Tim Burke, a Newport Pedicabber, pulled a pedicab from Bristol to Boston last week to raise awareness and funds for ALS (and met with ALS doctors and professionals along the way). Burke, who will be participating in the Tri-State Trek, The Ride To End ALS, later this month, joined me for the first 30 minutes […]
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 inEnvironment & Health
Runners from near and far participate in 6th Annual BankNewport 10 Miler
For more than 2,500 runners from near and far, months of training culminated in this weekend’s BankNewport 10 Miler. The sixth annual race was run under beautiful, sunny skies and comfortable June temperatures on Sunday. Participants completed the scenic 10-mile course, which started and finished at Fort Adams and followed a route that included Ocean Drive […]
Posted inNews
Peacemakers gather at URI for 19th annual International Nonviolence Summer Institute
More than 70 peacemakers from across America and the world are gathering this week at the University of Rhode Island to engage in active experiential training for nonviolent conflict reconciliation to address violence in their home communities. Among them are URI graduate students, Chicago high schoolers and teachers from Santa Fe, Texas, and Sandy Hook, […]
Posted inNews
“Story in the Public Square” awarded Bronze for Best Political/Commentary in Television in the 39th Annual Telly Awards
Story in the Public Square” has been awarded Bronze for Best Political/Commentary in Television in the 39th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens as judged by leaders from video platforms, television and streaming networks, agencies, and production companies including Vice, Vimeo, Hearst Digital Media, and BuzzFeed. […]
Posted inThings To Do
Tall Ship Sagres stops in Newport, open for tours today
Portuguese Navy’s 292-foot Tall Ship Sagres has arrived in Newport. The 81-year-old ship is docked at Fort Adams State Park from June 5th – 7th and will be open for free tours today (June 5th) from 12 pm to 5 pm, according to Joe Dias, Executive Director, of Fort Adams Trust. UPDATE: Tours today (6/5) 2pm-6pm and tours tomorrow […]
Posted inThings To Do
Congregation Beth David’s Summer Series features comedy, Grammy and award winning musicians
A little laughter and a lot of music will fill the Narragansett Community Center this summer as Congregation Beth David presents an exciting series that kicks off with a comedy night on June 16, featuring a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and a legendary Boston comedian known as a master of dialects and character […]
Posted inThings To Do
Jamestown Board of Canvassers to host ‘Fake News Presentation’ on June 12th
The Jamestown Board of Canvassers has announced that Dr. Jim Ludes, Executive Director of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, at Salve Regina University, will speak on Tuesday, June 12th, 7 p.m. at the Jamestown Town Hall, 93 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown. Urban myths and gossip have populated the Internet for a number of years. […]
Posted inThings To Do
Making Elliot’s Ride for everyone
On Sunday, June 10th, beginning at 9 am, the greater Newport community will gather and then set out from Fort Adams State Park to ride bicycles along the scenic ocean coastline together. “This is the day when everyone, regardless of experience, comes out and rides together along our beautiful shoreline,” explains Don Jagoe, Board Chair of the host […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum’s Art School to host Second Saturday
The Newport Art Museum will welcome parents and children to the galleries for the popular monthly Second Saturday program on Saturday, June 9 at 10:30 am. Second Saturday presents engaging, family-oriented programming designed to inspire young minds and satisfy the curiosity of every member of the family. Each Second Saturday is uniquely curated based on a theme, and includes a variety of activities geared for ages […]
Posted inNews
What’sUpNewp Radio Edition – June 4th: A conversation with Javier Juarez, ‘What Happens to a Dream Deferred?’
