I’m writing in support of Penny Hunt for Newport School Committee. She has proven she has the knowledge, dedication, and character to make a real difference for all Newport families and residents. I first met Penny through her active participation in the Off Broadway Neighborhood Association and Involve Newport, where she worked to make our […]
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Posted inOpinion
Letter to the Editor: Ellen Pinnock has earned reelection in Ward 1
I happily endorse Ellen Pinnock for reelection to Ward One city Councilor. When I wrote about her two years ago, she had a record of working with youth and education and also advocacy for Ward 1 residents. She was already involved in decisions around the bridge property and support for harm-reduction efforts rooted in dignity and […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-Ed: Portsmouth taxpayers deserve answers on the housing lawsuit
As Portsmouth’s state senator, a retired attorney, and a Portsmouth taxpayer, I have questions about the Town Council’s 5–2 vote to spend up to $20,000 suing the state over its housing laws. Democratic Council members Payero and Blank supported the housing resolution but voted against the spending. I am not weighing in on whether these […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-Ed: Energy resilience means keeping our options open
When I co-sponsored a resolution in September 2025 regarding a potential moratorium on new natural gas hookups on Aquidneck Island, it was in response to a state-level discussion involving Rhode Island Energy about whether limiting new connections could help address capacity constraints. The proposal under discussion would not have affected existing natural gas hookups. Part of the broader concern […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-Ed: Portsmouth’s lawsuit against the state is fiscally irresponsible — and we were never asked to help
While we respect the commitment of Town Council members who serve our community, we are strongly opposed to their decision to launch a lawsuit against the State of Rhode Island over recent housing legislation. Spending Portsmouth taxpayers’ dollars on an uphill legal battle is both fiscally irresponsible and deeply ironic given recent legislative history. We […]
Posted inCity & Government
McGaw and DiPalma ask Verizon to delay cutting Little Compton landlines until fiber arrives
Rep. Michelle McGaw and Sen. Louis DiPalma have asked Verizon to postpone discontinuing copper landline service in Little Compton until fiber optic broadband is actually available there. Verizon customers in town recently received letters saying traditional copper service would end sometime after Oct. 23, and pointing them toward fiber, cable or wireless alternatives. Two of […]
Posted inCity & Government
States file new lawsuits against Trump’s payouts stopping offshore wind
by Alex Brown, Rhode Island Current September 22, 2026 An eight-state coalition filed lawsuits Tuesday challenging the Trump administration’s payments to private companies to cancel offshore wind leases, escalating an ongoing legal battle over the government spending billions of dollars to block wind projects. Attorneys general from eight East Coast states are suing the feds over […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: Resident engagement is not an obstacle to good government
Recent discussion about Newport’s boards and commissions raises an important question about how we balance efficiency, accountability, expertise, and public participation in local government. I agree that government should operate efficiently. Studies should not sit on shelves, projects should not become trapped in endless process, and elected officials should not use committees or commissions to […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-Ed: Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ community needs proven leaders in the General Assembly
RI General Assembly Needs Proven Leaders for LGBTQ+ Community By Senator Tiara Mack In previous legislative sessions, legislators from Woonsocket to Westerly have overwhelmingly voted to protect LGBTQ rights and healthcare. The stakes this year were higher than ever, but I can’t help but ask: Did we do everything we could to protect trans kids […]
Posted inCity & Government
Letter: Keith Hoffmann is the best candidate for Rhode Island Attorney General
To the Editor; We are proud to endorse Keith Hoffmann for Rhode Island Attorney General because we trust Keith to fight for all Rhode Islanders. Keith has deep experience across the civil and criminal divisions of the Attorney General’s Office and rose from trial attorney and prosecutor to Chief of Policy and Senior Counsel to […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: Perrotti Park’s deed deserves an answer
To the Editor: Newport is considering a major expansion of the Harbormaster facility at Perrotti Park. There are plenty of arguments about the design, size, cost and merits of the project. But there is a more fundamental question the City has yet to answer publicly: Can Newport legally use this land for the proposed expanded […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Irving “Skip” Phifield
Irving “Skip” Phifield passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, August 13, 2026, following a short illness in Dover, Delaware. Skip spent his early years growing up in Newport, Rhode Island. As a teenager, he worked in several restaurants, where he discovered his passion for cooking. That passion led him to attend Johnson & […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: Public health is about people
