Middletown Fire Department responded to a house fire at 671 Green End Avenue shortly after 7pm on Wednesday night. Crews reported the fire was in the attic of the 1 1/2 story structure. Mutual aid from Portsmouth and Navy also responded to the scene. According to Zillow, the property is a 3 bed and 3 bath single family […]
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
UPDATE: Wednesday Night House Fire on Kay Street
Newport Fire Department and services responded to 88 Kay Street around 6:45pm on Wednesday for a reported fire in the basement of a 2 story wood frame residential structure. The 2-Alarm Fire was knocked down quickly but crews found active fire extensions into walls and second floor. Canteen 1 from Providence responded to the scene to assist crews […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
Second Edition of Ocean Race North Will See Boats Offshore Race From Charleston to Newport in May
Photo by Priscilla Parker Manuka Sports Event Management has confirmed their plans for the second edition of Ocean Race North, an offshore race running north from Charleston to Newport to start May 6. In addition, Fort Lauderdale to Charleston will run on April 8, 2016. “We are excited to be running Ocean Race North again in […]
Posted inNews
PODCAST: Interview with Stacey Carter from the Center For Business Outreach at Salve Regina University
Ryan Belmore, Owner/Editor of What’sUpNewp, was had Frank Prosnitz, Former Reporter for the Providence Journal and Providence Business News, as C0-Host on his radio show, The Open Forum, on 1540 AM WADK Newport today. Their guest was Stacey Carter from the Center For Business Outreach from the Department of Business Studies and Economics at Salve […]
Posted inFood & Drink, News
Newport Restaurant Group to Welcome ‘Avvio Ristorante’ in Former Papa Razzi Location in Cranston
Newport Restaurant Group, a division of Newport Harbor Corporation, an employee-owned hospitality company, is pleased to announce Avvio, a new restaurant in the former Papa Razzi space in Garden City, Cranston. Avvio will join the Newport Restaurant Group collection as the ninth location in Rhode Island and will embody the essence of everyday Italian dining; […]
Posted inNews
PHOTOS: Newport Shows Love For Dorian Murray Through #DSTRONG
In case you missed it, the Rhode Island General Assembly will honor 8-year-old Dorian Murray of Westerly today with a resolution proclaiming Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, as “#DSTRONG Day.” Dorian, who has been diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare untreatable cancer, is scheduled to attend the session as a guest in both the House and Senate […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island General Assembly Will Honor Dorian Murray by Proclaiming Today as #DSTRONG DAY
The Rhode Island General Assembly will honor 8-year-old Dorian Murray of Westerly today with a resolution proclaiming Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, as “#DSTRONG Day.” Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly) and House Corporations Committee Chairman Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) will introduce the resolutions in their respective […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum Will Welcome Four New Exhibitions This Winter
The Newport Art Museum will welcome four new exhibitions to its galleries this winter, including two solo artists, one group show, and an exhibition of recent Museum acquisitions. Mary Dondero: Small Points in Time, Jason E. Smith: Outer Myths, Paintings: Recent Acquisitions, and the Newport Annual Members’ Juried Exhibition will be on view this winter and celebrated during an opening […]
Posted inArts & Culture, News
George Wein Announces Entire Lineup For 2016 Newport Jazz Festival
With last year’s highly-celebrated festival behind him, George Wein, Festival producer and chairman of the Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc.™, today announced the lineup for the 2016 Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Global Asset Management, which will again take place in Newport, RI, July 29 – 31 at historic Fort Adams State Park and the […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
State House Commission Studying Economic Impact of Sea Rise Will Focus on Newport on Thursday
Photo by Marial Maher/Visual Manor The House Commission on Economic Risk Due to Flooding and Sea Rise will meet Thursday to study the potential financial effects rising sea levels could have on Newport. Newport is one of three coastal areas in the state the commission is using as case studies to shed light on the […]
Posted inNews
PODCAST: Interview with Preservation Society of Newport County and International Tennis Hall Of Fame
Joining me today on The Open Forum on 1540 AM WADK Newport today was Trudy Coxe, CEO of Preservation Society of Newport County; John Rodman, Museum Experience Director of Preservation Society of Newport County and Doug Stark, Director of Museum at International Tennis Hall Of Fame. Give the podcast a listen and get an update on […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport County Chamber Of Commerces Looks to Expand Israeli Business Trade and Development In Our Area
Newport County Chamber to Launch Business Trade & Development Focus on Israel Middletown, RI – As a direct outcome of a 2015 visit and series of meetings by the Israel Economic Minister to North America with local business and elected officials, the Newport County Chamber of Commerce has initiated a series of activities to expand Israeli […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Melges 32 Class Association Will Host 2016 World Championship in Newport