Javier Juarez, a Rhode Island resident and probably best known in Newport as a Newport Pedicabber, joined WUN’s Ryan Belmore to chat about his recent commencement speech at Brown University. Juarez shared how, as a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, he got to the point of graduating from an Ivy League university with an advanced degree. […]
Posted inThings To Do
This Week: 30+ things to do in and around Newport
Discover all that’s happening, new, and to do in and around Newport, RI this week. You Might Also Like – This Week: Live music and entertainment listings Monday, June 4th U.S. Professional Singles playing for the Schochet Cup at The National Tennis Club 4:45 pm – RBG at Jane Pickens Theater 5 pm – Brick Market Book […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Things To Do
This Week: Live music and entertainment listings
Here’s a look at all the live music and entertainment that’s worth seeing, hearing, doing, or knowing about in Newport County this week. Monday, June 4th Diego’s: Trivia at 9:30 pmFastnet Pub: The Ubiquitones at 10 pmFifth Element: The Groove Merchants from 7 pm to 10 pmJane Pickens Theater: RBG at 4:45 pm, Heal at 7:30 pmLanding: […]
Posted inNews
Volvo Ocean Race: Singer Jack Johnson calls for action on ocean plastic crisis and backs #CleanSeas campaign
The musician, who has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, became a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador on World Environment Day in 2015. The role aligns with his commitment to raise environmental awareness in the music industry and to encourage venues and fans to reduce plastic waste. His social action network, All At Once, connects concertgoers with […]
Posted inNews
Tall Ship Oliver Hazard Perry sailing with Aquidneck Island students
To fulfill its educational mission that includes a commitment to Aquidneck Island students, the non-profit organization Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island (OHPRI) is hosting 21 students from Rogers High School, Portsmouth High School and the MET School on a nine-day voyage aboard Rhode Island’s Official Sailing Education Vessel SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. The student trainees, a mix […]
Posted inThings To Do
Save The Date: 20 can’t miss events in June
Here are the biggest events happening in June 2018 – expect some of the biggest crowds this month to gather at the following events. Of course, these 20 events are just the tip of all the great things that are happening in our area this month. Be sure to watch our Things To Do and […]
Posted inBusiness
Taproot Brewing Company prepares to open in Middletown
After 23 years of perfecting the art of winemaking, Newport Vineyards & the Nunes family are busy preparing for their newest adventure – this summer’s opening of Taproot Brewing Company. Taproot Brewing Co. is equipped with a state-of-the-art seven-barrel brewhouse on-site, located just as enter through the main entrance of Newport Vineyards main entrance. {Update […]
Posted inThings To Do
New water bottle filling station to be revealed at King Park Day
Today, Greenlove Foundation members will join Friends of the Waterfront (FOW) and Friends of King Park, the City of Newport and other environmentally active groups at King’s Park from 9:30-1:30. One of the many missions of the foundation, is to encourage people to use a refillable water bottle to reduce and eliminate plastic single-bottle usage […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
Q&A: John Hirschboeck, Daffodillion Project Director
The daffodils have come and go, we thought what better time than now to catch up with John Hirschboeck, Daffodillion Project Director, to discuss what we should do with our daffodils, find out where he is with his mission to plant one million daffodils, and to ask him about those yellow chairs across from Easton’s […]
Posted inJobs
Featured Job Opportunity: Rejoiner – Sales Assistant
Rejoiner is a fast-growing SaaS company building marketing automation technology for the world’s top B2C retail brands. Brands like GUESS, Titleist, OXO and Hallmark depend on our technology to run highly profitable behavioral email programs. We’re looking for a Sales Assistant to augment our existing sales efforts. Here’s a sampling of things you would be […]
Posted inThings To Do
The Newport Hotel and Marina invites public to join them for summer kickoff party, Leis on the Bay
The Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina (“The Newport”) is hosting a summer kickoff party, “Leis on the Bay” on Thursday, June 7th, 5-8 pm. For $25.00 per person, guests will enjoy an open bar of wine, beer and specialty cocktails which will include Rhode Trip Beer and Summer Hefeweizen, compliments of Newport Craft Brewing + […]
Posted inNews
What’sUpNewp Radio Edition – June 1: Tiverton Casino, Relay for Life of Aquidneck Island, and King Park Day
Today’s guests included John Edwards, Vice President of Tiverton Town Council; Courtenay Needham, Senior Community Development Manager for the Northeast Region of the American Cancer Society; and Gianna Sullivan. We capped off the week on What’sUpNewp Radio Edition on AM 1540 WADK in a busy and big way on Friday. John Edwards from Tiverton Town […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Newport Bermuda Race: Youth teams making their mark in thrash to the Onion Patch
No matter how you look at it, thrash, whether used as a noun or a verb, sounds like a bad thing. But for the 1500+ sailors on 180 vessels entered in the 51st “Thrash to the Onion Patch,” more formally known as the Newport Bermuda Race, this biennial race is a bucket list challenge. When the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
CBD presents ‘Bagels over Berlin’, a powerful documentary about Jewish airmen during WWII; Filmmaker Alan Feinberg will introduce the film
“Bagels over Berlin” is a powerful documentary that premiered this month and tells the story of Jewish Airmen who fought in the U.S. Army Corps during WWII. Congregation Beth David of Narragansett will present the documentary on Saturday, June 9 at 7 p.m. at the Narragansett Community Center, 53 Mumford Road, Narragansett. Filmmaker Alan Feinberg […]
Posted inCity & Government
$42,000 in grants awarded to 10 local groups across Rhode Island, projects will focus on climate change and community resilience
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced on Thursday that they have awarded $42,000 in grants to 10 local groups to work on projects related to climate change education and community resilience, all aimed at helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from the adverse health effects of climate change. The grants will […]
Posted inBusiness
People’s Credit Union appoints Traci Carpenter as Senior Vice President of Operations
People’s Credit Union announced on Thursday the appointment of Traci Carpenter as Senior Vice President of Operations. Carpenter will be responsible for the Credit Union’s day-to-day and longer-term operational functions as well as providing the organization with a strong centralized project and vendor management resource, according to the announcement.. Carpenter has over 15 years of […]