Recent commentary regarding Newport’s proposed public health vending machine at Fire Department Headquarters has characterized this initiative as a program that simply “manages addiction.” I believe that characterization misses both the purpose of the program and, more importantly, the people it is intended to help. At its core, this is about something much more fundamental: […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: Newport Comp Plan draft ignores local schools
Editor, Diversifying Newport’s economy beyond tourism is a recurring theme. As part of the city’s update to its Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the city’s economic development consultant recently enumerated options for mitigating tourism’s negative impacts, yet inexplicable ignored published council strategic priorities and offers no recommendations for even trying to diversify Newport’s economy. The Newport […]
Posted inOpinion
Rep. Lauren Carson: The fight for Newport Hospital’s birthing center isn’t over
Those of us fighting for the future of the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital celebrated several wins in the state budget enacted in June: $1.6 million in extra funding and significant new requirements that must be met before any hospital is allowed to close or reduce services at a birthing center. Newport […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Miguel “Macho” Collazo
Miguel, 48, of Newport, Rhode Island, unexpectedly passed away on July 1, 2026. Born on May 19, 1978, in Brooklyn, New York, Miguel was raised in Newport, Rhode Island, where he developed the values of family, friendship, and hard work that defined his life. Miguel lived life on the edge. He was known for his […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: The bailout machine: How Newport built a school funding system designed to fail
Every spring, Newport runs the same play. The school department projects a deficit. The city council expresses concern. Eventually, a one-time payment closes the gap. And then residents — reasonably enough, looking only at the last act — conclude the schools can’t manage money. But the crisis isn’t a bug in the system. It is […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: The kids are watching
As I reflect on my first term serving as Ward 1 Councilor in Newport, I keep coming back to the young people in our community. This year, they reminded me why I do this work. From the City Council dais, I have advocated for policies that create safer, healthier, and more equitable opportunities for Newport […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: Save Perrotti Park
The City should move forward with repairing the failing Perrotti Park bulkhead. That work is necessary. But Newport residents should be very cautious about allowing a needed infrastructure repair to quietly become a much larger building project that changes one of downtown’s most important public harbor-view spaces. The concern is not the seawall. The concern […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: PCC 4 vote for more expensive trash disposal
At our June 8, 2026, Portsmouth Town Council meeting, the PCCaligned majorityrejected a $520peryear trash pickup option and then immediately approved a$569peryear alternative. That’s nearly $50 more per household for the same service.The lowercost option included negotiated concessions and a contract extension thatwould have secured longterm savings and protected residents from inflation. My motion to […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the editor: Taryn Mazza makes her case for Newport City Council At-Large
Hi Neighbor! My name is Taryn Mazza and I am running for Newport City Council, At-Large. I’m a longtime Newporter who was born at Newport Hospital and graduated from Rogers High School in 1994 (Go Vikings). I spent nearly a decade on the West Coast but truly, nothing compares to our fair city. Newport is […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter: We need Dawn Euer in the Rhode Island Senate
Being a Rhode Island legislator is a challenging calling to pursue. To start with, we pay our state legislators less than $20,000 per year. This is not enough to quit your day job. And in this part-time gig, we expect our legislators to understand a number of complex legal, legislative, economic, environmental and social issues […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the editor: Why I’m running for Newport City Council
I’m proud to officially announce my candidacy for Newport City Council. Newport isn’t just where I live. It’s home. I was born at Newport Hospital, attended Newport Public Schools, spent summers at Camp Rocky Farm and Braga Park, learned to play tennis at Vernon and Rogers Courts with my late great-uncle Frank Kenney, played softball […]
Posted inCity & Government
Letter to the editor: Setting the record straight on the June 10 hotel resolution
Follow-up to June 10, 2026 City Council Discussion on Hotel Development I would like to clarify information presented during the June 10, 2026, Newport City Council meeting regarding Agenda Item #20, which concerned a resolution requesting a review of ordinances, zoning provisions, and land use regulations related to NEW hotel development within the City of […]
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the Editor: Thank you for making Elliot’s Ride for Everyone a success
To the Editor: What an amazing day! We want to thank everyone who made Elliot’s Ride for Everyone such a success. On Saturday, June 6th, Bike Newport presented “Elliot’s Ride for Everyone – the annual event when the iconic Ocean Drive closes to cars and opens to people biking, walking, rolling and strolling – creating […]