The most successful 30-ft grand prix racing class travels to Newport, RI and teams up with Sail Newport for the 2016 World Championship, September 28 – October 2 Newport, RI – On the heels of a highly successful 2015 World Championship in Trapani, the International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA) moves to Newport, R.I., partnering […]
Posted inNews
UPDATE: Newport Man in Coma Following Assault on Bliss Road on Friday Night
NBC 10 WJAR has reported that a Newport man is currently in a coma at Rhode Island Hospital after being attacked on Bliss Road on Friday night. According to a GoFundMe Page set up by his sister-in-law, Kyle Kettner of Newport was “attacked walking with a friend in Newport,RI. He sustained severe head trauma. He […]
Posted inNews
Newport’s Richard Hatch Has Been Eliminated from ‘The Biggest Loser’
After three weeks, Richard Hatch has been sent home from NBC’s The Biggest Loser. The Newporter was eliminated after losing the least amount of weight for his team. Hatch will appear on the finale and still has a shot at prize money with the “At Home” challenge. Those eliminated from the show will be weighed […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Renderings of Sheffield School Redevelopment Show How The Project Hopes to Innovate Newport
The Technology Business Incubator and Accelerator Is Expected To Open in 2017 Construction of a new, exciting business hub in Newport, currently titled InnovateNewport, could start as soon as this spring. The project which was announced in September 2014 entails the re-purposing and redevelopment of the Sheffield School, an idle City-owned public school property at 513 […]
Posted inHistory
PODCAST: Interview with Keith Stokes about Newport’s African American History
Keith Stokes, Vice President of 1696 Heritage Group, joined me on The Open Forum on 1540 AM WADK Newport on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to discuss enriched Newport’s African American History. Topics included the African American experience at home and overseas during WWI, Newport’s Gilded Age in color, slavery in Newport and much much […]
Posted inThings To Do
Best Things To Do This Week In Newport (Jan. 18 – 22)
Discover the best events, activities and things to do in and around Newport, RI this week! FYI – MANY Newport restaurants will be taking some time off this week, visit When Newport Restaurants Are Open and Closed This Winter for full details. Have something you would like to add to this story? E-mail Ryan@whatsupnewp.com. Monday, January 18th […]
Posted inCity & Government
Aquidneck Island’s Legislators Sponsor Dozens of Bills in First Two Weeks of 2016 General Assembly
The 2016 Rhode Island General Assembly kicked off the new year and the new session on Tuesday, January 15th. Aquidneck Island’s seven State Representatives have been quite busy introducing dozens of bills that range form topics such as charter schools, cell phone use, animals and more. Here’s what our State Representatives have done in the […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
Upcoming Beer, Scotch and Wine Dinners Include Revival Brewing, Donelan Family Wines and Brooklyn Brewing
Discover Where To Experience A Beer, Scotch or Wine Dinner in Newport Whether your drink of choice is beer, scotch or wine, Newport has an abundance of dinners to keep you entertained over the next few weeks. Four Newport restaurants are offering some unique multi-course dining experiences over the next few weeks. January 20th, 2016 […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Newport’s Top 10 Hot Spots for Watching New England Patriots Playoff Football
The Kansas City Chiefs will roll into Foxboro today at 4:35pm to take on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in the Divisional Round of the 2015 season. In case you missed it – On Friday, we interviewed former New England Patriots Players and Super Bowl Champions Jarvis Green and Patrick Pass, catch the […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
Injured Newport Sailor Awarded $1.46 Million by Federal Judge For Caribbean Accident
The Providence Journal has reported (http://bit.ly/1lfCIEJ ) that Rhode Island Federal Judge John McConnell has awarded nearly $1.5 million to Kenneth Nevor of Newport, a former world-class sailor. Judge McConnell Jr. ruled on Thursday, January 14th that Moneypenny Holdings LLC, who owned the boat Nevor was sailing on, didn’t have proper safety procedures in place when […]
Posted inNews
Principal of Thompson Middle School and Secretary at Rogers High in Search of Bone Marrow Match
Jamie Crowley, Principal of Thompson Middle School and Maureen Martin, a secretary at Rogers High School, are in search for a bone marrow match. Crowley, who won the Middle School Principal of the Year Award in 2015, has recently been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndrome RAEB (MDS). He is in need of a bone marrow transplant and […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, Things To Do
Annual Sail For Hope Scheduled for October 15th
Sail Newport‘s Annual Sail For Hope event has been moved to October 15th. “The date was recently changed to augment the Newport Sailing Calendar without confilicting with other sailing events”, Sail Newport announced in a release on January 15th. Sail Newport expresses that they expect the event to offer the same awesome “last blast of the season” […]
Posted inNews
Four Newport Hotels Receive AAA’s Four Diamond Award
Ten Rhode Island hotels and one in nearby Seekonk, Massachusetts are among establishments throughout North America to receive AAA’s highest recognition for quality and service – the 2016 AAA Five or Four Diamond Award, AAA Northeast has announced. AAA’s professionally-trained inspectors throughout North America continue an 80-year tradition of conducting unannounced hotel evaluations, rating those […]