The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management plans to resume prescribed burns on state lands this week, with low-severity fires planned at locations across seven communities, weather permitting. DEM’s Forest Fire Program is targeting parcels at Durfee Hill Management Area in Glocester, Arcadia Management Area in Exeter, Nicholas Farm Management Area in Coventry, Big River […]
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 inArts & Culture
Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County accepting applications for $2,000 Tinney Family Arts Scholarship
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County is accepting applications for the Tinney Family Arts Scholarship Award, a $2,000 scholarship given each May to a Newport County high school senior who has demonstrated artistic talent and plans to continue studying the arts. The scholarship is open to seniors attending any high school in Newport […]
Posted inCity & Government
New exhibit at Rhode Island State House explores state’s revolutionary history
Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial (250) Commission have announced the opening of a new exhibit at the Rhode Island State House commemorating the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. “Revolution and Rhode Island: Liberty, Struggle, Legacy,” installed in the lower level of the State House, explores Rhode Island’s role in the […]
Posted inCity & Government
Three Rhode Island state campgrounds open April 10 for the season
Three Rhode Island state campgrounds will open for the season on Friday, April 10, the state Department of Environmental Management announced. Charlestown Breachway, Fishermen’s Memorial and George Washington Memorial state campgrounds will welcome campers just in time for spring school vacation and trout fishing season. East Beach State Campground will open Friday, May 22. Burlingame […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Department of Health launches “Better State of Healthy” campaign during National Public Health Week
The Rhode Island Department of Health has launched a new public awareness campaign called “Better State of Healthy,” timed to coincide with National Public Health Week. The campaign features stories from public health professionals about the scope of RIDOH’s work and how to access the department’s resources and services. Materials include videos, social media content […]
Posted inCity & Government
Jamestown Police Department earns second reaccreditation from state law enforcement commission
The Jamestown Police Department has earned its second reaccreditation from the Rhode Island Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, following a thorough review of the department’s policies, procedures, operations and community engagement. The reaccreditation, awarded by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association’s accreditation commission, known as RIPAC, is a voluntary recognition that requires law enforcement agencies to […]
Posted inNews
Four Salve Regina University students awarded foreign language fellowships
Four Salve Regina University students have been awarded Beatrice S. Demers Foreign Language Fellowships through the Rhode Island Foundation to support language study abroad. The fellowships, which range from $1,000 to $20,000, help cover tuition, fees, travel, housing and other expenses for students, educators and Rhode Island residents pursuing foreign language study. Adison Caufield, a […]
Posted inReal Estate
Little Compton oceanfront estate sells for $4.5 million, highest sale in town since November
A private oceanfront estate overlooking the Sakonnet Passage has sold for $4,500,000, the highest sale in Little Compton since November 2025, according to Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty. The property at 17 Ferolbink Way sits on nearly five secluded acres with west-facing views of Aquidneck Island and the Atlantic Ocean. The home features open […]
Posted inCity & Government
Treasurer Diossa brings financial literacy program to Thompson Middle School
General Treasurer James A. Diossa on Friday announced the expansion of the Financial Capabilities Consortium Program to Thompson Middle School in Newport, bringing financial literacy education to more than 100 eighth graders as part of Financial Literacy Month. Students participating in the program will receive in-classroom financial literacy coursework through the FLY Initiative, the opportunity […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center will remain open, but needs $4.9 million in new annual funding to survive
The Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital will remain open, the hospital announced Friday — but its future depends on securing $4.9 million in sustained new annual funding from state and philanthropic sources. The announcement caps months of intense community advocacy that began last summer when Brown University Health first signaled the center […]
Posted inInstagram
15th annual Citizens Pell Bridge Run moves to August 30 due to planned Pell Bridge maintenance
The 15th annual Citizens Pell Bridge Run will take place Sunday, August 30 at 7 a.m., a departure from its traditional October date to accommodate significant maintenance and improvements planned for the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge this fall. The 4-mile run and walk begins in Jamestown and finishes in downtown Newport, offering participants a rare […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport City Council to consider Ann Street Pier expansion, Easton’s Beach contracts and more at Wednesday meeting
The Newport City Council will meet on Wednesday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 43 Broadway, with an agenda that includes infrastructure contracts, beach concessions, board appointments, and a number of upcoming special events. Among the most significant items, the council will consider awarding contracts for the expansion of Ann […]
