What'sUpNewp

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) yesterday announced the award of $37,500 in matching grants to help communities and businesses invest in boat pump-out facilities across Rhode Island. The grants are funded under the US Fish & Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act (CVA) and support two projects along the Sakonnet River and East […]

The Town of Middletown today announced that it is sponsoring its first annual Holiday Card Art Contest as a way of spreading seasonal cheer and promoting the beauty of Middletown in the community. The winning submission will be used to decorate the holiday card that the Town of Middletown sends to employees,  volunteers, and officials […]

STEM programming at Claiborne Pell Elementary School is about to grow, thanks to a recent grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Education Acitivity. Marcin Rembisz, the Communications Coordinator/Secretary for Newport Public Schools, shared the following announcement on Monday morning. U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Awards Newport’s Claiborne Pell Elementary School $500,000 Grant […]

J. Mark Ryan, a candidate for Portsmouth Town Council, joined What’s Up Newp on Saturday, October 17 at 12:30 pm to chat about his campaign, his priorities, and why voters in Portsmouth should re-elect him in the upcoming election. J. Mark Ryan currently sits on the Portsmouth Town Council. What’s Up Newp has invited all […]

Louisa Boatwright, a candidate for Newport School Committee, joined What’s Up Newp on Thursday, October 15 at 3 pm to chat about her campaign, her priorities, and why voters in Newport should re-elect her to the school committee in the upcoming election. What’s Up Newp has invited all candidates for Newport School Committee to join […]

Members of the Canvassing Board say the polling location at the Park Holm Senior Center poses COVID-related health risks, but some locals argue the move could impact voter turnout.  Read more from The Public’s Radio here.

NEADS World Class Service Dogs, based in Princeton, MA. today announced that it is actively recruiting volunteer Full-Time Puppy Raisers in New England.  The importance of the Puppy Raiser program is paramount; NEADS World Class Service Dogs change lives every day but cannot do so without proper dog training. NEADS is ramping up its Full-Time […]

Potter League for Animals is hosting its first virtual Heart & Sole Walk/5K Run for Animals on Sunday October 18th at 12Noon. The Heart & Sole Walk for Animals is the Potter League’s largest fall fundraiser to raise funds and awareness for homeless and neglected animals across Rhode Island and beyond. What’s Up Newp’s Ryan Belmore […]

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Newport plans to offer produce year-round. ecoRI news has the full story here.

The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation and Lifespan are teaming up for their third and fourth food distribution events this month. Pallets of food, including perishable and non- perishable goods such as eggs, milk, and produce, will be distributed via ‘drive-thru’ to individuals and families in need. The distribution is open to the public. […]

“With the news of coronavirus cases rising among college students in Rhode Island, Salve Regina University in Newport is touting the fact that they have had the fewest cases, with just two students testing positive since the start of school”. Read the full story from ABC 6 here.

Clean Ocean Access (COA) hosted their first beach cleanup of October this past Saturday. Twenty-six committed volunteers came together at Island Park Beach and Gull Cove in Portsmouth to remove 72 pounds of trash from the areas. People of all ages were out and about on this beautiful Saturday, shocked by the number of glass […]

Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) President Meghan Hughes sent the following message to the college community this afternoon announcing the schools plans for Spring 2021, which will continue primarily remote with limited in-person, on-campus classes. “To our CCRI community, While we continue with a fall semester like no other, I remain inspired by the […]

This past Saturday Clean Ocean Access hosted their second beach cleanup of September. According to Clean Ocean Access, thirty-eight volunteers came together at  Pheasants Drive Beach in Portsmouth to remove 194 pounds of trash from the area. “First-time volunteers and seasoned veterans alike were shocked by the amount of trash collected over the span of […]

Clean Ocean Access (COA) has announced  a new recycling initiative in partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle. Since  February 2020, the program has successfully collected over 140,000 pounds of sailing and  agricultural shrink-wrap for recycling, according to Clean Ocean Access.   Shrink-wrapping boats and greenhouses in preparation for winter is commonplace in the U.S.,  but […]

Common Fence Music recently announced that they will present the legendary Jim Kweskin in a live stream concert at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 18. The event is free, and all tips go to the artists. A link to the online concert will be provided at commonfencemusic.org prior to show time. Jim Kweskin is the founder of the […]

The following statement was issued by the Newport Democratic City Committee. Most people recognize that the vibrancy of any community is related to the vitality of its school system. You don’t have to have a child or grandchild in school to appreciate that an investment in education provides the pathway to success for each, succeeding […]

Aquidneck Land Trust (“ALT”) today announced a $15,000 Challenge Match from an anonymous donor to help conserve a 5.49-acre property in  Middletown. The parcel is off of Green End Avenue and abuts the southwestern corner of Sweet  Berry Farm, which uses the land to grow strawberries and pumpkins for their farm stand.   “This high priority property […]

This past Saturday Clean Ocean Access celebrated International Coastal  Cleanup day by hosting their first core cleanup of the season at Easton’s Beach! According to Clean Ocean Access, they had an amazing group of 104 volunteers come out for this event, and within two hours they helped to remove 169  pounds of debris from the […]

Newport Recreation today announced that it is currently accepting registrations for their distance learning pod at The Hut.  According to Newport Recreation, the distance learning program provides a safe, supervised space for children to participate in distance learning.  The pod is available to boys and girls in grades 1-3 at Pell Elementary School.     […]

The Town of Middletown issued a press release on Saturday announcing that starting Monday, the Gaudet Athletic Complex on Turner Road will be closed to the public during school and special event hours. Superintendent Rosemarie K. Kraeger issued a reminder today to help keep students and staff at Gaudet Middle School safe amid COVID-19. She […]

As we approach what promises to be among the most intriguing and important general elections in recent memory, WhatsUpNewp will be exploring races throughout Newport County and statewide. We will leave the presidential campaign to the major networks. Already we have seen some upheaval in the primary election, where progressives defeated some incumbents, including some […]

As we approach what promises to be among the most intriguing and important general elections in recent memory, WhatsUpNewp will be exploring races throughout Newport County and statewide. We will leave the presidential campaign to the major networks. Already we have seen some upheaval in the primary election, where progressives defeated some incumbents, including some […]

Here’s a round-up of the scheduled road and lane closures throughout Newport County during the week ahead. Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority The following road and lane closure notices from the Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority (RITBA) are effective for the week of September 20 – 26, 2020. All schedules are weather-dependent and […]

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in partnership with the RI Tree Council, RI Nursery and Landscape Association, and the Arbor Day Foundation, today announced that it is providing 1,200 free trees to Rhode Island homeowners this fall.  Now in its eleventh season, the program helps Rhode Islanders save energy and lower their utility bills by strategically planting […]

The Newport Tree Conservancy today shared details regarding their Specimen Tree Restoration Program. The program provides unique trees to be planted anywhere on private property in the City of Newport. The trees, which are limited in availability, are free in exchange for the commitment to plant and maintain the tree. Each year the Newport Tree […]