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

What’sUpNewp Card

by Ryan Belmore

What’sUpNewp is proud to announce the launch of the 2016 What’sUpNewp Card. The What’sUpNewp Card is an annual exclusive membership to curated experiences and exclusive discounts and opportunities across Newport County. Are you a business and interested in providing What’sUpNewp Card Holder offers? This is your chance to promote your business to an audience of highly social, active and […]

Posted inNews

Newport, RI News Headlines (Dec. 6)

by Ryan Belmore

Get the latest Newport news headlines from What’sUpNewp.com! Here’s a roundup of the latest headlines that mention Newport, RI from local and national media. Newport, RI News Headlines  Barry Hinckley Is Starting an Airbnb for House Parties (Bostinno)Sailor-snapper Cardona settles into dual role (Military Times) [wp-rss-aggregator]

Posted inNews

Meet The 35+ Businesses and Community Partners That Helped Bring Back the Newport Skating Center

by Ryan Belmore

Newport Waterfront Events will host a Grand Re-Opening of the Newport Skating Center Presented by ALEX AND ANI and 34TH Annual Tree Lighting on Friday, December 11th at 5:00 p.m. at the Newport Yachting Center. The rink failed to open last winter due to the sale of the Newport Yachting Center by Newport Harbor Corporation to Scott’s Wharf. […]

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Introducing Nextdoor, Newport’s Private Neighborhood Online Network

by Ryan Belmore

Nextdoor is the free and private social network just for those living in your neighborhood. There are more than 700 folks who are living in Newport and over 83,000 communities across the U.S. using Nextdoor to strengthen their neighborhoods. On Nextdoor, neighbors share crime and safety concerns, local-events, recommendations, items for sale/free, ideas about how to […]

Posted inNews

Newport, RI News Headlines (Dec. 4)

by Ryan Belmore

Get the latest Newport news headlines from What’sUpNewp.com! Here’s a roundup of the latest headlines that mention Newport, RI from local and national media. Newport, RI News Headlines  Going Places, Near & Far: Favorite Places for Family Winter Holidays (The Island Now)5 Island Vacations That Are Even Better Than the Caribbean (The Cheat Sheet)A Newport Charity Was the […]

Posted inCity & Government, News

RI Receives Additional $4.3 Million to Upgrade Newport’s Gateway Center

by Ryan Belmore

U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline has announced that the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is being allocated an additional $4,346,001 in federal funding for exterior repair and improvement work at the Newport Gateway Center, one of RIPTA’s major transit hubs.  This brings the federal contributions […]

Posted inFood & Drink, News

Brick Alley Pub Recognized by National Restaurant Association with “Restaurant Neighbor Award”

by Ryan Belmore

Photo by Peter Silvia of Brick Alley Pub Brick Alley Pub has announced that they have received the National Restaurant Association’s “Restaurant Neighbor Award” for community service in Rhode Island. Fifteen years ago, the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation joined American Express to create the Restaurant Neighbor Award. The award promotes restaurants’ roles as cornerstones of their communities, and […]

Posted inEnvironment & Health, News

Sail Newport Adds New Director of Philanthropy

by Ryan Belmore

Sail Newport Executive Director Brad Read has announced the appointment of Carole Corriveau as the new director of philanthropy to help the non-profit organization’s future growth and philanthropic programs. Corriveau brings more than fifteen years of development experience to Sail Newport, with a focus on growing and transforming development programs for multiple non-profit organizations. Carole Corriveau […]

Posted inNews

Newport-based Non-Profit Featured on NBC’s Today Show

by Ryan Belmore

Photo: The Confetti Foundation Did you watch the Annual Rockefeller Tree Lighting special on Wednesday night on NBC? If you did then chances are you probably caught the very special feature on The Confetti Foundation, a Newport-based non-profit organization. The Confetti Foundation, located on Thames Street, supplies party starter kits to hospitalized children. It was started in […]

Posted inNews

Newport Folk Festival and Scalping: Here’s What You All Need To Know, Do and Not Do

by Ryan Belmore

Tickets to the 2016 Newport Folk Festival went on sale at 10am today and within just a few hours 3-Day Tickets, 2-Day Tickets, and Saturday Single Day Tickets sold out. Friday Single Day and Sunday Single Day Tickets still available here; Friday Single Day – http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01004F72CA584776…Sunday Single Day – http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01004F72CBB74925… There’s been a lot of comments on Newport […]

Posted inThings To Do

Island Moving Company Will Bring A “Mini Nutcracker” To Sandywoods Center For The Arts

by Ryan Belmore

Newport’s Island Moving Co. brings a delightful and abbreviated version of the holiday classic Nutcracker to Sandywoods Center for the Arts on Sunday, December 6th at 11am. Doors open at 10:30am at the Center, which is located at 43 Muse Way in Tiverton, RI. Russ Smith will read the Nutcracker story as the dancers of the Island Moving Co. and […]

Posted inArts & Culture

Newport String Project Will Host Concert at Redwood Library on December 12th

by Ryan Belmore

The Newport String Project returns to the Redwood Library on Saturday December 12th at 3pm, with a vibrant program of works for strings and piano. Violinists EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Ealain McMullin will be joined by guest musicians Joe Bentley (bass), Marjorie Gere (violin) and Dan Sedgwick (piano) for an intimate afternoon of chamber music in the […]

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