Posted inInstagram
Newport’s 2026 cruise ship season kicks off this month, with a busy fall stretch ahead
Newport’s 2026 cruise ship season is underway, with dozens of vessels scheduled to call on the city between April and November, according to the latest schedule from Discover Newport and the Office of the Newport Harbor Master. The season was set to open Sunday with the Valiant Lady, but the ship canceled its Newport port […]
Posted inInstagram
Newport Restaurant Group donates more than $81,000 to local nonprofits through 2025 gift card program
Newport Restaurant Group has donated $81,314 to seven local nonprofits through its annual gift card donation program, surpassing last year’s total and bringing the program’s cumulative giving to more than $366,000 since its launch in 2019. Through the program, $2 from every gift card purchase is directed to area nonprofits fighting food insecurity. The 2025 […]
Posted inBusiness
Grey Sail Brewing and sister companies roll out spring and summer lineups
Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island is welcoming warmer weather with a fresh round of seasonal releases, joined by sister companies South County Distillers and Groton, Connecticut’s Outer Light Brewing Company. Grey Sail’s spring and summer lineup features four new offerings: Blueberry Break Wheat Ale and Raspberry Reef Wheat Ale, both available in Rhode Island, […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island General Treasurer James Diossa announces re-election campaign
Rhode Island General Treasurer James A. Diossa announced Thursday he is seeking re-election, releasing a campaign video featuring his children and partner while highlighting his first-term record of fiscal management and programs aimed at working families. “As Treasurer, my job has always been about more than numbers — it’s about people,” Diossa said. “Every investment […]
Posted inCity & Government
East Providence mayor endorses Matos in lieutenant governor’s race
East Providence Mayor Roberto “Bob” DaSilva on Thursday endorsed Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos in her bid for a second term, lending the incumbent a prominent local voice as the Democratic primary for Rhode Island’s second-highest office grows more competitive. “Sabina fights tirelessly for everyday Rhode Islanders and always prioritizes the needs of our local communities,” […]
Posted inInstagram
National Sailing Hall of Fame announces Class of 2026, to be inducted in Newport this fall
The National Sailing Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026, a group of six sailors whose careers span Olympic podiums, record-setting ocean passages and pioneering roles for women in the sport. Induction festivities will take place over two days in Newport. A welcome cocktail party is set for the evening of Tuesday, October […]
Posted inNews
401Gives surpasses $5 million goal, setting records across the board for Rhode Island nonprofits
Rhode Islanders delivered. 401Gives, the statewide day of giving powered by United Way of Rhode Island, surpassed its $5 million fundraising goal by the time giving closed at 6 p.m. Wednesday, setting new records for donors, gifts and participating organizations in the initiative’s seven-year history. Over 36 hours, 20,112 donors made 32,544 gifts to benefit […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Inside ‘The Gilded Age’ tours return to Newport Mansions this spring
Fans of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” will have a chance this summer to step inside the Newport Mansions that serve as backdrops for the Emmy-winning period drama. The Preservation Society of Newport County is offering its Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour on Tuesdays and Fridays only, from May 12 through Aug. 28. The guide-led experience […]
Posted inNews
401Gives enters final hours with $3.5 million raised and two matching gift opportunities still ahead
401Gives is in its home stretch, and Rhode Islanders still have time to make their donations count. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the statewide day of giving had surpassed $3.5 million raised — more than $3.521 million from 22,431 gifts by more than 14,500 individual donors — pushing toward its $5 million goal with seven […]
Posted inNews
Rogers High School juniors launch ‘Donut or Donate’ fundraiser with a community twist
The Rogers High School Class of 2027 is giving Newport a reason to feel good about their next sugar fix. The junior class has launched a “Donut or Donate” fundraiser, selling dozens of Krispy Kreme donuts for $15 each — with a charitable option baked in. Buyers can choose to keep their donuts, have them […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport City Council confronts $925,000 public safety overrun as budget season opens
In the opening round of a citywide budget workshop series, Newport’s City Council pressed department heads and finance officials Monday night over a nearly million-dollar public safety spending gap, deferred fire station maintenance and an ambitious proposal to reshape how the city manages its parking operations — all against a backdrop of union contracts, supply […]
Posted inNews
401Gives tops $2.5 million in less than 12 hours, already halfway to its goal
The momentum behind 401Gives shows no signs of slowing down. By 5:17 p.m. Tuesday, the statewide day of giving had surpassed $2.5 million raised — more than halfway to its overall goal — with more than 15,860 donations pouring in from over 10,200 individual donors in less than 12 hours. A record 658 nonprofits have […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The High Kings bring Rocky Road Tour to The JPT in July
Ireland’s leading folk group, The High Kings, are coming to Newport this summer as part of their Rocky Road Tour 2026. Spectacle Live will present the concert at The JPT Film & Event Center on Thursday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 3, at 10 a.m. and are available at […]