguin Matters: Artistic Response from Matisse to Global Contemporary Art,” will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at the arts […]
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Tom Petty tribute band The Breakers to play Newport’s JPT in October
The Breakers, a tribute band devoted to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will perform at the JPT Film & Event Center in Newport on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. The show, presented by Spectacle Live, will be held at the historic Washington Square venue, formerly the Jane Pickens Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Sen. Dawn Euer launches reelection bid for Newport, Jamestown Senate seat
Sen. Dawn Euer will seek reelection to the Rhode Island Senate’s District 13 seat, which covers Newport and Jamestown. Her campaign is set to kick off Saturday with a fundraiser that will also collect food donations and grocery store gift cards for the Housing Hotline. Euer, a Democrat first elected in a 2017 special election, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Contemporary Ballet to premiere ‘The Tempest’ in Providence next month
Newport Contemporary Ballet will stage the world premiere of choreographer Joshua L. Peugh’s adaptation of “The Tempest” at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence on May 14, 15 and 16. All three performances begin at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $48. Peugh’s ballet adapts Shakespeare’s late comedy, which centers on the exiled magician Prospero, […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
NIMFest returns to Newport’s King Park Gazebo with free Sunday concerts in July and August
The Newport Independent Music Festival is back for another summer of free waterfront concerts, with eight Sunday afternoon shows on tap at the King Park Gazebo in July and August. Better known as NIMFest, the series will run from 3 to 6 p.m. each Sunday, weather permitting, at the gazebo at 125 Wellington Ave. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Joanne Shaw Taylor to play Newport’s JPT Film & Event Center in July
Blues-rock guitarist and vocalist Joanne Shaw Taylor will take the stage at The JPT Film & Event Center this summer, Spectacle Live announced Monday. “An Evening With Joanne Shaw Taylor” is set for Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Washington Square venue. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 1, at 10 a.m. […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Boil water notice lifted for Stone Bridge Fire District customers in Tiverton
The precautionary boil water notice issued last week to Stone Bridge Fire District customers has been lifted, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced. The advisory was issued April 24 after a water main break threatened to cause a loss of pressure across multiple areas of the system. The Stone Bridge Fire District, which serves […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Quononoquott Garden Club’s annual plant sale returns to Jamestown May 9
One of Jamestown’s most beloved springtime traditions returns next month, as the Quononoquott Garden Club hosts its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9. The sale will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fort Getty Pavilion on Fort Getty Road and will be held rain or shine, according to the club. Shoppers can […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island confirms second measles case of 2026 in patient seen at Middletown urgent care
A woman in her 20s has tested positive for measles after being treated at Brown University Health Urgent Care in Middletown, marking the second confirmed case of the highly contagious illness in Rhode Island this year, state health officials announced Saturday. The Rhode Island Department of Health said the patient had recently traveled from outside […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport’s Spring Recycling Day returns April 25 at Easton’s Beach
The city will hold its annual Spring Recycling Day on Saturday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to noon at Easton’s Beach, 175 Memorial Blvd., marking the 56th anniversary of Earth Day. The event is free but open only to Newport residents, and proof of residency is required. No appointment is needed, and the event will […]
Posted inCity & Government
DEM marks Rhode Island’s 129th Arbor Day with nearly $200K in tree grants
Rhode Island celebrated its 129th Arbor Day on Friday with the announcement of nearly $200,000 in grants to plant trees and strengthen urban forests across the state. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management unveiled the awards at Samuel Slater Memorial Park, where Director Terry Gray was joined by the department’s Division of Agriculture and […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Six animals test positive for rabies in Providence County, health officials warn
At least six animals in Providence County have tested positive for rabies over the past six weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Health said Friday, prompting a renewed warning to residents to steer clear of wildlife and keep pet vaccinations current. Since March 12, three raccoons in Burrillville, one bat and one coyote in Lincoln, […]
Posted inNews
Rough Point earns Level 1 arboretum accreditation
Rough Point has achieved Level 1 arboretum accreditation through ArbNet, the Newport Restoration Foundation announced Thursday. The designation recognizes the approximately 11-acre landscape on Newport’s rugged Atlantic Coast, which preserves the legacies of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and philanthropist, preservationist and conservationist Doris Duke. ArbNet unites arboreta, botanic gardens with woody plant collections and […]
Posted inNews
Discover Newport rolls out $200,000 sponsorship program for tourism projects
Discover Newport on Thursday announced a new sponsorship program that will provide up to $200,000 annually to organizations working on projects that drive overnight visitation and strengthen the tourism economy across Newport and Bristol counties. Sponsorship awards will range up to $15,000, with most falling between $1,000 and $10,000, according to the destination management organization. […]
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 inCity & Government
Euer bill would require state review before any Rhode Island birthing center could close
Sen. Dawn Euer has introduced legislation that would require state oversight of any proposed closure or reduction in services at a birthing center in Rhode Island, a response to the yearlong fight over the future of Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center. The bill, 2026-S 2380, would place birthing center closures under the Hospital […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater adds encore ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ premiere party after first night sells out
After tickets to its original premiere party sold out in record time, the Jane Pickens Theater: Film & Event Center has added an encore community celebration for “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” giving Newport audiences another chance to see one of the year’s most anticipated sequels. The Friday, May 1 event is designed as a […]